Infernal God

20

I poured myself a drink and stood on the edge of the balcony, gazing down at the city I owned. A city that would soon know bloodshed and terror as the war between angels and demons began once more. Samael was currently rallying our forces, preparing them for battle. Soon the angels would be here too. My blood raced at the thought of the fighting that would soon break out across these brightly-lit streets. I craved the clash of weapons and the spray of blood, the cries of agony and of triumph.

I turned back to look at the destroyed furniture inside my penthouse. The black leather couches and the piano had been familiar to me, bringing back many memories, but other parts of my past were gaping black holes. Now they were in pieces, the leather ripped, the piano smashed. No matter. It was better this way. There wasn’t a room in my home that didn’t smell of the woman, and her presence invaded me with every breath I drew.

But she wasn’t here now. Samael wouldn't tell me where she'd gone either. Somehow he managed to resist that one question, but I would get an answer soon. Those who wouldn't bend to my will would break.

I needed to find the woman and bring her here. Now that I'd kissed her, her absence created a hole in my chest, one I hadn’t expected and didn’t know how to fill.

As soon as I had that thought, War filled me with fury at the woman for making me feel that way. Now that I'd taken my rightful place as Demon King, I needed nothing and no one but myself. Especially not her .

Samael appeared in the entrance of the penthouse. “Lucifer.”

“Your king,” I corrected him. I gave him a hard look, and he inclined his head.

“My king. A large group of angels is approaching the city."

"Excellent." I downed the rest of my drink. "Are our soldiers ready?"

"Yes, but..." He hesitated, and I felt him fight against my control. "Are you sure this is the best course of action?"

“You dare to question me?" I slammed my empty glass onto the bar, and it shattered in my hand. "The war against the angels never should have ended. I made a mistake when I made peace with them, but the days of peace are over now. We won't stop until they surrender, or we destroy every single one of them."

Samael gave a quick shake of his head but pressed his lips into a line. "Of course, my king."

The bastard was stubborn, no doubt about it, and far too calm for my War powers to incite. But I had other tricks as Lucifer. I hadn’t used my persuasive powers on Samael in a very long time, but I couldn't have him questioning me either.

"You followed me when we first left Heaven and made Hell our home. You will follow me again now." I laced power into my words and gave him a cocky smile. "We can’t let the angels win after all these years, can we?"

“No, we can't,” he murmured. His strength finally gave out against my own, and he bowed his head. "I will follow you anywhere, my king. Even into this war."

"There will be no war," the woman's voice said behind me.

I jerked my head toward the penthouse entrance, where the angel woman known as Hannah stood. Something about her was different, and it took me a moment to realize why—she emanated the power of an Elder God. How the f**k was that possible?

Three tall, dark-haired men fanned out behind her, and more confusion invaded my mind like there was something I needed to recall. I looked at them closely but they weren’t familiar, even though they tugged at my brain like the woman did.

"It's already done," I told her. "War is coming to this city, and then to the rest of the world, and then to every other one. There's nothing you can do to stop it."

"I can stop you." She walked toward me, and as she got closer, that ancient, all-consuming power radiated from her. A power I recognized as being akin to my own.

“Famine?” I asked. No, that wasn't right. The angel woman wasn’t Famine, yet Famine’s power radiated from her, both calling to and repelling War. They were old enemies, and War wanted me to destroy her. Kill, kill, kill, he told me over and over. But I couldn’t keep my gaze off the angel woman’s lips, or the fullness of her breasts and hips, or the slight swell of her stomach where she carried my child. My daughter. I breathed in without thinking, taking a fresh wave of her scent deep inside me.

"I released Famine and became her host, just like you did with War," she said. "But then I took control and I defeated her, claiming her power as my own. You can do this too, Lucifer."

I stared at her, trying to comprehend how this could be possible. I felt the briefest spark of hope, before War trampled it down and raged within me.

Kill her , he ordered.

"Get away from me," I managed to say through gritted teeth, as I glared at the woman. On the inside I was being torn in two, divided by my need to both kill and protect her. "Stay...back..."

"No, I won't do that." She rested a hand on my chest. "War wants to convince you that everything is conflict and anger, but that's not true. Reach deep inside yourself and try to find peace."

I gripped her hand tightly, but couldn't let it go. "There is no peace inside me."

"That's War talking. The man I love has fought for peace for years. He ended the war with the angels. He fought by their side when they were threatened from within."

"I am not this man you speak of."

"You are. You just don't remember because War took your memories of me, and of our children." She turned back to the three men. "Our sons. Belial. Damien. Kassiel."