“Oh, shit.”
“I took care of it,” Lucas tells me as he lifts Penny in the air. She giggles like crazy and grabs a handful of Lucas’s hair, pulling it with impressive strength.
“I can’t really describe it,” Kristy starts, tucking her hair behind her ear. “The energy felt so wrong. There was a fire.” She pauses, biting her lower lip and looking at the floor. “It was coming from the center of town.”
“The courthouse is built on an apex of the Ley line.”
Kristy nods. “We’re still not sure if any humans died, but…”
“But demons aren’t known for their compassion.”
“Right. We all gathered and cast a protection spell on the town. Melinda was able to get ahold of her brother, and things seemed okay in Chicago. And then…then everything just went away.”
“When I closed the gates.” I look at Lucas, brows furrowed. “The demons were already here. Why did they stop?”
“Their source of power was cut off,” Julian says, appearing behind us. “Or at least that’s what I’m thinking.”
“If they were already here, weren’t they most likely lower-level demons?” Lucas asks.
“Yes,” Julian answers. “They must have received instructions from Paimon, but once their method of communication was cut off, they ran.”
“But why?” I quietly muse.
“It doesn’t matter,” Lucas says. “We’ll find them, and we’ll kill them.”
“Along with the soul I set free in order to open the portal,” I add ruefully.
“What?” Lucas and Kristy ask at the same time.
Reaching forward, I pick up the composition notebook from the coffee table. “It was a spell my mom came up with when she was visiting Lucifer, because apparently, they were a thing before Michael was sent to save her soul—which he did, by the way.” I flip through the notebook, looking at years’ worth of random notes. “And apparently Lucifer has access to all the Satanic grimoires ever written…including the one my mom wrote herself.”
“Oh, Callie, I’m so sorry,” Kristy says softly.
“She had good intentions,” I rush out.
“I’m sure she did,” Kristy quickly agrees. Her tone is nothing but gentle, but her statement feels patronizing. “But it’s dark magic. And dark magic is dangerous.”
“Right. It is,” I agree and close the notebook. “I have to go to the bathroom. Stay here with Penny,” I tell Lucas, knowing he’ll follow me to be sure I’m safe. Truth is, I need a minute to myself. My head is spinning, my heart is hurting, and I’m barely able to comprehend the danger we’re all in.
And I still have to tell my friends that the fucking Horsemen are on the loose.
Dodging away from everyone, I go up the back staircase and use the master bathroom. My reflection takes me by surprise, having forgotten I’m wearing this ridiculously girly dress. Feeling almost panicked, I yank down the zipper and rip the dress off, putting on black leggings and one of Lucas’s black t-shirts instead.
“Callie.” Julian is in the hall outside my room, startling me. “We have to come up with a plan.”
“I know.” I let out a sigh and brush my hair back. “I know we do. I just, um…I just… I don’t even know where to start.”
“At the bottom,” he suggests. “Hell is inaccessible unless a portal is created, but with Lucifer not there to manage the demons, it’s only a matter of time before the seals are broken again.”
“Right. At least nothing else can get out for the time being.”
“And nothing can get in, either. Demons can’t be cast back to the pit, and hell-bound souls will remain on earth.”
“This day just keeps getting better and better.” I tip my head up, willing myself not to cry or even think about throwing a pity-party. “At least I had a nice wedding, right?”
“Right,” Julian lilts, not sure why I’m bringing up the wedding. Maybe a half-human, half-angel can only expect one uninterrupted party a lifetime. “It was very nice.”
My eyes fall shut, and I lean against the doorframe. “The bottom. Good plan. The bottom is Hell. Lucifer isn’t there, but the doors are locked. It’s not good, but it buys us some time. My cloaking spell won’t last long.” I open my eyes and look at Julian. “And I didn’t realize it until after I cast it, but you and I were still able to see him, right?”
“Right.”
“I said other angels not really thinking about it. But he’s cloaked from everyone but me and you since we were in the room with him when I cast the spell.”
“You’re right.” He narrows his eyes. “What are you thinking, Callie?”
“Honestly, I don’t really know. The cloaking spell won’t last long, and the power-binding potion won’t, either. He has more than I do, so maybe it’ll last a few weeks, but Lucifer will be back to being Lucifer in time. And maybe…maybe things can be different now. He doesn’t have to make deals to lend extra power. Practicing Satanism won’t be an excommunicable offense.”