Middle Demons (Angels and Demons Book 2) (24 page)

CHAPTER 48

Sarah paced outside of the golden doors. Remiel was still not fully convinced that he had hallucinated on Earth.

“You’re sure a demon didn’t walk up to you and kiss you?”

“Are you insane, Remiel? We’ve talked about this. The giant we ran into knocked you out and I sliced him up. Then I dragged you back to Heaven.”

“Then why are you trying to get the Archangels to back the demons on Earth? If we were to let the nephilim and the demons kill each other… it’s like two birds with
no
stones.”

“Nephilim are slaughtering humans. Entire cities. You’re ok with that? We need to stop Abaddon and Satan for the sake of the humans that we’re supposed to be protecting. There are three major demons that are willing to join in with us if we send three Archangels with their armies.”

“And none of those three kissed you?”

“You’re not going with me to Earth anymore. You’re an annoying disaster of an angel.”

“Alright. I’m sorry, Sarah. I’ve just… never hallucinated before. I’ve never been knocked out like that before either. It felt different somehow.”

Sarah tried to restrain herself from laughing. Remiel had led a fairly sheltered life in Heaven and she imagined that would be the first of many times that he fainted at the sight of danger or violence. The golden doors opened and the Archangels walked out of their meeting. Gabriel’s white eyes beamed when he saw Sarah. He tousled her hair and lifted her into a hug.

“Still beautiful I see.”

“You say that every time you see me. Do you expect me to become ugly someday?”

Gabriel chuckled.

“No. I am simply happy to see you every time that I see you.”

“How did we do? Are the Archangels going to fight alongside Shadow?”

“Two of us. I agreed, of course. I can’t say no to my granddaughter. The other Archangel is Raphael. He wanted to ‘spill some demon blood.’ Something about how fun it was hunting Asmodeus the last time he was on Earth.”

“We need three. Get the seven Archangels back in there and try again.”

“I don’t call these meetings, young one. Michael was hesitant to let me discuss this with the Archangels. He wasn’t in attendance. He doesn’t think this is our responsibility.”

Sarah finally got angry.

“How the hell is this not
our
responsibility? Abaddon is MICHAEL’S SON! How can he just let him go crazy from torture and then destroy the Earth? Shadow, Michael’s grandson, is willing to take this problem head on but Michael hides like a coward?”

“Recant your blasphemies, Sarah.”

Gabriel’s eyes were no longer kind. They burned with a white fire and with a vague threat of anger. Remiel ran and hid.

“I recant my statements. My apologies, Grandpa. May I address the Archangels myself?”

“No.”

“I just need one more. Aren’t any of the Archangels interested in finding out whether Samael had a daughter with the major demon, Vixen? No one cared about that?”

Uriel turned from the conversation he was having and moved towards Gabriel and Sarah.

“What did I just overhear about Samael having a daughter?”

Gabriel brushed it off.

“It’s not important, Uriel. Just rumors the demons are spreading.”

Sarah shook her head.

“They aren’t rumors, Grandpa. I’ve met her. She looks like a mixture of angel and demon. I really think she’s Samael’s daughter.”

Uriel stroked his beard.

“Interesting. Do you think Samael will try to contact her at some point?”

“I’m not sure, Archangel Uriel. I just know that I believe that she’s part angel. They claim she’s the daughter of Samael and Vixen. She’s pregnant with the child of Leech, the grandson of Baal and the new major demon of idolatry.”

“Very interesting. I would like to meet this young lady.”

Uriel let his words hang in the air for a minute longer. It felt like an eternity to Sarah. Finally, she couldn’t contain her question any longer.

“Does that mean you’ll go to Earth with us?”

Uriel put his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder.

“Might we speak in private for a few minutes, Gabriel?”

“Of course. Please excuse us, Sarah.”

Remiel returned after he saw Uriel and Gabriel leave.

“Archangels freak me out. I can’t believe you said the things you did.”

“Sometimes Archangels need a little kick in the ass.”

Remiel’s jaw dropped.

“You can’t say things like that, Sarah! The other angels will hear you!”

“Angels are supposed to speak the truth. That’s all I was doing.”

“I like visiting Earth. It’s beautiful like Heaven but in a different kind of way. I hope you didn’t mean what you said. If you go back, I want to go with you.”

“Why? You’re useless to me.”

“I’ll practice fighting if that’s what it takes. I can become better with a bow.”

Sarah knew she couldn’t turn down poor Remiel. He was just so pitiful. She decided to torment him a little longer before she caved.

“I don’t know. I vouched for you, got you promoted, and all you did was complain when we went down to Earth. Why should I take you with me again?”

“I kept my mouth shut about what I think I saw. I only discussed it with you. I could have reported it.”

“They wouldn’t have believed you.”

“They might have. We’ll never know because I had your back and I didn’t say anything. I will continue to not say anything… as long as…”

“Remiel, are you blackmailing me?”

“Oh no… nothing like that. Just please let me go back with you. Please, Sarah! I like to travel!”

Sarah laughed.

“Fine. Practice your bow and I’ll take you with me, if we get to go back down.”

Remiel ran off to practice. Gabriel and Uriel returned.

“It looks like I will be joining you after all. I want to meet Samael’s daughter. I want to meet Shadow as well. I want to know what these nephilim are like. I’ll go get ready and I’ll see the two of you down there.”

Uriel left and Sarah hugged Gabriel again.

“So it’s official?”

“Yes, dear child. The angels will fight alongside the demons. The angels are going to war.”

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Hunting nephilim with a pregnant Lilith was driving Leech insane. After their brief meeting with the three Archangels, they had split into three groups of two. Uriel had gone with Raphael, Shadow with Gabriel, and Leech with Lilith.

“Leech!”

Leech sighed and walked back to Lilith’s tent.

“Lily?”

“Do you still think I’m beautiful?”

“Of course.”

“Seriously? I’m really fat.”

“You’re pregnant. That doesn’t mean you stopped being hot.”

Lilith grinned at him.

“Right answer. So I’m hot enough for you to do a favor for me?”

“Lily, we’re hunting nephilim… I don’t really have time to…”

“You lied to me! You don’t think I’m hot anymore!”

Leech sighed.

“What’s the favor? What are you craving this time?”

“I would like the soul of a human who was very good for most of their life and then turned evil in old age and went to Hell. That should deal with this craving.”

“Raven is already getting you a new hairbrush because the old one wasn’t good enough. So I guess I’ll send Gangrene?”

“Yes. Oh and I want my pony.”

“Keshi is in Hell. You can’t ride her when you’re pregnant.”

“I just want her up here.”

“Why?”

“Because you haven’t been paying enough attention to me and Keshi won’t leave me to hunt nephilim!”

Lilith started to cry. Leech approached to comfort her. When he was within range, she spun off her bed and kicked him hard in the stomach.

“Ow! Lily you need to stop being insane! I’ve stopped every time you said you wanted more time with me. I doubt we’re even on that nephilim’s trail anymore. I haven’t seen any evidence that he went this way for days.”

“Don’t blame me. Blame your daughter.”

Leech’s grinned widely and he kneeled in front of Lilith and put his hand on her belly.

“So it’s a girl?”

“Well I’m not sure. It could be your son. Either way, I’m not responsible for any of this.”

Leech laughed.

“I’ll send Gangrene. Anything else before I send him?”

“Nope. Send Gangrene and then don’t come back in here until you have all of my stuff!”

“So I’m not spending enough time with you… but I can’t come in here unless I have your stuff?”

“Exactly.”

“And in Lily-land… that doesn’t violate… oh… I dunno… logic and common sense.”

Lilith shrieked like a harpy, picked up a small mirror from her bedside table, and threw it at Leech. Leech barely made it out of the tent in time. Gangrene was grinning at him.

“You’re not gonna think it’s so funny when I tell you what she wants now.”

Gangrene’s grin vanished from his face.

“If I ever decide to impregnate Raven, I want you to remind me of this. Deal?”

“We’ll see if I let you live that long. Now get back down to Hell and bring back her horse and a human soul that was good for most of its life and then turned evil.”

Gangrene sighed and turned to leave.

“Oh and Gangrene… one more thing.”

“Yes?”

“If I catch you smirking at my discomfort again, I will demote you to be an errand boy permanently.”

Gangrene turned and started back towards Hell, mumbling about how insane the daughters of Vixen were.

Leech cautiously made his way back into Lilith’s tent.

“Do you have my stuff?”

“No, but I have a gift for you.”

Lilith thought about throwing him out again but decided to hear him out. Leech pulled a soft, dark green blanket from behind his back. Lilith raised an eyebrow.

“What the hell is that?”

“Well it’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Let me finish!”

Silence followed Leech’s outburst.

“It’s the blanket I was wrapped in as a baby. I was hoping that we could wrap our kid in it when it’s born. Boy. Girl. I don’t really care. I’m just glad we’re having one.”

Lilith’s eyes started to tear up.

“Oh I’m sorry, Leech. That’s a beautiful thought.”

She wiped her eyes and then laughed.

“I’ll bet you were a cute baby.”

“The absolute cutest.”

Leech tossed her the dark green blanket and Lilith ran it through her hands.

“It’s so soft. Call Gangrene back, Leech. I don’t need that other stuff. I just want you. That’s all I need. Oh and the hairbrush. Don’t call Raven back. Just Gangrene.”

“Done. I’ll call Gangrene back and then I’m coming back in here for you. You’re still really hot and we’re long overdue for some make out time.”

Lilith giggled.

“Hurry back then.”

Leech left the tent and saw Gangrene leaning on his spear.

“So it worked?”

“It did. Where did you find a dark green blanket anyways?”

“It was draped over my horse under the saddle. Nicely played, General Leech.”

“You should be taking notes. It’s gonna be this bad when Raven has a baby. You need to be on top of your game.”

Gangrene grinned.

“Noted. Should I instruct the armies to keep searching for the nephilim?”

“No. We’re done for the night. We’ll start back up tomorrow.”

When Leech entered Lilith’s tent again, he saw that Raven had returned and was brushing her hair.

“I totally understand, Lily. That last hairbrush was unbearable. This one is much better.”

“It really is. Now get out. Leech is back.”

Raven looked slightly offended, slammed the brush down on the table next to Lilith’s bed, and stormed out.

“Did they find any new traces of the nephilim?”

“Nope. We still don’t even know who it is. There’s no need to worry about that right now though.”

Lilith grinned at him mischievously.

“You’re right. Come here, leechy face.”

Leech leaned in and kissed her. Lilith cried out.

“Ah!”

“What is it? Is the baby coming? Raven, get in here! The baby is coming!”

Lilith grabbed Leech’s hand and shook her head.

“It’s not that.”

Raven entered the tent with an extra pillow and blankets, ready to play midwife.

“False alarm, Raven. You can leave.”

Raven threw the blankets on the ground and flipped them off. She turned and left.

“What was that then?”

“It’s one of the nephilim. I can sense it. I feel this sometimes when Shadow is around. There’s a nephilim stalking us.”

Lilith pointed outside her tent.

As Lilith was uncertain of the exact location, Leech teleported in the direction she had pointed. After a few minutes of running, he saw a creature kneeling in the sand on a beach as the waves crashed in around it. The creature wore a black, hooded robe. It stood and turned to face Leech.

“Leech of the underworld. Abandon the nephilim girl in your camp and I will spare the demon armies that travel with you.”

“Who the fuck are you to talk to me like that?”

The nephilim grinned.

“My name is Thanatos. My brother and I once saved the nephilim Lilith from death. It was only after we did so that our father revealed to us that she is our half-sister. We thought we were sent to aid Shadow.”

“There’s no way in hell you’re taking her with you.”

“Ah… but we’re not in Hell… are we?”

Leech pulled the guns from his belt and quickly fired off a shot from each. The bullets were swallowed by the sand where Thanatos had been standing.

“Where are you hiding, Thanatos? You’re only delaying the inevitable. I will slay you and you will fade into nothing more than a memory.”

Though Leech couldn’t see him, he could hear Thanatos’s response.

“Much talk. Talking will win you nothing. All the same, the woman goes with me to my father’s house. I go to take her now and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

Leech immediately teleported to Lilith’s tent and saw Thanatos standing over a sleeping Lilith. Leech grabbed his scythe and slashed it across the back of Thanatos. Thanatos did not bleed, but turned to face Leech and fell on his knees. His eyes started to glow white.

“My father has misled me once again. While I have brought thousands to their death, I could not see my own demise. I can see yours though, Leech. I was also sent here to deliver that message. If you continue to pursue the nephilim, one of them will strike you down. Your death is fast approaching. This is my final prediction.”

The robe of Thanatos fell to the earth, now devoid of its former occupant.