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

was weak from the battle and Lucifer was far stronger. Their respective roles from just a short time earlier had now completely reversed.

“Last time, I made the mistake of thinking you could simply be locked away. And you made the same mistake with me,” said Lucifer. “And it’s one that neither of us will make again.”

Golden auras appeared around Lucifer’s hand. A light shimmered deep within Raum’s body. That grew larger, and Lucifer hovered back as the light consumed Raum. He started to scream as he felt the power coursing in every inch of his soul, stretching throughout his body.

“No!” he screamed in protest. “You can’t do this to me!”

“It’s already done.”

Raum’s screams continued to rise in tone and urgency. Lucifer just remained hovering there, watching as his light completely engulfed the demon. The would-be usurper to the throne was atomized by the Morningstar’s power and not a single semblance of his form was left in its wake.

Lucifer returned to the tower where Cross was leaning against the wall for support, having watched the entire battle play out. As the Morningstar entered the tower that had once been his, Cross just watched him with awe and some mixture of fear.

“That was…pretty spectacular,” he said. “Though I’ve gotta ask what’s going to happen now. You said something about a new Hell. What exactly did you mean by that?”

Lucifer cast his gaze around the tower. “This place was built out of my own hubris. Same as Cocytus. I thought I could be a god without actually doing any of the work. And now I realize how wrong-headed I was to think such a thing.”

“So what, then?” asked Cross. “You want the throne back? Because honestly, you can have it. I’m anxious to get back to my home.”

“Not just yet, Luther. There’s still something else I need you to do before you leave Hell behind completely.”

“And what would that be?”

“I built Cocytus to appease the Choir. I let them get away with just about anything they wanted because I was terrified of another war. But worse than all of that is I perpetuated the very lie that sparked my rebellion in the first place,” said Lucifer. “Raum was right to expose me. But that’s just the first step. I need to make amends and for that to happen, I have to be judged.”

“Judged by whom exactly?” asked Cross.

“By Hell.” Lucifer looked at Luther Cross with an intensity in his eyes. “I need you to put me on trial for crimes against the denizens of Hell.”

Epilogue

Since her dismissal by Uriel, Anael hadn’t felt the need to return to Heaven. Even she thought her reluctance was strange. She had so resisted being sent to Earth in the first place. But now that Uriel had essentially fired her, she had no reason to remain. Lucifer was back in Hell and she had no purpose on this blue orb.

However, she still found herself staying behind in Chicago. It had been a few weeks since then and she spent her days lounging in The Green Mill. It was a cocktail lounge located in the Uptown neighborhood, and she’d heard Gabriel mention it a few times as one of his favorite locations.

Anael didn’t really care one way or the other for the music. But the only other place she knew of was Lust and she was fairly certain that the clientele in that club would object to an angel in their midst.

She sat at a lone table and sipped her gin and tonic, while ignoring the sounds of the live band. A few men did attempt to approach her since she arrived, but she’d blown all of them off. Anael had no interest in interacting with any of them.

“Interesting to find you here.”

She sighed and was about to respond negatively. But when the person speaking to her sat down in the seat across, Anael was surprised to see it was Mara. Her surprise instantly turned to annoyance.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Belial told me what happened,” said Mara. “I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not.”

Mara gave a soft chuckle. “No, I suppose I’m not. But seemed like the thing to say.”

“I’m not even interested in real sincerity, so you can imagine my feelings on the fake variety,” said Anael. “Now can you just leave me in peace?”

“I’ll be on my way soon enough. But I came to ask you about something first.”

Anael sighed and took another sip of her drink. She set the glass down and flashed her blue eyes across the table. “If I say yes, will you promise to leave me alone? I’ve pretty much had my fill of both angels and demons these days.”

“I promise,” said Mara. “Just a few minutes of your time and then regardless of your answer, I’ll be on my way.”

Anael gave a wave of her hand, a gesture for Mara to get on with what she came to say.

“As you know, the Morningstar is back in Hell,” said Mara.

“So I’m told. You lot must be over the moon.”

“Not exactly,” said Mara. “It came at something of a cost. Things are kind of a mess down there right now.”

“Maybe you should be talking to Uriel, then. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to give you some ideas on what could be done with the place.”

“We have some already and that’s why I’m here. There was an uprising.”

Anael pretended to be disinterested, but in truth, it did pique her curiosity. “Hell is a chaotic place. Hardly surprising.”

“Lucifer was able to stop it. Got his powers back, took out the instigator, and now—”

“And now everything’s back to normal. The Adversary’s constant whining about freedom from responsibility was all just a waste of everyone’s time,” said Anael. “I’ll try to hide my surprise.”

“Actually, no,” said Mara. “Lucifer has surrendered himself.”

“Surrender?” Anael couldn’t hide her interest any longer. “What do you mean? Surrendered to Heaven?”

Mara shook her head. “To Hell. Or more accurately, to the people of Hell.”

Anael leaned forward. “What game is he playing now?”

“He