31. Diana

With our army behind us, my fathers, brother, Judas, Bain, Mal, Azazel, and myself lined up in front of the portal. Michael had opened it earlier, and we had analysts monitoring it throughout the morning. They didn't feel any strange activity and assured us that it was safe to travel through.

I put my hand on the door, willing my magic to seep through the grain of the wood to the other side. Snaking it around, I didn't feel any presence or magic on the other side. Regardless of our concern, this was our only way into Hell that let us keep an element of surprise.

"Are you ready?" Michael asked me.

"As ready as I'll ever be Dad."

"Prince of Darkness first," Lucifer teased as he stepped in front of Michael and I, opening the door.

We all walked through, into the desert illusion. I exhaled a breath I didn't even realize I held when Mal closed the door behind us all. My anxiety was churning in my stomach, but I had to stomp it out. I had to be strong for the people who depended on me. Lucifer snapped, crumbling the illusion away and showing the bedroom it hid.

It was probably the largest bedroom I had ever seen, with a separate sitting area and a kitchenette. More of an apartment, really. But it wouldn't hold thousands of troops, even if we had planned on transporting them in batches.

"I don't feel any presences here…" Azazel stated as he walked around the room. He stopped, closing his eyes as he touched a wall. "I'm not getting any residual magics, or visions with my Sight. I think they abandoned this place…"

"Unless Red changed the entire layout, there's a ballroom one floor down, on the other side of the castle. It should be large enough to bring them over in groups," Lucifer confirmed.

I wasn't sure what to expect as far as the castle was concerned. Lucifer said it was just like any other castle, but probably not upgraded to keep up with mortal comforts because it was unnecessary—magic fueled everything in Hell. My father must have spent a lot of time in castles, but I hadn't, so I figured I would see it when I got here.

As we fanned out through the hallway and moved to the stairs, I got to take in the architecture and decor. I was extremely impressed with the Scottish castle vibes. The walls were stone, with orbs of light illuminating the dark hallways. The chandeliers were antique masterpieces, and the windows were made of stained glass. I hadn't seen a real window since moving to the compound, and I was excited to live above ground again. Everything was quality—lush rugs over rich wooden floors, rich colored fabrics for the drapes, and gleaming metal weapons hanging from the walls.

"This is exactly how I decorated it before I abdicated the throne," Lucifer commented offhandedly. "Keep your eyes peeled, everyone."

We made our way to the ballroom without issue. It was very similar to the one at the compound, but instead of looking like an extra set from a vampire movie, it had a more classic look.

"We should be able to transport them in about three to four batches," Mal said as he surveyed the space. "Ares may try to do three for speed and safety's sake, but it can be done."

"Excellent, we'll start the process. The faster we strike, the better." Lucifer held Michael's ring to his heart. The room started to rumble, and the lights flickered.

A glowing orb of light burst from the ring and shaped itself into a ring. On the other side, I saw Ares and the mass of troops behind him. He waved at me, and I blew him a kiss. Despite seeing everything come together, the sinking feeling in my stomach only intensified. Red may have abandoned this place for his replica in the Fourth Realm, but where was his army?

How did an entire castle get abandoned…

"Something feels off," Judas snapped. "There's something here…" Bain nodded in agreement and motioned for us all to fan out.

Everyone started putting out magical feelers around the room. Ares banged on the portal, trying to get our attention.

"My mindlink with him isn't working!" I shouted.

"I feel something…something that wasn't present in the bedroom…" Michael commented.

"Powershare with me?" I asked my fathers. We joined hands, and immediately, I knew what Judas was talking about.

Lucifer's horns sprouted from his head. They looked like a ram's, except they were black. He extended a forked tongue, and his pupils became black, rectangular slits, like a goat's. "Everything seems…fake? Synthetic? I think we didn't feel it in the bedroom, because that's a portalway from earth. It had earth's essence…but this isn't how Hell is supposed to feel. My power hasn't spiked like it should have…"

I had never been to Hell, but I knew what my father was talking about. Previously, I had visited the Fourth Realm, and I had lived on earth all my life. Neither of those places felt stifling like this. Unreal…like someone had weaved a fake replica of a castle and dropped us in it.

"Dad, I don't think this is Hell…" I said.

Bravo, baby Morningstar,a familiar deep, raspy disembodied voice echoed throughout the ballroom. This isn't Hell at all.

The walls crumbled around us and the portal back home disappeared, giving way to a barren wasteland. The ground we stood on was parched, crumbling clay earth. Smoke clung to the air, making it difficult to see anything beyond a few yards away. I used my magic to clear it, and a sign on a rotting wooden post came into view. It was written in a strange script.

Lucifer's mouth twisted into a sneer, and his entire body shifted. I had never seen my father in his shifted form, but the drawings and legends barely did it justice. He was terrifying, with a goat's head and horns, a demon's body, and hooves. His tail swished behind him as he screamed at the top of his lungs. That voice wasn't my father's. It was…wicked. Unhinged. Like something you'd only hear in a horror movie.

"Lucifer, what's going on?" Michael asked him.

"We're caught in the deepest, darkest pit of Hell," he growled. "And there's no way out."

For the big finale,check out the fifth and FINAL book in the Dangerous Lovers series… Absolved In Death. Coming soon. Muahahahahaha.