Page 58 of Anarchy
Everyone always says they’d like to be able to go back in time to see history being made, but honestly, the entire thing is nerve-wracking. There are always two sides with various extremists. Some people wanted change so badly, they didn’t care who they killed to get it, and then some feared it and were willing to massacre anyone trying to bring it.
It was usually humans killing each other over religion or their fear of the supernatural back in my day. Of course, most of the things they thought were witchcraft were pretty far off, and they murdered plenty of their own.
There had been no violence so far aside from that mess at Akul’s, and you’d have to be pretty stupid to go against two gods, but I’d already witnessed an entire group of housewives try. Every time there was another press conference, or I thought about us helping with the transitions, I was transported back in time where we were all expected to go out and witness someone burning alive or being drawn and quartered.
And that happened pretty often. It wasn’t like there was television back then, and many people looked at actors like they were degenerates. Plenty of people viewed public violence as their entertainment because they thought they were safe from it. I always knew it could be me up there and would have gladly skipped it, but it was a surefire way to draw attention to yourself. Plenty of people pretended to like it while feeling sick to their stomachs.
I felt like that every time there was another press conference. Bram wasn’t with Lilith this time, but May was. I didn’t know her as well as Bram, but she had all of my respect. She never stopped fighting, and she protected Ripley at her own expense. Shedeservedhappiness.
Lucifer did his strange thing with the channels again. If it was going to be on every channel, and we wouldn’t have to deal with propaganda in the commentary, any channel would have done. I wondered if questions were going to be allowed this time.
Lucifer finally settled on a station, but there were plenty of people on the podium this time. A woman stepped forward, and it looked like she was going to be the one doing the talking this time. Lilith was standing close by like she was her bodyguard. I didn’t think Lilith would allow anyone to speak for her. Her witches certainly didn’t allow that.
“Who is that woman?” I asked.
“The prime minister,” Talvath said. “She’s a good woman and has long told me she wanted this. She would have put her support behind a bill if it wasn’t withdrawn before all this happened. The best part is that she’s a very powerful demon and most people are terrified of her. Sozath is actually quite lovely if she likes you.”
I’d never met her, but I was a little terrified of her as she glared at the camera. I’d seen what the tattoos on the women at Akul’s were capable of. Sozath had way more tattoos than they did. She even had them on her face. She was not fucking around. She cleared her throat, and the entire room went silent.
I didn’t have thumbs for a long time, but I made Ripley put on the news and pull up news articles from my home country. Sozath certainly didn’t speak like any government member back home.
“I’m not going to bullshit any of you. You know that’s not me. You all heard Lilith’s press conference before, and you will hear me now. I agreed with everything she said even before she told parliament the truth about the civil war. We are above this.
“To sum up what we were told by someone who lived through it, the civil war was never Hellhounds and demons fighting for dominance. There were Hellhounds and demons onbothsides. It was a terrible time, and we decided it someone needed to be made a villain.
“In turning the Hellhounds into villains that long ago, we’ve become them ourselves. Parliament has revoked every law regarding owning Hellhounds as property. It’s also now just as much a crime to harm them as it is a demon.
“There will be busses coming around to move them to Lilith’s properties during the transition. You will let them leavewithoutharming them. Youwillgo to them and explain to them and explain they have been freed them like they are intelligent beings since I know they weren’t allowed to watch this press conference.
“Two gods are here in support of this. Parliament voted for it. I know some of you would like to keep your free labor and money coming in from the breeding farms, and you’re willing to risk defying two gods and break the law. Every single member of the police and military will be out, ensuring a smooth transition. If they find your Hellhounds locked up instead of ready to get on the bus, you’ll be arrested for kidnapping. Don’t be stupid. You’ve beaten your Hellhounds until they did what they were told. Now, it’s your turn. That is all. Thank you.”
Yeah, I was definitely scared of that woman. But she wasn’t allowing questions either. She just said this is how it’s going to go, so do it. Sozath reminded mea lotof Ripley’s mom, and she raised two brilliant, wonderful witches.
“I take it she doesn’t have Hellhounds?” I asked.
Talvath shook his head.
“Many demons don’t. Some of them would, but can’t afford to purchase one. A lot of them don’t agree with the whole thing and hire demons if they need help. Not all demons live how Akul lives or have estates like Lilith does. They have modest homes and do everything for themselves. We do have townhouses, condos, and apartments like you have on Earth. You’ve only seen how the ultra rich live here. There are perfectly lovely people here who don’t agree with this. It’s the ones that do that you need to worry about.”
Reyson cracked his neck and glared at Talvath.
“I haven’t killed anyone in this realm yet out of respect to Lilith, even though it was perfectly within my right to slaughter Dorian and Akul for taking my witch and trying to manipulate me. I have no problem going out there and making sure everyone gets to safety unharmed, but I care about every single person who came here with me. Iwillend anyone that tries to hurt them.”
Lucifer just leaned back and laughed. I got that he was distantly related to Gabriel. Like, super distantly related even if they looked like brothers. Lucifer was kind of a weird mother fucker. I guess one would have to be.
Everyone on Earth thought he took on his creator or the creator of all things, depending on your belief, fell from grace, and got turned into the devil running Hell. He wasn’t running a damned thing here. Lucifer was kind of the third wheel to Lilith and Samael’s love fest. He seemed to really miss the family he left.
“Happy hunting, man. Before today, it was acceptable to murder a Hellhound if they kidnapped or attacked a demon. Hellhounds are full citizens now, and the same laws apply. They might not live here, but witches and warlocks are Lilith’s creations too. We have laws about them too. They are never to be harmed unless it involves payment for a deal, and it’s their time. Sorry, Balthazar. Vampires aren’t a protected race here, but something tells me you can handle yourself just fine.”
I got that vibe about Balthazar too. He put a ton of effort into his look, and we all thought he looked amazing, even if I gave him a hard time about it. I didn’t mean it, but I was pretty sure there were people out there that meant it. I was also pretty sure Balthazar beat the shit out of them if he needed to, and he won every fight he was in.
“I can. I might not be able to shoot magic out of my palms, but I was created with other gifts.”
I didn’t even hear Lilith come in, but she was apparently right behind us.
“You’re all capable, but I’m not sending you in blind. Sozath has always wanted this. I didn’t know this, but she’s silently been preparing for it in the background in case it ever managed to get up for a vote. She’s been keeping records of who all owns Hellhounds and who she thinks is going to cause the most trouble.”
“I’m all for the demonic NSA as long as it’s judging people porn viewing,” Balthazar said.
