WARNING! This chapter contains some graphic torture! Please read with caution if you are the least bit squeamish!
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Chapter 31
Castiel sat on the hotel bed while he surveyed his new surroundings. It had been three days since he had left Dean and was brought to Lucifer. He had half expected Lucifer to throw him aside, but instead was greeted with open arms. The next day Lucifer had announced that they would be moving to a new location. A place where they would be safer. Castiel had gone with him, not knowing where else to go.
His new "home" was a luxury hotel in Colorado. The hotel was nestled in amongst the mountains, hidden away from the rest of the world. Lucifer's minions had taken care of the hotel staff before Lucifer and Castiel had arrived by possessing their bodies and slaughtering the guests who weren't lucky enough to leave before their arrival. Castiel was fortunate enough not to have witnessed it, but he could see the demons cleaning up the blood in the dining room area.
Lucifer almost seemed excited to bring Castiel to this place. He had been more than accommodating to make sure all of Castiel's needs and wants were met. He was given a room in the largest suite with a view of the surrounding mountains. Any food that Castiel requested was brought to him without hesitation. He wanted for nothing.
But he missed Dean more with each passing day. He wished that he could just forget about him and move on, but he didn't know how. His entire human existence had been spent with Dean Winchester and now he was left on his own with his only companions being Lucifer's minions and Lucifer himself. While it was surprisingly the calmest experience Castiel had as a human, it was also the loneliest.
He had considered calling Dean, just to make sure he was OK and to let him know he was safe. But when Castiel listened to the message Dean had left for him he quickly changed his mind.
"I can't believe you walked out on me, Castiel! This only proves that I was right! You never loved me and I will never forgive you for want you've done to me! Now I know what you really are and I hope I never have to see you again."
All hope for reconciliation was destroyed as Castiel listened to those words. He felt incredibly alone and despite the beauty and luxury surrounding him all he could do was grieve his loss.
It was their second day at the hotel when Castiel heard a knock at his door. When it opened he saw Lucifer enter.
"Hello, Castiel. How are you doing today?"
"Fine," Castiel replied quietly.
"You haven't been out enjoying the hotel. Is something wrong?"
Castiel hesitated before speaking.
"It… it's beautiful here. And I am grateful for all you have done for me, Brother. I just… I've preferred to be alone."
Lucifer nodded solemnly.
"It's that Dean Winchester, isn't it? Still pining over him are you?"
Castiel looked down shamefully.
"I know I shouldn't. I know that I must move on… I just feel… alone."
Lucifer sighed and came over to kneel by Castiel's side.
"I assure you, my brother, that you are not alone here. I am here for you and my mission is to restore you to your former self. To restore you to being the proud soldier for our Father that had no fear or doubts. I wish to only bring you happiness."
Castiel smiled weakly at him.
"Thank you, Lucifer, but I'm afraid that is impossible. My grace is gone. I am fallen. And I doubt our Father wants anything to do with me."
Lucifer studied him carefully before speaking.
"What if that were not true? What if I could help you restore what you have lost?"
Castiel looked over at his brother, his eyes full of fear and mistrust.
"I do not wish to become one of your corrupted minions," Castiel said firmly with only a slight tremble in his voice. "I know what happens to the fallen and I won't become one of them!"
Instead of becoming angry as Castiel had expected, Lucifer chuckled and smiled at him tenderly.
"I would never allow you to become one of those mindless fools that are below me, Castiel. You are truly one of the most beautiful among us in both appearance and in your actions. But you have grown weak by suffering at the hands of others. I cannot sit by any longer and watch you suffer needlessly."
He rose to his feet and held his hand out to Castiel.
"Come, brother. I have brought you a gift."
Castiel hesitated for a moment before rising to his feet and allowing himself to be led out of the room. He followed Lucifer down the hallway and down the stairs to the main level of the hotel. Lucifer brought him to a set of closed doors where he stopped and smiled.
"Your gift is in here, Castiel," Lucifer said warmly. "It was quite difficult to obtain. I do hope you enjoy it."
Castiel cocked his head in confusion having no idea what it could be. Lucifer turned and swung the doors open with a flourish.
"Ta da!" Lucifer announced with a broad smile. Castiel entered the room, still bewildered as to what it could be.
And then he saw it. And he froze in shock and horror.
The room was empty save for two demons who were standing guard and a table in the middle of the room. The room was covered with insignias meant for capturing angels. In an alcove in the middle of the room there were various knives and devices with glowing blue inscriptions on them.
And there was the angel shackled to the table in the center of the room.
Zachariah.
His face was pale and bruised. He was stripped naked save for his underwear. His eyes were wide with terror and his mouth was gagged. Castiel staggered back in horror.
"Wha-what is this?" Castiel gasped. "What is he doing here?"
"I brought him here for you, my brother," Lucifer replied nonchalantly as he took Castiel's arm and led him into the room fully. He brought him up next to the table before letting go of him.
"This angel is a traitor, Castiel," Lucifer explained as if he were teaching a lesson in a classroom. "He has betrayed our Father and spoken blasphemy about him. He also tormented you and caused you a great deal of suffering and punished you unjustly. Now, I bring him before you so you may enact your justice."
Castiel's terrified eyes quickly went from Zachariah to Lucifer and then back again.
"What… I don't understand…"
Lucifer calmly picked up one of the knives that were sitting on the table. Zachariah let out a muffled cry and tried vainly to escape his bonds. Lucifer pointedly ignored him as he studied the knife.
"Justice, Castiel. We cannot allow angels like this one to continue their acts that mock our Father. They each must be brought to justice swiftly. Once our Father sees our loyal acts He will reward us."
Castiel stared at him in shock over what he was hearing.
"You want me to murder him?" Castiel whispered.
Lucifer nodded solemnly. "It is the only way to truly stop them, my brother. You must understand, Castiel, by doing this you will bring about justice for what he did to you, but you will bring glory to our Father. You will be proving your loyalty."
Castiel felt as though he was going to be sick. He looked back at Zachariah who was watching him with terrified eyes. He could see the sweat pouring off the angel's brow as he was forced to lie there on the table. Castiel shook his head desperately and took a step back.
"No… no, I can't do this," Castiel gasped hoarsely. "I can't murder another angel."
Lucifer moved quickly to his side, the blade still in his hand.
"I understand your hesitation, my brother," Lucifer said quietly. "But he is a traitor! I know you have never been one to go against your brethren, but to show your strength you must stand strong and be ready to put a stop to those like this one. Stand strong, Castiel!"
He placed the knife in Castiel's trembling hand. Castiel stared down at Zachariah who was staring back at him, his face full of terror. Reaching out his hand Castiel pulled the gag from Zachariah's mouth.
"What have you to say for yourself?" Castiel barely managed to choke out.
Zachariah gasped in a lungful of air.
"Please… please, Castiel… don't do this… you can't do this to me… forgive me… I'm sorry for what I've done to you… I was wrong!"
"He lies!" Lucifer growled as he moved to the opposite side of the table. "He is a traitor to our Father and brethren! Remove his soul!"
"NO!!!" Zachariah screamed and he began struggling again. "Please no! You can't do this, Castiel! Don't listen to him!"
Castiel felt beads of sweat begin to trickle down the back of his neck. He remembered what Zachariah had done to him at the warehouse. He remembered the beatings he received when he was dragged back to Heaven. He remembered vividly the mocking words Zachariah had spoken to him and the things he had forced him to do to Dean. He raised the knife into the air and he knew all eyes were on him. Zachariah deserved to die for everything he had done.
And then Castiel remembered Anna. And he remembered how taking her life had made him feel.
His arm that held the knife dropped limply at his side. He closed his eyes and a tear trickled down his cheek.
"I can't," Castiel whispered. "I just can't…"
He felt Lucifer come up alongside of him and take the knife from his hand.
"Do not be hard on yourself, Castiel," Lucifer said softly. "You are a gentle soul and that is one of the reasons I love you, my brother."
Lucifer pressed a gentle kiss to Castiel's forehead.
"Go rest, my brother. I shall take care of this so you needn't be bothered by it."
Castiel weakly turned and staggered out of the room feeling completely drained. Lucifer carefully watched him until he saw him go up the stairs. When he saw Castiel was no longer in sight Lucifer signaled for the doors to be shut. He then turned back around and gave Zachariah a warm smile.
"You are a foolish angel," Lucifer said in a gentle tone. "You turned away one of your most loyal soldiers and gave him to me. I thank you for such a beautiful gift, Zachariah. Truly I have become very fond of Castiel. Once I restore his powers he can be my equal someday. And our Father will smile down on us for eliminating the corrupt like yourself."
Zachariah shook his head furiously.
"God is no more," Zachariah ground out. "He cares nothing for what has happened and He certainly cares nothing about you and that abomination you call your brother!"
Lucifer frowned at Zachariah's words. He leaned in close and pressed the blade to the angel's forearm.
"I must ask that you never refer to my brother in such a manner ever again, Zachariah," Lucifer said coolly.
With that he dug the blade deep into Zachariah's left forearm and dragged it up to his elbow. Zachariah let out a scream of pain that Lucifer smiled at.
"Ah, such a beautiful sound. Reminds me of home," he said with a sigh before leaning in and lapping up the blood that gushed out of the open wound.
Zachariah continued to scream in agony when Lucifer finally stood back up and motioned for the demons in the room into action. They grabbed buckets which were set under each arm and gathered the blood that began seeping down after Lucifer sliced into his left forearm.
"Have you ever tasted angel blood, Zachariah?" Lucifer asked calmly over the angel's screams. "No? It's quite delicious, especially fresh. A true delicacy. Difficult to acquire, naturally. You angels can be quite tricky to capture. But my loyal minions have moments of being rather clever as you saw when they brought you to me."
"You'll never get away with this!" Zachariah cried out through the haze of pain. "We will stop you!"
Lucifer paused to think on Zachariah's words before calmly shaking his head.
"No, I'm afraid you will have nothing to do with it, Zachariah."
With that Lucifer carefully sliced into Zachariah's chest and began cutting him open. Zachariah screamed in terror and pain as Lucifer calmly sliced away enough of the flesh to reveal the vessel's insides while blood gushed out of the body with each of the newly exposed heart's beats. Lucifer reached inside and grasped the beating heart.
"Ego sum Lucifer, Dux quod Rex rgis of Regnum of Underdark. Capio vestri venia quod propono vobis meus vox. Ego vindico vos in nomen nostri Abbas pro vestri delictum, Zachariah. Vos vadum exsisto haud magis!"
Zachariah's grace exploded from the vessel in a bright light, instantly destroying the two other demons in the room. Lucifer, however, calmly watched the display and saw the grace slide into a glass vial sitting in the alcove. The now-empty vessel went limp, lifeless eyes staring up at nothing.
Lucifer, still unruffled by what had just occurred, walked over to the alcove and picked up a clean white hotel towel and began wiping the blood off his hands despite his shirt and pants being saturated with the liquid. He looked over to where the two demons had been and frowned.
"I'll be needing more help around here," he mused to himself.
