Devils Roses 05 - Death

push the last couple seconds. Push the exertion."
    Ari's wings pull in.
    I sigh and look at Blake. He shakes his head, "We played a lot of WOW and didn’t run, ever."
    "How can we suck at this? We're the smartest people here."
    Marcus walks over and grabs my face, "Orgasming Aimee."
    I feel the flushing in my face and instantly my wings pull back. Blake's do as well.
    "See, you did it." Giselle smiles.
    Marcus shrugs and walks to Henry, "How do we find Lillith?"
    He shakes his face, "She has the power. Impossible. You failed. Now you must prepare."
    I snap, "What does that even mean?"
    Sam looks horrified as if a light bulb has come on for him, "Oh my god. Revelations."
    "What?" Blake asks.
    Henry nods, "The world as you knew it, is over. The world now is broken. You have seven years to fix it before it's too late."
    "Friggen hell. Great. Seven more years."
    Ari beams, "At least I can't switch the time anymore."
    I laugh.
    "Where do we go from here?"
    Henry points at Shane, "His house. Protected lands."
    I laugh. Aleks laughs with me.
    Everyone else shakes his or her head.
    "That stupid Shaman story is true?" Shane asks, making Aleks and I laugh harder.

Epilogue

    Lorri

    The warm breeze billows through the pillar. I look at him and grin. He winks and he's there. He kisses me but then he pulls back, "Wait if you're bloody well here, where are they?" He looks past me.
    I shake my head, "Dorian, I had no choice. She got the magic."
    He pulls back, "How in the bloody hell did that happen?"
    "I don’t know. We were obviously betrayed. Is Michael still here?"
    He shakes his head, "No. Several of them fell recently."
    I grimace, "Then I guess that explains that."
    The warmth is comforting. I sigh, "I missed this place."
    "Have you seen Lydia and Annabelle yet?"
    "No. O and Oliver both here as well?"
    "The whole family. It's a bit intense."
    I hear her shouting and running. I blush. Dorian rolls his eyes, "Of course the human breaking the silence would be with you."
    I look back and smile. She leaps into my arms. We kiss and it's the best feeling ever.
    "This is heaven?" She asks.
    I smile at her, "It is."
    "Is O here?"
    I nod, "Yup. Tristan and Phillip and O and Oliver and Lydia and Annabelle and everyone."
    She grins and I kiss her again. Dorian groans behind me, "Okay, I'm going to go find out about Michael. Someone knows something. I'm certain."
    I close my eyes and let the warmth and peace seep in. After thousands of years believing I would never make it back, I can't believe I am here. With my girl.
    Failure never felt so good.
    "Daughter." I pull back from the kiss. "You hear that?"
    Abbey shakes her head.
    "Daughter."
    I close my eyes and moan, "Be right back." I step away from her and wink to the place. I stand in the shadows again and wait for it.
    The air is still until his words sneak in like the fog, "You failed."
    I nod, the intensity of his voice makes me tremble, "I did father. I'm so sorry."
    "You were betrayed by your brothers."
    Tears leak from my eyes, "I was father."
    "You are my most treasured creation Lucifer. You must know my love for you."
    Dread tries to creep in, but His love is bigger than my own heart. I nod, "I do father."
    "The sacrifice you made was met with unkindness and hatred. Yet you did as I asked. You saved them. You saved them all. The redeemers will save my children."
    I nod and believe the words, "They will father."
    "Thank you Lucifer. I may call upon you again."
    My words become a whisper, "Yes father."
    The air and light moves and leaves me where I am, standing in the shadows. My skin crawls from the intense energy.
    I look up and fight the begging in my mind that doesn’t want to be called on again. Ever.

    Aimee

    The scene is my dream exactly. Bombs have dropped. Destruction is everywhere. People fighting in the anger that has overtaken the planet. Our country is ripe with pain and suffering, but still very far behind the rest of the world. South America is filled with Vampires and Succubus. Lillith has the power to make them all.
    All varieties of demons.
    She moves constantly. Never out of the company that shields her from us. But we fight her darkness with our own. It's a constant battle.
    I look out at the city and sigh. The heat of the midday sun is intense in Rio. I glance at Aleks and grin. I get lost for a second. He shakes his head, "Stop staring at them. It makes me feel weird when you do that."
    "What? You look hot with those in that black t-shirt. That’s