12. Diana

Judas had a dungeon at the very bottom level of the Costa Coven compound that I had only heard about in passing. Apparently, this was where all the torture magic happened. I was told by Lucifer to report there after breakfast for my first lesson since returning home. To say I was nervous was an understatement. My magic wasn't right. It felt…off, like something was missing. I wasn't sure hanging around the guys, even if it was for training purposes, was going to help me get back on track.

When I faded to the bottom floor, a techno, euphoric melody with a thumping beat blared through the hallway, and I had to fight the urge to ditch my training session and dance instead. The guys taught me to always expect the unexpected, but K-Pop as a torture method? Color me intrigued.

They may be assholes, but they were the best for a reason. Their ingenuity in torture and extraction methods were world renowned. Most people would rip their right arm off to sit in on their sessions…but most people haven't had their heart shattered and stomped on by them.

I stopped in the hallway, letting the music flow through me as I debated whether or not I wanted to subject myself to being around them. Even if it was for training purposes, their company was as appealing as having teeth pulled at the dentist. Even being in the same room during breakfast today had been tough, and we didn't even sit together. Despite eating with Judas, Angela, Charlie, and a few members of Costa Coven, Bash's glaring and Ares' aggressive attention from across the room had made it awkward. And Desmond's smug face irked the fuck out of me.

Fuck him, douche bag.

I was already fifteen minutes late… I could just say something came up. Pained screams rang through the hallway, piquing my curiosity. I had to know what they were up to. And Lucifer would be there, so I wouldn't be alone with them. I kept walking toward the music, until I reached a heavy wooden door. As I opened it, I heard Ares' familiar, maniacal laugh. Seems like they kicked off the party without me.

Desmond sat in the corner, glancing up at me as he read something on his tablet. His ability to block out the world around him to work was second to none. Ares and Judas were wearing soccer uniforms with bright red socks, dancing on the table. Judas sang along in perfect Korean while Ares held a severed head in his hands for a dancing partner. I'm not sure what magic they used to keep their target alive, but the detached head still screamed as he shook it up and down. His body thrashed on a table nearby.

"Kick it over!" Mal screamed over the music. He wore athletic shorts without a shirt and held a wooden bat. His blond hair was tied in a bun on top of his head.

Ares punted it Mal's way. He swung, lobbing the head over to Desmond, who caught it one-handed with an unimpressed scoff at the last minute.

"Instead of playing around, why don't you show Diana some new tricks." He tossed it to me, and my fingers accidentally poked the head somewhere squishy when I caught it.

"Ah! My eye!" he screamed. "HELP ME!"

Holding the head at eye level, I looked it right in his bloodshot eyes and gave it a saccharine smile. "Sorry buddy, I can't. Nor do I want to."

I shuffled the head to one hand and snapped my fingers, changing into a pair of spandex shorts and a long-lined sports bra, as it seemed like today would be a more physical day. I smiled at Judas. "What's our goal? Any particular reason we're playing Head-Ball?"

"This is Girsham, one of Costa Coven's blood-sourcers. His girlfriend gave us solid proof that he told Red a way to get into the compound undetected," he answered. "Bash combed through her mind and confirmed it."

You look ravishing in active wear, LG. I wouldn't mind getting active to test it out later, Ares mindlinked me, sending me a devastating wink. Ugh, I forgot to shut my mindlink down when I woke up this morning.

His corny wink reminded me of how he ambushed me in my room last night…or as Charlie had said this morning, how I took what I wanted.

Di, babe, you're more powerful than them. You could have kicked Ares' ass if you wanted him to leave. Just admit you wanted your cookie crumbled. Be the badass bitch you're meant to be. Take what you want from these men and stop overthinking it.

He was right. Ares wasn't doing anything against my wishes. But being around them when so many things were up in the air didn't sit right with me. Ignoring my thoughts, I put the head down on the far end of the table, near the body's feet. "How did you all pull this off?" I gestured toward the body.

"I did it!" Ares answered, his smile beaming from ear to ear. "First, I cast a spell that would repair bodily damages. Then I severed his head from his neck, and fixed the bottom so it didn't leak blood all over us while we worked. The magic isn't permanent for an injury this traumatic, but it will give us a couple hours to interrogate him."

"We haven't done something this fun in centuries. Remember that embezzler we tracked down in Budapest who wore the weird cravat and hat? I still get chills thinking about his screams," Judas reminisced. "The way you tied him up with his own intestines. Scared the locals for decades." He mimed a chef's kiss.

"If you're not scaring the locals, what kind of tourist are you?" Ares scoffed. "Not a good one, that's for sure. That has nothing on the goblin we met in Roanoke back in the colonial days."

Desmond shook his head, his exasperated expression making me giggle. He seemed to be tired of having to corral these two already. Tough shit, dude, it's only 10am.

"Back on topic, gentlemen. We're shaping a fresh mind and divulging all of our trade secrets." He smiled at me, gesturing for me to sit in the chair next to him.

I pulled the chair away from him for some personal space. "How do you actually get the information out of him? Is the Head-Ball for fun, or an actual technique?"

"Well, both–we enjoy tossing a head around on occasion, but this is very disorienting for a live head. It depends on the target. You have to assess what their weakness is, and then press on it until they talk," Mal explained. "You did very well with the wolf shifter when we rescued Desmond. You found his weakness and took advantage of it."

Desmond's shadows curled around me, enveloping me in a cold embrace. I shook them off, much to his displeasure. "Torture is a process. You need to prepare for the long haul."

"Yes. This one has been in holding for days and we roughed him up periodically before starting our game," Judas said, gesturing toward his body. "But you're going to get us the goods, Diana."

Barely knowing the man, I wasn't sure how to extract information from him. I sat back in my chair, thinking of what I knew about vampires, particularly the Costa Coven. They employed a selective hive mind. Angie and Judas had both explained it to me as them having access to a broadcast channel, where Judas or another higher ranking member controlled it to disseminate information or contact others. Somehow it was connected to the tattoo they all shared, but I didn't know exactly how it worked.

"Judas, your hive mind thing…how do you make it work?"

"Hmmm, it's a vampire thing. I'm the oldest and the strongest–" he puffed his chest out, smirking at me, "So I can think of my coven at large, and tap into their consciousness. Sometimes I can tell if one of them is hiding something, but unfortunately this got past me."

I held the severed head's hair with one hand and Judas' with the other, focusing my energy on mingling our magic together. His magic felt ancient, downright spooky. It had a foreboding edge to it that dissipated once he realized what I was doing and opened up to me. I weaved Judas' magic with my own so I could borrow it, then I started the process of tapping into our hostage's consciousness, probing the hive mind thing they all shared. It was… a lot. Multiple conversations happened at once, like a chat room. My brain itched after a few seconds, and I had no clue how Judas could keep up with it, let alone interact with us at the same time.

Once I sifted through it all to find our hostage, I barreled through his mind, and that's when the fun began. I sent pulsating shocks of magic through his mind, like live electrical currents. They hit him in a steady pattern, the intensity ramping up after each one. He screamed, cried, and babbled about how he wasn't involved. Snot ran down his face, then blood leaked from his ears. I kept going, speeding up my attack so he was consecutively barraged with bursts of pain, but this time I threw the pattern out the window. He'd have no clue when they were coming or how long they'd last.

"Hells bells, what is she doing?" Lucifer said. I was having so much fun that I didn't even realize he had entered the room.

"Something incredible," Judas responded, his voice in awe.

The head gave a high pitched scream, then shouted, "I told him the entrances and our shift schedules! So he'd know when to attack and who"d be protecting each point of entry!"

I stopped my attack, giving him a chance to come completely clean. "Hmmm, that doesn't seem like enough information for Red. What else did you tell him?"

He remained silent for a moment, then sighed, his face crunched in agony. "I told him you were away from the compound. I gave him a run-down of Judas' powers, so he could have an edge."

"Why did you betray your coven?" Judas demanded. He may have come off as calm, but I could feel his anger in his magic.

"Because we're fighting a losing battle. He gave me immunity, and told me my girlfriend, sire, and sister could have positions in his ranks after his victory." Tears streamed from his face.

Too bad he'd never get to enjoy his new position. I lifted his head to my face, trying to keep a cool facade. "Bring his girlfriend, sire, and sister in. They're next." He started to plead for their mercy, insisting they had nothing to do with his plan. "You're in no position to make demands. Enjoy the afterlife, whatever that looks like for vampires. I'll use your head as a decoration and a warning for what happens to traitors."

"Good choice, Little G. I can put it on a spear, or maybe mount it as wall decor?" Ares suggested.

"I trust your artistic vision," I deadpanned, handing him the head.

Breaking our connection, I untangled my magic from Judas before letting go of his hand. "I was serious. We need to question his people and make sure they're not involved. A mind combing is a good first step, but we need to be thorough."

"That was grade A work. Bravo!" Lucifer clapped. My father gave me a hug, then put his hand on my head. His magic washed over me like a wave for a few seconds.

Just checking you're completely disconnected. I trust Judas, but he's a jokester who'd mess with you first to teach you a lesson,he explained.

Truth. He'll rile the guys up over us holding hands, you watch.

As if I conjured his behavior, he started his antics.

"Diana, your hands are so dainty and soft. Magnificent. Being single is doing you good, friend," he crooned.

"You touch her hands outside of magical necessity, I'll beat your ass," Ares growled.

Desmond didn't seem as angry as Ares, but he scowled at the vampire. "Are they softer than Angela's hands?" he asked. Oh, good shot.

Judas couldn't say yes, because the guys would tell Angie. He couldn't say no, either. He was too much of a pot stirrer to give up his act so quickly.

"I'd say they're about the same, but I'd have to hold them both to really know for sure. It may be a family trait. If you get hungry later, Diana, you're always welcome to sit with your aunt and I for lunch and dinner. I can compare then" He kissed the back of my hand, then faded away.

I held my cackle in. He had to hit them where it hurt.

"I'm going to stake that asshole one day," Ares huffed. He spit on the back of my hand and rubbed his shirt over it, cleaning off the kiss Judas left behind.

"Calm down, he's getting a rise out of you because you're an easy target," Lucifer scoffed. He turned his attention back to me. "So, you tapped into the Costa Coven's hive-mind using Judas' magic?" I nodded.

"That was so good, Diana. You're a quick learner and a natural at torture," Desmond praised me. It infiltrated the part of my mind that craved positive reinforcement, much to my dismay, giving me a serious dopamine hit.

I hated that this infuriating man still had an effect on me when I didn't want him to.

"Now that you're done here, we have an errand to run. I'll wait outside." Lucifer faded out, leaving me with the guys again.

My mind ran with possibilities. I was used to my father being evasive, but where were we going?

"You're a genius, princess. I would have never thought to use their hivemind. The magic behind that was impressive." Mal wrapped me gently in his arms, kissing me on the head.

"I'll see you later," Ares said, taking me off guard when he kissed me on the lips. My bottom lip tingled where he caught it with his teeth.

Desmond stood, giving me a nod and a pat on the shoulder before leaving. I guess his comment earlier was part of his usual games. If he was going to start his hot and cold bullshit again, I wasn't going to play into it.

When I faded into the hallway, I saw both of my fathers, Angie, Oisín, and Nonna. I had no clue she returned to the compound, and I didn't want her here. It wasn't safe, especially after the compound's location was compromised.

"Don't worry, Bellissima, I'm only here for a short visit before Lucifer takes me back. It's good to see you," she assured me, as if she read my mind. Her hug could have been infinite, and it wouldn't be enough. While I was away, I missed her something awful.

Azazel faded into the hallway, running his hands through his hair before his eyes met mine shyly. "I'm sorry I'm late, I was checking on a few things."

"Okay, now that we're all present, we can get going. Diana, we're going to see your mother."

My heart caught in my throat. I was fairly confident my father would keep his word, but I didn't think it would be this soon. Equal parts dread and hope filled me–I may actually see my mother after all these years. She would exist in a suspended state, but she'd be real, not on a mantle in our family room. I took a deep breath and joined hands with everyone.

You're going to be okay,Azazel linked me as he squeezed my hand.

I wasn't sure of that. My heart beat so hard I thought it would break through my chest. Every breath I took felt tight, making me lightheaded. Once we formed a circle, Lucifer faded us to a small wooden cabin in a forest. The copper redwood trees were just like the ones I saw in travel guides. They clustered around the home, casting it in shadow under their leafy canopy despite the high sun.

Lucifer walked to the door, placing his hand in the center. "Come here, Diana." He placed my hand next to his, and a steady magic coursed from my palm through my fingers. "Now you can come and visit whenever you want."

He did the same for Angie. The house was minimally decorated, resembling something out of a furniture catalog. The pictures on the wall featured my mother with various people, including me, Nonna, and Angie. There was even one of her and my Pop-Pop. I wasn't sure how Lucifer had them, but was glad they were here. She deserved to be surrounded by the people who loved her, even if they were only in photographs.

One of her and my fathers gave me pause. I had never seen the two men look so…happy. Their eyes were bright, faces carefree. Michael was laughing, holding my mom's hand. Lucifer was standing behind them, staring at the two of them with adoration in his eyes. I wondered…if my mother and Lucifer weren't attacked, would the three of them have found their way back to each other eventually?

Could we have been a family if my fathers had made different decisions?

It wasn't worth thinking about what-ifs–they only upset you. I took a deep breath, blinking away the tears that welled in my eyes.

A strong hand gripped my shoulder. "You and Angie look just like her. The three of you are beautiful," Oisín said.

"I wish she could have met you, O. She would have adored you and your dark sense of humor," Angie said to him, giving him a side hug. It made me so happy that they bonded. They were my family, my brother and the closest thing I've ever had to a sister.

"Is everyone ready?" Lucifer asked the room at large, despite his eyes being on me.

He showed us a framed photo of my mother and me when I was a toddler, removing it to reveal a metal square underneath it. He placed his hand on it, then the entire wall disappeared, revealing a bedroom. The decor consisted of warm creams and browns, from the bedspread to the carpet and decorative pillows. My mother laid in the center of the bed under a fur blanket that came to her chest. She looked like she was peacefully sleeping, but not the way a body would at a viewing. Her cheeks were rosy pink, and she didn't look waxy or…fake.

As I gazed at the woman sitting in the bed, I realized how much I forgot about her since the years she passed. Even though Angie and I visited her in the past, there were details I missed in my memories, like her nose stud. It was small and dainty, adding a little sparkle to her face. I forgot about how her bottom lip was fuller than the top one. When I was little, I prayed to be as pretty as my mom and Angie. They seemed so confident and fabulously confident in themselves. My own self confidence was something I battled with for years, only finding it long after my mom had passed.

Her curly hair was fanned around the pillow, and it was just as chaotic as my own. I saw a book on the nightstand, the tassel of a bookmark sticking out.

Sometimes I come here and read to her, so she can hear my voice, Lucifer admitted.

She can't hear you.I didn't have the heart to break it to him. When I was suspended, I didn't hear or sense anything. It was as if I missed a whole chunk of my life. Hopefully it wasn't the same for everyone.

Angie and Nonna held each other, crying together. My fathers stood next to each other, both of them stoically silent. I thought I would be a bawling mess at my mother's bedside, not quiet and tearful. The fire of the sadness and anger I felt after finding out she wasn't truly dead took months to dim to a smolder. For some strange reason, seeing her gave me some peace. And a small, dangerous amount of hope.

Azazel took my hand again, giving me his silent support. My anger at him died out too, leaving only confusion behind. I understood his actions, but I found it difficult to get past them, as odd as it sounded. "Does anyone mind if I use my magic to glean something from her? A vision may help." He rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, and no one objected.

He stood at her bedside, his hands a few inches above her as he moved them slowly up and down her body. After a few minutes, his eyes glazed white, a telltale sign he was seeing something. His body was rigidly still and his hands stopped moving. It felt as if he traveled somewhere far away in his mind, despite his body being here.

After a few minutes, he blinked, then shook his body out. His eyes were still white, but they always took a while to go back to normal. "I'm not sure if what I saw was in the past or present. Unfortunately, clarity isn't something I can have with every vision. She was smiling, sitting outside somewhere while she talked to someone. Not sure who, but whatever they talked about had her in a good mood."

"When we get home, can you show Ares, so he can replay it for Angie and I?"

"Of course, Angel. Anything for you." He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side. I rested my head on his chest, slipping into deep thought about how I could fix my mother.

When we went back outside to leave, I hugged and kissed my Nonna goodbye. Lucifer returned her to her own hideaway, while Oisín took us back to the compound.

Azazel walked me to our barrack, and I promptly went to my room, closing myself in so I could decompress. Now that I saw my mother, I knew that I had to do everything I could to bring her back.