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Everyone left, the new washer and dryer were installed, and Jerome and I sat in my living room, just enjoying the quiet.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yes,” Jerome answered. “It does explain the angel magic.”
“Yes, it does.” I nodded.
“So, you’re really going to make me get a coven still, aren’t you?”
“Jerome, I’m not going to force you to do it until you’re ready, but eventually, yes. I think you need a coven and a host.”
“Covens make wizards and witches stronger; I don’t need to be stronger,” Jerome said, calmly and without whining.
“That’s what a host does for angels,” I pointed out, sounding slightly whiny. “You definitely use your host without issue.”
“A host of angels has never tried to bend me to their will and didn’t murder my parents.”
“That’s partly true,” I said. “However, as my ward, I do bend you to my will.”
“That’s different. That’s like my mom bending me to her will. They are called rules for my own well-being, which isn’t the same,” Jerome said and I had no argument for that, so I didn’t argue. “I think this should be a family secret.”
“I agree,” I said. “I don’t think anyone should know you are of wizard and angelic stock by fertility blessing. That includes not telling Janet.” I sent out a text to everyone in my family, and they all agreed.
“I want a nap. I didn’t sleep well. Angel wings take up a lot of room.” Jerome yawned.
“I know,” I said, and also yawned. “A nap sounds ideal. Afterward, I can try to figure out what the hell happened with the demon box in our laundry room.”
“Ashtoreth’s box didn’t have dead blood; it was living and the mimicry was stronger,” Jerome said. “In Belial’s and Belgaphor’s it was dead.”
“The builder is learning,” I said.
“Yes,” Jerome answered.
“If the blood was living in Mammon’s, it may have overloaded itself because of all the magic available,” I said.
“Yes.”
“If you don’t want to tell me, I’ll understand, but what did you feel with Belial’s box?” I asked. Jerome sat perfectly still for a full minute and I wondered if he had exited his body or something.
“Belial,” he finally said. “Dantalian teases about possessing you, but he doesn’t really want to do it. The same is not true of Belial. Belial wants to possess you and force you to cross the Divide.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because he’s a demon?” Jerome shrugged, and I dropped the subject. I suspected there was more to it and it was part of Jerome’s memory of the event.
“I think you need to show Raphael and Remiel what you saw with Belial’s box. We need all the information we can get to understand them and find out who is making them,” I said.
“Okay,” Jerome said and stood up. “Nap time.” I nodded and stood up as well. Jerome asked if he could nap in his game room with the TV on and I agreed because I did make him talk about a hell prince right before we both went to take naps.
I struggled to fall asleep and when I finally did, I dreamed of Belial. The dream woke me and sent me scurrying to the living room and away from my darkened bedroom, which seemed alive. I checked the time; the demons in Mark and his girlfriend would be gone by now. I called the hospital to verify it, then checked the entire house to make sure I hadn’t summoned any demons in my sleep. Having found no demons, I set about the mundane task of figuring out what to fix for dinner.
My fridge was once again fully stocked and I pulled out a variety of meats and cheeses and stared at them. Then I shoved them all back in the fridge and made one of those decisions that proved I was failing as a guardian. Jerome had grown four inches over the winter and the boy was a bottomless pit due to his magic use. Puberty was making it worse. Even if I cooked a robust dinner, he’d still be hungry again in two hours. I called my mom.
“Soleil, is everything okay?” Sophia asked as she answered the phone.
“I’m fine, Mom. How on Earth did you keep Helia and I fed in high school?” I asked.
“Ugh,” my mom groaned. “The worst eight years of my life.”
“Okay, so?” I asked.
“I stopped cooking.” My mom sighed. “Between magic use at school and puberty, it was impossible to keep either of you full, so when you got hungry, I sent you out with money to binge on fast food.”
“So I’m not a miserable failure if I feed Jerome out again tonight?” I asked.
“No,” Mom said. “I tried to limit it to six times a week, but realistically there were nights you would come home, eat what I cooked, and two hours later you’d go out and get tacos or something. We are having steaks, asparagus, corn, and stuffed mushrooms if you want to bring him here. Then you’ll only feel slightly bad if you have to get him chicken nuggets on the way home.”
“Oh, that sounds good. What kind of steak?”
“T-bones,” mom said.
“Do you have enough, or do I need to stop and get us some for Dad to grill?” Archangel or not, my dad was a pretty regular guy. He manned the grill every weekend and drank beer and wine, occasionally took shots of tequila, and sipped whiskey over ice.
“We have ten of them set out,” Mom replied. “Jerome can have two if he wants.”
“Why do you have so many?” I asked.
“We picked it up today. I was going to wait and freeze the rest of the pack after dinner.”
“We’ll be there,” I replied.
“Be where?” Jerome asked, rubbing his eyes and coming into the kitchen.
“Mom and Dad’s for dinner,” I said. “They are having T-bone steaks tonight.”
“You looked in the fridge and decided to feed me out again and that made you feel like a failure, so you called your mom.” Jerome smiled at me.
“I hate when you spend so much time with Remiel.”
“I didn’t have to spend time with Remiel to know that what you were feeling,” Jerome said. “After three years, I just know you that well.”
“Yes, well,” I said. “I think you’re going to need new pants again soon, which means you’ll also need new shirts.”
“I’ve noticed I’m growing, too,” Jerome said. “Nice change of subject.”
“I wasn’t changing the subject; I was just cataloging why you were a bottomless pit.” I smiled at him. “Come on kiddo, wakey-wakey, we have grilled steaks and assorted sides to get to,” I told him.
We enjoyed dinner with my parents, Helia, and both girls. Ariel’s wing spines were at least a foot longer than when she’d left my house that morning and her wings had more feathers. I pushed back from the table.
“I have cheesecake or chocolate lava cake and homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert,” my mother announced, and I wondered if anyone would notice if I unbuttoned the top button of my pants. Jerome ate two steaks, a huge helping of asparagus, five stuffed mushrooms, spinach salad, and two ears of corn, but I saw his eyes light up at the thought of dessert. He took a bit of each and covered all of it with cherries in heavy syrup, while I added fresh blackberries to my cheesecake. I bit into the first blackberry and found it seedless. We ate and sat for a few minutes when a man came around the corner of the house.
“Special delivery for Sophia Burns,” he announced. My mom got up. It was a small package only a few inches long by a few inches wide and there was a jeweler’s logo on it.
“Destroy it!” Jerome said in a high reedy voice before the courier could even get out of the yard.
“Jerome?” I asked. The boy’s eyes rolled up in his head and he repeated his previous instructions. I got up to check on him.
“IT’S MY BLOOD!” he screamed then fell out of his chair. Raphael and I both jumped up to attend to him, and chaos followed. I knelt by Jerome and felt magic swell.
“Aunt Asha! One of your feathers!” Aurora squealed and then reached into the now open jeweler’s box—and as her hand entered the box, her entire body disappeared.
“Oh God,” I jumped up. “You fix Jerome, I’ll get Aurora!” I told my father and reached into the demon box. It spit me out at the feet of the most powerful soul in the Stygian. Lucifer held Aurora.
“Take her and run, Soleil,” the large soul said to me and plopped Aurora into my arms. “Run Soleil. One of mine wants your soul!” It was then I knew what Jerome knew about Belial. It is easier for the living to cross into the Stygian than to exit it. The demon box portal we both came through had disappeared and, while I knew I could get myself back across, I was less sure about Aurora. So, I ran.
The Stygian mirrors Earth, except it’s dead. The grass was frozen and brown beneath my feet. Mountains were on either side of me and I felt trapped. Aurora was screaming. As I ran, a figure emerged ahead of me. It waved to me and I recognized Dantalian.
“This way, Soleil,” the demon whispered to me. “You are mostly safe in this valley; it is the territory of my sire. However, we need to get you to Leviathan. That is where the little one will be the safest.” Dantalian led me to a cave and for a moment, I considered not following him. Were we truly safe in a cave with a lust demon? At that moment, I heard something bellow and I decided the cave was probably safer, even with the incubus in it.
“You can use your magic to move through the Stygian, even with the girl,” Dantalian told me as he brought me to a stop in front of a wall. “It is one of your powers. You can shape the Stygian. Do so now and make a tunnel through this cave that will lead you to Leviathan.”
“I don’t know where Leviathan is,” I told Dantalian.
“Concentrate and you will,” he, said to me. “And do it quickly.” I did and felt Leviathan. Dantalian handed me a rock. I looked at it.
“It’s a chalk rock,” Aurora said, and I drew a tunnel opening in the wall. As soon as I drew the bottom line the tunnel appeared before us.
“I cannot follow you to Leviathan’s,” Dantalian said. “But I believe he will send something to meet you. We all felt you enter the Stygian.” There was another bellow followed by a crash. “Run, Soleil!” Dantalian pushed me and I pulled Aurora in closer to me.
“Close your eyes if you get scared,” I whispered to the girl as I panted with each step. I ate to fuel magic, not to fuel aerobic activity like running with a six-year-old.
“I’m not scared, Aunt Asha. I know you will protect me,” the girl said and snuggled closer to me. I ran until I saw light ahead and a shadow in the light.
“Come, Soleil, do not be afraid,” the shadow said. I felt the voice vibrate in my body and knew the demon’s name. Behind me there was another bellow, and something large crashed down. “Ashtoreth can only hold off Belial for so long, Soleil. Run!” the demon said to me. I took a deep breath, held it, and ran as fast as I could. I felt magic enter the tunnel at my back and another bellow blew a heavy breeze across my back. When I reached the demon, he took my hand and then tried to take Aurora. I refused to let go.
“You are faster without her,” the demon said. “She will not be harmed by me; I give you my word.” I looked at Aurora and she nodded. I handed the demon my niece. I felt much lighter and pushed forward, ahead of the warm breath that made my hair flutter. We suddenly exited as Belial bellowed again; the sound was cut off by the tunnel closing behind us. We were in what I could only assume was a castle. Leviathan sat on the floor. He held out his arms for Aurora, and I didn’t protest. Aurora scampered down from the demon that held her and ran to Leviathan.
“Hello, little one,” Leviathan said, and I felt the sound of his voice in my soul. Leviathan was the first demon to tell me he remembered life as Zadkiel when I was around. He was also capable of entering my dreams.
“Uncle Z!” Aurora squealed and I stared at the two of them. She took a deep breath. “Thank you for Angel! I love her bunches and bunches. Aunt Asha needed a dog that could and would protect her and Jerome.” I gaped at them.
“I know you don’t understand, niece,” Leviathan said to me and patted the floor next to him. Aurora crawled into the giant demon’s lap.
“No, I don’t,” I said.
“I am a creator, even here, and Aurora is a conduit to animals. I can create many animals and they give me the ability to talk to Aurora. I send butterflies and moths to her dreams every night with messages from me. When Jerome first came to you, she said you both needed a protector, so I created the hellhound for you. It took Jerome and Aurora to bring her across, but they did,” Leviathan said.
“Oh,” I said.
“When you were young, I sent you messages while you slept, too. I have done it for all my brothers’ children, though some have been more receptive than others. Aurora, Jerome, and you have been the most receptive, although I was never sure you truly understood it.”
“I don’t think I did,” I admitted. “But why Jerome?” I asked.
“Jerome was always destined to be united with you,” Leviathan replied. “Belial gave the instructions to create these new demon boxes. Lucifer knows it and has attempted punishment, but the longer Beelzebub walks the earth with a host, the weaker Lucifer grows. Belial wants your soul, niece. He wants to be who he once was. He thinks by taking possession of you, physically, emotionally,” Leviathan made a strange gesture and I understood. “Yes, he believes he can reclaim his life through you.” I thought the mighty demon blushed as he finished.
“You need to leave the Stygian,” Leviathan told me. “You must find who is making the demon boxes and you must stop it. Only through them can Belial get to you.”
“I don’t think I can get myself and Aurora back through a portal I create from this side,” I told Leviathan.
“That is a problem,” Leviathan said. “We need Jerome.”
“He fainted,” I said. “Or at least I think he fainted. I don’t know. His eyes rolled into his head and he collapsed, but then Aurora was pulled through the box and I came to get her.”
“Yes,” Leviathan said, pointing to the only piece of furniture in the room, a glass table. I got up and walked to it. I could see the archangels gathered around Jerome, who snored on the spare bed at my parents’ house.
“Leviathan, give me the exorcist!” we heard Belial bellow from outside. Aurora stiffened and I moved toward her.
“He cannot enter here.” Leviathan held up a hand. “He will not challenge me. Lucifer may have grown weaker, but I have grown stronger. You are both safe in here.”
I felt magic, then I saw a handful of demons and monsters begin to scurry through the great hall, including the storm god Cha’ac, who I had faced in Chicago when I met Jerome. He looked much smaller here than over Lake Michigan. A pack of hounds, much bigger than Angel and much more deadly-looking, ran toward me and Aurora. They circled us, jaws out toward the sound of Belial’s voice, teeth and fangs bared. Aurora reached out and fucking started to pet one of them. It sat down at her feet and let the little girl love on it.
“Don’t worry, Aunt Asha, the hellhounds will protect us, too!” The little girl squealed with delight as one of the massive dogs turned and gave her a lick with a tongue bigger than her own head. Instinctively, I wanted to grab her and hold her, but I believed her and Leviathan. If they said we were safe, we probably were. I took a couple of steps toward a sound that seemed like it might be battle. I heard something scream an inhuman sound that made my blood feel frozen in my veins, and I stepped past Leviathan. Damn it, my magic was Stygian in nature. I would not let demons die for me because of Belial.
“If I die, make sure Aurora gets back across,” I told Leviathan.
“Soleil, don’t die.” Leviathan said very seriously, but he didn’t stop me. Instead, I felt him stand. He picked up Aurora and he walked with me to the entrance. The hellhounds kept pace with us. At the entrance, I began gathering magic.
“Finally, you come to meet fate.” Belial bellowed at me.
“No, Belial, you do!” I said and began to push magic. His demons stopped fighting.
“What are you doing?” he asked, looking at them. I knew the question was directed at them, but I decided to answer.
“I am the commander of the demon armies, Belial, or did you forget? Their fealty to you is secondary to me.” I told him firmly, more firmly than I really felt. I hadn’t thought it would actually work, but I refused to let Belial know it had surprised me. I felt the ground begin to shake beneath my feet and knew other hell princes were coming.
“Leave her be, Belial,” a voice said. It was high-pitched, whiny, and far off. “Her presence here is an abomination. The Stygian cannot have two masters.”
“Mammon, come to me,” I said, and then I took a breath. “Li Wang Xi, come to me,” I said, and felt Mammon respond to the call. I felt his offspring respond as well. Mammon joined me next to the entrance of Leviathan’s castle.
“Ivvar the Shifter, come to me,” I called and felt Ashtoreth move through the Stygian.
“If she stays Belial, you will bow before her, not the other way,” Lucifer’s voice boomed over all of us and the giant soul threw a shadow on me. Dantalian appeared next to me.
“She can move us through the territories,” Belial said in the softest voice I’d ever heard him use.
“We cannot resist her call, Belial,” Lucifer said. “Even when she calls us across the Divide, we must obey, Belial. It is not a choice.” Lucifer nodded to me.
“Kneel before me, demon,” I said to Belial. “Kneel before me now, Titankahncronos.” I felt Belial resist, and then kneel.
“That won’t work with me, exorcist,” a tall, white demon said, stepping forward. “I am not dead; you can’t control me.”
“Azazael,” I said. “Glad to finally meet you. I require two of your feathers,” I said to him.
“You will not get them,” Azazael said.
“Yes, I will,” I told him, and he smiled. Two of his feathers detached from his wings and floated to me. I snatched both from the air, and his smile disappeared. “Lucifer isn’t dead either, Azazael.”
“I have told you, nephew, that even you cannot stand against Soleil in the Stygian,” Lucifer said. “And on Earth, you won’t have the power to defeat her wizard,” he added, and I felt magic begin to stir around me.
“Speaking of which, he wakes,” Leviathan said.
“Belial, I command you to give me the name of the person who now creates the demon boxes,” I said.
“I do not know,” Belial said. “I can only tell you who I gave it to, but that is not the person making them now.”
“Who did you give it to?” I demanded.
“A leprechaun named Menard,” Belial told me, and I just stared at him. There was a swirl next to me and I heard Jerome’s voice come through it.
“I am coming,” I told him. “Remember this meeting, Belial. Next time you won’t simply kneel. I will destroy you and encourage Lucifer to install another hell prince that will be as loyal to him as Leviathan.” I turned to Leviathan and held out my hands for Aurora. He handed her to me.
“Bye, little one, I will see you in our dreams,” Leviathan said to the child. She waved to him. I nodded and turned to the magic. I reached for it and felt Aurora grab something as I pushed through the portal.