Gates of Death - Rae Foxx Page 0,1

done now.

Lucifer walked into the bedroom and sighed. It had been hours since I dropped the eggs, and I was trying to take a nap, but my mind wouldn't shut off. All I could think about was what horrors Ariel was facing. Or had faced. What if Raphael had just killed her? I had no way of knowing.

"The Lignum Crucis was a good idea." He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

The blanket fell off of me as I sat up. "You're sorry?" I couldn't help the shocked expression on my face.

Lucifer wasn't one for apologies. As a human, Lucian had been free with them if he thought he was in the wrong, but Lucifer didn't say sorry lightly.

He didn't move, just stood there and stared at me. "I said it. You did make the wrong decision, but I know you've always wanted children."

A tiny seed of hope planted in my heart. I knew Lucifer wouldn't have been cruel before he'd woken up trapped in human flesh. Cold, indifferent, and flippant, sure. All those things had hurt, but I was used to when he'd done them in Abaddon. But calling me an idiot, that was a new level. I had to hope it was the influence of his power, angry that it was trapped within him and couldn't be freed.

Not to mention, he'd always wanted children as well. "I know you're hurting too," I said. "I accept your apology."

I wouldn't forget he'd called me an idiot. But I could move past it if he stopped being a complete asshole all the time.

Especially if we brought Ariel home. I wouldn't have had him being anything but wonderful to her. Why would Raphael take her and where would he be hiding her? If she wasn’t human, what did that mean for us? Our future? Perhaps Anna could help us. We could somehow visit her often here on Earth. She had six parents, between all of us one of us could stay with her all the time. I didn’t want to raise my hopes by thinking her body would be capable of going to Abaddon. She was still in a human body, as far as any of us were able to discern in the short time we had her with us.

"Lilith!" Lucifer's sharp voice pulled me from the pit of despair I'd begun to sink back down into. "Are you unable to pay attention?"

I shook my head. "Lucifer, I'm barely breathing. Cut me a little slack."

For a few seconds, Lucian peered through Lucifer's eyes. He walked forward and got on the bed, sitting on top of the blankets. Before I knew it, I was wrapped in his strong arms with tears pouring down my cheeks. "It's going to be okay," he whispered. "I'll make sure of it."

"What if she's already dead?" I sobbed into his shirt, unable to stop the pain from overwhelming me. I'd never felt so helpless in my entire existence. "I can't sense her. I can't stop the pain, Lucifer."

This was the husband I needed. Part Lucian, part Lucifer. Ready to throw down and burn the world to the ground when needed, but also able to comfort me and be here for me when I needed him. As my tears slowed, I prayed he'd stay like this and his power would give him some relief and a break from the anger.

He extracted himself from underneath me when my sobs completely stopped. "I need more information about the state of Abaddon and the rest of the world."

Like a switch had flipped, he was entirely Lucifer again.

"And why can't I die?" He shook his head and looked like he was getting upset again. "I tried again this morning and failed miserably." He'd been trying to kill himself for days. That explained why he was particularly harsh this morning.

"Michael! Gabriel!" Lucifer began yelling for his friends and my mates. Sighing, I plumped the pillows behind me and waited for them to show up.

Michael popped in first, covered in soot. "What the hell?" I yelled when he plopped down on my clean, white sheets and blankets. "Get off!"

"Too late." He closed his eyes and burrowed against the pillows. "It's already dirty now, I might as well stay."

"Why are you covered in soot?" Lucifer asked. Gabriel appeared before Michael opened his mouth. He looked weary, but at least he was clean.

Michael explained the soot but never opened his eyes. "I heard a rumor of a fire that couldn't be contained, then suddenly, it went out on its