A Friend to the Darkness. Katherine Rathbone

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СКАЧАТЬ doesn’t… she can’t comprehend what we’re offering.” He reasoned.

      “I’m pretty fucking smart. Explain it to me.” I demanded. “What’s a Familiar?”

      Lucifer lowered his head into his hands again, almost curling into a ball. Sera answered me.

      “For humans who are truly special to us… We can make them Familiars. It’s… it’s a bond between us. At the moment, when you pray, we have to be listening specifically for you, otherwise your voice blends into the background noise. So if we’re not expecting it, or we think someone else is listening for you… Like Seth did today… we don’t notice. When a Familiar prays, it’s like… like the signal is boosted. All of the demons on Lucifer’s side will hear you. It’s a direct line to us. And it makes you physically stronger. Not immensely, it just becomes easier for you to reach your potential. If that prayer is made when you are in fear for your life or soul, then it will… I dunno, force, I guess… the Luciferian Lords to your side, one by one, until you are safe.”

      “Let’s do it.” I said determinedly, remembering the feeling of demon talons slicing across my skin.

      Lucifer made a frustrated sound. “Fuck , I wish you would stop rushing headlong into things, you impossible human! You haven’t heard the cost yet!”

      I shrugged. “What is it?”

      He glared at me. “Too high!” He exclaimed. He got up and stormed out of the door. I looked around at the others.

      “What is the cost?” I repeated myself.

      Sebastian answered me. “Your soul is tied to him. To us. For eternity.” He regarded me soberly.

      “Ah.” I said. “So I’m selling my soul to the Devil?”

      Seth rolled his eyes. “Yes and no. It belongs to you, always. Well, God, actually but…”

      “He can’t fucking have it!” I interrupted indignantly.

      “Lucifer?”

      “No! He’s welcome to it. But God can’t fucking have it. That jerk.”

      Sera stared at the ceiling. “Now she’s challenging God. How the fuck are we supposed to keep her alive.” Her tone was exasperated. Seth shook his head, and Sebastian grinned at me.

      “You retain as much ownership of your soul as you do now. But your soul is… changed. It won’t be entirely human anymore. But not demonic, either. It’s a real grey area.” He finished lamely.

      “Let’s do it.” I repeated.

      They nodded at me, and Sera went and fetched Lucifer. He stalked back in through the door, silver eyes flashing with emotion. “We need all the Lords.” He snapped. “I’ll be back in a moment.” And he was gone.

      “Will he?” I asked. “He seems kinda mad.”

      “We can’t lie. Not even him.” Sebastian said softly, but I noticed the concerned look he gave Sera.

      Despite my misgivings, true to his word, Lucifer reappeared, with two other… beings. One was… unremarkable at first glance. Upon further inspection, though, he was preternaturally beautiful. Not quite as spectacular as Lucifer, but still stunning. His eyes were a cold green. They didn’t sparkle with amusement the way Sebastian’s did. He regarded me impassively.

      The other… I stood up and stumbled backwards when my eyes fell on the other. He looked a lot like the Enforcer demons I had encountered earlier. “It’s ok!” Sera grabbed my arm. “He’s one of ours. Meet Chris, Fourth Lord of Hell.” She said softly.

      Tentatively, he reached a hand out to shake, with a kind smile. “Nice to finally meet you, Katie.” His voice was gravelly. Swallowing hard, I took his hand, and noticed that his talons were well groomed, not jagged and dirty like the others.

      “Uh, hi.” I muttered awkwardly.

      “And this is my 2IC, Aaron.” Lucifer introduced the other figure.

      I held my hand out for him to shake, and he blinked at it in surprise, before taking it his own, and squeezing a bit too hard. “Human.” He said coldly. Lucifer cleared his throat, and Aaron looked a bit guilty for an instant.

      “Well, Chris, what do we need to do? I’m not sure I remember the details.” Lucifer said resignedly. I tilted my head in confusion. Sebastian smiled at me.

      “We don’t do this often, dear one.” I nodded, wide eyed.

      “Hmm, well. There’s two major types of magic that bind both denizens of Hell and humans.” Chris’ tone was lecturing. “Blood magic, or sex magic.”

      My eyes widened, and I looked at Sera in concern. She laughed. “Blood, thanks Chris.”

      “Hmm, yes, right. I mean I wasn’t suggesting… Just telling you the options.” He mumbled. “We need to draw a pentagram. Katie needs to do the star, Lucifer the circle, and where the points meet, we add our blood to one each.”

      “How big does it need to be?” I was a bit concerned. I’d already done a lot of bleeding that day.

      “Not too big. It’s all about the symbolism. You know what a pentagram symbolises, right?” Chris asked me.

      “Um, the sign of the Devil?” I asked, looking tentatively at Lucifer. He gazed steadily back at me.

      Chris laughed. “A common misconception, but no. It symbolises humanities’ connection to the Devine.” He quickly traced one on the table. “Leg, arm, arm, leg, head, and the circle is Divinity.”

      I was captivated. “That’s beautiful!” I exclaimed.

      Chris smiled at me, enjoying my enthusiasm. “The star is you, the circle Lucifer, and the points where it connects are us. Once it’s done, you and Lucifer stand in the middle while the rest of us make a circle around you, and he says the incantation.”

      I nodded, my heart beating fast. “Let’s do it!” I said for the third time.

      I held out my hand, looking at my friends. Seth stepped forward and took it gently, before quickly drawing a talon across my palm. I hissed briefly in pain. I clenched my fist, and the blood began to drip through my fingers. I quickly and self-consciously drew a five pointed star on the floor in my blood.

      Sebastian cut Lucifer’s palm for him, and he silently drew a circle around my star. I felt a curious buzz throughout my body. The others moved to a star point each, Chris slicing Aaron’s palm for him. Simultaneously they each dripped a small pool of blood, completing the sign. I shuddered. Lucifer stepped into the pentagram, and held out his bleeding hand to me. I joined him, without taking his hand. The others joined hands in a circle around us, gently jostling Lucifer and me closer together. Lucifer held his hands out to me with a smile.

      “I that sanitary?” I asked, glancing at our still lightly bleeding hands.

      He rolled his eyes. “None of this is sanitary.” He said wryly. I took his hands. As our blood mingled, it felt like electricity was coursing through my veins. I gasped.

      “Katie СКАЧАТЬ