I pushed the door to the After open and stepped through. It was always so warm here, but never uncomfortable. There was a soft orange red hue to the light which made it feel welcoming.
This was my first time visiting the after without Lily. Every other time I had come here, she’d guided me, even though she had said I didn’t need her or anyone’s permission to visit. Until now, it hadn’t felt right.
The stronghold rose up on the right, and I headed for the doorway that I had a key for. It wasn’t the main entrance, but Lily and Luce had said that it was the one they used the most.
It led into a cozy, stone and tile kitchen, with a fire burning merrily in the hearth. There was a worn and roughhewn table at the one end, welcoming, with a small vase containing a bouquet of daisies.
On the far wall, before the hall that led into the rest of the stronghold, were a series of pulls for the bells that rang around the living quarters. I pulled the one that said Master, and walked over to the refrigerator.
A real, working, electric refrigerator. In Hell.
And stocked with water, beer, wine, and some nice fruits.
I chose a bottle of water and sat at the table to wait. I knew that my brother wasn’t expecting me, but he would be happy to see me.
This was damn weird.
I sipped and glanced around, wondering if anything here might have a chance to trip my memory. I wasn’t trying to get my brain to spill the beans, but if it happened…it would be helpful.
The room, though, looked like something Lily had decorated. Even though the stonework was huge and ancient, she had managed to put her signature of simplicity and light color on everything.
It was possible to cook in the hearth, but there was also a gas stove. Cast iron pots and pans hung in different spots, along with utensils and baking gear. There was a bread oven next to the hearth, and two beautiful wall ovens.
It was a comforting and well done blend of ancient and modern. I could see Lily cooking breakfast here for my brother.
“How can I help you?”
The voice came from behind me instead of from the hall I had been expecting it—and it wasn’t the voice I was expecting.
I turned to see who had answered, and froze.
He also froze, staring at me.
“Vance?” I finally managed to whisper.
“Oh, God, Wren,” he breathed. “What are you doing here?”
“Me?” I stood and turned to face him. “Me? What the fuck are you doing here? Do you know that Lincoln has been looking everywhere for you? You crushed him! He thought of you as a brother!”
“I…I had to go. I had failed at…” He cleared his throat.
“Failed at what, Vance? Why are you here?”
He glanced at the water I had on the table and back to me. “Failed at the task I had been extorted into. Failed to keep you and Lincoln apart. They said they…”
“Someone bribed you to keep me and Linc apart? What the hell, Vance? Why didn’t you just tell us that after we got together.”
“I couldn’t, Wren. I had to leave, disappear. If I didn’t they would have come and killed me. They would have come for…”
“For who, Vance?” I took a step toward him.
“For you, for Lincoln, for Fischer, for…” He swallowed and stared at me. “For Ellie. Everything I did and lied about and put up with was for her. I stayed away, so they didn’t know exactly who she was—”
The truth slammed into me. “Elutheria is your daughter.”
He nodded once. “They were going to find her and kill her. But with you…she’s safe. More safe than I could ever, ever keep her unless I locked her away.” He grabbed my arm. “Please, Wren, don’t tell her. Don’t tell Lincoln. Not yet. Not until I can find the bastards who threatened me, her and you, and take care of them.”
“You’re hiding here?”
“Lord Morningstar welcomed me.” He shrugged. “I agreed to help him run the tiny household this giant building holds.”
I grabbed the bottle of water off the table and took a huge swig. “Damn. There is so much going on I don’t know how I can keep up with it.” Letting out a sigh, I finally assented. “I won’t tell Ellie, but you can’t keep this from her. She will want to know you.”
“I want to know her, but when it’s safe. She’s in good hands with you.”
“She’s versilange.”
Vance laughed. “Of course, she is. I’m a demon, that’s what happens to most half-demons. Guardian is another position, but she has Ben to watch, so versilange it is.”
Scrubbing my hands down my face, I sat back at the table. “So where is Lucifer?”
“In the Fields.” He pulled the fridge open and picked a beer. “He’s been there for a few hours. Pure and Sam had some problems, and they couldn’t figure out alone. It seems that some dark demons found a hole in the rocks and climbed through to disrupt the Fields.”
“The…Fields? The Elysian Fields?”
“Yes?”
Shaking my head, I sighed. “Still getting used to this. Who are Pure and Sam?”
“Puriel and Samkael. The angels in charge of Elysium. Well, temporarily in charge. I think. They’ve been there so long that I’m not sure…”
“Why wouldn’t they be able to handle what’s going on in there?”
“Because they aren’t really the Guardian Angels assigned to the Fields?”
Laughing, I dropped my chin to my chest. “Vance, I know nothing about what’s going on. Or, I don’t remember it. Whatever. Something happened centuries ago, and I’ve been wandering the world ever since. No clue of who I really am.”
“Oh,” he said. “So, you’re not a demon?”
“No…”
“They told me you were a demon and you couldn’t ever be with Lincoln. The consequences of the two of you getting together would be catastrophic.”
“Nope. Not a demon.”
“Then…” He looked confused for a moment, then resigned. “Of course, they lied to me. What the hell did I expect from the Tartarians?”
“From what I understand, they lie like rugs.” I snickered, and watched Vance nearly do a spit-take with his beer.
It took him a moment to regain his composure, but took a moment to toast me. “That is the truest thing I’ve heard in a long time. So, if you’re not a demon, what are you?”
A deep, resonant voice came from the door I had passed through earlier. “She is Temperance Littlestar. Quilikrozh.”
He was on his knee in a heartbeat and looking up at me like he had committed an egregious sin that could never be forgiven. “My Lady, I had no idea.”
“Oh, stand up, Vance. I don’t know why everyone keeps doing that. I don’t stand on protocol I don’t know the cause of. Just get up.”
He stood, but wary. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” I answered. “Luce, tell him to get up.”
“Stand up, Vance. I don’t require obeisance, neither does she.” Lucifer walked further into the room and closed the door behind himself. “Not in my own home, not after having to pull all kinds of shit to get the Fields mostly to rights again.”