"You want a beer?" Gabriel asked, before holding one out to me.
I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering if this was some kind of trick. Did he think he could poison me? Or was his plan to make me drop my guard in the hopes of surprising me with an attack? Surely he knew that wouldn't work. "No, I don't want a fucking beer. I'm here to declare war against your people."
Gabriel let out a long sigh. "And here I thought we were friends."
"Friends?" I spat on the ground. "We've been enemies since the Elder Gods made us."
"That's not true and you know it. We were friends long ago in Heaven, before you turned your back on us and left for Hell. Sure, we had a few years where we didn't see eye to eye for a while and kept trying to kill each other, but then we became friends again after the war ended. Besides, our children are in love. That makes us family now."
"Children?" I bristled at that. "I have no children."
Gabriel whistled softly. "Damn, War's really done a number on your head, hasn't he? It's bad enough he made you forget Hannah, but to forget your own sons...that's truly evil."
Sons. Plural. How was that possible? How could I not remember any of that? Something wasn't right. Something big was missing from my past, and I needed it back. I raged inside, fighting at War's hold as I searched for answers, but he was too strong. The anger overtook me again and all I knew was fury.
"Enough of your lies!" The sky had begun to turn purple near the horizon, a sign of the coming dawn. With War inside me, I had no fear of being overpowered by Gabriel, but I wanted to get this over with already. I forged my sword of hellfire and shadow and pointed it at the Archangel. "As King of Demons, I declare war against the angels. Prepare your people for battle."
Gabriel rose to his feet and his silvery wings spread out behind him. “I cannot do that, Lucifer. You know I would never willingly send my people to war against the demons again. Just like you would never go to war against us again if you were in your right mind. We both know what it cost us last time. We lost Heaven and Hell, and for what? Our pride?"
Fury coursed through me as I raised the sword. "If the angels won't fight willingly, then I'll make them. I'll destroy your towns. Your schools. Your homes. War will come to your people, and once I slaughter everyone they love, they'll have no choice but to fight back—or surrender like the cowards they are.” Hatred for this angel who thought himself good and pure tightened my chest. In reality, he was spineless, unable to win a war he’d fought for a millennia. Now he tried to trick and taunt me with his words of deception and peace. Friends? How could I possibly be friends with one such as him? "But first, you will bow."
Walking forward, I released my War powers toward Gabriel, sending my rage into his own mind. Gabriel was strong, probably one of the strongest minds I'd ever encountered, but I'd controlled him before, and I could do it again. And after a few minutes of struggling, even the mighty Archangel Gabriel gave in.
Weak. Pathetic. Like all the angels were.
No, not all of them. The woman who'd locked me in Heaven wasn't weak. She'd fought back against me. And now that she carried my child inside her she would only be stronger.
I forced all thoughts of her from my mind as I fueled rage into Gabriel, until his eyes and wings glowed with red light. His face filled with hatred as he looked upon me, and I knew if I released him, he'd go for my throat.
"The angels will prepare for war," he said. "Where shall we begin the battle?"
"In Las Vegas." It was the seat of demon power here on Earth, and if we took out some humans at the same time, even better. The woman was also there, but I'd deal with her. Somehow.
The Great War was beginning again, and soon it would consume the entire world.
7
Hannah
I woke early the next day, adrenaline already coursing through my blood. Lucifer had forced our hand with his escape, but I was ready to rescue him. I had a plan now. Would it work? I had no clue. But I didn't have any other ideas, and we had to try something. I couldn't let my husband remain a monster any longer...or let him destroy this world and every other one.
I fluttered about the penthouse as I got everything ready, ate a healthy breakfast, and then went to don some battle gear for whatever we might face. Except maternity stores didn't exactly make armor for pregnant angels, so I settled for comfortable clothes I could easily move in instead. If everything went well, there should be no need to fight, but it was best to be prepared for the worst in situations like these.
I headed out to Persephone’s Garden with a thick circle of gargoyle warriors around me. The attack from Lucifer had shamed them, though I'd learned that Lucifer had used his War powers to cloud and confuse their minds. They'd never stood a chance against him anyway—better for everyone that they'd stayed away. Even so, Theo had been extra vigilant ever since, and I feared I'd never get a moment of privacy again.
When I arrived at my favorite bench, I was shocked to find someone else sitting on it—Belial. My eldest son wore a black t-shirt that showed off his muscles and tattoos, along with dark faded jeans and combat boots. If you didn't know better you might mistake him for his father, except Lucifer would never be caught dead in that outfit.
He stood when I approached, and my guard immediately surrounded him
