Chapter 9

Death's Reckoning

Drink in one hand, Azrael's blade in the other, Lucifer turned his gaze out the window as the elevator doors closed. Though the night sky still refused to give him answers, tonight he was grateful for its presence – open, whole, receptive, there. The night sky wasn't deceptive. It simply was.

But it could be so much more all at once. The stars it held within its black canvas were dazzling. And the moon, a mirror to the sun, cast its silvery light upon the land. The night was dark, but it was also bright.

She had compared him to the night once. It had been an offhanded comment – as if she hadn't really thought about it before it slipped from her lips and didn't think to take it back. She never explained why she had made the comparison, and Lucifer had been left to wonder. Even now, as he stared out into that dark expanse, he still could only barely fathom what she had meant.

Letting out a sigh, Lucifer turned and walked back to his bar's counter. After downing the rest of his drink, he set the glass back on the countertop, and with a wary look at Azrael's blade, he set it down too, resting his hand on its handle.

He had lost his temper. Quite quickly, almost too easily. It had been like a fiery rage had suddenly engulfed him and refused to let go until the challenge against him was taken back. What had been an internal defensive need to make himself clear became an outward lashing out.

Lucifer took his hand off of the blade, stepping away from it. He didn't think it would have been able to have any effect on him – and it didn't, not in the way it affected humans. He felt no strong urges to go out on a killing spree, but there was a deeper stirring. One that he'd rather not be feeling right now. Or at all for that matter.

But he had the blade. Now all he had to do was get rid of it – for good this time. Hopefully (as if anything ever went according to any plan) without celestial intervention that somehow managed to prevent the blade from being taken away. Hopefully the celestial intervention (assuming that there would be one, which was likely considering the increasing involvement regarding all of the angels) would actually take the stupid thing back.

Lucifer wasn't sure what he'd do with the blade otherwise. Hiding it in the woods obviously wasn't a good idea, whoever's genius plan that was anyway. Then again, he was the one who had the map leading there and thought it would be fine to leave the blade buried in a fake grave.

Maybe he would have to keep it closer at hand. In the wall perhaps? Surely, Mum wouldn't think to look there. As long as she didn't find it as easily as she had that stupid map. Lucifer should have just burned that thing.

At the fluttering sound of wings, Lucifer turned, plastering a smile on his face. "Kemuel, if this is about the blade you left here..." He trailed off, smile faltering, at the sight of the angel – who was most definitely not Kemuel – leaning back on the glass railing of his balcony.

The angel of death smiled, her even darker eyes somehow shining in the dim lighting. She looked more like a shadow than anything, only her tooth-filled smile and the whites of her eyes giving any indication that she had a different color than black on her being.

He corrected his greeting. "Azrael. Lovely seeing you here, though I was expecting someone else… Come for your blade, I take it?"

"Amenadiel wasn't wrong about the blade not belonging on Earth," she murmured.

Lucifer frowned at that. While he hadn't interacted much with the younger angels, he had gotten to know some of the older ones, like Azrael herself. He didn't envy the angel of death's job. He didn't feel bad for her either. At least she didn't have to be in the presence of the damned souls that she helped deliver to Hell every bloody minute. Azrael had barely given Lucifer a glance whenever she dropped off another set of souls.

"So then take it back up to wherever you keep this thing," Lucifer scoffed, waving a hand at in a wild gesture. Turning his back on the angel of death, he couldn't help but stare at the blade, think about what it could do, could cause…

"No can do."

Lucifer spun back around. "What?! Why not?" he demanded.

"Per Dad's orders," Azrael answered simply, her head slightly tilting to the side along with an eyebrow being raised.

Azrael didn't have time to react before a hand was wrapped around her throat, pushing her over the railing to the point where she was dangerously close to being pushed over the edge. She kept one hand on the railing and the other she used to grasp at Lucifer's arm. The angel didn't need to breathe, not really, but that didn't keep the tightening grip around her neck from hurting. There would most likely be bruises the following day.

"What does He have to do with this, huh?" Lucifer seethed, shooting his red gaze upwards. "What do You want?!"

Azrael wasn't able to answer. Lucifer didn't want one from her anyhow. Still, Azrael wasn't fond of being pushed around like this, especially not when she was having a relatively bad day already.

All it took was a simple push to send Lucifer flying off of her. Archangel or not, Lucifer had cut off his wings and burned them. In terms of power, any of the angels old enough to remember his fall could hold their own against him. Azrael had been around for a good while before Samael fell.

Lucifer's head hit the end of his couch with a soft thud, though at the moment the only thing hurt was his pride. He didn't get back up immediately, stalled by the sight of Azrael's midnight black wings that blended into the sky behind her. But she wasn't letting anything else of her true appearance show (yet), which meant she wasn't completely pissed off (yet).

And for some reason, Lucifer took that as a challenge. It also seemed that Azrael was encouraging his reaction to said challenge, which really just made him all the more riled. Red eyes glared into obsidian black ones – where there was a hint of silver beginning to peek through.

Her head cocked to the side and an obvious smirk on her face, Azrael fanned her wings out in a daring display. Your move, it said.

Now, logically, it really should have been clear that one should proceed with reason instead of letting the acts turn into a full on fight; however, apparently, Lucifer just wasn't connecting to the more logical part of his brain tonight… So, they fought.

It didn't last long. There were many punches thrown, legs kicked, elbows jabbed. But Lucifer got in very few blows. Of course, Azrael only got one or two in herself. Many of the attacks were either blocked or dodged. Unfortunately for Lucifer, Azrael managed to kick him in the nuts and then pinned him face down to the ground while he was stunned.

"This is not a position I like to be in," Lucifer muttered, his nose somewhat squashed into the tile beneath him.

"And I don't like to be hanging over a balcony railing several stories above the ground," she retorted back, grinding her knee further into his lower back to put emphasis on her words.

Lucifer knew how to get out of this awkward hold. If he could just—

The wrist of his arm that was being pulled back was suddenly twisted harshly. A soft grunt was all that indicated the pain that ran up his arm. Clearly it had been a discouragement to him taking back control of the situation. Still, how had she even known what he'd been about to do?

"Dad had me get extra lessons from Michael for whenever I had to travel to Purgatory," Azrael answered the unspoken question. "Uriel might have been using patterns to be one step ahead of your every move, but I'm just using skill. And you're rusty."

Lucifer let out a scoff. Though he did have to admit, the statement wasn't all that inaccurate. "Fine, so you were able to best me in a little spat. Good for you."

"Now, now, dear Luci, don't be a sore loser," Azrael chuckled above him. "I can't blame you for being out of practice while I'm still in my prime… even though I'm not that much younger than you."

"Will you get off of me now?" Lucifer grumbled, not missing the implication that he was old.

"Promise to apologize to Kemuel next time you see her, and I'll think about it."

Lucifer's face scrunched up into a frown. He did not promise to apologize. When he did ever apologize, it would be on his terms (and most likely spur of the moment) – not because someone threatened him into it. "Why would I do that?"

"You've got to be kidding me," he heard her mutter. "I don't see why she keeps trying with you," she continued, louder. "You're so dense."

"Enlighten me, then," Lucifer huffed, squirming in place a little bit. The position was already uncomfortable without her now pressing his face into the ground with her hand that wasn't twisting his wrist.

Azrael let out a sigh as she loosened her grip and backed off marginally, giving Lucifer some more room to move. It wasn't like she was actually trying to hurt him, but Lucifer sometimes needed weird forms of persuasion when one wanted him to listen. Of course, forcing Lucifer to do anything was a bad idea, but some force was required when you were in a pinch to get him to stop in order to listen.

"Do I really have to spell it out?" Azrael then leaned down to whisper in his ear. "She's having to sneak down here to see you and make sure you get your happy ending, and what do you do? You throw a tantrum about it."

Lucifer frowned. "I—"

"Ah-ah! I'm not finished," she tsked. "Now, I didn't think this would have to be explained to you, but you don't get mad at the angel who wanted to go to Hell to visit you— especially when she's risking her life just by coming here!"

Lucifer was cringing by the end as Azrael was then yelling in Enochian right beside his ear. And apparently she still wasn't done yet, though at least she'd switched back to English.

"What do you think's going to happen when Mom finds out Kem was the one who set Her up to go to Hell?! She's already in Her sights because she helped lock Her up, but Mom is a vengeful bitch who doles out unjust punishments! She will destroy Kemuel!

"A lot of us don't care if you stay on Earth or even about what you do down here. Just don't drag Heaven down with you, you selfish prick," she hissed into his ear as she finished.

Lucifer let her words sink in. She had a point, obviously. And the single fact that the others in Heaven didn't mind that he was on Earth made his chest burn with something he didn't quite want to recognize. Still, she had called him a selfish prick, and while that wasn't entirely untrue…

Azrael let out a noise of alarm as she was abruptly thrown off of Lucifer. He scrambled to his feet as she rolled backwards into a crouch. She was glaring at him, albeit with a hint of respect. Their gazes broke away from each other as Lucifer's eyes were drawn to the blade still on the counter, not all that far away.

"Why does Dad want that thing on Earth?" he questioned after a moment.

Azrael folded her wings onto her back as she stood slowly. "In case of an emergency."

"It's going to cause an emergency," Lucifer shot back, his eyes keeping track of her movements.

She shrugged. "Not my idea to keep it here," she responded while crossing her arms.

Lucifer felt the severe temptation to stride over and smack the other angel. Of course it wasn't her idea – he could tell that Azrael wanted her blade on Earth just as much as he did, which was not at all. Not only could the blade obliterate celestials like himself, but it could also urge any human with a modicum of motive to kill Chloe. It had already come close to taking both of their lives. Lucifer wasn't about to risk that again.

"And… Kemuel?" he inquired with barely a hint of hesitance.

There had to be a reason why she wasn't here. Otherwise, Lucifer knew that she would have come to retrieve the blade herself – if only to visit him. Because that was who she was (as he had come to realize). He had to admit to himself – albeit somewhat reluctantly at first – that Kemuel did genuinely care for him, and that she had gotten mad at him for taking her care the wrong way.

(Look at Lucifer being self-introspective. He's all grown up now… kind of.)

Which was why he had been anticipating for Kemuel to come for the blade, not its owner. Still, Azrael's presence wasn't completely unwarranted. Lucifer could even think of a number of other angels that could have come to retrieve the angel of death's blade. That didn't keep him from being somewhat worried (just slightly) about Kemuel's whereabouts.

"Kem is... indisposed. The Council wants her safe, so she's been grounded indefinitely— in the Silver City that is," Azrael answered carefully.

Something in Lucifer wilted at the news. It would appear that he wouldn't be seeing his little sister for a while. Who knew how it might be before the thirteen member Council of Angels decided that it was safe for Kemuel to visit Earth again... But Kemuel was a bit of a rule-breaker despite her typical angelic morals. If she really wanted to see Lucifer again, she would – Council or no.

—o~O~o—

Chloe took another sip of her wine, breaking her gaze from the restaurant's entrance only as she set the glass back down. He wasn't answering any of her texts. It was getting late, and the time she and Lucifer had agreed upon had already come and passed. Clearly, she was wrong in thinking that maybe Lucifer had asked her here as something important enough to come as well.

"Hello, Ms. Decker."

She almost jumped when a man – not Lucifer – sat down in the chair across from her, settling into the seat as if it was him that was meant to be there and not Lucifer. She wasn't quite sure if that disturbed her more than the stranger knowing her name. She was going with not.

"How do you know who I am?" she demanded, keeping her voice calm.

A flicker of a smile crossed the man's face, and he shook his head. Strands of copper hair fell down, covering part of his face, before he brushed them back. Chloe noticed his weird eyes – they were practically shining even the low lighting of the restaurant. That didn't even take into account the odd shade of green the man's eyes were either.

"I'm one of Lucifer's younger brothers. Of course I know you," he answered somewhat cryptically.

Chloe was left unsure as to what she should say next. This guy was the third sibling of Lucifer's that she had met now, and that wasn't including all of the ones that he had mentioned to her. Just how many brothers and sisters did he have? Not that she was judging.

A waiter came by, and Lucifer's brother ordered a water. Chloe waited until the waiter came back, gave the stranger in front of her the water and then left at the man's polite "thank you" before she asked him, "So, do you have a name?"

As much as she wanted to cringe at the bluntness of her own question, she kept a straight face that didn't betray her emotions. But it didn't look like she had offended Lucifer's brother. In fact, he had a small smile on his face as he set his water down after taking a sip.

"The name's Zadkiel," he answered.

Chloe couldn't help but let out an irritated huff. Of course he was named after what was most likely an angel. That seemed to be a trend in Lucifer's family. It made her wonder how religious their parents were. Again, not judging, but Chloe had looked up some of the names that had been mentioned to her. Some of them were obscure while others she couldn't even find.

She narrowed her eyes at this 'Zadkiel'. "Is there a reason you're here, or do you normally just drop in on a person's night out?"

That smile of his twitched into being, and he tilted his head marginally to the side. "You and I both know by now that he's not coming. It's not either of your faults, but I thought I'd save you from having to sit here all by yourself. I'll even pay for your dinner if you'd like," he offered.

Chloe figured that it wasn't the worst thing Zadkiel could have done. It was… nice of him. It still wasn't going to convince her to let Lucifer off the hook that easily for skipping out on their dinner arrangement. And since when did Lucifer need one of his brothers to cover for him? If anything, this was ticking her off more. Then again, she wasn't finding Zadkiel's company unpleasant. He was far more amicable than Lucifer in a sense – kind of like Kemuel.

"Fine," she said after a moment. "But really, why are you here?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I'm here to assure that the probability of something occurring becomes nonexistent?"

Chloe stared at him. What the hell was that supposed to mean? She got the feeling that he wasn't talking about her (failing) relationship with Lucifer, but that didn't answer her question. "Not really, no."

"Have a bit of faith, Ms. Decker," Zadkiel admonished her, though in a somewhat teasing manner. "To be completely honest with you, though, I'm merely stalling you from leaving until Amenadiel can take care of a… complication."

The waiter arrived with her dinner before she could form a response. She didn't remember ordering anything, but there was now a simple yet fancy sirloin sitting on the table in front of her. Zadkiel's dish came out not a minute later – a salad with some kind of balsamic vinaigrette as the dressing. Okay, when did he order something?

"A complication?" Chloe half asked, half demanded. Whatever was left of her appetite – if she'd had any to begin with – was long gone in favor of questioning Lucifer's supposed younger brother.

"Oh, it's nothing to worry about now. A few minutes ago, yes, but not anymore," he said with a bit of cheer in his voice, clearly pleased that whatever he had kept her from had safely passed.

"You're very sure of yourself," she replied bluntly, glancing down at her silverware and then at her phone – no new notifications.

Zadkiel gave her a brilliant smile. "Well, yes, I have to be in order to manage the rest of my siblings."

Chloe blinked. As odd as that comment was, it made a bit of sense. And she supposed that she could apply it to what she knew of Lucifer's family and then Lucifer himself. But the word that stuck out most was 'manage'. That was the word that made the comment odd. It wouldn't have pricked at her attention much if Zadkiel had used 'take care of' or 'keep an eye on'. But no, he'd used 'manage'.

It implied that there were many of these siblings, and it made her wonder just what kind of family Lucifer had. Adoption. That would explain how Lucifer had such diversity in his siblings, but the way he talked about Amenadiel and his other brothers and sisters, you would think that there was some kind of separation in the family that split some of the older siblings from the younger sets (assuming that there were more than just one 'generation' of younger siblings of course) – maybe even a hierarchy of sorts.

It could also just be that Chloe was reading too deeply into his words of choice. Yeah, right.

Chloe's mind suddenly caught back up with time, and she realized that Zadkiel had finished his salad while she still hadn't even touched her steak. He didn't seem offended, just marginally amused, watching her with a curious stare as if she were a puzzle he was halfheartedly attempting to solve.

The waiter came by again to take Zadkiel's empty plate. He was gone only a minute before he came back around with some kind of box and set it down on the side of the table.

"Can't just let a good sirloin go to waste," Lucifer's brother mused. He must have noticed her blank glance at the box. He must have also then decided that he would comment on it and put her dinner into the take-out box.

She was pretty sure a restaurant like this wouldn't normally have a to-go box. Odd.

Zadkiel flashed that smile of his at her again. "May I walk you to your car?"

Chloe really didn't want to let him. She really didn't. But she also didn't want to be rude. She told him that he could.

It never even came to her attention that a dark skinned man confronted a woman (with a detonator in hand) intent to kill her in the alley beside the restaurant not an hour before she left.

A/N: It's been a long time. I know, but today is a special occasion (I'm officially another year older now) and I figured you people should get a present, too. My apologies if this chapter seems a bit forced or rushed.

Last edited: [1/13/2020]

Guest: Sorry to burst your bubble, but, uh… Rae and Luci really only got into that fight because they were both having bad days and they kind of ticked each other off. And technically while they did come out to a draw, Lucifer got the upper hand at the end, so I suppose you could say he was the one who won. But anyways, you just gave me an idea… XD

shipwreck321: Yay!

Fangirl0103: Will do! (I'm trying at least, lol)