Page 46 of Saved By Monsters (Everwood Demons 3)

My hellhounds shifted back to men, and we all exchanged equally confused looks as we walked after the two archangels.

I had so many questions, but at least we were safe from the other angels now. Even if my brain was screaming in shock.

* * *

“So, the great Divine Key, I heard stories about how it would come to us eventually. A means to set things right once more,” Lucifer said as he plopped down at the head of the table, putting his bare feet up as he tossed back some grapes from the selection spread out for us.

I sunk into the seat Michael had ushered us to at the long table, my hellhounds joining me after Michael had waved his hand and granted them basic clothing. Chum eyed the array of fruits and nuts on offer, but no one touched anything as Michael joined us, taking a seat beside Lucifer on the other side. He merely glanced at his brother’s feet on the table, but didn’t comment.

“So, Remiel sent you?” Michael started, and I shot a look at Jack as he stared at Lucifer, still baffled by it all. I could feel my hellhounds tenseness, all on guard and ready to jump into action at a moment’s notice. Not that I thought they’d fare well against the devil himself.

“Um, yes, she was my mother, Asmodeus was my father…” I explained, unable to keep from glancing at Lucifer.

“Remiel was your mother? Fascinating,” Lucifer commented. “And relax, child, I may be the devil, but I’m not some murderous prick,” Lucifer chuckled as he bit into an apple, those onyx eyes amused as he stared at me. “I guess you probably don’t understand how Michael and I get along. We are both archangels, clearly, and we served our father. I was given the duty of keeping demons and damned souls in Hell. That was my task I received after rebelling against my father. I saw the error in my ways and accepted my duties,” he stated with a nonchalant shrug. “And Armageddon would make that entire duty pointless. Dad would be pissed at me. Not to mention I enjoy watching mankind evolve, start their silly little wars and wind up on my doorstep for it. It’s entertaining. Without them, I’d be bored,” he said with a sigh.

“Lucifer was cast out of Heaven for rebelling, hence his blackened demonic wings, much like yours,” Michael elaborated. “He’s still an archangel though.”

“Is that why you were able to get him into Heaven through a rip? I was told only those with angelic grace could get into Heaven,” I said carefully.

“Yes, that is true.” Michael nodded.

“Which is why this whole hellhound thing is fascinating. I’ve never seen anything like it. They’re actually linked to you. I doubt Asmodeus planned for that. He was an interesting one. I created my Princes to help me manage Hell so I could just watch on, but seeing them explore and discover themselves, going so far as to have relations with an angel, that is far more than I could have imagined. It’s a shame that the others started to follow their own path and try to open the gates. That was not at all what I wanted. For that, my remaining Princes have been punished. I was unaware of their intentions until I felt the passing of them. Losing three in such a small time frame made me come out of my retirement to see what was going on,” Lucifer explained.

“You felt my father die?” I asked softly, and Lucifer paused as he arched a brow at me. I wanted to comment on his retirement, but I thought better of it. Beings that had been around since the dawn of time probably deserved a break.

“Yes. Lilith may be the mother of all demons, but I created the princes themselves. So, I felt their deaths.”

Right, Lilith. My mind briefly went to when Hadley had asked if I was named after her. But my father had debunked that theory.

“What happened to him?” I asked carefully as I touched my pendant. “My mother—I found her Heaven—she explained she was sent there after her death. That no angels can access it. How come we could all access this Heaven of yours?” I glanced at Michael, seeking answers for all the questions running wild in my mind.

“Well, as for my Princes, when they pass, along with angels, they go to another place that God created just for angels and demons. They get judged and depending on how they’re judged, they move to a special Level of either Heaven or Hell. Inaccessible by all save for the big man himself,” Lucifer mused.

“Since I have not died, this Heaven is a part of the White City, so it is still accessible by all angels,” Michael explained, but he leaned back as he gave me a perplexed look. “Did you say you went to your mother’s Heaven? Remiel passed several years ago, she’d be on the other Level, inaccessible by all but our father.”

Lucifer stilled at this as well as he focused back on me, disregarding the handful of nuts he’d just helped himself to.

“Yes, she told me she couldn’t leave her Heaven, that she was locked there,” I added as I chewed my cheek.

“Is that possible?” Lucifer looked to Michael with a delighted grin. “That this one is able to pass to the other Levels?”

“No, it shouldn’t be, but then again, neither is a hybrid. They’re not meant to be possible.” Michael just studied me with newfound awe. “I guess her power exceeds more than we could have imagined. Especially if Remiel was her mother.”

I shifted uneasily as the pair gazed at me like they’d just found a golden egg.

Jack leaned closer to me instinctively, but Lucifer just clucked his tongue.

“Utterly fascinating. No wonder they all want to be rid of you. You throw a lovely little wrench into everything they believe, proving them wrong. I love it,” Lucifer chuckled as he tossed back the nuts.

I flicked my gaze between them, struggling to fight the feeling of being so small and young in comparison to these two immortal beings. This was insane. I was sitting with two archangels that had been around since the dawn of time, and here I was, not even legal drinking age in most countries.

I had no idea what to say, so I focused on something else that was bothering me.

“What happened to Thomas? When I got here, Uriel blew him away. I got him from his Heaven, he was keeping me company, helping me,” I asked, and I felt my hellhounds all look at me in shock.

“So he was a soul in Heaven?” Michael clarified, and I nodded.

“He would have been sent straight back to it. You can’t kill a soul again. He would just reappear in his Heaven, don’t worry,” he assured me. “Your friend is completely safe and fine.”

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