A high pitched ringing woke Persephone out of a sound sleep. She was laying on her husband's chest. It took her a few seconds to realize it was her phone. Moaning she rolled over and picked it up. "Lockhart." She said sleepily. "Aright. I'll be right there." She sighed and threw off the covers. Slowly waking herself she hopped into the shower.
After she was dressed she headed to her son's room. He was fast asleep. She stroked his cheek and kissed him. Then she headed for the kitchen. Yawning she opened the fridge. She pulled out a couple of yogurt cups and bottle of water. She set them on the counter for a second.
The temperature of the room dropped suddenly. She shivered. Thinking that was strange. She looked at the thermostat. IT was the same. Then a low growling could be heard. She shuddered. Most of the apartment was still dark. She crept quietly towards the sound. Her hand instinctively on her gun. She stepped into the dining room. She thought the shadows moved for a moment. Turning on the light. There was nothing there. Snickering she headed back to the kitchen.
Persephone stopped in front of the Ecclesia di Angelis. She sighed as she headed for the door. Her partner Drakken met up with her. She smirked at him. "You look half awake."
He yawned. "Something like that." He had a massive Starbucks cup in his hand. "I don't know how you can function without coffee."
Persephone made a face. "Its gross." She said while heading inside. They were met with another horrific scene. Another man laying at the feet of Michael. His throat ripped apart. Blood spattered everywhere. Persephone eyed more claw marks. Some were on the statues.
Pastor Walter and a few others were standing at the front of the auditorium. Walter looked quite distraught. He looked up as Drakken and Persephone approached. Tears in his eyes. Two younger men stood beside him.
"Hello Walter." Persephone tried to lighten the mood.
"I don't know what is going on." Walter said wearily. "Oscar was just a kid. He stayed here last night to help out since Floyd died. But then- "
"Did you see anything?" Persephone looked him in the eyes. That familiar tug. She knew this man was a cousin. But she didn't want to broach the subject yet.
Walter gestured to one of the young men. "My son Liam found him."
Persephone looked at Liam. He looked a lot like his father. His hair was long and blonde. Kept in a ponytail. He eyed Persephone. She got the same feeling about him.
"I just came in early. And I found…" Tears flooded Liam's eyes. "Oscar was my best friend. We've known each other since we were kids." He tried to keep from sobbing. "Those bastards at the Lutheran church are responsible. I know it." He became angry. The lights began to flicker a little. Walter placed a hand on his son's back.
Persephone looked up at the flickering lights. She then returned her gaze on Liam. She tapped into her calming ability. Liam seemed to be a little less agitated. "How do you know it was them?"
Liam's blue eyes narrowed. "Those jerks have been harassing us for years. I used to get into fights with the pastor's son. He has problems. He and his dad protest us all the time." Liam's anger rose. The lights flickered again.
Walter placed his hand on his son. "Calm down son." He saw Persephone and Drakken eyeing the lights. "Old building. The lights flicker like that sometimes."
Persephone nodded and bit her lip. She knew he was lying. "Liam, do you have any evidence?"
"You don't believe us. You two probably think we are just freaks. Who cares." He threw up his hands and sat at one of the pews.
Walter sighed. "He is really distraught."
"I can see that." Persephone glanced at her partner. He was eyeing one of the statues. The one that looked like Amenadiel. "Drak?" She said to him.
He shook his head. "Yeah?"
She chuckled. "Can you keep up with us?"
Walter had observed Drakken staring at the statues. "You seem drawn to that one." He took a step towards Drakken.
Drakken shrugged. "I guess I am surprised to see one that looks like me." He was trying to play off why he was staring at it.
"That is Amenadiel."
Drakken nodded. "I know."
Walter laughed. "Most people don't know that. They only know the arch angels and maybe two or three of them. How do you know Amenadiel?"
Drakken glanced at Persephone. He wasn't sure what to say. "My mother was really into angels. She had tons of books about them. One had the different orders listed in it."
Walter nodded. "I see. Are you sure that's it?"
Persephone could see her cousin tensing up. Discussing their heritage was not easy for them. Persephone nudged him. "I think you can tell him the truth."
"You got me. He is my father" Drakken said quickly. He eyed Walter. Waiting for the other man's reaction.
"I figured you were one of us. Both of you. I could tell." Walter looked at Persephone. "You needn't be afraid. We are all family here."
"That's a relief." Drakken said to him.
Persephone eyed Walter. "You must be a son of Michael."
Walter cocked his head and looked Persephone in the eye. "How can you tell?" His voice was calm and full of curiosity.
"You aren't the first one I have met." Persephone replied.
"George?" Walter queried.
"Yep."
"I think everyone knows George." Walter laughed.
"I bring him clothes and food."
"Oh that's you." Walter shook his head. "I have been meaning to go see him." He regarded Persephone. "And you. I can sense the power coming from you. It's obvious you are first generation. Most likely the daughter of an arch angel."
Persephone shifted in comfortably. She wasn't ashamed of who her father was. It was just a difficult thing to admit to. Some met her with hostility like Drakken's wife. Others just ran away. "You can say that."
Walter sighed. "You needn't be ashamed. I told you that we venerate all of them. Even that one." He smiled warmly.
Persephone felt him using his calming ability. "I'm not ashamed. I just get met with hostility when I mention his name."
"I understand. We won't judge you." Walter placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are welcome here."
"That's good to know. Thank you." Persephone glanced at Drakken who had a smile on his face. "It's not easy being Lucifer's daughter."
Liam leapt up from his seat. His eyes wide. He looked at his father and then back at Persephone. "Lucifer?"
Walter held up his hands. "Easy Liam. We don't judge remember."
Liam sputtered. "But Lucifer? He is- "
"Watching Food Network." Drakken finished Liam's sentence. Persephone burst out laughing. Liam looked at them with confusion and slight anger.
"Come again?"
Walter laughed too. "I doubt that."
"No, Drakken is right. Or he is rearranging my living room again." Persephone laughed.
Walter's expression darkened for a moment. "He is in Hell."
Persephone laughed harder. "No. He is in my house. He has been there for a month."
Walter was confused. "Come again?"
Persephone caught his expression. Her smile disappeared. "Oh you don't know. He abandoned Hell about six years ago. He was living in Los Angeles. But for the last month he had been in my house."
Walter frowned. "I see." He looked at Liam. "If you'll excuse us." He beckoned to Liam and they walked away.
Persephone watched them. She was a little hurt. She guessed her father's departure hadn't been widely shared. She knew it was causing problems.
"Detective?" One of the techs called to them.
She turned to the short woman. "Yeah."
The tech held up a bag. It had hair or fur in it. "We found this hair in the victim's hands. It doesn't look human."
Persephone eyed the bag. She couldn't tell what it was. She glanced at Drakken. "Thank you. Guess we need to test it." Her phone rang. She answered it. "Lockhart." She listened for a second. Then she cursed under her breath. "Thank you. Send me the address."
Drakken had his eyebrows raised. He could see his cousin's distress. "What is it?"
"They found two more." Persephone answered.
Drakken glanced at the victim. "Two more like that?"
Persephone nodded and headed for the door. Drakken followed behind. Walter and Liam were standing out front. She stopped near them. "Look Walter. I hope I didn't offend you."
Walter shook his head. "No you didn't." His arms were folded against his chest.
"Were the victims Nephilim?"
"They were descendants. More than three generations removed. Still have angel blood but it's not as strong."
Persephone licked her lips and pulled out her phone. "Did you know a Rebecca and Jordan Smalls?"
Walter's eyes widened. "Why?"
"They just found their bodies."
Walter put his hands on his forehead. "This is bad. Rebecca was Uriel's granddaughter. This is really bad."
Persephone could feel her cousin's stress. "It is. We are heading over there now. We'll be in touch." She patted Walter's shoulder. "I'm sorry." She headed to the car with Drakken close behind. She sat in the driver's seat a moment then turned to Drakken. "I don't think we are dealing with something human, Drak."
Drakken took in a breath. "I got that feeling too, Persi."
Persephone started the car and they drove to the next crime scene.
It was almost eleven o'clock by the time Persephone got home. Her feet ached. Her heart ached. Her head was in a million places. She walked into the living room and was relieved it hadn't been rearrange again. Her husband was lying on the couch. He looked at her as she walked in.
"Long day?" He said to her.
She sat beside him and laid her head on his chest. "You have no idea." She kissed him. Then got up and walked to the bedroom. She changed into pajamas then went back to the kitchen. She as starving. Rummaging in the fridge she found some leftover spaghetti.
Popping it in the microwave. She then proceeded to get a fork. Opening the drawer where the forks normally where she slammed it shut. "DAD!" She shouted. She didn't care if it was late at night. She opened the other drawers. She growled in frustration. Her father had rearranged the damn kitchen.
She placed her hands on the counter and took a deep breath. She looked upwards. "Hey Grandpa. Can you hear me? Please come down here and take care of your son." Her voice was mostly sarcastic. The microwave dinged. She found herself no longer hungry.
Then Lucifer walked into the kitchen. He had on only a pair of shorts. He misled at his daughter. "Hello Darling. Are you just getting in?"
Persephone nodded. She got her food out of the microwave. "Yes" She responded tersely.
He narrowed his eyes. "Is everything alright?"
"No Dad. Everything is not alright." She could feel her frustration rising. "What did I say about rearranging stuff?"
"You said not to rearrange the furniture."
"Put my kitchen back the way you found it." She said through gritted teeth.
"It flows better. Don't you think." He opened the drawer with the silverware.
"I didn't ask for you to rearrange it. Put it back." She picked up her food and headed for the door. She stormed to her bedroom and slammed the door. She set the food on a nightstand and flopped onto the bed face down.
She then felt a hand on her back. "Persi." Her husband's voice was soothing. "What's wrong?"
Persephone rolled over and looked up at her husband. "Just a rough day." Tears flowed down her cheeks.
"Is it about the case?"
Persephone sat up and leaned on Bryan. He wrapped his arms around her. "We found three more bodies. Two of them had their throats slashed and were drained of blood. The third was torn up."
"That's terrible. Who is doing that?"
"I don't think it's a who."
Bryan's eyed narrowed. "Then what?"
"I don't know. All of the victims have been Nephilim or descendants."
"Whoa so you mean?"
"Yep. The church is full of my family members. And something is hunting us down."
Bryan held his wife tighter. "This isn't good."
"No, Bryan its bad." She buried her head in his chest. "But thank you."
He smiled. "For what?"
"Being me snuggle bear." She said with a smile. They kissed for a moment. "Let's go to bed. I need to go talk to George tomorrow."
"Okay."
They got ready for bed and went to sleep. It was going to be a trying day tomorrow.
