Elly POV

I caught my balance, breathing hard. What the fuck did I just do? My hands went to my head and I spun around just in time to see Lucy snap his fingers and all of the angels turned to a silvery flowing dust, leaving only Michael in his dark coat.

"Do you really want to do this again?" Michael asked, the air around him seeming to crackle with electricity.

Lucifer took a step forward, ready to fight and I panicked. He couldn't take out Michael. He might have gotten most of his grace back, but he couldn't keep up. My hands moved without thinking, drawing my gun.

These are angel killing, Dean's voice echoed in my head.

I took the shot, the noise fracturing the air. I exhaled sharply, trying to calm my nerves, only to see the bullet frozen in mid air, what looked like, mere inches in front of Michael's nose. His hand was up, having stopped the bullet. He glanced around it and to me, a crooked smile coming to his lips.

"Nice shooting, sweetie." I watched as the bullet turned red hot and melted away. "I think you might be better than any of the others I've been up against." I glanced to Lucifer, who was staring at me. He didn't know I could shoot. I lined up the shot again, pulling the trigger. Again, the bullet was stopped with a simple wave of his dark skinned hand and the smile had fallen. "It was cute the first time." With another wave of his hand, the gun became hot, scorching my hands. I gave a cry, dropping the gun as it turned to molten metal in my hands. "Now, is this really the way we want to do things?"

I was ready to fight. I wouldn't get far, but I would fight with everything I had in me. Anything to protect the way back to Alex's world. He couldn't get through. I wouldn't let him.

"We can help you get through," Lucifer offered desperately. I looked at him in surprise. Why the hell would he give him the way back? In the show it would have been for his own sake, but the way he had stood between the angel and myself told me that he was trying to make sure I wasn't hurt. That seemed to catch Michael's attention. Michael's head tilted to the side and he strode flawlessly over to Lucifer, his dark eyes intense. "I-I saw them make it. It's an apple, some blood and a glowy rock. And the spell, I know the spell! It's Kuth-kuth something."

"Koth Munto Notox," I spoke up from where I stood. Both angels looked up at me and Michael easily shoved Lucifer out of the way. He stepped up the small incline to me, his hand taking my neck and pushing me up against a tree, the bark digging uncomfortably into my back.

"You know the spell?"

I nodded against his cold fingers. "I know the spell." I licked my lips looking to Lucifer, who looked like he wanted to get Michael away from me, but he wasn't sure how to accomplish it. I looked back to Michael who had a bright smile.

"Let's hear it, sweetie."

"The spell requires the Blood of A Most Holy Man, Fruit of the Tree of Life, the Seal of Solomon and an archangel's grace," I gasped out as his grip tightened around me.

"Let her go," Lucifer ordered, coming over and taking Michael's hand. He pulled it away from me and I gasped for air, my hand rubbing at the grip that had been there. "We'll help you, but you do not get to touch her, do you understand?"

"Why do I need to listen to either of you? I have the spell." Michael sauntered back with a grin. "I have no use for you now."

"There's one more ingredient," I coughed out, pushing myself off of the tree and to Lucifer, who still held a protective stance between the angel and me. "And only I know it. Lucifer doesn't." Lucifer glanced back at me with a warning look and Michael's grin fautered. "I won't tell you until you have all the other parts."

Michael's smile swiftly returned and he laughed. "I see why you like her, Lu. She's not stupid like the other humans." He laughed again, his eyes coming back to my face. "I can torture it from you."

"Been there, done that," I got out, regretting the words as soon as they left my mouth. I shouldn't be antagonizing him. It was only going to make things worse. He didn't need us. If he did torture it from me, then he could just dispose of us an use something off of us. Something from the world that you wanted to travel to.

"Ok. I'll play your game." There was a regal air about him and he again moved closer to us, his coat fluttering behind him. Lucifer's hand took my waist, pulling me behind him. "You're going to help me find everything." He pointed to Lucifer, who somehow pulled me further behind him. "And you." He focused his attention back on me, reaching out towards me. "Know that if you are lying to me, I will-" He broke off as Lucifer shoved his hand away from me. Michael looked between us with a scoff. "Oh, Luce, you make this far too obvious. Let me make something perfectly clear."

I jumped, a hand going to my mouth as Michael punched Lucy in the gut, a sound like a gunshot going off. I watched as Lucy crumbled to the forest floor, blood trickling from his lips as he sputtered for air.

"I have leverage here." I stumbled back as his hand reached out to me again. My back hit the tree and his cold fingers pressed against my temple.

The scream tore through me like a great shard of glass. I felt my eyes widen and pulse quicken, my heart thudding like a rock rattling in box. The scream came again, desperate, terrified... human.

There was something in my head. Something clawing at my brain. Something hotter than a branding iron. I wanted to rip at my skin. Tear myself apart. I wanted to run, but my body wouldn't move. And I couldn't complete a single thought.

The pain was increasing in waves, small lulls giving a false hope of an end. Each peak robbed me of my ability to speak, only letting me scream. And it spread as though my blood had become acid, intent of destroying me from the inside out.

And as soon as it had started, it stopped. I was on the forest floor, leaves crunching in my ears. Hands were searching over me as I breathed hard, echoes of the pain still pulsing through me. And I noticed that I was crying.

"I'm sure you understand what I mean, Lu. Don't you?"

"Elizabeth," Lucifer breathed, pulling me from the ground and into a sitting up position. The world spun around me and I immediately felt sick. I met his grey blue eyes and he gave a small smile. "Are you ok?" I nodded slowly. His hand caressed my cheek before he turned away from me. "Yeah, I understand."

"Now, I'm sure you know how to find all of the parts of the spell, don't you?" Michael continued on, now pacing in front of us.

Lucifer looked at a loss for words. I wasn't sure how they had made it back in the show. He didn't know as much as he let on. He always had so much confidence and seemed like was strong and knew everything, but he was just like everyone else. He was bluffing. Faking it until everything worked out in his favor.

"I'm sure I have a priest or a saint held up somewhere that's not dead yet," he continued on in thought. Lucifer was taking the opportunity to focus back on me, his worried eyes searching my face as his hands touched different parts of me as if to make sure that I hadn't broken anything. "That's the blood taken care of. And the tree of life, surely you know where that is."

Lucifer closed his eyes and licked his lips. I knew he was afraid that if he didn't answer I would get hurt again, but he didn't know where any of these things were.

"I-In Syria," I answered, my voice scratchy. Lucifer's eyes to opened and had a sad look in them. Was it because he couldn't be of any help. "There's a tree there guarded by djinn. The fruit looks like pomegranates."

"Pomegranates, huh?" Michael laughed at that. "Isn't that what you made Adam and Eve eat?"

"Yes," Lucifer sighed, his back still to Michael.

"Isn't that interesting?" It was a taunt. "Do I even need you around, Lucille? She seems to be the only thing here that I need. She knows the spell, how to get the ingredients and she's a pretty sharp shooter with a fire in her spirit. She could handle coming with me to get everything we need."

"I-I.." Lucifer trailed off. He gave me a sad smile and turned to face Michael. "You're right. You don't need me."

My eyes widened and my heart stopped. He couldn't give up like this. I needed him. He was all I had left in this world to keep me sane. He was the only thing that was right here. I couldn't do this without him. There was no way I would survive. I looked over Lucy's figure and stopped at the site of an angel blade that was in the waist line of his pants. I pulled it to me and he quickly turned around to try to snatch it. I placed the blade against my neck.

"He stays," I said, trying to make my voice as strong as I could. Michael's dark eyes watched me with a curious delight. "If you hurt him, I'll kill myself and then you will never know the last ingredient or where to find them. You can't get back without me, and I am not losing him."

"Elizabeth," Lucifer warned, reaching his hand out for the blade. But I didn't move it from where it was.

Michael laughed. "You've got some fight you in, sweetie. I like you. Maybe I should make you my queen. Wouldn't heaven be more pleasant to rule than hell?" I didn't answer him. He stopped his snickering and tipped his head to the side. "Stop playing around now, sweetie. All of us know that you won't do that. There's no point in threatening it."

It was now or never. I had to prove my point. I had to save this poor angel who had saved me. He was like my own Castiel or Cael. He had raised me from hell and had only ever protected me from that day. Now it was my turn.

Lucifer jumped towards me, trying to snatch at me as I pressed against my skin with the sharp end of the angel blade, blood beginning to trickle down my neck. Michael took a swift step forward, hand outstretched as if to stop me.

"Alright, let's not be hasty," Michael said hesitantly, taking another step towards me. "We both have our terms. I think we both understand each other. Put the blade down."

I lowered the blade and Lucifer ripped it from my hand. I knew he wanted to tell me how stupid that was. I knew he wanted to be mad at me. He wanted to shout and yell and tell me never to do that again, but he knew what I had just done. I had bought us the time we needed. We would make it out of here. And we would be smart about it. We would play the cards we needed to and we would win. This was not a fight I was going to lose. Not now.

I shakily got to my feet, ignoring the red stickiness that was staining yet another shirt. I would be strong through all of this. He wouldn't see me break. I wouldn't break. I refused to.

"I will give you the location of the next ingredient when you get the first few," I offered. "Lucifer is going to help you."

"I'm what?" he asked, rising to his own feet. "Eli-"

"You are not something he can get rid of," I said loud enough for Michael to still hear. "I might be good with a gun, but I'm not much help in any other aspect. Lucifer will go with you to retrieve the ingredients and then I will give you the next one."

"And what will you do in the meantime, sweetie?" Michael asked, folding his arms over his chest, the air beginning to crackle dangerously around him. "I'm not going to leave you to your own devices. You're too smart for that."

"Then I'll help. Get me a new gun and I'll go with you," I stated, not knowing what else to do. He wasn't going to let me out of his sight. Not now that he knew that I would kill myself if I absolutely needed to.

"You are not going to be anywhere near those monsters," Lucifer said softly. "You are being ridiculous. We'll find another way."

Michael clicked his tongue. "Finally have something worth protecting, Lucia? I'll give it to you, you know how to pick them." Michael's eyes moved over me with some sort of hunger in them that made me feel extremely small. "She'll be coming with us. I'm not leaving her alone and I don't trust her around my angels. And as for you..." He rested a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Your vessel is falling apart. It's old and useless and reeks of demons." Michael's nose scrunched up in disgust. "Your powers have outgrown it."

I gave a confused look. Lucifer didn't mention anything about it. How long had he been hiding it? I thought Crowley had fixed it, but maybe it just hadn't been a powerful enough spell. Or maybe now that he had most of his grace back, it just wasn't holding him. Nick hadn't been his true vessel anyways. It had always been Sam.

"You went down far too easily with that punch. We need to fix that, don't we brother."

There was a blinding light and I put my hands up, Dean's jacket helping block out some of the light. And when I could open my eyes again, I could only stare. He had tousled dirty blonde hair, which was thick and lustrous. His eyes were a mesmerising deep blue that flecks of silvery light performed ballets throughout. His face was strong and defined, his features molded from granite. He had dark eyebrows, which sloped downwards in a serious expression. His usually playful smile had drawn into a hard line across his face. It was still him. Still Lucifer. Still Nick's body. Just so much younger, so much more full of life.

"That should hold you better," Michael muttered. "You said Syria, right?" He snapped his fingers and I stumbled into Lucy, who caught me and held me in place.

I could only stare. We were no longer in a forest. I stared out across vast open space. We stood on the top of a ridge, overlooking and endless sea of rocky land. Near to us, below, was a single tree with green branches twisting high into the desert air. A breeze blew dust around us, the air sticky and hot. I could see a dozen or so djinn around the tree, their tattoos shining in the bright sun, as if they were brand new.

"He's the plan. Lu and I will go down there and get the fruit. And you..." Michael turned to look at me, his dark skin catching the sun in an oddly beautiful way. "You will stay up here and take out any of the djinn that may overrun us."

I gave a confused look. "With what?" He gave another impatient snap and long barreled rifle with a scope and tripod appeared on the edge of the outcropping we were on. "I'm not a sniper."

"If you want to Lucy-Lou to live, you will be," Michael threatened. The smile he gave was brilliantly blinding. "Lu, come with me." Michael started towards a slope and I glanced back at Lucifer, who's new face had me taken aback.

"We'll make it through this," he assured, quickly stealing a kiss. "Shoot straight. Hit Michael if you truly wish to." He was trying to tease, but there was no smile on his face. He gave a sigh as his name was called again and slowly turned from me.

"Lucy!" I called, causing him to stop and turn, his now loose fitting clothes blowing in the wind. "I love you."

A light filled his eyes and a bright smile came to his lips. "I love you too, sunbeam." With that, he turned away and followed Michael down the slope to where the tree was.

I moved to the gun and lowered myself down, trying to get into the best position I could across the warm rocks. I never really used a rifle before, but I was sure I could figure it out. I had watched my dad shoot them before. I could do this.

I looked over the gun and found the hammer and safety. I released the safety and pulled back the hammer, hearing a click as the bullet was lined up in the chamber. I pressed the butt of the gun against my shoulder and looked down the scope.

What was I doing? What the fuck was I doing? I wanted to scream. This wasn't me. It was one thing to go on a hunt and kill things that were hurting other people, but this wasn't the situation. Michael was going to slaughter these djinn and I had to help. This was so wrong. But what could I possibly do to fix it? And the only way I could kill the djinn was if I was lucky enough to hit them in the head. And even then I wasn't sure if that would work. Silver and lambs blood was the best bet.

I groaned and watched as Lucifer and Michael came into the djinn's view. Several jumped up from where they were stationed and ran towards the angels. With a wave of his hand, Michael sent a few flying. Lucifer simply followed. I knew he didn't like this anymore than I did.

But when I saw more racing towards him from behind, I had to do something. Anything. My finger took its place on the trigger and I held my breath as I pulled. The kickback was more than what I had accounted for and the gun slammed into my shoulder, having not been pushed tightly enough against me. I winced. I would be bruised there later.

But I had hit where I wanted to. The djinn was still alive, clutching his leg. If i could just keep them down, then I wouldn't feel so quiet to bad. The next few shots were easy enough, hitting legs and making the djinn crumble to the ground.

And Michael had finally reached the tree. I watched as he shoved a djinn out of the way one jumped onto Lucifer's back. There was another kickback and Lucifer was free. I aimed my gun towards the tree and took a shot. Michael jumped, pulling his hand back as the bullet hit the bark of the tree, not going where I wanted it to in the slightest. He gave me a dark look and I quickly did my best to line up the shot again.

I inhaled deeply and once again, took the shot. There was a crack and I could see the tree branch I had been aiming at begin to splinter and fall to the ground, the fruit now in easy enough reach.

"You better watch your aim, sweetheart," Michael hissed, sending me tumbling to the forest floor with a shove. He tossed one of the fruits into the air before catching it as Lucifer raced over and held out his hand to me to pull me from the ground. He kept his hand in mine, and held me back as I tried to take a step towards Michael, my blood boiling. "Where's the next ingredient?"

I clenched my teeth and could feel blood dripping down my elbow from where I had hit a rock. I didn't notice the pain though, I was far too upset to feel the pain. "You killed them. All of them," I hissed, against trying to move, but Lucifer took a fist full of Dean's jacket and held me in place, somehow stronger now than he had been.

"Look, I know you were trying very hard to be all heroic and stuff, but that's not really my style, sweetie. Ingredient, please. And don't make me ask again."

"Go to hell," I hissed.

Michael chuckled with a nod. "As much as I love your fire, you need to learn your place." A bright ball of light appeared in his hands and he shot it at me. There was a tug on my jacket and I was pulled aside by Lucifer, who took the full blow of it, being knocked from his feet and to the ground. He groaned and coughed as he curled up in a ball. There was another laugh from Michael. "That was really sweet, you know? Really something."

I jumped as the angel appeared next to me. He snatched up my wrist and twisted it behind my back. A sharp pain radiated down my arm and dropped me to my knees with a cry. He was going to break it. I was sure of it.

"I'm sorry!" I gasped out. "It's in the Men of Letters' chapter house in Portsmouth, Rhode Island!" He pushed harder on my wrist and I could feel tears again rolling down my cheeks. "I'm sorry!" I cried again, unsure of what else to do or say. "I-I'm sorry."

"Stop!" I could hear Lucifer order, his voice stronger now that it had been when we had first been stuck here. The grip on me released and I pulled my arm to my chest, rubbing my wrist and forearm. "Elizabeth?"

"I'm fine," I whispered, keeping my eyes down at my lap. I couldn't look at Michael. I couldn't be strong anymore. Not right now. Not when everything I had done was null and void.

"We'll work on that tomorrow," Michael stated. I looked up curiously. "You need sleep, right? That's something humans do, isn't it?" I nodded, taking in my surroundings more fully now. The stars were out and the moon was up. "That's settled then. You get rest and we'll continue in the morning. I'm sure the rest of your group can handle one more night without you."

"I'm sorry," Lucifer whispered across the darkness of the room. I could only make out the shadow of his figure, sitting across the cell from me. Moonlight was scarce and mostly glistened off the bars of the cell. "I didn't protect you like I should have."

I got to my knees and crawled across the room and across the angel's trap he sat in. It was odd that this was beginning to be a common occurence now. I sat beside him and pulled my knees in close to me, shivering at the cold stone floor under us. I could feel him shuffle beside me and I felt his jacket being draped around me.

"You ok?"

"My grace is up. I don't feel the cold," he assured, wrapping his arm around me. I settled down into him and felt him kiss my head. "I'm so sorry. He won't touch you anymore. Not if I can help it."

"It's not like you just let it happen," I said back to him. "I'm ok. Let's just get this over with." I yawned and snuggled into his warm body.

"Get some sleep, sunbeam," he said softly, his fingers playing with my hair. I nodded with another yawn, closing my eyes.

But when I opened them again, I was in Ketch's bunker. I blinked several times and looked around me curiously. Had Michael all been a bad dream? My fingers went to my neck and found where the angel blade had made a cut. It wasn't a dream. Then what was this?

"Elly?"

"Alex?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed as I walked around the room to find her. "Where are you?" I stopped when I saw her body fast asleep in a chair closer to the kitchen, a beer in her hand. "What's going on?"

"Are you in a jail cell?" Alex's voice asked, echoing around my head. I pulled a chair over to her body and sat down beside her.

"And you're drunk," I answered back.

"I wasn't sure how else to reach you, but I did it!" She sounded relieved and excited. "I just thought that maybe if I tried really hard that since we were back in different worlds that maybe I could reach you."

"Alex, we need to talk. It's important."

"We're trying to find a way to come and get you," she interrupted me hurriedly. "Gabe's trying to save up his grace and Cas and Dean went to go get more fruit."

"Alex, listen to me. We're going to be coming through most likely some time tomorrow."

"What? How?"

I watched as Ketch entered the room and looked over Alex with a shake of his head. He pulled the beer from her hand and set it on the table beside me, obviously not able to see me. He then scooped her up in his arms and carried her into his room.

"He really loves you," I whispered.

"Ketch?" she questioned, taken aback. She quickly changed the subject. "Elly, I don't know how long we can keep this connection open. What was it you needed to tell me?"

"The only way I've been able to keep us alive was telling Michael how to get through the rift. We're getting the last of the ingredients tomorrow and then..." I trailed off taking a deep breath and rubbing my eyes. "He's powerful. More so than Lucifer. I honestly have no idea what to do."

"We'll figure it out on our end. We'll be ready for you to come through. I'll call Bobby and Charlie and convince Crowley. Maybe Jody and Donna can come by? And we still have Gabe and Cael. I don't know how far out they are. But we'll figure it out."

"I'm don't want to ruin anything on the other side."

"What is supposed to happen?"

I was silent for a moment. "Dean let's him in, they kill lucifer and then Michael takes over."

"And then what?" Alex demanded sharply.

I sat back in the chair and took the beer bottle, drinking some of it. My face scrunched up in disgust. Maybe I just wasn't meant to drink. "I don't know. The season ended and then I ended up here. I honestly have no clue what happens next. Dean wears a stupid hat?"

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen. We'll end Michael here and now. He won't leave this bunker."

"I love you Alex."

There was a sad laugh from her. "You sound like this is goodbye. We're going to get you back over here."

"Ok." I gave a sigh. "He keeps flirting with me."

"What? Who? This new fancy looking Lucifer?"

I gave a small laugh. "No Michael."

"And all of heaven fell for the blonde girl whose blue eyes looked so innocent."

"Oh shut up!" I said with a laugh, getting from my chair. "Hey Alex..."

Sunlight blinded me and I blinked several times in the light before sitting up and stretching. My body was stiff from having sept on the floor of the cell. "You feel off today, Elizabeth," I heard Lucy's voice whisper against my ear. "Are you alright?"

"I was able to speak to Alex last night," I replied, turning to look at him. I was taken aback at his new face for a moment. He was still him.

"Do you know how absolutely dangerous and stupid that was?" he asked, sitting up fully now. His hands went to my face and he looked over me. I smiled, trying to push his hands away. "Everytime she does that, she uses part of your soul. You know this."

"I'm ok," I tried to assure him, holding his hands still. My eyes met his bright ones and sighed. "I'm ok." My heart fluttered as he pulled me closer, kissing me deeply.

"That's really quite touching," a sneer voice commented. We broke apart and Lucifer lowered his hands from me. "It must have been nice to find the only person in the whole universe who could possibly love you. And a human noless. It must be one of those little flaws you complained about to father."

"Are we going to find the Seal of-" I broke off as Michael held up a chain with a deep purple crystal on the end of it.

"'Commanded unto his priests bind my seal. But the jewel was of the cosmos,'" Michael answered, quoting Solomon. ""A crystal that glowed with an unearthly light.'"

"And the blood?" I asked, getting to my feet and moving to the bars of the cage.

"I've got that covered, sweetie. Now, what's the last piece?"

"I'll tell you when it's time to do the spell," I replied. I had the upper hand now, as long as he didn't attempt to torture me again. I couldn't handle that again.

He smiled and shook his head. "Today is not a day to be testing my patience, sweetie," he whispered, his hand reaching out and caressing my face through the bars. I stepped back and out of his grasp. "Here, break the trap." He held out his hand that had just been empty and revealed a pocket knife.

I hesitated, but took the knife from his hand and went to the angel trap, scraping at the paint on the floor until the sigal was broken and he could step out. Michael pulled open the door and stepped aside, letting both of us out, one at a time.

We stepped out and into the forest, being lead further and further into the dense trees. The further we went, the more angels I could see starting to appear from the trees. He was planning on taking an army through.

Had I left Alex with enough time? When had she woken up? Did she have hours, or had it been minutes? I couldn't keep stalling for her. I couldn't keep playing with Michael. He scared me so deeply, I was surprised I wasn't frozen in place.

"Here will be fine," he called, causing us to fully stop.

I turned back around to face the archangel, sliding the knife he had given me into my back pocket. He didn't seem to notice. Instead he held out the seal to me. I glanced back at Lucifer who had a weary look on his face. His feet were spread apart, ready to fight if needed. I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but I don't think he was convinced.

I walked over to Michael and reached out for the seal, but he snatched me up and pulled me up against him, arm around my middle. He was too strong for me to move. He simply held me there. I looked back to Lucifer who had worry plastered across his face. He licked his lips and took a step forward. I tried to struggle in the grip that held me, but there was nothing I could do to move.

"Stop fighting, Sunbeam," Lucy instructed, taking the seal from Michael's grasp.

"Let's listen to little Lucy, Sunbeam," Michael whispered in my ear, a smirk in his tone. "I like that name. It definitely fits her, doesn't it Lou-Lou? Her soul is as bright as the sun and just as hot." I didn't like the tone he used, it was like when drug dealers had flirted with me. It was unsafe. Lucy's jaw clenched tightly, his eyes a brilliant red. "Let's behave now, Lucifer. You know I can snap her in half so easily." His grip around my waist tightened and I gasped as the air was pushed from my lungs. My spine popped and cracked, my teeth clenched at the pressure that was building, squeezing my insides like a corset.

"Where's the rest of it?" Lucifer asked through gritted teeth.

Michael's grip relaxed and he nodded to a bag that one of the angel's held. I nodded and with a single blink, Lucy's eyes had changed back to their silvery blue. He moved over and ripped the bag from the angel's grip and knelt down to start digging through the items. He pulled out a bowl and tossed the seal into it. Next was the fruit. He broke it in two, the seeds spilling into the bowl. And then the vile of blood that was poured over the items, dark and thick.

"What's the last piece?" Michael asked, his breath hot against my ear.

"Something that has already been to the world," I replied back, trying to ignore how close his mouth was to me. "You can use my hair."

The laugh was loud in my ear. "That was what you were hiding from me, Sunbeam? A lock of your hair? You had me on a rope for that?"

Lucifer stepped over to me and reached out, taking a small lock of my hair. Michael's free hand held out his angel blade that looked different from the ones that Cas used. The blade was twisted in a spiral. Lucifer took the knife and cut through my hair. He put my hair in the bowl and turned back to Michael with a deep breath.

I winced as Lucy pulled the blade across his neck, letting silvery grace fall into the bowl, before passing the blade back to Michael. He healed his neck and set the bowl down.

"Sunbeam, the spell please," Michael said, walking me closer to the bowl.

"Koth Munto Notox," I said, doing my best to not piss him off.

There was a ringing and crackling as the golden light appeared, opening up the rift. Michael pulled me closer to the rift, Lucifer trying to get stay beside me. Michael turned me around, holding me still tightly against his body. His eyes looked over my face before he leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"I like you Sunbeam. You have the heart of a lion. I have a deal for you." His voice was like a dead man's lullaby as it rang through my skull, as if he were somehow in my head. "You come with me, help me take over this new world and you and I will rule it all. Heaven, Hell, Earth. You will be a queen. Feared and loved."

My hand slipped into my back pocket, trying to be as careful as I could. "And if I say no?"

"I will kill everyone you love in front of you. How's that sunbeam?" His hand snatched my chin and he pulled me to look at him fully. I gave a small nod and he smiled. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" He pulled me to him, kissing me. I was too shocked to think right away.

"Elizabeth!"

Lucifer's voice broke me from my trance and I pulled the knife from my back pocket, flipping it open and stabbing it into Michael's chest. He dropped me and I scrambled away from him. He laughed angrily, pulling the blade from his chest and dropping it to the forest floor. Lucifer had pulled me behind him and was pushing me back towards the rift.

"Go through it," he whispered back to me. "Get out of here."

But I couldn't make myself leave. Not without him.

With a wave of his hand, Michael sent Lucifer flying back and into a tree. There was a crack and the sound of wood splitting and I could only watch as the tree began to tumble over. My attention was snapped back as a cold hand clasped around my neck, pulling me from my feet. I clawed at his wrist, drawing blood and gasping for air as the grip tightened.

"I was trying to be nice, Sunbeam," he hissed, tightening his grip all the more.

When I felt like I was going to pass out, my lungs screaming, I was tossed aside. In a whooshing sound, I hit the ground and slid across it, into something hard and sharp. There was a crack as my head smacked against something and I moaned, curling into a ball, clutching at where I had hit my head.

"Elly!"