Husk has seen a lot of odd shit since he died back in the seventies, but he's never seen this. Everyone knows that the Shade lives in the woods behind Alastor's house, fewer people know that they're part of Alastor, and even fewer know they can be killed.
Husk had come downstairs after hearing a ruckus only to open the front door of the bar and find the Shade sprawled over the sidewalk. Their eyes are screwed shut in an expression of agony, vivid green blood spreading in a rapidly growing pool beneath them. Their death wound is obvious, cut open from groin to gullet, exposing pieces of blackened bones and viscera.
"Satan wept," Husk mutters in dumb shock. He must be standing there for a good ten minutes when there's a rustle of activity on his left. He turns, swinging his fist and barely stopping it before he can take Alastor out. Somehow he doesn't think Alastor would handle a broken nose well.
"I felt it," Alastor says, whisper-soft. His eyes are focused on the Shade, a bright, glowing red. His power comes off him in pulsing waves, arcane symbols wavering in and out like an aura. "I came as soon as the pain started, but…."
"They weren't killed here." There isn't any splatter across the door or the walls, just that pool. It's growing and growing, nearly touching Husk's bare feet. He shuffles back to avoid it, unable to help his wince.
"No, they were killed near my tower. The real question is who knew they could be killed and why were they left here? If it's supposed to be a message, then it's not a very clear one."
"My guess is that whoever did this wanted you to know how close they can get without you sensing them." Alastor's lip curls back to reveal yellowed fangs, a low hiss of static rolling out like a growl. "Did you sense 'em?"
"No." The word is a deep rumble that vibrates the air around them, better than any movie theater's surround sound. The air behind him shimmers, purple smoke coalescing into Angel. He's wringing his secondary hands like a worried soccer mom, shifting anxiously from foot to foot. "Did you sense anyone on the property?"
"Nah," Angel says. "Didn't even know somethin' was wrong 'till you bounced." Angel is dressed in a pair of shorts and slippers, the shorts on backwards. They must have been sleeping and Angel had thrown the shorts on hastily when Alastor went on the hunt. "Who the fuck has the power to do that to the Shade?"
"Someone powerful." Alastor snaps his fingers, the Shade slowly dissipating until only the green blood is left. "Whoever it is, I hope they've made arrangements because I'm going to tear them limb from limb."
Charlie is restless, brows pinched together as she paces back and forth in front of Lucifer's bed. He watches her through bleary eyes, wondering if he should maybe call her therapist? Maybe let her tire herself out? Ice cream? He's stuck on the pint of Ben and Jerry's in the freezer when Charlie finally stops.
"Daddy," she whines.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" She's done this before, back when Lillith would call to check in and then disappear for months at a time. Abandonment issues are a real bitch.
"I think something's wrong."
"Like what?" Again, nothing new. Charlie's always been an anxious little thing. Can't sleep at night unless she has the cat by her feet, can't go swimming unless her hair is braided, can't have a good day at school unless she sees a cow. This is familiar territory, Lucifer just has to wake up enough to remember the routine.
"I think someone died." And, boy, does that wake him up. Lucifer rips the blankets off and rushes out of bed, tripping over his own feet and nearly falling face-first into the closet. He catches himself with a grunt, using his hold on the closet door to launch himself in Charlie's direction. He lands on his knees in front of her, putting them at eye-level. This close he can see the hints of red in her otherwise brown eyes, little specks that glow brightly in the dimmed light.
"What do you mean, baby? Did you have a bad dream or—"
"There's a voice sometimes." She sways gently back and forth, eyes going glassy. Is this self-soothing or something to do with her magic? "I hear it at night, sounds like the wind." Her words come out on a dreamy sigh, those flecks of red glowing ever brighter.
"What does the voice say?" He's careful to match her pitch, not wanting to startle her. If this really is her magic, then it's volatile. At this age, Lucifer nearly set Gabriel's hair on fire because he wanted to hold a star in his hands.
"Heaven isn't secure. Uncle Jesus tol' me that the angels have grown soft." Charlie brings a hand up to clasp her earlobe, a gentle pressure that soothes her when the world is too much. "Soft people can be taken care of if you have the right magic." Her brows furrow, a deep crease forming between them. "But people have to die for you to steal their magic. Barriers need to be broken."
"Do you know who told you that? Do you recognize their voice?"
"No." She shakes her head slowly, still gently swaying. "But they're bad, Daddy. They said they stole Al's shadow." She blinks back to herself, power firmly tamped down beneath her endless curiosity. "How do you steal someone's shadow?" If the Shade is dead, then Alastor's property is in danger. If someone's powerful enough to do that, then they've been amassing power for a while.
"I don't know, baby. How about I call Mister Vee and see if we can have a slumber party at their house?" Charlie brightens at that, running back to her room to pack a bag or seven. Lucifer stands slowly, waiting until he can no longer hear her giggles before he grabs his phone off the nightstand.
Three rings and then a voice.
"Now's not a good time—"
"Is the Shade dead?" Silence apart from gasping breaths, like Angel's been running. It's a ridiculous thought, Angel doesn't run, not unless he and Alastor are playing one of their little games during rutting season. "Angel?"
"Yeah…." Lucifer sucks in a sharp breath, the overhead lights glowing and dimming with the surge of his power. No one's been able to take out the Shade in the twenty years since they were created, not even Adam and his pet Exorcist. "Lou, somethin' is really wrong."
"I know. Stay with the Vees, I'll summon the council."