The stunning, ethereal man seemed out of place in his off-white suit. For starters, it was unseasonably warm. Plus he was in a condemned cemetery that had been deemed unsafe and unsanitary for the general public. The light suit, the shocking blonde hair, the peculiar blue eyes all made him stand out amongst the ruin and rubble. But no one said a thing to him, for they could not control what they could not explain.
He stepped around chunks of concrete and splintered wood, careful not to scuff his pristine shoes. And when he came to the clearing that had been sectioned off by police tape, he gracefully sat on the steps of the tomb that was revered as the most special of all. That was, before the entire front side of it was reduced to dust.
Humans and their superstitions. For decades, they worshipped a slab of stone, captivated by the mystique of legend. Of course, he knew the tomb was empty all along. Well, empty until he put a girl in it. He’d always had a flair for the dramatic.
The gorgeous blond creature was quiet for long minutes as he sat on the dusty step, staring at the distinct star shape that was scorched into the earth. The humans labeled it as the work of the occult, some kind of séance to raise dead VooDoo witches. As usual, they were completely off base. Their small, underdeveloped minds could not even begin to fathom what burned that star into the ground. And it was precisely his job to ensure that they never found out.
“Oh, dear brother, quite the mess you’ve made,” he utters to the charred earth. “You were always so stubborn, even to your detriment. And now look at you. Look at what’s left of your legacy. I must admit, I was skeptical. I didn’t think you were capable of such selflessness. To give it all up…to give her up…” He shakes his head. “You never cease to surprise me. For someone who claimed to be irredeemable, you certainly have proven otherwise.”
With a movement that was much too elegant to appear natural, he raked his fingers through his hair, stirring flecks of gold and platinum that drifted away on a cool relieving breeze.
“I did as you asked. Adriel is back home and has been rewarded for her contribution. The warlock and the human girl are to be married. That was kind of you. Kind, but foolish. Their offspring could very well restart the cycle of the First. And we all know how well that worked out for you the first time around.
“However, I’m proud of you, brother. For all your faults, you have shown great courage and loyalty, and you have protected this realm and its people. I only wish it didn’t have to be like this. Even after all you’ve done, you are still my brother. I forgive you. And I wish you peace.”
“Maybe I’d be able to find peace if you’d quit your sanctimonious rambling.”
Another gorgeous, ethereal man steps around an adjacent tomb, looking equally out of place in his suit the color of a cloudless midnight sky and his sun-touched hair meticulously styled.
“You’re late,” the blond one deadpanned.
“You’re one to talk. I served you Uriel on a silver platter. All you had to do was kill him on my signal, but you surely took your time. I had to stall while our beast of a brother nearly leveled the entire city.”
A dismissive wave of a hand. “I got the job done, didn’t I? Besides, don’t pretend like you didn’t enjoy it.”
“What kind of sick, twisted masochist do you take me for?”
The blond shrugged. “Um, the worst kind.”
The shockingly handsome stranger returned the sentiment. “Fair enough.”
“Your performance was quite impressive, by the way. Your death was equal parts gruesome and disturbing. Bravo. I especially enjoyed your little heartfelt routine with the Nephilim girl.”
“We are not talking about her, Michael.” A dark storm began to brew within the man’s violet eyes.
“Oh, come on, Lucie. Don’t be terse. I never realized you were such a talented actor. Even I was convinced for a moment.”
“It wasn’t an act. And as I said, we are not talking about Eden.”
With that, he turned to walk away, headed for the cemetery’s exit. Michael was right on his heels.
“Then what was that? Don’t tell me… Don’t tell me you were being honest. You…love her?”
The one Michael referred to as Lucie pursed his lips. Not a confirmation, yet not a denial either. But Michael knew his brother’s tells. For more than millennia, he hadn’t been enamored by much more than amassing as much power as inhumanly possible and defying their father. Yet, this half-breed girl had managed to drive him to distraction. She was his brother’s weakness. And up to this point, the Devil considered himself invulnerable.
Which was why he had to let her go.
Michael knew all of that, of course. That was also his job.
“So just like that. Just like that, you’re willing to walk away. Your empire, your zealots, this girl. You are Lucifer, the ruler of all evil and king of the underworld. You truly think you can leave it all behind?”
“For now. Besides, the world is changing. It’s time that we change with it.”
“What do you have in mind?”
The corner of Lucifer’s full, almost feminine mouth curled, casting a smirk that was equally sinister and seductive. His beauty was a gift and curse, which was useful considering what he had in store. He would need to utilize all his gifts, especially the visceral ones.
“This is a new dawn for humanity. Maybe it’s time we give them a new religion.”