"They're not getting through, but it's like more and more are being called," Gabe said. "For every one we kill, three more appear."
"At least this will help pull some of them from the rest of the world," I muttered. "We can't even call the angels to help because of all your wards."
Cecilio grimaced. "This is why I usually refuse to interfere with the workings of angels."
"Call your dad," I said. "Or mom. Whichever is the angel. Can they get in here easily?"
Cecilio shot me a dark look and Mary tsked at me. "No," Cecilio said. "They have a harder time than most.”
If I wasn't terrified this could kill Lucifer while he was already vulnerable with his magic, I would've been very interested to know who his parents were. But it wasn't important. Not now.
Luc gasped again, and I renewed my efforts to save him. He was still being tugged on somehow like something was eating at his life force.
And he burned from within. His skin was nearly too hot to touch. Of course, I ignored it, but a human would've been scalded. I was amazed to see Mary and Cecilio still touching him.
As fast as it began, it all stopped. The sounds of the demons quieted. I looked up at Michael and Gabriel. They were still shooting energy and magic toward the ward, but it wasn't so hard to hold it up. "Did you guys get most of them?"
"They've stopped coming," Gabe said. "The ones that were there are still trying, but there aren't new ones."
Lucifer stopped twitching, and the force killing him lessened a little bit. "I think it's burning out," Cecilio said. "This is good."
I felt it as well. Soon Lucifer changed from being unconscious to being asleep. The distinction was important. Asleep, he could heal. He was incredibly drained, though. I did what I could to give him a boost so he'd heal faster, then stood to see if I could help Michael and Gabriel.
The demons had stopped throwing themselves against my ward. As I watched, they backed away and melted into the jungle surrounding the house.
And then it was over. Except for my sleeping husband on the ground, everything seemed normal again.
"Let's get him inside," Cecilio said. "He can rest here for a while, and I'll try to figure out what went wrong."
Michael and Gabriel lifted Luc. They could've done it with magic, but I liked that they carried him themselves. It showed they cared.
"We can take him home," I said.
"No," Cecilio said. "Of course, you can if you'd like, but I recommend you let me keep him here and watch over him. You can stay too; I have plenty of bedrooms."
I exchanged a glance with Michael and Gabriel. "Okay, thank you. We appreciate the hospitality."
9
Cecilio led us back inside and through a labyrinth of rooms. I was glad I wasn't the one having to carry Lucifer. It took a while to get to our destination.
"Here you go," he said. "I understand the four of you are some sort of couple?" He arched one eyebrow, but that was the only judgment he gave.
I nodded. "It would be nice to be close to one another," I said.
"Well, that's why I brought you here. You'll find it clean and stocked with linens. You can bathe or sleep, and there are two different bed chambers if you'd like to sleep separately."
He opened yet another arched stone door and stepped aside for us to enter. "Whoa," I breathed. The room was gorgeous. It had a skylight in the middle to provide light, and the jungle trees were visible through it. As we stood there, a monkey swung overhead, from one tree to another.
This place was paradise. "Thank you so much," Gabriel said. "We will find you if we need anything."
Cecilio nodded. "He should be fine." He touched Lucifer's head again. "He needs rest."
Mary put her hand on Lucifer's arm and a few seconds later nodded. "I agree. Let him sleep."
"Come, Mary," Cecilio said. "I have private quarters for you."
They left, and their voices carried down the hall as they walked away, bouncing off the stone walls.
I shut the door and turned to look around the room again. Three doors led off the sitting area. I checked the first while Gabe and Michael held Luc and waited. "Bathroom," I said.
And what a bathroom it was. An enormous tub set in the ground with spigots all around it for a bath or shower. I'd be taking advantage of that later. We needed to stay the night here and might as well take advantage of the amenities. They were certainly unexpected. It had a skylight, as well, so that one could lounge in the tub and watch the trees and sky above.
The other two doors were matching bedrooms with large beds. "Here," I called. "Put him in either room." The bed frames looked like they'd been grown from the jungle and transported into the bedrooms. I wasn't sure that they weren't still alive. They had branches for posts and actual leaves jutted out over the mattresses. Studying them, I was fairly sure they were living trees.
So cool.
They carried him to one of the beds and laid him where I pulled back the blankets, then Gabe stifled a yawn. "Bed looks comfy."
"You two go have a shower if you want one. I'm going to tuck him in and delve him as deeply and thoroughly as I can, then I'm having a bath. I'll be in the other room after that."
Michael pressed himself against my back. "Lil, I love you. He's okay. Let him rest."
I sighed and let my head fall back on Michael's shoulder. "I love you too, but you know I have to do this. I'd do it for either one of you."
"I know."
He pulled away and clapped Gabe on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go lay down. I'll magic the dirt off of both of us. I don't
