Lucifer Damned (Morningstar Book 3), Percival Constantine [electric book reader .txt] 📗

it clean and kicked Lucifer in the chest. The force was strong enough that the two demons who held Lucifer lost their grip and he fell back. Lucifer slumped to the ground, but he was slowly feeling some strength coming back to his extremities. He groaned as he propped himself up on his hands. Though he didn’t know what exactly he’d do even if he could manage to stand.

“Raum,” said one of his followers, placing his hand on Raum’s shoulder just as he was about to move back towards Lucifer. Raum stopped and looked at the demon, who continued to speak. “What should we do with him?”

Raum looked at Lucifer’s battered and bloody body, struggling to stand. Lucifer got to his feet, but stumbled back and hit the wall. Instead of falling again, this time he’d managed to hold himself up, using the wall to help.

“We’re going to do to him what he’d do to us,” said Raum. “We’re going to show the Morningstar exactly what it means to be trapped in Hell.”

15

Mara woke screaming. For her, only a moment had passed since she was caught in the middle of a massive explosion of hellfire. She could still feel the sensation of the flames searing her very soul. It took her a few moments to realize that she wasn’t actually in the Badlands, but lying in a bed, wrapped in black, satiny sheets. She checked her body and found no signs of distress, but then she noticed that someone had dressed her in comfortable sleepwear. And the pain from the hellfire was now gone—what she thought she’d felt was just the memory.

She looked around the strange room and realized it was actually familiar. That’s because it was her room—or at least, it used to be. Before she was dispatched to Earth by her mistress. Which meant there was only one possibility—she was back in Lilith’s realm.

A knock came at the door and drew Mara’s attention. She instinctively began channeling hellfire into the palm of her hand, but she relaxed when she remembered she was in a safe place. The door opened and a servant entered—a stocky demon who looked absurd dressed in a tuxedo.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” he said in a smooth, velvety voice that demonstrated a sharp contrast to his appearance. “I am Kragmor, the mistress instructed me to see to your needs.”

“The mistress,” Mara repeated. “Where is she?”

“She’s out for the moment, but will return soon.”

“And where did she go?”

Kragmor let out an annoyed sigh. “If you must know, she is on business related to the Infernal Court.”

“Do you know what kind of business that is?”

“No, she did not inform me of any specifics beyond that,” said Kragmor and then added in a smarmy tone, “Perhaps because her business is none of mine.”

Mara narrowed her eyes at the demon and felt the urge to channel her hellfire, but she suppressed it. He was just doing his job. Though she wondered what came over her in that moment. Mara had always just accepted statements from Lilith without question in the past. Yet now, she wanted to know more details.

“You’re right, I’m sorry. I’m just still in some shock after what happened,” she said. “I don’t suppose you could fill in some blanks in my memory?”

“I thought you might ask that,” said Kragmor. “Some of our scouts in the Badlands saw an explosion. When they went to investigate, they found a destroyed carriage, several dead demons and beasts, and then you. The only survivor of what appeared to be a battle with raiders. The scouts recognized you and brought you back here, where you were treated and then allowed to rest.”

“How much time has passed?” asked Lilith.

Kragmor cocked his head to the side. “I’m sorry, what do you mean?”

Lilith mentally scolded herself. “Never mind,” she said. She still behaved as if she were on Earth and not back in Hell. “You said I was the only survivor?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” said Kragmor. “Though we do have some questions. We obviously identified some of the dead as raiders. But the others wore armor consistent with Lord Beelzebub’s forces?”

Mara nodded. “That’s right.”

“May I ask what you were doing with them?”

“It’s a long story,” she said.

“I’d be very curious to hear the details of it.”

Mara didn’t want to divulge too much information. Even telling Lilith about all of this left her feeling a little nervous. The Hell Lord and Lucifer weren’t on the best of terms to begin with. And if more people found out that the Morningstar was back in Hell, that could create further issues.

“What was that you said about things being none of your business?”

Kragmor huffed. “So, that’s how it will be?”

“It’s a very sensitive matter, Kragmor. No offense, but I don’t know who the fuck you are. You say you work for Lilith, but for all I know, there could have been a coup or this could all just be made up to look like I’m back in my old quarters.”

“Well, good to see Earth hasn’t dulled your suspicious nature,” said Kragmor. “Very well, I shan’t press further. Though I have to inform you that the mistress will certainly seek answers from you.”

“In that case, I’ll talk to her when she returns,” said Mara.

“As you wish,” said Kragmor. “If there’s nothing else you require…?”

“One more thing,” said Mara. “You said you found the remains of Beelzebub’s men and the raiders. Did you find anyone else?”

Kragmor pursed his lips and his eyes narrowed. “I do not believe so. Why do you ask?”

Mara just shrugged. “No reason.”

“Was there someone else with you?”

“I’m still feeling a little fatigued from the whole ordeal and would like to get some more rest,” said Mara, cutting short Kragmor’s line of inquiry. “Could you tell me when Lilith is ready to see me?”

Kragmor bowed. “As you wish, my lady.”

He excused himself and left Mara alone in her room. She climbed out of bed and went to the heavy, black curtains drawn over the windows and pulled