Chapter 23Varos

Chapter

Twenty-Three

VAROS

E veryone filled their glasses in preparation for what Sasha had to say. I took them in as they all settled back into the admittedly comfortable seats. My brothers looked relaxed, though there was an edge to them both, one I likely shared, as they waited for the news.

Our reunion had gone better than I'd hoped. I had been afraid that they would be angry at me for ignoring them in favor of seeing to my mate when I’d first shown up. Instead, they welcomed me with understanding. When Varek had pulled me in for a hug, I had to admit, I had become misty eyed.

My brothers had been my best friends as we grew. We’d been inseparable since the womb, and even as we fought like the little demons we were, daring each other to do ridiculous and dangerous stunts, we stood shoulder to shoulder against anyone who thought to challenge one of us. Our poor mother had more patience than anyone should be expected to.

I knew we all still needed to talk, to strategize what our next steps should be. We also had to find Vanthos quickly. With the rot that was crawling through the Underworld, I didn’t think we had much time to waste. I also knew that each of us wanted to make sure our mother was still alive and well.

Sasha cleared her throat and leaned forward as she prepared to speak. “So while I was in the in-between staring out into the nothingness, someone appeared.”

Juliette frowned. “Nothingness? That sucks. It was a beautiful meadow with butterflies flitting around for me.”

Sasha shook her head. “Yeah, no. There was nothing but thick fog swirling around so dense I couldn’t even see through it.” Sasha looked at me. “Honestly, it sort of reminded me of the shadows that make up your wings, horns, and tail. Only it was a deep gray color instead of black. Anyway, this beautiful female showed up. I’d never seen anyone as beautiful as she was. It almost hurt to look at her. I think that if I wasn’t numb to all my feelings, I likely would have been in pain, and I probably would have been scared. She said her name was Naamah.”

I inhaled sharply, as did my brothers. The two females didn't react, though I wouldn’t have expected their mates to understand since, from what I understood, they were half-human and hadn’t been raised in the Underworld. “The Mother of Demons came to you?”

Sasha nodded. “When I tell you this female was magnificent, trust me, there is no other way to describe her, and even that doesn’t do her justice. She’s the one who healed me. Well, maybe it was the water in the fountain. But without her, I don’t think I would have been able to heal from whatever that metal had poisoned me with. I think she came to me specifically so that I could tell you what she told me.”

Sasha looked around at each of us. “She spoke in metaphors a lot. She said that there is a weed in the Underworld that needs to be removed, that it is killing the land. She also mentioned that she’s not permitted to interfere, though she already has. I think she interfered more than once, too, including by saving me.”

She closed her eyes as she tried to remember all that she’d been told. I put my hand on her leg and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t strain yourself trying to remember everything. Just tell us the most important parts that you do remember.” She nodded her head and gave me a grateful smile.

“So, she said some stuff that we were taught as young demon children. She created the demon race, which she called her children. Then, she assigned kings to keep them all under control. From what I understand, there is one king who isn’t supposed to be in place at all.”

Varek growled. “Lucifer.” I had to agree with him.

“Right. She also spoke of the Four. She said that they were planted in her greatest achievement, I think were her words. The Four were supposed to bring balance back into the realm, but then they disappeared.”

My brothers and I eyed each other warily. If we were the Four, what was our goal? What was Naamah expecting from us?

“I think that’s where she interfered again because she made what I believe were your mates to bring you back from the darkness. I think we are supposed to help you somehow. And the fact that every time one of you discovers your mate, your memories return more and more seems to support that. She also said that it would take the Four and more. Do you think we need to find allies to help?”

Varek sat back and tapped his finger on the rim of the glass that rested next to him. “I think that allies could never hurt. The question is, who do we bring? How many? Are they waiting for us in the Underworld already?” He shook his head, then picked up his glass and swallowed back the rest of the drink he’d called scotch. “I feel like the more answers we get, the more questions we have.”

“Asmodeus was waiting at the portal for me to arrive. I thought he was there to stop me, but he was guarding it so we could escape.”

Everyone turned to me as I spoke.

“You saw Asmodeus?” Valen asked in disbelief.

“Who’s Asmodeus?” Kallista asked as the females looked at each of my brothers in question.

“He was our mother’s personal guard. He has been around since I could remember,” Varek said.

I nodded. Asmodeus was always there. I suspected that he was in love with our mother with the way he looked at her when he thought no one was looking. Sometimes, I wished he would have become her mate since she always seemed so much happier when he was nearby. “If he is on our side, perhaps he is one of those who would be willing to help us fight Lucifer. He may also know others who will fight.”

“Wait. What does he look like?” I turned to look at Sasha, who had a thoughtful look on her face.

“He’s tall, about the same height as us,” I gestured to my brothers. “He has blond hair and has always moved like he had a stick up his ass.” My brothers snickered at my apt description.

“I think he might have been the one to deliver the letter to me, telling me where to find you.”

Valen tilted his head thoughtfully. “It seems like something he would do if our mother asked him to.” He looked at me. “I believe you are right. He is the best soldier I ever met. He would make a powerful ally.”

“Maybe my dad knows of others. I know he’d—” Juliette’s words were cut off by the sound of commotion down the hall and the office door banging open. A scared looking and panting demon looked wild-eyed at where we were sitting.

“There’s been a breach at the portal! Several soldiers from the Underworld have come through. They already killed the guard who was posted there.”

Everyone sprang to their feet and headed for the door. I was surprised that my brothers hadn’t asked their mates to stay back. I would have asked Sasha, but I feared one of her many knives would find a delicate place on my body. As we rushed through the doorway, we could see a battle already taking place in the middle of the hallway in front of the elevator. Soldiers who wore Lucifer’s insignia were brandishing swords, while Varek’s men fought them off with weapons of their own.

The hallway was wide, but it was a tight spot to be swinging swords around in. The daggers that Varek’s guards were using were a much more effective tool. It was satisfying to see that several of the soldiers had already fallen or were writhing on the floor in pain.

Valen raised a hand, infecting the soldier who came running toward us with some kind of pox. When the soldier noticed the boils erupting on his body, he screamed and dropped the sword as he held out his arms, inspecting them with his eyes full of disbelieving horror.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Varek dragging an orb of light from one of the others advancing. The soldier's eyes were trained on Juliette with a sneer, not even noticing that his life force was being taken. She was pulling an orb of her own from another male. Both the soldiers dropped to the ground as the mates clenched their fists, causing the orbs to vanish in a flash of light that rained down, disappearing entirely before reaching the ground.

A blade flew past my ear and then another in quick succession before two more of Lucifer’s soldiers dropped to the ground clutching, at the blades in their throats. The remaining three turned on each other in blood lust as I used my own power to cause uncontrollable rage.

With each of the soldiers dispatched, we headed for the metal box that I hated, knowing that there were likely many more at the portal waiting to attack. I didn’t know what their plan had been. It seemed a ridiculous order to send in demons to an unknown situation just to have them all end up dead.

As we stepped into the elevator, I looked at my brothers, who both had the same grim expression I was sure I shared. “Why would Lucifer send his army into the Earth realm? Did he not know that it was a death sentence to even try?”

Varek shook his head. “In all the years I have guarded the portal, no one has ever tried this. We have had refugees, demons interested in exploring, or those just looking for a different way of life. Never have they come en masse to attack. Lucifer must know that we are finding each other.”

“My dad said since the beginning of our relationship that his memories are returning. I imagine everyone else who was alive when he planned your exile is also remembering. Lucifer could be facing a mutiny soon.” Juliette said quietly.

I shook my head. “He would never allow it. It would take a massive movement to dethrone him.”

“The four… and more. That’s what Naamah said. That’s what we need. A lot of demons to fight with us. But who, exactly, did Lucifer take the throne from?”

We were all quiet, thinking about that answer. How did Lucifer take the throne? Who should have been the rightful King? I was beginning to be fairly certain I knew. How the male had hidden that fact for so long and why, I had no idea.

When the doors slid open, there was no way to try to surprise the soldiers waiting in front of the portal. It was dangerous—I know we all knew that—and we were also careless. We should have known better. Perhaps we could have sent an empty metal box to the portal room first. It might have drawn them up to where we were waiting, and we would have had the upper hand. Instead, we walked into an ambush.

Blood covered the floor and dripped down the walls. It was the first thing I noticed before an arrow pierced my chest. As I fell to one knee, both of my brothers grunted in pain as they were hit by flying arrows as well. We were careful to shield the females with our bodies, trying to protect them from harm. Varek reached for the panel on the wall, trying to hit the correct button to close the doors, but it was already too late.

Soldiers flooded the elevator. Instead of grabbing me or my brothers, the females screamed as rough hands grabbed them, dragging them from the metal box. I growled, struggling to get up to help as Sasha fought beside me, trying to slice the arm of the male holding her. He screamed as his arm fell to the floor. Then she turned, grabbing Juliette while stabbing the male who had his arms around her with the dagger through his left eye. Once Juliette was free from the shrieking male, Sasha pushed her with a hard shove back into the elevator before immediately turning to grab Kallista.

As soon as she sank her blade into the arm of the male holding Kallista, Sasha was yanked backward by her long red braid. She let out a pained, startled scream as she fell to the floor with a thud. I struggled to get to my feet as she was dragged toward the portal by her hair. During the surprise attack, Sasha had dropped her blade and used both of her hands to hold onto her scalp as she kicked her legs, writhing on the floor, trying to free herself.

Just as I took a step forward to help my mate, three more arrows struck me. Two more hit my chest, while the third landed in my thigh. As I roared in pain, Sasha made eye contact with me. I could read the pain and the fear in her eyes as she lied to me.

“I will be okay, Varos! I swear it! I will be okay.”

Then she disappeared through the portal.