***
We dropped Smokey off at a bar called Shaggy’s, where I learned that while Smokey was human, he was a fantastic horn player. I also learned that he was blind. Princeton promised to give me the details another time. We told him we would let him know if we needed his services again. He stated he hoped we didn’t, because this one nearly cost him his life.
We headed back to the brownstone and sat in Bates’ library. He had quite the selection of books on all different types of occult history as well as the natural kind. Normally as an angel I would be able to sense Arrisa’s presence, but my powers were not at their fullest, and I had not yet learned how to make the adjustment. I felt her in a way, but nothing that would lead us to her. Of course once we did find her I wasn’t exactly sure how we would stop her.
We spent a few hours searching through books that were older than some civilizations. I was amazed at all the different types of supernatural beings, as well as how most legends held some truth to them. The man upstairs really had created a powerful thing. I wonder if even he knew to what extent.
Finally Bates slammed a book on the desk and exclaimed, “MaGee I think I have it, and believe it or not, you are the key!”
I raised an eyebrow. “Well what are ya waiting for…out with it.”
“I fear this will be quite dangerous, MaGee, but at this point we are running out of time.”
“Oh?” I said.
“Yes. I have combed the texts of Heaven and Hell, and it would appear that Arrisa needs three souls to reach full power as a knight. So while time is of the essence…well this is something that could easily bite us in our backside.” I had to laugh. Even under the circumstances, here was Bates still trying to be prim and proper. I did notice a bad feeling in my gut, however, so I prepared for the worst.
“Well, Princeton, it is what it is, so lay it on me.”
He nodded and then, boy did he lay it on me. The book he held had a spell for summoning the original bad boy himself. Yep, Lucifer. It was also a binding spell that would allow one to propose an idea to the dark lord. If the dark lord fancied the idea, he would accept said proposal, but usually there was always a catch where Lucifer was involved. We hoped under the circumstances he would be a bit more open to what we had in mind.
Lucifer held the power to stop Arrisa, but would he? That was the million dollar question. Hell, as far as we knew it might have been he himself who brokered the deal. Somehow I didn’t think so, because once possessed of that kind of power, Lucifer himself might not have been safe from her.
I agreed to us summoning Lucifer. We moved to the room in the basement where we had our sparring match. I took a knife to my palm and slid it across until there was a decent flow of blood pouring forth from the wound. I preceded to put certain runes and insignias on the walls as Bates instructed me. Some I had seen before, but others, well not so much. I completed the task and then Princeton made a large circle of salt inside of which we painted a few other runes. A small round table with a stone bowl placed on top was set in the middle, while I sat in the designated spot. I held the book, which was written in Latin. This of course wasn’t a problem.
I prepared myself, but decided something was off. I looked at Bates and smiled.
“There seems to be one thing missing, buddy.”
Bates looked at me. “Pray tell what that might be.”
“A glass of that scotch to calm the nerves a bit.”
He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. “MaGee, I dare say, should we make it out of this alive, you and I will need to have a long talk, old chap.” With that he left the room and came back with a glass and the whole bottle. “I thought perhaps more than one might be needed.”
“Thatta boy,” I said as I poured a solid drink and downed it and poured another just for good measure. I took a deep breath and readied myself. I first lit the candle that we set up in the circle and then dropped the match into the bowl in the center, which poofed with a green and yellow flame. I started to read the incantation Bates had provided. I felt a small breeze start to flow through the room, though there were no windows to allow one in. The breeze grew stronger the farther down the page I went until finally as I spoke the last few words, all candles as well as all lights in the basement went out, throwing us into pitch darkness.
I stood stock still, not knowing if it had worked or not. It was funny. Through all the years and battles I had been a part of in Heaven I had never ran across Lucifer. It almost seemed poetic that I was meeting him now that I was a cast off.
Suddenly the candles lit back up and the lights flickered on. There across from me was a figure with a broad smile that showed shiny white teeth.
“Boo!” He uttered and then laughed at himself. I guess he could tell I wasn’t amused. He sighed. “You know, MaGee, that’s the problem with modern society. No sense of humor.”
I was admittedly shocked that he knew me. “How exactly is it you know my name?”
This produced another chuckle. “Come now my friend, surely you must understand as the master of Hell, and that oh so dreadful word…EVIL. Well I make it a point to be in the know.” He sat there with his legs folded as if ready to partake of tea. He was dressed surprisingly in an average white suit, matched by shoes and hat, a bright red bow tie the only item of color. There was nothing spectacular looking about him. He was maybe six foot tall, but seeing as how he was sitting I wasn’t sure. He held average features that leaned toward handsome, but looking into his eyes was when I knew he was much more than the image before me displayed. He caught me giving him the onceover. This again brought a bright smile.
“What? Not what you expected? I do apologize, but the horned figure with the barbed tail and red outfit and pitchfork is a bit much don’t you think? Besides I simply look hideous in red.” He blew on his fingernails which I noticed were perfectly manicured as he proceeded to rub them on his jacket as if trying to install a sheen.
Bates interrupted the conversation from afar. “MaGee! While this is all quite charming, I do believe there is a time limit for you to garner this task, yes?”
Lucifer turned his head toward Princeton and I thought I caught a glow of red deep in the back of his eyes as he spoke to Bates. “Well, well, I thought I smelled something funky in the air. If it isn’t the five thousand year old werewolf, or is that not the proper term nowadays? Princeton is the name you use now, yes?” Princeton nodded. “Oh how quaint. Look puppy dog, what say you pass that little hunk of staff you call a cane over and live out the rest of your wretched life and then join me in Hell. I could always use a few more animals in my kennel.”
Surprisingly Princeton kept his cool as he spoke. “Sorry, the climate is a little too warm for my liking.”
Lucifer chuckled and then turned his attention to me. “So, my fallen friend, I take it you have called me here to discuss our mutual problem. Arrisa.”
I am sure my face read of shock, not only the fact that he knew, but also the fact that he called it a mutual problem. “Oh come now, MaGee, surely you don’t think it would be good policy for me to sanction giving someone the keys to that kind of power do you, Hell, no.” He chuckled. “Why I made a funny.”
I nodded. “We didn’t think so, but nonetheless, someone went behind your back.”
“Indeed they did, and they are presently being skinned alive every twenty four hours till I am no longer amused. Unfortunately demons heal rather quickly. So without further ado let me cut to the chase.”
“I am all for that,” I said. “Just tell me how to stop her.”
He laughed and raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. All the candles fired up. Lucifer stood and after going through the motions of stretching his legs walked out of the circle and headed toward Princeton. He stopped and looked at me.
“Well, are you coming or not?” Lucifer asked. “I mean I for one like to plan things over a nice glass of scotch.” He ignored Princeton and, making his way to the cart that held the booze, poured himself some and
more in two other glasses before turning and looking at the two of us. “Well?” he said.
I stood and walked toward him and accepted the glass of scotch, I took it and after knocking back a little asked him, “But how?”
“How? Oh yes, that silly devil’s trap. Come now, surely you didn’t think that was gonna hold me, did you?” He sipped a little of the scotch and closed his eyes with a grin of delight, even running his tongue along his lips to savor it even more. “Well the Scots were definitely good at something after all. Come, what say we head to your library and talk like real men, well sort of.” With that he vanished and Princeton and I raced up the stairs to the library where he was finishing pouring himself another drink. He plopped down in the red leather high back that sat across from Princeton’s seat along with a blue one, which I sat in. Princeton took his spot behind the desk. Lucifer didn’t waste any time.
“Okay, here is what you will need to do, gentlemen, and this of course comes with a condition should you agree. I want her sword. That is it. For that I give you what you need to stop her, though I fear you will not find this a pleasant task.”
I took a long breath and agreed to his terms. I didn’t want him to possess her sword, but knew the choices were limited. He proceeded to remove a small pouch filled with strange white crystals, and a knife that looked to be silver and covered with runes much as my sword was, but the markings made the two blades far different.
What the dark lord told us we had to do horrified and shook me to my core. The process was simple, or so Lucifer thought. I needed to engage Arrisa in battle and throw the crystals on her. Lucifer said this would stifle her Hell Knight powers, but it was what had to happen after that which made me sick to my stomach. The only way to kill a Knight of Hell was to cut its head off and bury it somewhere far from the body.
I sighed deeply and this brought great amusement to Lucifer. He suggested I could just stand pat and let Heaven take their chances with her, but we both knew that wasn’t an option.
I shook my head, but asked one more thing before he left. “How will I defeat her without having all my power?”
Lucifer shook his head and smiled. “My dear, dear man, you have lost your wings, not your power. True it, doesn’t course through you as it did in Heaven, but you can still tap into it. Just search yourself and the answer will come.” With that he vanished.
I knew what I had to do now, but in truth I wasn’t sure if I could. This was Arrisa, the love which I had battled Michael for, and now…I had to kill her. I picked up the pouch and slid the knife into my belt. I nodded to Princeton and headed for the front door.
“Wait!” Princeton yelled. “How do you suppose to find her?”
I smiled. “Believe it or not I actually was taught something from the devil. I had the power to sense her all along, just needed to believe.” I chuckled. “Faith, what a fickle bitch.”
Princeton of course wanted to come, but I wouldn’t allow it. I needed to do this myself, and if I couldn’t, I didn’t want to put anyone else at risk. I moved down the street to a car stand where an on duty cab sat waiting. I hopped in and gave him the address. “Cermak and Archer.”
The cab pulled up in front of what was an old abandoned warehouse. The throbbing in me told me she was inside.