Lucifer leaned against the wall as he took a break from his work. "Fenrir is stubborn, and long ago an Erelim angel had all these prophecies about Ragnarok that he believed. He probably thinks releasing Death will set that off."
I thought back to everything I knew about Norse mythology. "Isn't he meant to die in Ragnarok though?"
Samael sniffed. "In the ancient days, every Erelim angel had their own prophecy about the apocalypse, and most of them contradicted each other. Some of these prophecies we've already stopped from coming true over the years. Like that 2012 Mayan Apocalypse."
Lucifer groaned. "Don't remind me. What a pain that was."
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"A portal to Void was meant to open on the day the Mayan calendar ended in Tikal in Guatemala," Samael explained. "It could have released dozens of Elder Gods, but we managed to shut it down before anything happened."
"Just like we're going to stop the Four Horsemen's apocalypse before it happens too," Lucifer said.
Samael nodded. “Pestilence’s tomb still holds, and Theo and his gargoyles are guarding it. They'll report any changes to me immediately.”
I prayed Pestilence stayed locked up for a very long time. I wanted my baby to grow up without the threat of Adam casting a shadow over her childhood. He'd already done so much harm to our family—all I wanted was to not have to worry about him coming after us again.
Samael lapsed into silence, but something about the conversation felt unfinished. Lucifer glanced up like he felt it too.
“Is everything else okay?” I asked. Samael was Lucifer’s greatest friend and ally, and we both owed him a lot. If he was unhappy with the current situation, we would fix it however we could.
“Yes.” At first I thought Samael wasn’t going to say anything further, then he cleared his throat and looked away. “I took your advice, Lucifer. On the way here, I stopped to see Asmodeus and his new family.”
"Really?" I leaned forward, so excited by this unexpected turn of events I barely noticed the contraction. Okay, that was a lie, it hurt like hell.
Samael had been so upset by his son Asmodeus turning mortal that he'd refused to have anything to do with him for the last few months. Lucifer and I had begged him to give his son a chance, to meet Brandy, to forgive Lilith for making their son mortal. All we wanted was for him to talk to his son, if nothing else. Especially now that Brandy was pregnant too.
"How did it go?" Lucifer asked, as he gave Samael his full attention. He knew all about reconnecting with estranged sons, and how challenging it could be.
“It went well. I've come to accept my son's decision, even though it pains me. I can see he is truly in love, and has found a family that makes him happy." He hesitated. "I'd had no idea my son wanted something like that. I thought he was happy as an incubus, but now I realize how miserable he'd been. I just never expected him to end up with a human."
"Brandy is his mate," I said, feeling defensive of my best friend. "And she's a good person. She took care of me when I had no idea who I was, and accepted me when I told her I was an angel dating Lucifer."
Samael inclined his head. "I have nothing but respect for the woman who managed to tame my son."
"And Lilith?" Lucifer asked. "Have you spoken with her?"
Samael scowled a little at that. "No. Not yet."
Lucifer rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. "If there's anything I've learned from all of this, it's that family is everything. They say time heals all wounds, but maybe this one could use a little help.”
Samael's lips pressed into a tight line, but then he said, "Fine, I will make an effort to speak with Lilith, even if only to stop this infernal flirting she does in front of Baal."
"About damn time," Lucifer said.
Another contraction shook through me, and this one was followed by a feeling like I'd peed myself. I'd had enough babies to know that meant my water had broken.
"It's also time over here," I said, unable to deny it any longer. "Send for Marcus. The baby is coming."
Lucifer dropped the screwdriver. "Now?"
I nodded. "Now."
22
Lucifer
Hannah grimaced more than smiled and she gripped the hand I’d offered her with all the strength of a god. Good thing I was one too, or she'd have broken me.
“That’s it. Keep breathing.” I’d intended to be soothing, but she shot me a glare and I closed my mouth, relegated to be the hand she was holding. Marcus waited at the foot of the bed, but I was under strict instructions to stay by her head and leave the business end to someone else, which suited me just fine.
It had been a long labor, and even though Hannah had born four children before, she hadn't done it in this body, which made everything different. Equal parts anticipation and sadness floated through my mind as Marcus told her to push. Meeting a daughter for the first time would be a wondrous thing, especially after our last one had been taken from us too soon, but I was also keenly away this would be the last time I ever experienced this. And while that burden was mostly Hannah’s, she’d sacrificed herself for me and that responsibility weighed heavily.
But I couldn’t afford to think of that now. Not while my mate needed me. Besides, the excitement outweighed the sadness. Today we would complete our family.
I tried to listen while Marcus coached Hannah through the birth process, but my attention was all on my mate, holding her hand through every breath she gasped. I knew the pain of this moment would fade, as it had with each of the boys, and we'd be left with a
