No Shadows Fall (25 page)

Lyudmila quirked an eyebrow at him. “You never told me this before.”

Piotr shrugged. “Forgive me. I did not mean to omit it from my report. There was much that happened.”

“How did the king of the Oceania Weres react?” Eleanora asked curiously.

Piotr chuckled. “As well as you might imagine. He came to the Ukraine with an entourage—not of ambassadors, but of soldiers. He was furious. He was, as I recall, a rather imposing man. His shifter shape is of a dingo, the Australian wild dog.”

“How did he get along with Ishtahar?”

“Very well.” Piotr grinned. “Everyone who meets her gets along with her.”

“This is true,
da
,” Lyudmila agreed. “She is the most generous soul I have met.”

Eleanora sipped her own tea. “I fear what Semjaza would do to her if he found her.”

“Let us pray that does not happen.” Lyudmila’s expression became grim. “Perhaps I should offer Raziel and the Archangels some of our shifter soldiers to help protect her.”

“Did the clans fight in the war?” Eleanora suddenly asked.

“Hm? Oh.
Da
.” Lyudmila sighed. “It was bad, Ellie. We all fought in the war. The demons who boiled up from Hell like steam from a samovar did not care who they killed. We were all drawn into it, even the most reluctant of the clans. I and the other rulers of the Weres pledged our allegiance to Michael and his Brotherhood, as we had done all those eons ago in the time before Eden.” She straightened. “I will not let it be said of our people that we do not honor our alliances or assist our friends.”

Eleanora reached over and gently squeezed Lyudmila’s free hand. “You are a good queen, Lyudmila. Your papa would be proud of you.”

Lyudmila smiled a sad smile. “I hope so. I miss him very much.”

Piotr opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, there was a sharp knock at the door.

Lyudmila looked astonished. “We are popular today,” she said, setting down her mug. She stood and stepped over books and the cat to go to the door. And then she opened it and gasped. “You!”

“Hello, your majesty.”

“I have nothing to say to you Archdemons,” Lyudmila said, glaring at the two standing on the threshold, a third demon a little way behind them. “You are not welcome here.”

“And that doesn’t really matter. I am Ondrass,” said the Archdemon. “This is my associate and friend, Adramelek. Behind us is my personal assistant, Markus. May we come in?”

“No.” Lyudmila stood her ground. She was aware of Piotr and Eleanora having come to stand just behind her, Piotr holding an ancient knife with runes carved into the blade. She could hear the thrum of the blade’s power in her ears like a background noise, similar to the dull roar a plane’s engine made.

“I think you’ll make a different decision,” Ondrass said. “Oh, honestly, little man”—he looked over Lyudmila’s shoulder at Piotr—“that little antique won’t do a thing to us. Archdemons, remember?”

“Nevertheless,” Piotr growled.

“How tiresome.” Ondrass rolled his eyes.

“Leave,” Lyudmila said again. From her feet came a hiss, and she realized her cat had joined them.

“Even the cat wants us gone.” The Archdemon identified as Adramelek looked amused. “Listen, girl, I’m going to say this only once. I’ll even say it in Russian for your boneheaded boyfriend there.” He switched from English to flawless Russian. “We’re here on orders. You can tell us to stay out of your crummy little flat all you want, but it won’t make a difference. We
are
coming in.” He took a step forward.

Lyudmila found herself and her companions being pushed back from the doorway by a subtle force. She struggled against it, but it was too strong for her. The Archdemons strolled into her home and closed the door behind them.

“Go,” she hissed to Piotr. “Fly to the clans. Bring them.”

Piotr nodded, pressing the knife into her hand, and ran to the window, stripping off his clothes as he went. He shifted to his eagle form and flew out of the window and away before the Archdemons could stop him.

“How tiresome,” Ondrass said again.

“We are Russian, demon.” Lyudmila raised her chin defiantly. “We do not go down quietly.”

“Or when it’s in your best interests, either.” Ondrass looked around the apartment with an expression of distaste. “Do you have to live in such squalor? You’re a queen. You could live in a palace.”

“I like it here.” Lyudmila crossed her arms over her chest. “It suits me.”

Adramelek sat down uninvited, crossing one leg over the other. He looked completely relaxed. Lyudmila glared at him.

“Do not make yourself at home,” she said. “You are not welcome.”

“You wouldn’t have us sit on the floor, would you?” Adramelek grinned at her. “That would be contrary to the rules of hospitality.”

“Those rules do not apply to denizens of Hell.” Lyudmila glared at one then the other, then at Markus. “What do you want?”

“We’re meeting some friends of yours here,” Ondrass said. He was peering at her bookshelf. “Interesting collection of books you have, your majesty. I’m almost positive that the possession of some of these titles in this part of the world would be considered grounds for immediate arrest and imprisonment.”

Lyudmila took a deep breath and ignored Ondrass’s words about her books. “Which friends?”

“Raziel. I rather imagine he’ll bring Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel with him at the very least. If we’re very lucky, he might bring the whole Brotherhood of Archangels, maybe not Remiel, but the rest, quite possibly.” Adramelek stretched like a large tiger.

Lyudmila narrowed her eyes. “If the Archangels are coming, then you are not long for this existence.”

“You’d be surprised, your majesty.” Ondrass turned away from the bookshelf and leaned against the doorframe between living room and kitchen.

From outside came a shrill whistle, the sound of a bird of prey. Lyudmila smiled. “
Nyet
. I think it is you who will be surprised.”

The aerie of eagles, falcons, hawks, and other birds of prey that swooped into the living room through the open window was enormous. There were feathers everywhere, sharp, curved beaks pecking at the astonished Archdemons and their companion, wings beating the air. The birds swirled around Lyudmila and Eleanora, a shield of wildlife, their bright eyes fixed on the demons as Ondrass, Adramelek, and Markus huddled into a corner near the front door.

“Do not make me send them away,” Adramelek snarled. “It won’t be pretty if I do it, and you’ll have a lot of funerals to arrange.”

Lyudmila didn’t have a chance to reply, as precisely at that moment, the entire window shattered, glass shards going everywhere, and an angry Archangel, wings flared high, landed in her living room.

“What the hell are you three assholes doing?” It was Raziel, a nimbus of bronze light shimmering around his form. “You couldn’t have found somewhere else to meet us?”

Ondrass frowned. “Now, now, Raziel, calm down. You’ll work yourself into a heart attack.”

“
Shut up!
” Raziel roared, smashing a fist into the wall. Lyudmila was amazed the wall remained standing.

“There better be a damn good reason for this, Ondrass,” Raziel went on, his voice dropping to a chill whisper. “Otherwise, the three of you will be dead.”

Ondrass licked his lips and shot Adramelek a quick look. Adramelek nodded once, and Ondrass looked back at Raziel.

“We’ve a message to pass on,” he said. “We can’t go into detail with all these… creatures here. It’s for the Brotherhood’s ears only. And her majesty’s.”

Raziel’s eyes narrowed. They shone a deep, rich blue, tinged with the bronze of his power. “Fine.” Turning his head a little, Raziel spoke to the assembled birds of prey. “You have done very well, my friends. Would you give us space now to speak privately?”

There was silence and then one of the eagles gave voice to a shrill shriek, took wing, and soared out of the window. The aerie of hawks, eagles, and falcons followed.

Lyudmila sat down on the sofa. She was shaking, and she gave Eleanora a wan smile as her friend sat down beside her, taking her hands in her own.

“Now can we talk?” Ondrass asked.

“No.” Raziel furled back his wings, and they faded from sight. “The others will be joining us in just a moment.”

“Wonderful,” Adramelek drawled.

The door crashed open then, and Lyudmila and Eleanora jumped in surprise. Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel strode into the apartment, their expressions bleak. As Uriel closed the door behind them, Ondrass, Adramelek, and Markus cautiously backed away from them. The tension in the tiny apartment was so thick it would have taken ten axes to cut it.

“Speak,” Michael ordered.

Ondrass cast Raziel a quick look. “Ah, Michael. Right. Well, it’s like this. Lucifer wants to put forth a proposal.”

Gabriel quirked an eyebrow. “Really now. And why, pray, would Lucifer give two shits about anything right now?”

Adramelek scowled. “You’re an idiot,” he spat, all previous traces of the cultured, urbane, witty young Russian gentleman gone. Now he radiated power, his eyes dark with the flicker of blood-red fire and his wings a dark shadow behind him. “Lucifer’s aware of everything that goes on in this plane of reality. It’s not our fault if you Archangels aren’t. The current situation is a concern to us all.”

“The current situation being Semjaza’s return, I assume?” Michael asked.

“Yes.” Adramelek took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. The fire faded from his eyes, and the inky shadow of his wings disappeared from sight. Adramelek no longer looked imposing and dangerous; he looked calm and composed.

Raziel tapped his foot impatiently. “So what is it that your lord and master wants to propose to us?”

Adramelek looked from one Archangel to the other, his gaze shrewd. Lyudmila had the feeling that the Archdemon was expecting a loud outburst. She raised an eyebrow as she watched him, waiting for him to answer Raziel’s question.

“Lucifer will offer his assistance in making sure Semjaza doesn’t run away when you corner him,” Adramelek began, “and to make sure he doesn’t break out of any angel-made shields so Gabriel there can kill him. In exchange, Lucifer wants Semjaza’s soul.”

Lyudmila’s jaw dropped open in shock. The silence in her tiny living room was absolute as the Archangels stared at Adramelek in amazement. Finally, Uriel broke the silence.

“What makes you think we’ll say yes?” he demanded.

“Because Semjaza is an anomaly, a nuisance, and could well bring on a disaster that could lead to an early Apocalypse, and no one wants that.” Adramelek scowled. “Semjaza also seems to feel that he has the sole right to rule Earth. Remember, it was a Grigori who helped Bob Taytton all those years ago, just before the Seventy Years War. Shamsiel was working on his own, to be sure, but I would bet good money that the idea he had to ally himself with Taytton in the first place came out of Semjaza’s own desires to rule Earth and humanity with himself as supreme emperor.”

Raziel huffed. “That wouldn’t surprise me a jot. Tell me—were the Grigori in Hell able to communicate with Semjaza while he was imprisoned in Aquila?”

Adramelek shook his head. “No.”

“You’re sure?”

“Of course.” Adramelek looked annoyed. “How would they reach up to the stars above Earth from the planes of Hell when they’re locked up so tight they can’t reach any angel that isn’t in Hell already?”

“What about an angel or demon who could move between realities?”

Adramelek shook his head again. “No. Lucifer would know at the very least.”

Raziel pursed his lips. “Okay, that’s fair.”

Uriel raised an eyebrow. “How is that fair?”

“Because Lucifer rules Hell, and his rule is absolute,” Raziel explained. “Something like that would not escape him. The only reason that we knew of Uphir’s recent deception, for example, is because of Lucifer, and Lucifer knew because Uphir used his power to help kidnap angels on Earth. Once the power is used outside of the plane of the one who bestowed the power, the one who bestowed it can feel what, where, and why it’s used.”

“I have no fucking idea what you just said,” Uriel said.

“Good grief. All right.” Raziel rolled his eyes. “Lucifer made demons when he Fell, right? Some of them grew up into Archdemons. They were made out of his rage.”

“Yes, I know that,” Uriel said impatiently.

“And you remembered it? I’m impressed. Anyway, because he made them—not counting Adramelek and his ilk, because they’re Fallen Ones and went to Hell with Lucifer in the first place—the new demons had powers that came out of Lucifer’s own power. Therefore, they’re connected to him. So, when they use their power outside of Hell, on Earth, for example, Lucifer knows what they’re doing, where they’re doing it, and why. The opposite, if you will, of God.”

Uriel blinked. “Huh.”

“Understand, now?” Raziel asked.

“Yeah. I had no idea.”

“Clearly.” Raziel turned back to Adramelek, even as Lyudmila watched Michael and Gabriel exchange a long look that she couldn’t even begin to decipher.

“We need to discuss this,” Gabriel said. “It’s an interesting offer, not denying that, but we’ll need to talk it over.”

“Of course.” Adramelek looked around the room. “Do not take too long, however. Semjaza has plans for your people, your majesty.” His dark eyes fixed on Lyudmila.

She blinked. “I am not surprised. What does he want of my people?”

“Assassins.” Adramelek was blunt. “He plans to make an offer to the various kings and queens of the weres and shapeshifters. The offer isn’t a bad one, actually—give you all land to call your own and rule openly in exchange for being his personal guild of assassins.”

Lyudmila pursed her lips. “That… would certainly tempt many of my people. How do you know this is part of Semjaza’s plan?”

Adramelek looked toward the window. “Because it was his plan in Eden. I doubt that Semjaza has thought about changing his plans for dominion over all since those days. Especially since he’s so fixated on running Earth from Eden, as the international capital city.”

Raziel growled. “I really want to gut him.”

“Well, you can’t.” Gabriel was firm. “That’s my job.”