Мишель Роуэн - Angel with Attitude

“Coincidence?” Lucifer smiled. “I think not. There’s no such thing as coincidence. Tell her, Barlow.”

Val’s mouth dropped open as she saw Bartholomew Barlow walk briskly and with purpose over to stand next to Lucifer.

“Hello, Valerie, my dear.”

She brought a trembling hand to her mouth. “But . . . but that police officer told me you were dead.”

He smiled. “Oh, I am. As a doornail. But I can’t leave until I finish up a bit of business.”

She felt her eyes fill with tears of joy to see him again. “I was so worried. I tried to do what I could to get the key. And I did. I brought it back, but you weren’t here. Mr. Barlow, I screwed up. Big time. It’s all my fault.”

He shook his head. “No, you did just fine. You passed with flying colors.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The test. To find a worthy successor for me.”

Val felt so confused. “What are you talking about? A successor for what?”

Barlow glanced warily at the original fallen angel. “What Lucifer told you is correct. The

Paradise Inn is a very small piece of Heaven. Too small to do any damage by its shift to the earthly realm, but it requires a guardian. And for fifty years that guardian has been me. People are drawn here for a reason, because they need to be here, just like you. Even without that slip of paper, I have faith that you would have found your way eventually. I have helped the travelers who seek shelter here find whatever answers they seek. It’s my job, and it’s a very important one. But now my time is at an end. The inn will only accept a human guardian and since humans have naturally limited lifespans, it was time for the next guardian to arrive.”

“Me?” she squeaked and glanced at Nathaniel who looked very surprised by this news. But not as surprised as she was.

“Yes. You were chosen because you displayed the necessary assets to become a human.

Curiosity, love, fascination. An interest in all things shown during your interactions with the humans you helped guide into Heaven. Plus, I believe you were Angel of the Month not so long ago. It is a great honor to be chosen, Valerie. You should be very proud.”

“But that’s a deadly sin,” Reggie piped up.

Barlow smiled at him. “It depends how the pride is displayed, and it is not always a fault but an asset. Val was chosen specifically and I have great faith that she will do an excellent job as guardian of the Paradise Inn.”

Val was trying to process everything he was saying. “So are you trying to tell me that the whole thing was just a test? The key and everything I’ve been through?”

He shook his head, then smiled to show a spray of wrinkles around his kindly eyes. “No.

Though it certainly helped establish your desire to do the right thing—the selfless thing—

even at high cost to yourself. Had you gone through the doorway it would have stayed open for Julian to follow. Only by throwing away your one chance to return to Heaven—the key itself—were you able to close it with no harm done.”

“So if Julian had gone through the doorway—”

“The world would most certainly have ended. Don’t doubt it for a moment.”

“Oh.”

“That would have been so cool,” Julian said sadly.

“Excuse me,” Lucifer said. “If we could concentrate on the more important thing here? Me?”

Julian knelt down and lowered his head. “Yes, Father.”

“Get up, you little bastard.”

Julian scrambled back up to his feet.

“You”—Lucifer’s flame-filled eyes narrowed as he gazed at his naughty little boy—“stole my key from the fallen one, then without even telling me, tried to use it yourself.”

“Yes, but—”

“I’m not finished. You vanquished Alexa, one of my favorite employees, despite her shortcomings, and you sided with that ugly slug Vaille of all demons for a grasp at power.”

Julian swallowed. “In my defense, I did it all to gain your favor.”

“Silence.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Don’t call me that.” Lucifer’s gaze tracked to Nathaniel who had been silent all this time though he hadn’t moved from Val’s side. “And you . . . even before your introduction to this woman, your job performance has been weak at best. Do you have no taste for temptation at all?”

“Sir, I can explain—”

“Do not interrupt. Two hundred years and I’ve smelled the guilt you harbor for your assigned duties from dimensions away. And to so easily allow yourself to be summoned, to aid this fallen angel on her journey to the Underworld, disappoints me more than I can express. Many times you had the opportunity to end her, to leave her, but you didn’t.”

Nathaniel moved his hand down and captured Val’s, squeezing it tightly but not saying a word in his own defense.

“You knew the rules and you chose to break them. You were given behavior modification and that has obviously failed. There is one last punishment suitable for one as failed as you. Yes?

Is that what you want?” Lucifer shook his head with disappointment. “It is not enough that I must control all that is below, but I must keep tabs on my lowliest of employees? I’m very annoyed with the both of you. Answer me this, why did you do it?” He looked at Julian first.

His brow lowered. “For power.”

Then to Nathaniel, who locked gazes with Val. “In the beginning, I felt I had to do as she wanted. I couldn’t resist the summoning. But then it was more than that. I felt something I hadn’t for as long as I can remember—not even when I was human. Hope. That there was something more. Something bigger for me than the existence I’d thought there was no escape from.”

“So”—Val felt a big lump form in her throat at his words—“you didn’t really mean all those cruel things you said to me at the mansion?”

His jaw tensed. “They tried to modify my behavior, and initially it did work. I wasn’t as I am right now when I saw you in the hallway of the mansion. But I snapped out of it finally.

Thanks to you.”

A smile twitched at her mouth. “Then I’m sorry I scratched your face like that. Shouldn’t that be healed already?”

He touched his face and flinched. “Well, I guess I sort of deserved it.”

“Glad you agree.”

“Hope?” Lucifer interjected. “That’s why you did it?”

Nathaniel nodded. “Yes.”

Lucifer nodded and smiled, then looked at Val as the smile faded from his painfully beautiful face. “Wrong answer.”

Nathaniel and Julian both screamed and Nathaniel let go of her. She stepped back from him, eyes wide, as the two demons disappeared in columns of flame.

Val’s mouth fell open and she gaped at Lucifer. “What did you do? I helped rescue you at the mansion. Isn’t that worth anything?”

He laughed. “You think you rescued me? Foolish girl. How else was I supposed to gain your confidence? I could have made you believe anything I wanted you to.”

“Don’t hurt him,” she managed, each word painful as it left her mouth. “Please. I love him!”

He shrugged. “I guess I’m just not that much of a romantic. Go figure.”

He disappeared.

What? What just happened? She stared frantically over at Reggie who looked just as shocked as she did. Then she turned to Barlow. He was starting to fade away; she could see right through him to the other side of the motel.

“I’m sorry, Valerie,” he said sadly. “Lucifer is cruel and heartless—always has been—but it’s for the best.”

“But, Nathaniel—” she choked out the words.

He shook his head and looked at her kindly. “You have a greater purpose to fill now. Try to forget him for no demon is worth your tears. Always remember that I have great faith in you, Valerie. I always have and I always will.”