Champagne Problems #2
Yet another unsurprising revelation. There was never a doubt in my mind that he’d have to return. God will never allow Luke off the nail. Not after the millennia of wars and conflict he’s rained down on Heaven since being cast out.
It all might’ve started as temporary punishment, but how Luke reacted after the fact sealed his fate as keeper of Hell.
“Is that what you want?” I ask, knowing full well it’s not.
His sad smile breaks my heart in two. “You and I both know the answer to that question, love. There was never a choice.”
“You’re the only one who can restore order.”
“I know. I didn’t want this burden, but it’s mine to bear.”
There has to be more to it. Heaven wouldn’t have sealed Luke out of Hell if they wanted him back there all along.
“You’re right, Victoria. They kept me out so that you and River would meet. They wanted him to piece together who you are. They hoped he’d take you to the reaper kingdom. When he didn’t, they decided to act.”
My eyes narrow. “Why?”
“They want you to take your proper place on the reaper throne.” His head turns away from me.
“And,” I press, knowing there’s something he doesn’t want to say.
“You know, Victoria. Don’t make me say it.”
River.
They want me beside River.
“Exactly,” he says through clenched teeth.
“What else did you promise them, Luke?”
He shrugs. “That I’d make sure you went to the reaper kingdom to discover your destiny.”
I huff. “I won’t go without you.”
“You don’t have a choice, love. I can’t go with you.”
“We have to go, Satan,” Michael says, coming up behind us.
“Where?” I ask, looking from Michael to Luke.
“Back to Hell. They’re going to help me remove Nolda.”
“I’m coming too.”
His expression changes to a mask of stone. “You aren’t.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I steel my voice to remain even and hard. “Don’t tell me what to do, Luke.”
He stands to his feet, brushing off his pants, not meeting my eyes. “River is coming here to get you. I have to keep my promise.”
I leap to my feet, getting in front of Luke and forcing him to look at me. “It wasn’t your promise to make. This is my life. My decision.”
“Don’t you want to know your mother? Where you come from?” He searches my face.
“I’ve managed this long without her.” I walk back toward the building, needing to put some space between us.
What I said is nothing more than a giant lie. A very big part of me is desperate to know her. She didn’t abandon me. I was hidden away by Heaven. She was kept from me.
“I know what you’re thinking, Victoria. Go. Meet her. Make your decision.”
I spin around and take two giant strides until I’m close enough to shove at Luke’s chest.
“Get out of my head!”
I’m so damn sick of having to say this.
His face falls, dropping the harsh expression he’s been wearing. “I’m sorry. It’s not always on purpose. I’m so tuned in to you that sometimes, I don’t even realize I’m doing it.”
“Just stop. And for the record, I’m not going anywhere but to Hell. You’re taking me back. Nolda did me wrong too. I want my own vengeance.”
“It’s not what’s important,” Michael cuts in, planting himself into a conversation that has nothing to do with him.
“You don’t get to make any more decisions for me, Michael. Like I already said, you might not have known, but that doesn’t change how you treated me when I fell. You were horrible to me.”
“And for that I’ll always be sorry.”
“One day I might be able to forgive you, but not today. I’m going back to Hell to help take down Nolda and to ensure that my friends, the Bellamy brothers, get out of there.”
“She isn’t going to back down, Michael. You have a better shot at getting to Camille than changing Victoria’s mind.”
“Make the arrangements,” Michael says, shocking both Luke and me. “I think we should leave these two alone,” he says to Luke, motioning with his head toward Zeke. “They have some business to attend to.”
I rake my hands through my hair, not really in the mood to deal with Zeke, but knowing it’s time, if we’re to fight alongside each other in Hell.
“If you have something to say, say it,” I bark, stalking back toward the barn.
I’m not really angry at him; it’s everything else. This doesn’t seem like the time to hash out an ancient affair, one that no longer matters. But taking one quick look at Zeke, I can see that this is important to him. And for all the times he came to my aid, I decide I’ll hear him out.
I stop, placing my hands on my hips.
“I was on Earth on assignment, tasked with rounding up Nephilim to train them for battle. They have dormant powers that can be brought to the surface. God wants them ready to defend humanity if war breaks out.” Zeke blurts the words without taking a breath, and I don’t butt in, allowing him to get it all out.
“I was only told that you would be falling, and I was to find you and keep you safe. He wanted you to hunt demons that were growing brave and coming out of the shadows to keep your skills sharp, but he didn’t want you to know about the Nephilim or that you were predestined to fall. ”
He takes a deep, cleansing breath but doesn’t continue.
“And?” I press.
“And that’s it. That’s all I was told, Victoria.”
I narrow my eyes. “You knew nothing about the reapers?”
His hands raise in a placating manner. “No. Nothing. I swear.”
“Were you given permission to take my virginity?”
He winces. “Um … no. That was not part of my assignment.”
He’s uncomfortable and I’m enjoying it. I’m not angry that I gave him that piece of me. It was cathartic after Luke abandoned me. If anything, I’m glad it was him and not some random human.
“How did Heaven feel about that?”
“Let’s just say I was called before the Council for it.”
“What was your punishment?”
“I’ve been cast to Earth for the remainder of my existence and my mission was stripped from me.”
I suck in a breath. No wonder he insisted that he wanted to stay. He knew there was no way back for him, and he’d accepted as much.
“Why would you take that chance, Zeke?”
“Because I cared. For you. It was worth it for any chance of a future with you, Victoria. I welcomed fighting beside you.”
His admission hurts, only because I don’t feel the same way. I never really did. For a short time I had considered it, but deep down, I knew he wasn’t the one.
“There is no future between us, Zeke. There never was.”
I feel like I owe him honesty, even if he didn’t offer me the same courtesy. The last thing I need is a fallen angel making problems because he’s under some delusion that there could be a future for us.
“I don’t regret it. My time with you was worth everything, Victoria.”
“I’m sorry.” It’s all I can offer.
“Nothing to be sorry for. The heart wants what it wants, right?”
“So I’ve heard,” I smile, kicking at the dirt. “Now what?”
“I continue to hunt with the Nephilim. Regardless of whether Heaven wants my help with that or not, I’ll have them ready for war. It’s coming, Victoria, and a part of me believes this was always my destiny, even if Heaven says otherwise.”
“You should’ve told me, Zeke. All of it.”
“I know. But by the time I realized that, Lucifer was already back in the picture. I know when I’ve been beat, Tori. It was always going to be him.”
I nod. “Thank you for keeping me safe, Zeke.”
He offers a sad smile. “Friends?”
I pull him into a hug. “Friends.”
“Hate to break up this chick fest, but it’s time to head to Hell,” Luke says, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from Zeke. “And just for the record, I’m still going to kick your ass for taking what was always mine.”
I roll my eyes. “Freaking caveman.”
“That’s right, love. For you, I will beat my chest and claim what’s mine.”
I slap his chest. “Whatever. Let’s go save my friends and get your throne back.”
He pulls me into his chest. “You need to touch some part of me. All of you will,” he says over his shoulder at the motley crew of angels. “Don’t let go, or else you’ll be stuck in limbo. I won’t be able to find you easily.”
“I’m not touching you,” Leeanna states haughtily.
“Suit yourself, but you won’t make it to Hell.” He leans in and whispers into my ear. “You can touch me wherever you’d like.” He waggles his brows and I roll my eyes.
“Let’s go, Satan. Before you corrupt Earth any more.”
He grins. “I have no interest in corrupting Earth … today. Now you, on the other hand—”
“Ready to go to Hell, angels?” I yell, cutting off his words.
He doesn’t wait for a response. Hugging me to him tightly, he zips us all from the barn and into Hell in the same location he found me before.