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Chapter twenty-eight

D eus and I shifted back to our room. Before the blood was completely washed from my skin, he was inside of me, leveraging my body between his and the wall of the shower. There was no talking, no discussion. The only thing that mattered the next hour was our bodies, minds, and souls, intertwining with one another, taking in the comfort of being reunited … being whole and complete.

At some point we left the warm mist of our shower and tumbled into our sheets, taking each other over and over again. There were no restraints, no toys, no teasing: just the raw, animalistic need to connect, to possess one another entirely.

As I lay in the arms of my mate, I relaxed into the peace my mind and soul only knew in his presence. He trailed his fingers through my hair, kissing my face every so often. I looked up into his beautiful icy blue eyes, memorizing every detail.

“I was so worried,” he finally said, his smile falling from his lips. “When two days had passed, and I couldn’t sense you, couldn’t hear you, I began to lose my mind.”

“It really only felt like hours there,” I replied, brushing my fingers along the column of his neck.

“Promise me you won’t be going through any new gateways anytime soon, unless I can come with you.”

“Believe me, you couldn’t pay me to go back to Purgatory.”

“Were the demons that brutal?” he asked.

The memories, sounds, and smells of that place would be added to my arsenal of trauma. “They weren’t demons, Asmodeus … they were humans. Savage, barbaric humans who fed on the flesh of others. All life, all humanity had been drained from them. Honestly, I don’t know how Talia survived there. I prefer Hell over that place any day.”

“That’s saying a lot,” he whispered.

“Exactly. Even with Annalise at my side, I had never felt more alone, more empty, than I did in that place.”

“Well, hopefully we’ll be getting some answers from Lucy’s mate soon.” He huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “I can’t believe it … Lucifer has a mate. And what in Father’s name was she doing in Purgatory? Why hasn’t he been searching for a way to set her free?”

“Add those to the list of ever-growing questions,” I said, stretching across the bed. “Can’t we just … sleep for a few days?”

He smiled, running his fingers down my side. “Well, since you were gone for so long, Frankie and I finished all the wedding preparations.”

I snapped my eyes to his. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, I don’t want to wait another minute to make you my wife. How does tomorrow sound?”

I bit my lip, trying to tame the smile that fought to erupt. I wrapped my arms around his tanned, muscular torso.

“I think tomorrow sounds perfect,” I whispered against his lips. We made love again, until we were forced to pry our bodies from one another.

“Listen,” said Mammon, leaning against Nonna’s couch. “I say we have Seren reopen the doorway to Purgatory, and we push the crazy bitch back through. Hell, I’ll volunteer to do the pushing.”

“We haven’t even heard her story,” said Gor.

“What is there to hear?” replied Mammon. “She is Lucy’s mate. Lucy. For Father’s sake, why in the universe did He give him a mate?”

“Where is G?” I asked, realizing she wasn’t in the room with us.

“She insisted on staying with Talia,” Gor answered.

“You left your mate alone with that thing?” Deus snapped.

“Just because Giana is my mate doesn’t mean I have the right to tell her what to do,” Gor said. “Plus, she assured me she doesn’t feel any ill will from Talia. She feels … sorry for her.”

The others in the room began a heated debate about all the things they wanted to do to Talia to get back at Lucifer, and what would happen if she betrayed us. I made my way to Gor’s side. I knew my friend well, and I could tell he was off.

“You okay?” I asked, bumping his shoulder gently.

“This is all just a lot,” he admitted.

“You’re telling me,” I said with a smile.

“I have a mate,” he said, sounded astonished. “Me … the Prince of Sloth … a mate. And she is … Father she is perfect. Beautiful, brilliant, playful, strong, and kind. She is so understanding of everyo ne and everything. And she’s mine. She was meant for me. Created from me. How?”

“Gor,” I said, turning to him fully. “When are you going to stop and see how truly wonderful you are? I was able to see it from day one of our meeting. Heck, even Lucifer sees it. Why can’t you?”

He smiled hesitantly. “In comparison to the others—”

“There is no comparison. You are each extraordinary in your own unique way. While also being difficult, territorial, and horribly narcissistic.”

He laughed. “Glad to see we’ve made a good impression.”

I shrugged. “Most of you have.” I took my friend’s hand in mine, holding it tight. “Giana is beyond lucky to have you as her mate.”

“I hope I don’t disappoint her.”

“You won’t. I know you won’t.”

He pulled me into his embrace, holding me close. “Thank you, Seren. Truly.”

“Of course,” I said, pulling away from him, “Now, I have a favor.”

“I knew you were being too complimentary. Out with it.”

“Deus and I are getting married tomorrow. I was … I was wondering if you would do us the honor of officiating the wedding.”

Gor shook his head, startled. “Deus has agreed to this?”

“Well, I haven’t told him yet, but I am sure he will go along with whatever I ask. Yah know, being the blushing bride to be and all.”

Gor smiled, his dark brown eyes seeming to glisten with happiness. “I’d be honored to join you and your mate in matrimony,” he said, placing a hand on either of my shoulders. “And I am honored to have the privilege of calling you my sister.”

My eyes filled with tears at the title. I was overwhelmed with happiness. I lunged, wrapping my arms around him, squeezing tightly. We both laughed as he returned my affections.

“Alright, what is going on over here?” Deus’s voice came from behind me. “There’s a lot of touching and it’s not directed towards me, so naturally I am feeling a bit neglected.”

I pulled away from Gor, elbowing Deus in the ribs.

“Demon baby,” I said playfully.

“Don’t worry, brother,” said Gor. “Though I adore your mate, I seem to have been blessed with my own, whom I am quite found of.”

“Blessed,” Deus repeated the word, with a raw expression on his face. “Father has blessed us,” he said, looking at me. “After all this time … a blessing.”

“I would have to agree,” Gor said with a soft smile.

“Well,” I smirked, “I have just found our officiant for tomorrow.”

“Oh, you have?” asked Deus.

“Yup. Gor has agreed to do the honors.”

Deus smiled, looking at Gor with surprise.

“If you’re in agreement, of course,” added Gor.

“It would be an honor to have you lead us in the ceremony,” replied Deus with a grin. He extended his hand to Gor. Sloth took it, pulling Deus into an embrace. The brothers laughed with happiness. My heart was full.

The door to Nonna’s room opened, revealing Talia with G at her side. Giana scanned the room. Once her eyes found Gor, her face lit, her spirit along with it. She walked straight for him, wrapping her arms around his tapered torso, beaming up at him.

He pressed a kiss to her head, a tenderness I knew well, thanks to my own mate’s affections. “You’re alright,” he whispered.

She nodded. “I actually kind of like her,” she admitted.

“Sweetheart, please don’t get attached to Lucy’s mate,” groaned Gor.

She laughed. “Isn’t she kind of like my sister?” G asked.

Gor looked at Deus. After a moment of silence, they both began laughing.

“Father, I think she’s right,” said Deus.

“Which means, Lilith is also our sister,” I added.

“What are the lot of you yapping about back here?” Came Lilith’s voice from behind us.

“Oh, nothing much,” I said, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. “Just how the three of us are sisters.”

Lilith’s body stiffened as if I had insulted her. “Excuse me?” she replied.

“Well,” G explained. “You’re a part of Satan, and we’re a part of our mates. They’re brothers, which makes us—”

“Sisters,” I interrupted. “Speaking of, Deus and I have decided to get married tomorrow, and both of you are in the wedding. Congratulations.”

“I decline,” snapped Lilith.

“I am currently not accepting declinations. So, suck it up and wear the dress Frankie picked for you.”

G jumped up and down, clapping and grinning from ear to ear. “It is an honor,” she said, pulling me into a hug. “I am so excited. My first wedding as a bridesmaid.”

“Congratulations are in order, I suppose,” came Talia’s voice from the doorway. Every eye in the room snapped towards her. She didn’t seem to mind, appearing use to the attention. She strolled into Nonna’s room as graceful and elegant as Lucifer himself. Her deep black strapless dress trailed to the floor, hugging every inch of her desirable body. Her hair was pulled away from her face, flowing in loose curls down her back. Her hair was more vibrant than I had seen, but her eyes … her eyes were entrancing. They pulled one in and refused to let go.

She walked straight through the crowd, stopping in front of Deus and me, flickering her eyes between us. She forced a small smile across her lips.

“I wish you two nothing but happiness,” she said. At the same time, her presence slithered across the walls inside my mind.

“Your mate doesn’t know, does he?” she said mentally.

“What are you talking about?” I replied, annoyed she could come and go inside my head as she pleased.

“About the sacrifice you will have to make to save them all. You discovered how to kill Lucifer, removing him permanently from this plane. You cracked their brotherly code.”

“You know how to kill one of them?” I said, fear now flickering through me. If she tried to kill any of them, I’d end her.

Her laugh vibrated inside my head. It was unsettling. “How many times must I assure you I mean you and yours no harm. I am only here for Lucifer. Both of our sacrifices are necessary to rid this world of the plague we have entertained for far too long.”

“Don’t tell the others ,” I pleaded. “Only my Nonna knows what I must do.”

“Your secrets are your own. They will not leave my lips.”

“Thank you.”

“I believe I promised you all a story,” she said, scanning the room.

“You sure did,” said Mammon, crashing into the couch. “Let’s get on with it then.”

Talia nodded, sitting in a high wingback chair near the fireplace. My family gathered around, eager to hear of her and Lucifer.

She sat straight with perfect posture, like a queen. With her hands folded in her lap, she took a deep breath and began.

“I was born into slavery under a cruel pharaoh, raised to follow the Jewish laws and customs. But I always had a rebellious spirit. Due to our poverty, as soon as my bleeding began, my parents tried to pawn me off on the first man that showed interest, but I made that very difficult.

“Any suitor that my parents brought before me, I made sure to … discourage their interests. This enraged my family, and they eventually threw me out into the streets to fend for myself. About that time, the great Moses entered the picture and freed my people from our overlords. Thus, our journey to the promised land began.

“It was horrific. After escaping the Egyptians, we found ourselves traveling through the desert with little food or water. Children were starving, the elderly were dying, and there was nothing any of us could do. We held onto the promise of a utopia for as long as we could, until people started getting desperate. With no end in sight, some began to defect, going against Moses and his commandments.

“A year into traveling, I met Aradia in a town we passed. I had never seen or heard of magic before. Little did I know, my family possessed the gift but had chosen not to embrace it due to our religion. Aradia informed me of the power that coursed through my blood and then took me under her wing.

“She and her coven chose to travel with us through the desert, towards a hope that began to fade with each passing day. I watched Di and her coven do miraculous things with their gifts as I began to develop my own power. I became obsessed, hungering for more power. Aradia tried to teach me about the cycle of life and how sensitive this system of balance was, but I refused to listen. I practiced day and night, until I became just as talented as any other witch in her coven.

“Aradia and I were like sisters. My family had disowned me, so I found a new one. Back then, there was only one coven, but it wasn’t a coven … not really. It was a family. A community of amazing people with amazing talents and gifts.

“When Di met Cyrus, everything began to change. Their love—their bond—came before everything and everyone else. I was jealous of their connection. The other coven members felt neglected and unheard. Strife began to stir within the group, and some questioned Aradia’s loyalty to the community she had created.

“Though, through their bond, our powers grew, the members feared for the future generations of witches and warlocks. How would they remain safe? Would the power eventually fade? How would our way of life continue? That was when Aradia and Cyrus developed the three-hundred-year cycle, to preserve the magic gifted to the community.”

Talia paused for a moment, rubbing the white stone ring on her finger.

“Aradia loved me,” she said softly, “like a sister. As I did her. She and Cyrus planned to run away together to live out their lives in peace. She began to prepare me to become the first vessel. By encasing her power in me, I would be a beacon of hope for our coven. Since I wasn’t infused with Aradia’s soul in the womb, the process I endured was … painful, to say the least.

“It changed the very makeup of who I was … what I am. Cyrus did the same, finding a man named Jonah who he thought to be worthy. Once the process was complete, Di and Cyrus thought Jonah and I would share in their bonded love, but I was not in terested in the weak male Cyrus had chosen. I was imbued with Aradia’s power, finally possessing the thing I had always wanted. I wasn’t going to waste it by succumbing to love and falling under the hand of a man. Then, I met him. Lucifer.

“During this time, Moses had received a command from God to invade and destroy Canaan. We started towards the sinful territory when, along the way, we inherited a new group of travelers. Luc was among them. He went by the name Samael, at first. As soon as I laid eyes on him, I knew something was different. I had never been interested in men nor what they could offer me, but he felt familiar. As if I had lost something that was now found.

“But, there was something missing behind his eyes. How could I have known it was his soul? He took interest in me right away, knowing I carried the power of a goddess. He passed as a common warlock. He would do small bouts of magic to impress those around him. He was a born leader, someone others naturally gravitated towards.

“Aradia never cared for him. She didn’t trust him. But I on the other hand … I trusted him completely. We began to spend one on one time together, slipping away from the others unnoticed. The more of ourselves we shared with each other, the brighter the light behind his eyes became. Little by little, his soul was returning to him because of the love that began to grow between us. We became inseparable.

“Aradia discouraged me from seeing him, but I would hear nothing of it. Three months in and I was desperately in love with him. By the time he finally told me his true identity, I didn’t care. There was nothing in this world or any other that could make me not love him. My acceptance snapped the bond into place. We both felt it and knew instantly what it was. So, one night in the middle of summer, we slipped away from camp and were officially bound together as husband and wife.” Her eyes briefly drifted to her left hand.

“As time progressed, he shared about his brothers and the falling out. He told me his plans and how he was aiming to become like God. I shared those aspirations, wanting him to get everything he desired in this life. Then, we began to build our own army here on earth. I was the one that came up with Obsidian, that concocted the plan to betray Aradia and convert half the coven to our side.

“But … something uneasy grew inside of me as we moved forward with our vision. I had this feeling of uncertainty and eventually, paranoia. So, I formed a plan to insure I would remain safe. The new coven members I converted to our side signed a blood contract, pledging their loyalty to me and me alone. Luc didn’t know about the pact, but I made sure the coven would obey me above anyone or anything else.

“Aradia was heartbroken, deeply betrayed. She and the coven members that remained loyal to her attempted to stop us before we reached Canaan, but I was too strong. As I was the first to command witch, goddess, and demonic powers, she didn’t stand a chance. And with Lucifer by my side and our coven of hybrids, we slaughtered them.” Her eyes dropped to her hands as she twirled her ring around her finger. “I was the one that killed Cyrus. After that, Aradia no longer felt she had a purpose in this world.

“Once their gods were gone, the remaining coven members fled, fleeing across the continent to hide from us. We began hunting them down one by one, absorbing their powers to fuel our mission. The ones that escaped us apparently developed the seven covens you now descend from.

“We resided in Canaan, making it impossible for Moses to enact his lord’s plans of destruction. That city was where we first developed blood magic. Dark magic, mixed from my own talents and the demonic power Luc and I possessed. We were happy there, for a time, surrounded by others who were fearless and determined. But it wasn’t enough … I wasn’t enough.

“After a few months of exploration and conquering nearby villages, I could feel Luc getting restless. He still wanted more. He wanted to be like his Father. Omniscient. Omnipotent. He started pulling away from me emotionally and physically. He began to keep things from me. The bond between us was thinning. I could no longer feel him down the line that had connected our minds and souls. I was heartbroken, but I knew my mate. I knew how his mind worked and what he was capable of. So, I began to prepare.

“That was when I ordered Obsidian to create the cage that would hold him once he was trapped in Hell. They told me what the gate needed to power it and contain him. I was more than happy to oblige, but a part of me never thought it would come to that—that I would be forced to use the cage to contain my mate and all his glory. He was the love of my life. We would find our way back to one another.

“Then, one night I could feel that something had changed in him. He shifted us away from the camp into a nearby cave. He could barely look at me. He wouldn’t even touch me.” She took a deep breath and straightened. Her perfect poise fell, revealing her pain and heartache only for a moment.

“He told me that the key to him obtaining his power had been right in front of him all along. The way to become like his Father was to absorb my power, possessing all three gifts in one vessel. But in doing so … I would have to die the ultimate death. Merging our two souls together would be the end of me .

“It was his Father’s morbid way of punishing him for breaking His heart. For choosing his greed and pride over the love of God.

“God had created a mate for Lucifer that possessed the power he so desperately craved, to force him to choose his lust for divinity over his own heart. I remember his face like it was yesterday. He was wrecked. I had never seen Luc cry before that moment, but he did. He was on his knees before me, begging for forgiveness for what he would have to do. Telling me how much I meant to him. How happy I made him. How much he loved me.

“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My one and only mate, my reason for being, was willing to sacrifice me. He would end my life to possess power that he didn’t even need. Together, we could have ruled the world, conquered anyone who stood in our way … but that wasn’t enough for him.

“I begged him to reconsider. He struggled with the decision, crying in my arms as we held onto each other like our lives depended on it, but I knew my mate. We were together one last time inside of that cave, our coupling more intimate and passionate than anything I had ever experienced.

“I thought that our love would somehow change his mind. That the happiness he found when we were together would be worth sacrificing all else for.” She paused and laughed at herself softly. “I was such a stupid girl, so blinded by emotions.” Her eyes flickered to mine. “I see so much of who I was in you. I hope, for your sake, your path takes a different route.”

“I would never do anything to hurt her,” growled Deus.

Talia smiled. “Not willingly.” She looked around at the six princes. “But all of you have the capability of hurting those you love the most. All it takes is for someone to remove those precious souls of yours.” Her eyes fell to me once more. “Something I know you’ve already experienced, sweet Seren.”

“Back to the story,” I snapped.

She nodded. “Where was I? Oh, yes. After we made love, we fell asleep in each other’s arms. I woke to a snap in my chest, more painful and devastating than anything I had ever encountered. It felt like a part of my soul had been ripped out of me with a clawed hand. I looked around for Lucifer, but he was no longer beside me. When I moved deeper into the cave, I stumbled upon him leaning against the stone wall, panting and covered in blood.

“I rushed to him, worried he had been attacked. But when he turned his eyes to mine, the light that had once been there, that had been so full of love, was gone. He smiled at me, wiping the blood from his mouth. I knew in that moment what he had done … he had removed his own soul, so he would be able to kill me.”

“Fuck,” grumbled Belz.

“He lunged for me,” she continued, “but I was too fast. I shifted to my coven and then together, we shifted to an isolated location that I had arranged just in case something like this were to happen. My coven began to build the cage, but there wasn’t enough time. Before it could be completed, Luc and his followers found us.

“I shifted and cloaked a few members along with the cage to another location where he would never think to look. I stayed behind to buy them time, knowing what came next. Even if I died, he would still have access to me, since he was the King of Hell, and my soul would return to the realm from which I was forged. So, I cast a spell to send my soul into Purgatory instead— somewhere he, nor any of his brothers, would be able to access. Thanks to the human part of my soul that remained, I was able to enter that plane. Then I slit my own throat, making sure I took my powers with me.”

The room was uncomfortably silent while we processed her story. Her mate had tried to kill her, the very person she was made for. It was horrifying to think of Deus willingly parting with his soul to kill me.

“I would never…” his voice abruptly said in my mind. “I love you more than anything. Including myself. Please do not ever doubt that.”

The memory of him sacrificing himself to save me flashed before my eyes. I looked at him and smiled, taking his hand in mine.

“I know,” I replied. I looked back at Talia, my heart swelling with empathy. I reached for her in my mind, feeling for her slithering cold presence.

“I am so sorry you had to endure that,” I said softly. “Regardless of who your mate is … I couldn’t imagine.”

“Thank you,” was the only thing she said.

“Where is the cage?” asked Satan, his tone getting to the point.

“In the mountain of Jebel Musa,” she answered.

“The mountain Moses received the commandments?” asked Frankie.

Talia nodded. “I can feel it call to me. It’s still there. I will need volunteers to transport the prison to Hell.”

“So, we retrieve this cage,” said Mammon, “somehow without alerting Lucy, transport the thing to Hell, again, somehow without alerting Hell’s master … then what? You just willingly sacrifice yourself to power it?”

“That is correct,” she answered.

“What do you want in return?” asked Deus.

“To take away the thing he loves the most … so he knows how I felt in that moment he chose his power over me.”

I heard a sniffle behind me and turned to see G crying profusely. She was in Gor’s arms. I didn’t draw attention to her.

“She can feel it,” Gor said softly.

“Feel what?” asked Frankie.

“Talia’s pain,” G answered. “The truth … she’s telling the truth.”

“Well,” said Belz in a cheerfully sarcastic tone as he stood, fixing the cuffs of his sleeves. “Looks like we’re going spelunking then.”