43. Lucifer
Chapter 43
Lucifer
You’re not going to see this until later.
And I don’t have the balls to say this to your face right now.
But you look hot as fuck in leather
Okay, that’s not what I wanted to say…
But the leather thing is true. 10/10.
Leather is totally your colour, the only thing better is naked.
Okay I promise I’m being serious now.
I just wanted you to know, we were always meant to be.
That you deserve to be loved for you.
And in this lifetime, or the next…
my soul will always choose you.
S tylish pink bumbag? Check.
Grenades that may or may not contain glitter? Check.
A small but mighty dagger? Check.
A strange stone that’s meant for good luck from Thea? Check.
A body made by the Gods themselves? Double check.
Lucifer couldn’t help but smile, looking down at the symbols on the inverted pentagram. He’d never been this side of a summoning circle before, and the irony wasn’t lost on him.
“You remember his name, right?” he asked Scar, who stood to his side. They’d both changed, adorning leather armour to better protect their skin from arcane. Although, he did add his bag, strapping it diagonally across his torso rather than around his waist. Where else was he going to hold his bombs?
His trousers didn’t have pockets.
Glancing over at Scar, his smile turned into a full grin. It should be a sin to look that good in leather, but if she caught him staring again he knew she was likely to stab him with her new knife.
Which in any other situation he’d have happily encouraged, but maybe not in front of his brothers.
“So funny.” Her eyes narrowed, and he simply grinned in response.
Lucifer clicked his tongue. “Knew I’d convince you of my comedic excellence.”
Scarlet pursed her lips, looking down at the concrete that had been carved into a specialised pentagram. Two concentric circles were on the outside, with the star’s points ending at the inner circle. Each placement had a single candle, the flames already lit and waiting.
Alice had just finished teasing salt into the grooves, taking her position as Fire.
Kyra had designed a fancy circle, and rather than have the main elements at each point of the inverted pentagram, it included five extra. Ice, Thunder, Light, Ore, and Shadow, which were situated in between the pentagram’s spikes, and apparently would strengthen the circle.
Lucifer agreed, because they were going to need all the help they could get.
Riley held his candle, standing in the position as Earth, opposite Alice. To his right would be Faye, who would be acting as the element Water.
“So you know what you’re doing?” Faye asked, giving each of the Daemons, as well as Riley, a large crystal. Lucifer held his one in his palm, squinting at the quartz. Kyle and Titus took theirs without commenting, while Blaze muttered under his breath. His hand snapped out, taking his crystal so fast Faye jumped, and Leo had to be held back from punching Blaze in the face.
“Go over there,” Kyle growled, shoving Blaze to go stand in his position between Alice as Fire, and Kyra as Air. He was to be Thunder.
Leo snarled, only calming once Faye pulled his attention to hers. After a moment he took his position as Ore, between Earth and Water.
Titus was Light, standing between Alice and Lucifer, while Kyle stood opposite as Shadow. Xander as Ice was the last to step inside the circle, picking up his candle to hold between clutched palms.
Lucifer gripped the crystal tighter in his fist, feeling it cut into his skin. It was what was about to connect him to the other Daemons, allowing him to syphon their power without physical touch.
Riley grunted, becoming the anchor. His glyphs began to glow, and Alice reached over to brush her fingers across his arms in an affectionate touch. He leaned towards her, his words not carrying as she laughed, a blush appearing across her cheeks.
Their story was the one that made Lucifer believe he and Scarlet could work. Love wasn’t easy, but it was always worth it.
Giving them the privacy they deserved, Lucifer gestured to Kyle. “Remember what to do?” he whispered, keeping his voice low enough that no one could overhear.
“It’s not going to happen, so don’t worry.” Kyle crushed his own crystal in his fist, and as soon as it cut his skin Lucifer could feel his chi.
“Kyle…”
“I’ll cut the connection if it all goes to shit,” Kyle replied just as quietly before his eyes slid to Scarlet. “I’ll stick to my promise, too.”
Lucifer nodded, breathing through the sudden voltage that shot through his core. Leo had crushed his crystal, adding his chi.
“I can see all your threads,” Kyra commented, her eyes turning black. “Lucifer, I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Of course I know what I’m doing,” he said with a casual shrug. “And if not, then we’re all fucked, aren’t we? So no biggie.”
“Great pep talk, Luce,” Riley sighed, the wax on his candle melting onto his palms. He looked like a lantern, his tattoos brightening with every extra syphon. “You’ve got this.”
“ We’ve got this,” Lucifer added. “Team work makes the dream work.”
“What the fuck did I agree to?” Blaze muttered, only to be kicked by Sythe, who’d taken to standing directly behind the Daemon. “What? We’re all going to die.”
“Carry on.” Sythe smirked. “And I’ll make your death earlier rather than later.”
Blaze shut up, but not without mumbling something to himself quietly.
Everything was prepped and ready, with the rest of his brothers, along with Rae, standing just at the edge. Eva, Sam, Hunter, Harper, Ruhne, and Thea were stationed outside, helping where they could without risking themselves.
Titus wasn’t impressed his mate was here, but Rae was a mother fucking assassin. Human or not, she was badass and could take care of herself.
“Scarlet,” Jax said, stepping away from his brothers to approach Scar. “Don’t miss.” He handed her a quiver and a bow, one just as slim and compact as her previous. The tips were made from obsidian that have been carved into a spiral, the design similar to the bullets they’d used to take Gideon down before.
She accepted it with a small smile, her fingers roaming over the intricate detail Jax always added to his hand-made weapons.
“He likes you,” Lucifer said, enjoying watching her quiet delight. “Took him years to make me anything.” She’d already selected a small blade from the table, attaching it to her left arm. But it wasn’t as beautiful as the bow.
Scarlet hooked the weapon over her shoulder, the string disappearing against her leather. She looked up, and he took the opportunity to drop a gentle kiss to her lips. She vibrated with intensity, her deep blue eyes blazing like a carefully compressed storm.
“There has to be another way,” she said, glancing down to see the tattoos along his arms beginning to glow. Titus had cut his palm, soaking the crystal and adding his chi to the connection.
It was like a jolt of lightning, heightening further when Blaze finally added his.
Fucking Fates, he thought, taking a moment to just revel in the energy.
“Remember, you’re going to owe me a dance.” One more kiss, her lips soft before he reluctantly pulled away. “Summon him, my love.”
Scarlet hovered, her posture stiff before she stepped outside the salt lines. Rae took her position to Scar’s left, and with a nod, Jax stepped up to her right.
“Are we all ready?” Scar asked, her voice rising to include the room.
Each element picked up their candle, with Lucifer becoming Spirit. Raising his fist, he scrunched the crystal once more, allowing a single drop of his blood to drip and quicken the flame. The connection was immediate, the flames beginning to flicker along with his heartbeat.
“Fucking hell,” someone muttered as the circle materialised inside the inner salt line. It shot up from the pentagram, enclosing the area in a solid dome thicker than he’d ever been trapped in before.
So fucking cool.
Taking her knife, Scarlet sliced along her palm. Lucifer silenced his growl at the sight of her cut, her eyes darting to his before she opened her hand. “I, Scarlet, last of my name and child of Aetherna, summon you, Zurzinoth, to be bound to my circle.”
There was a hush of quiet, the flames continuing to flicker along with his heart. One second passed. Then two, three before a clap of thunder, the ground vibrating as black smoke erupted from inside the dome, billowing up to obscure the entire structure.
“Xahen,” Gideon called, a dark silhouette appearing from within the smoke. “You’re testing my patience.”
It took a moment to clear, and Gideon stood there in all his glory. Well, not exactly glory. He looked worse than the last time, his skin almost opaque over black veins wriggling without purpose. It was as if they were simply there to gross people out. His eyes were sunken, the shadows beneath dominating his skeletally thin face. But at least he now matched his minions.
His single arm was encased in dark flames, with gelatinous green goo bobbing around as if gravity didn’t exist. His wings were extended, the thin membrane shredded between bones that looked fucking strange, as if he’d suddenly grown a few extra. Then there were his horns, twice the size they were usually and covered in miniature spikes.
“You alright, fucknut,” Lucifer said with a wave. “Fancy seeing you here.”
Gideon sniggered, his attention shifting to the others in the circle. He took his time to study each person before finally settling on Scar. “You summoned me?”
Scarlet straightened her spine. “Hadriel sends his regards.”
Gideon laughed, a great bark that rattled the room. “A spineless coward now he no longer holds his power. Someone should put him out of his misery. So, where’s Cassiel?” Gideon asked, directing his question to Scarlet.
“Soon to be dead,” she said with a confidence that had his cock twitching.
That’s my pretty little angel.
“Will save me a job.” Gideon pressed his hand against the circle, sparks flying from the contact. But it held… just. “Is this all there is? Honestly Xahen, it’s a little disappointing.”
“Only disappointing thing is your face. I think your nose is about to fall off,” Lucifer said, sensing something was wrong. “You’re deteriorating beneath your own power.”
Gideon was too calm, his fingers continuing to test the strength of the circle.
The candles continued to flicker, getting faster and faster as Lucifer called on the syphons. If his chi before was contained in a glass bottle, his power now had shattered it. There was no such thing as unlimited power, and those that sought it turned into Gideon, their bodies and souls slowly failing beneath the assault.
But the magic that thrummed through him now, it was fucking delicious. He could taste it on the back of his palate, the dark wisps electrifying.
“You should never have gone against me,” Gideon said, his arcane growing until it encompassed his wings. “Because I’m pure power, and nothing can stop me. Not Cassiel. Not Hadriel…”
Lucifer’s heart clenched, his muscles rigid as he realised a second too late what was about to happen.
“And definitely not you.”
Gideon stepped back, and still the circle fell.