The Third Throne: Angel of Darkness (39 page)

“Why did she scream?” Lucifer turned his head before Aganon would answer and saw his nightmare realized, Anjali lying on the floor, completely still.  “Release Hades and bring him here immediately,” Lucifer threw Aganon in the direction of the staircase and ran into the Hall of Mirrors.

Gabriel nearly tripped over his own feet when he saw the disturbing sight.  Anjali was face down, bleeding on the floor.

“Not again,” Gabriel gasped.

Lucifer heard swearing and muttering as Gabriel ran and slid across the floor to reach her.

Time slowed down.  Lucifer watched Gabriel fall to his knees and roll her over, looking for signs of life.  His limbs no longer responded and his thoughts were muddled.  How would he survive without her?  Fear spiked through him at the thought of losing her.  The terror on Gabriel’s face told him how dire the situation was.  Through the buzzing in his ears, he heard, “heart.”

Lucifer bellowed in rage and gathered his anger around him like a cloak.  He would kill the one responsible and liquefy their remains.

Lucifer realized that Gabriel was yelling at him.  He forced himself to focus on the situation.  Anjali had been stabbed through the chest.  The sword had grazed the right side of her heart.  The sounds of gasping finally invaded his turbulent mind.  She was still alive, though barely, and she was suffering.

“Remove her ring.  Her power saved her the last time.  Hades nearly had her head yet she healed quickly,” Lucifer was growling by the time he took the last few steps to her body.  He saw that her eyes were open, though they were glassy.  Tears were streaming down her face as she stared at Gabriel.

“I’m…sorry,” Anjali whispered, fighting for every shallow breath.

“There is nothing to be sorry for.  Conserve your strength dear one,” Gabriel kissed her forehead.  He knew she would be dead if not for God’s light inside of her.  As difficult as she was to kill, she was dangerously close to losing the battle.

Hades appeared in the doorway.  “What happened?  Did she slip and fall?  Did she break a nail? I hardly think this is worth dragging me away from my vacation.  I was about to get a facial,” the smirk on his face quickly faded when he saw Gabriel’s grim expression.

“If you are responsible for this…,” Lucifer’s hands ignited in flame as he prepared to launch an attack on Hades.

“Get her ring off, Gabriel!” Hades ignored Lucifer and watched Gabriel struggle with the ring. 

“I’m trying,” Gabriel huffed.  The ring was stuck on her finger.

Lucifer paused and watched Hades march across the floor straight to Gabriel.  He was issuing orders on how best to save her.  It took a few moments to realize that Hades was trying to help and even seem, concerned.  If Hades had been responsible, he would have run to the Mortal Realm to escape his wrath.  He knew in that second Hades was innocent.

“Damned thing won’t…there, it’s off,” Gabriel was careful not to rip Anjali’s finger off when he finally removed the ring.  He held her close to him and prayed over her limp body.  Nothing else mattered to him except her.  If she were gone, he wasn’t sure he could continue on.  “This has to work.”

Lucifer and Hades exchanged looks of confusion when nothing happened and the tower remained in one piece.  Anjali’s eyes fluttered and her breathing slowed.

“How did this happen?” Hades snapped at them, eager for answers.  When no one answered him, he went to his knees to examine the wound in her chest.  He pulled aside the tear in her dress and saw the gaping hole.  He had seen this type of injury more times than he cared to recount.  He knew immediately what had caused it and what the outcome would be.  No one survived a Celestial Sword through the chest.

“We don’t know.  We heard her scream and found her on the floor,” Lucifer rambled.  He held her face trying to think of a way to save her.  He was listening to her breaths and counting the seconds between them.  She was quickly slipping away.

“It was a killing blow,” Gabriel tears broke loose.

Hades squared his shoulders and backed away.  “You must make a choice Lucifer, lose her, or bind her to you as your servant.  As her Master, your power might be enough to save her, but you will be her Master for eternity.  Happiness or sorrow, you must decide,” Hades said solemnly.  He watched Lucifer wrestle with the decision.

“Why do you care?  You tried to kill her,” Gabriel growled.

“I was trying to do what I thought was best for Hell.  I realize that I may have acted in haste.  Let’s just say that she and I came to an understanding.  Besides, no one attacks one of our own, but us,” Hades replied matter-of-factly.  He knew better than to enrage a distraught Gabriel.  He would strike at both of them if the girl died.  Truth was, the girl had made an impression on him.  He accepted that she might be of use to him.

“I can’t let her go.  She will be cross with me, but I know that she doesn’t want to die.  I choose happiness,” Lucifer brushed away a tear from his cheek.

He looked to Gabriel for his consent.  He owed him as much.

Gabriel nodded.  “It’s the only way.  I hate it, but it must be done.  Save her,” Gabriel pleaded with Lucifer while he held his daughter close.

“You know what this will mean,” Lucifer gave Gabriel one last chance to change his mind.

“Forever.  I understand.  Perform the ritual,” Gabriel snapped.  He looked down at his precious daughter, knowing the implications of what was about to happen.

Lucifer turned to Anjali and whispered to her.  “Darling, you must allow me to help you.  I can take the pain away, but you may not like what I’m about to do.  I can’t do this without your consent, so please say yes.  Do you take me as your Master from this day forth?  Do you vow to serve me and commit your life to me?  Do you consent to do my will and obey my commands henceforth?  Your life will belong to me to do with as I see fit, till the end of days.  What say you?” Lucifer’s voice was hollow as he uttered the words he’d said time and again throughout the millenniums.  Though he had imagined making her his true servant and thought it would please him to own her, he hated himself for saying the words to her now.

Anjali’s breath failed and her head slumped to the side toward Lucifer.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.  You are my servant till the end of days.  Rise and join your Master,” Lucifer released his power and forced it into Anjali, filling her soul and tying her life to his.  She would be bound to him forever.  She would be expected to serve him.  He swore to himself that he would never treat her like a servant and vowed that she would retain her authority.  She would be a servant in name only, but would do Father’s will through him.  He would do this because he loved her and needed her.

Lucifer could feel her life force, which was nothing more than a small flicker of light.  He poured everything that he had into her body and willed her to rise and follow his command.  He performed the blood rite as he bit his finger and allowed a few drops of his blood to fall into her wound.  He waited and hoped that it was enough to bring her back.

Just as he looked to Gabriel for confirmation that he had failed, he felt her power rise, reaching out to find him.  She gasped and began coughing.  Her eyes flickered but she remained unconscious.

Lucifer quickly pushed her ring back on her finger before the floods came and drowned them.  He watched the wound slowly knit back together and listened to her heart beating strongly in her chest.  The color came back to her face and lips, eliminating the blue tinge that had spread across her skin.  It was a color he swore he would never see upon her features again.

Gabriel let out his breath in a rush.  She was alive.  He gathered her closely in his arms and carried her to her room to lay her down on her bed to rest.

“It is done.  I chose happiness,” Lucifer waved his arm, clearing away the blood from the floor.  It was certainly a strange day for him to hate the sight of blood.

Hades grimaced as he watched Lucifer wipe the tears from his face.  “Actually, you misunderstood me.  I meant, you could choose happiness for her and let her die.  She would have been at peace.  You chose sorrow for her.  You have condemned her to a life of pain and misery, doing your will and suffering alongside the rest of us for eternity.  You alone will have to bear the burden of that decision, my Lord,” Hades bowed stiffly and turned to leave.

Lucifer looked at Hades who seemed genuinely upset that Anjali was saved.  “I know you don’t like her, but…”

“I like her enough to want better for her than to live out her days in this abysmal pit.  Don’t you dare tell her that I was concerned about her.  I’m going to assume that my punishment is over so I’ll be in my room,” Hades said over his shoulder.

“Don’t you want to know who is responsible?” Lucifer asked.  He was curious as to why Hades was acting so strangely.

“Not really.  What could I possibly do to him that would be worse than what you’re planning; aside from making him live forever so that he regrets his actions for an eternity?” Hades nodded stiffly and left.

Gabriel watched Lucifer enter the bedroom.  He was fuming.  After so many years of protecting her, he’d nearly lost her forever.  “Who in Hell has access to a Celestial Sword?  Who could have done this?”

“Who says they were from Hell?  Aside from you, Michael was the last person in this castle with a Celestial Sword.  He was angry at me for what I did to Mark, maybe he sought out his own justice,” Lucifer growled.  Michael was underhanded enough to try something like this.  Normally, he would have praised him for such a brazen move, but now he simply wanted blood.

“I would have been informed if the Council saw reason to kill her,” Gabriel waved away Lucifer’s answer.

“Do you really think if they condemned her to death, they would tell you before carrying out her sentence?  Please.  You would obviously fight the ruling.  No, if there was a decision, they wouldn’t tell you and they would act quickly before you were any the wiser,” Lucifer said as he paced.

“Perhaps you’re right…,” Gabriel couldn’t believe that he was siding with Lucifer, but he knew the Council was nervous about his daughter’s abilities and lack of control.

Gabriel stopped pacing when he heard a whimper from the bed.

Gabriel and Lucifer rushed to Anjali’s side as she stirred.  She was groaning in pain and mumbling.  She gasped out one word in her sleep.  “Aganon.”

Lucifer flew into a fury.  He would kill the whelp.  He decided within a second that he would eliminate all his servants and start over again.  He was done with their treachery.

“Aganon?  Do you think he is responsible?  How would he have access to a Celestial Sword?  I was told that you do not possess any,” Gabriel’s cold eyes stared down Lucifer, waiting for him rebuff his statement.

Lucifer faltered and sighed.  “It was a spoil of war, nothing more than a trophy and only one other person alive knows where I keep it.  Aganon is not that person,” Lucifer sat down on the bed.  He watched Anjali twitch in her sleep from the pain.

“Speak,” Gabriel was distant and deadly as he spoke.

Lucifer closed his eyes and growled.  “It belonged to Tabbris.  As you know, we were not allowed to kill him, even though we tried.  He threatened to kill us regularly.  I finally taunted him badly enough that he challenged me to a fight.  He lost. I claimed his sword.  It happened shortly after we fell from Heaven.  The sword had belonged to Thysis who was removed from duty and was in the Hall of Shadows.  Tabbris took possession of it and tucked it away for a rainy day.  The paranoid son of a bitch hoarded weapons like you wouldn’t believe.  I kept it as a slight to Tabbris.  It was well hidden.  Even I have not looked upon it in centuries,” Lucifer avoided Gabriel’s penetrating stare.

“Who knew, Lucifer?  Who did you brag to?  I have a feeling it wasn’t Hades.  I saw the fear in his eyes and it wasn’t fear of retribution from me,” Gabriel’s words were barely audible, as he stood motionless.

“Maraquette,” Lucifer whispered the dreaded name and hung his head.

“Aganon’s original Master.  Why would she have any interest in hurting Anjali?  Gabriel relaxed a bit as he pondered the question.

“Jealousy?  She swore that if she couldn’t have me, then no one would.  She did try to murder Serena once.  I almost let her.  I no longer love Maraquette and her feelings about me are questionable.  I will warn you that she is no longer in her right mind.  I don’t know what has become of her,” Lucifer leaned his back against the bedpost and stared down at Anjali.  She looked so small lying in the bed.  He could feel the connection growing between them as she regained her strength.

“Do I need to intervene or should I assume you will handle Maraquette?” Gabriel sighed and sat down next to his daughter.  He pulled a lock of hair from her face and rubbed her cheek with the back of his hand.

“I will deal with it.  You have my word.  I think it is best not to let the Council or anyone else know what has transpired.  I want to take care of this personally.  I also don’t want anyone to know that Anjali is truly my servant.  Technically, all who serve Hell, whether Fallen or mortal servant, are in my care and answer to me, but they don’t need to know that I am her true Master.  I don’t want them to believe she is a lowly servant again,” Lucifer loved her too much for anyone to degrade her.  He wanted an equal and needed everyone to acknowledge that if she were to rule by his side.

“I will not speak of either matter.  I know you think I’m a tight ass who abides by all the rules, but I have done things that I’m not proud of to keep her safe.  I know you will bend the rules when needed to protect her.  Watch over her, brother.  I’m trusting that you will take care of her,” Gabriel leaned down and kissed Anjali on the forehead.  He pulled a necklace from his suit pocket and carefully clasped it around her neck.

Gabriel stood and considered Lucifer for a moment.  Even he could see what Anjali meant to him.  He truly cared for her.

“What is that?” Lucifer asked, motioning to the necklace.

“It’s a necklace that she owned during one of her lives.  I kept it safe for her, I recently gave it back to her, but it was not on her when she died,” Gabriel smiled.

“An Ankh, how clever.  You are more of a sentimental fool than I thought,” Lucifer chuckled.

“I must go to the Council and explain why they are now short one servant.  I regret my actions since I was not in my right mind, but I must accept responsibility,” Gabriel bowed gracefully as a sign of respect.

“Tell them the truth, that he was under my influence and that you found out he was selling the Council’s secrets to me.  Michael will throw a party in your honor for killing the traitor.  I assume their punishment for bribery will be less harsh than I endured for burning Mark,” Lucifer saw the flash of pain on Gabriel’s face at the mention of Mark.

“Indeed,” Gabriel frowned.

Lucifer tapped his foot.  “Between the two of us, I am sorry for what happened to Mark, but if you tell him that, I will deny it.  I too was out of my mind, but I did take responsibility for it,” he replied sheepishly.

Gabriel nodded.

Lucifer watched Gabriel leave the room.  After so many years of plotting and scheming against Gabriel, it felt odd to no longer think of him as an enemy.

∞

Anjali was disoriented when she tried to open her eyes and lift her head.  She felt lightheaded, like she was floating.  She desperately tried to remember something important, but couldn’t conjure up anything clearer than a shadowy figure standing behind her and muffled voices all around her.  When she finally pried her eyes open, she saw Lucifer looking down at her with a guilty, yet relieved expression.

“What’s wrong?  You look like you did something bad,” she murmured, trying to sit up.  She tried to remember how she had gotten into bed.

The last thing she remembered was feeding soup to Hades.  Did he do something to her?  She tried to move her left shoulder, but stopped when it felt stiff.  There was no pain to her surprise.  Pain, there was something familiar about pain.

“You were attacked.  You’ve been unconscious for some time.  I was afraid you wouldn’t wake up,” Lucifer muttered.  He pulled his fingers through her hair to straighten it.

Anjali thought about the shadow until it became the reflection of Aganon standing behind her.  She quickly looked to Lucifer, understanding the problem.  Seeing his look of fear, she knew that she had been close to death.

“It was…,” Lucifer cut her off before she could finish.

“I know.  It was a killing blow with a Celestial Sword.  Aganon is in the Hall of Torment professing his innocence.  He claims that he can’t remember what happened.  He is alive merely because I wanted your opinion on how I should kill him.  I thought it was important that you had a say.  Know that you were a hair’s breath away from dying.  Also, know that I did something you will not be happy about and may not forgive me for,” Lucifer wanted to take her hand in his, but was afraid she would rebuff him.

“What did you do?” Anjali held her breath, waiting for the worst.

“I was forced to bind you to me and make you my blood servant.  There was no other way to save you.  Your ring had been removed, but it wasn’t enough to keep you alive.  Gabriel was there when the choice was made and he agreed with it.  Be angry with me, if you must, but I could not watch you die and neither could he,” Lucifer hung his head and turned away from her.  He thought it was best to put some distance between them, lest the blast take his face off.

Anjali noticed that Lucifer was shaking.  He was upset and expected her to lash out at him.  While she was mad that she was now his servant, she was grateful to be alive.  If Gabriel had given his approval, then she knew it had been dire.  It would put a serious kink in their relationship, but she hoped they could work through this setback.  The term “blood servant” sounded bad.

“I am bound to you until you release me?” Anjali asked, hoping for the best.

“Not in this case.  You were too close to death.  Without my power, you would have died.  It’s a blood oath.  We didn’t make a deal whereby I would give you something and in return, I would get your soul once you died, nor did I make a deal to save you from the realms in exchange for your service. I bound your life to mine so that you would continue to live.  You owe your life to me and the vow is unbreakable.  If I release you, I would remove my power from you and you would die.  As powerful as you are, you would not survive without me.  You are now connected to me; your life is tied to mine,” Lucifer said over his shoulder.  He was still afraid to look at her.

“So if you die, I die?” she felt sick to her stomach.

“Most likely, though in rare cases, blood servants have survived their Master’s death.  You are powerful.  If anyone were able to do it, it would probably be you,” Lucifer hoped it was true, but he had no way of knowing.

Anjali thought about what it must have been like for him to make the decision knowing that she would be upset.  If it was the only way to save her, then so be it.  Part of her wanted to be outraged and throw a fit, but the choice had been made, so she needed to deal with the consequences.

“What happens now?  Do I fetch your slippers?” she was heartbroken at the thought of becoming his mistress again, but she had vowed to stay with him.  She had promised not to leave him alone in the dark.

“Never,” Lucifer growled and turned to her.  “I would never lower you to such a status.  The only reason I want you to fetch my slippers is so that you can throw them at my head in jest when I say something inappropriate, while you’re naked.  This does not change who and what you are, nor does it change what you mean to me.  You are still Anjali, Bringer of the Apocalypse, third in command of Hell and you will stand at my left side.  Nothing will change that.  No one will know, aside from Gabriel and Hades,” Lucifer was close to tears.  He was shaking, consumed with panic that he would lose her.

Anjali went to his side and hugged him.  She couldn’t stand to see him so distraught.

As she held him, memories of the attack came rushing back.  She felt the sword pierce her chest and the intense burning that followed.  The floor was hard and cold.  She stared at her reflection in the mirror, unable to move.  Having died once, she knew what to expect, except this time it was different.  She was afraid.  She knew she would die alone and was terrified by the thought.  When she had died a mortal death, she hadn’t been afraid.  She had been confused, but she had been willing to die to join the voice that needed her.

This time, her impending death felt empty and bleak.  There was no hope for a better life.  Then, a warm surge of energy penetrated the ice inside of her.  It was familiar and it beckoned her.  The fear left her and she followed the energy back to its source.  She recognized Lucifer’s power.  She heard him call out to her.  She heard him command her to rise.  Standing on the brink of death, she had made a choice.  She knew it would have been easier to let go, just as Hades had said, but she wasn’t ready to leave Lucifer.  For a second time, she chose him.

“Thank you,” she whispered.  She brushed his hair from his face and stroked his cheek.

“What?” he gasped.  He was confused by her gratitude.

“Thank you for saving me.  I remember some of what happened.  I heard you calling to me.  Your power was like a beacon of hope for me.  I knew I wasn’t ready to die.  I choose to follow you home.  I can tell you didn’t want to do this, but I’m glad that you made the decision to save me.  Yes, part of me is angry that I’m your servant, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you.  I’m grateful that you made such a difficult decision and I accept what you did,” she smiled at him, hoping that he understood the choice she had made.

Lucifer’s mind exploded and he felt dizzy.  She followed him home.  She wanted to be with him.  He leaned down and kissed her mouth, her cheek, her jaw, her neck, her ear, any part of her that he could find.  She wanted to be with him.

Lucifer laughed, lifted her off the ground, and spun her around.  He put her down and stared at his precious gift.  “You know that things will not always be easy,” Lucifer brushed her lips with his thumb.

“I’m more than aware of that.  I promised you, it will take more than a Celestial Sword through the chest to keep me from your side,” she sighed as she looked into his eyes.

“You don’t know how pleased I am to hear you say that,” he kissed her with every ounce of passion in his body.