“Wouldn’t you like to hear the message from my master first?” Ashe tilted his head.
If it got him Leona, he’d listen. “Tell me.”
“Indolex arranged this little demonstration for you.” Ashe gestured to the battle happening around them. “As a sort of show of power. He wants you to understand that while you have been hiding in your palaces, making your facile wars on each other, he has been building power. What you see here now is only a fraction of the forces he commands.”
“And I’m supposed to take your word for that?” Lucifer scoffed. “The word of an oath breaker and a liar.”
“You wound me, master.” Ashe grinned. “After all those whispered confidences between us?”
Lucifer couldn’t afford to lose his temper. Leona was relying on him. “What’s the message?”
“I’m glad you asked.” Ashe made a motion with the hand not holding the knife.
Air crackled and an ear-splitting boom almost drove Lucifer to his knees.
“Fuck,” Raphael said.
There were demons everywhere. Thousands upon thousands of them, filling every part of the underground bunker. Their power signatures a tangible force in the air.
The fighting demons disengaged, leaving the remainder of Ramiel’s host to circle Wrath, Raphael, Vexia, and Ramiel.
“We fight,” Wrath bellowed.
“Stop,” Lucifer shouted. Even with their power, this was not a fight they would win, not without heavy losses.
“Now you see,” Ashe drawled. “This is what you’re up against. All this and more.”
Raphael pressed his back to Lucifer’s. “I can summon my host.”
Lucifer shook his head. This was exactly what Ashe had said it was, a message. Losing more angels was pointless, and it appeared they were going to need every one they had. “Ashe has a message for us.”
“Indolex wants you to see his power,” Ashe said. “He is tired of waiting in the shadows and will make his move. He gives you this one chance to lay down your weapons and let what must happen take place.”
“Not a fucking chance.” Wrath growled. “What you plan will end all of us.”
Ashe studied Wrath and pursed his lips. “Will it? Do you think Indolex went to all this trouble merely for everything to end?”
The power signatures from the massive horde pressed down on Lucifer.
“He wants us to join him?” Ramiel sneered.
Ashe laughed. “No, Lord Ramiel. You have become obsolete.”
“Then why bother with a message?” Lucifer kept his gaze trained on Leona.
“It is not for me to question Indolex,” Ashe said. “He wants you to know your enemy before it destroys you.” He smiled. “This next part is an indulgence he has granted me.”
Lucifer’s hackles rose. “What next part?”
“We’re with you, brother,” Wrath murmured. “We will fight.”
“Indolex has no further use for this witch.” Ashe pressed his blade against Leona’s jugular. “I could kill her like the rest, but I thought it would be more interesting to give you a choice.”
“What choice?” Lucifer had an inkling of where Ashe was going.
“You choose the woman, and we all disappear, until next time.” Ashe clicked his fingers. “Just like that.” He stroked the blade up Leona’s neck. “Or I slit her throat, and you and I fight. One on one and to the death.” He studied Lucifer’s face. “You can have your revenge on me, or you can have the witch.”
“You know what to do,” Raphael whispered.
And Lucifer didn’t hesitate. “The woman,” he said. “I will take Leona.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
They compressed into Sophia’s audience chamber. Sophia was waiting for them and immediately gave Leona over to healing members of her host.
Rage still coursed through Lucifer. “The other witches?”
“Here and safe.” Sophia looked from him to Wrath and then Ramiel and Raphael. “What happened?”
Lucifer had no faith his haglette had come with the other witches. There was no telling what his human would do when she got a bug up her arse. “Bianca is here?”
“She’s here.” Sophia looked amused. “I’ve sent someone to let her know you have Leona, and she’s safe.”
“They were waiting for us.” Ramiel eyed his gore-splattered leathers with distaste.
Lucifer grimaced. Not only waiting for them, but according to Ashe, waiting for them to respond to their invitation. Hells, how had this gotten so bad so fast?
