Infernal God

31

I squeezed his arm gently. “Just be careful, okay?"

He rolled his eyes and grinned at me. "I am, don't worry."

"I always worry. That's what mothers do." I reached up to touch his shiny blue-black hair, which was stunningly beautiful under the sun. "What of love? Any special men or women? If I remember correctly, you were quite the charmer as Dionysus. The stories about your parties were legendary. Why don't you use that name anymore?"

He coughed and jerked his head away. "That was the old me. I've changed a lot in the last few thousand years."

"What happened?" I asked, hearing the touch of sadness in his voice. Like most immortals who'd lived thousands of years, he'd gone by many names during his lifetime. Dionysus had been his fae name, and Damien his demon one. I was surprised he used the demon one now, despite living in Faerie. "After you—Persephone—died..." He paused, as if finding the right words. "Things were different. Belial left Hell, then tried to overthrow Father. I tried to stay out of it, and at first, I threw myself into the parties, booze, and orgies, but later I realized it was just a way to numb myself to the pain of it all. Eventually, I chose a different path."

It pained me to see my most carefree and jovial son so heavy-hearted. While I'd been alive, his life had been a celebration of wine, s*x, and merriment. He'd once been a great actor and patron of the theater too, but I supposed now he used those skills as a spy. “Belial told me you both blamed your father for my death."

"It was a difficult time for both of us. I'm not sure I ever told you this, but Belial and I were the ones who found you dead, after Plutus and Philomelus killed you."

That was unusual—normally the curse had me die in Lucifer's arms, but there were a few exceptions, and it probably pleased Death to bring misery upon my sons too.

Plutus had been Adam's incarnation while I'd been Persephone. He was an Autumn Court fae, along with his brother Philomelus, who'd gone along with everything horrible Plutus had done. Recently Philomelus had been helping Adam release Pestilence and War, but I bested him during the battle in Heaven, and Azazel got in the killing blow.

"If it makes you feel any better, Philomelus is dead. And Adam..." I gestured toward the waterfall. "But why did you blame your father?"

"You were killed on one of your trips to Faerie as part of Lucifer's deal with Demeter to spend half your time in Hell, and half there. You tried to get him to go with you, but Lucifer refused, saying he had to stay and rule the demons from the palace in Hell. He always hated going to Faerie, so you went alone—and because of that, you died."

As Damien fell quiet, I smoothed a hand over his back. "It wasn't Lucifer's fault. It was Adam, and the curse. But that's over now."

"You were safer in Hell," Damien muttered. "Father should have broken the deal with Demeter and kept you there. Or gone with you at least."

I sighed. "Yes, probably, but it's easy to look back at the past and think of all the things we could have done differently. Trust me, with hundreds of past lives and just as many gruesome deaths, I could chase those thoughts for hours. But at some point we have to accept the mistakes we made and try to move forward."

"I know, and I did. I didn't speak with Father for a long time, but eventually I stopped blaming him for what happened. I don’t think Belial has ever forgiven him though.” He patted my hand. “Maybe he’ll come around now."

“Yeah, maybe.” But I couldn’t help but worry he might not.

"A new sister will help with that. Father and I reconnected a lot after Kassiel was born, mostly thanks to you. That's when I offered to work for him as a spy."

I smiled at the memories of my life as Lenore, one of my last few moments of happiness with my family before recent events. "Yes, I remember."

"Do you?" Damien c****d his head as he studied me.

"When Lucifer broke the curse, all my memories came back. I remember almost everything, though it comes and goes, as memories do."

"Everything? Like the time when I nearly fell into the fire pit?”

I arched an eyebrow. “You mean when Belial was supposed to be watching you?”

He laughed at that. "And all the times you caught me in bed with someone?"

I groaned and ducked my head. "Unfortunately, yes. Both men and women. Sometimes both at the same time. Things a mother should never have to see."

Damien only laughed harder, and I was happy to see some of my old mischievous, carefree son back again. We chatted a bit more about memories of the past, laughing and smiling as we reminisced together. He caught me up a bit more on his life in Faerie, and how he had won over Oberon after many years, and how his grandmother continues to be a thorn in his side even though she obviously cares. I told him more about this life, and everything Jophiel had done to keep me safe from Adam, and how Lucifer broke the curse. But eventually the hour grew late, and it was time to say goodbye.

Damien glanced toward the setting sun. “I should go.”

“Do you really have to?”

"Unfortunately yes, but I will be back soon. I promise." He pulled me into a last hug before he opened a portal to Faerie, and I breathed deep at the smell of home that emanated from it.

"You better."

I gave him another hug, and then held back tears as he disappeared inside the portal, though I was confident I would see him again soon.

Time had been tough on our family, but I was certain that things would be better going forward. I was going to make sure of it.