Russ and Inanna finished their time of comforting each other in the shower, got themselves dressed and ready to join Lucifer and Lilith downstairs. They were silent while they dressed. Russ heard the words of The Creator as He spoke them running through his mind and the emotions that accompanied them beginning to surface. He tried to keep his confusion and fear out of his facial expressions every time his eyes met Inanna's and Inanna pulled every bit of strength she had in her body together to help her focus on not feeling the tree's agony. She would close her eyes and pinch the inside of her arm or bite the inside of her cheek to distract her, to focus on the new pain rather than that of the tree and whenever Russ caught her eyes she forced a smile, to make him think everything was alright.

The silence was profound in that room. They could hear the wind whistling through the trees outside of the window, cars on the road near the shoreline and the raised voices coming from the living room below them. They held the silence as if they were both afraid that the sounds of their voices would unravel the world around them; when in honesty it wasn't the sound of their voices that would undo all of mankind but the things that they both knew. Russ and Inanna walked down the steps into a commotion of raised voices and high emotions that quickly hushed as soon as their presence was sensed. Lucifer with his hand gripped tightly around Lilith's arm released her as his eyes fell on Inanna. Russ and Inanna froze as they watched Lilith shake herself free of Lucifer's grasp and stalked towards the bar to get a drink, complaining as she did so.

Lucifer signaled them forward and over to the dining room table where a small buffet of various meats and pastas was set out to dine on. Russ and Inanna walked cautiously and quickly towards the table while they kept an eye on Lucifer the entire time. The table was just as large and stately as the rest of the mansion and its furnishings. It was a long ornamental wooden table with the faces of the 12 Disciples carved into the backs of the velvet cushioned chairs that sat at 12 empty place settings. Lucifer sat them down then snapped his fingers for Lilith to join them. She continued to drink, ignoring Lucifer's call until he turned his head slightly in her direction with red flames in his eyes. Lilith turned forcefully in place as if a pair of invisible hands has spun her around. The wine glass fell away from her hand and shattered into a million grains of sand on the marble floor at her feet. Lucifer turned his head slowly towards Russ then sat down at the head of the table with his eyes closed while Lilith fought her body's walking motion to join the others. Everyone sat still and watched as she walked awkwardly towards them- straining against her body in an effort to reassert her own will. Lucifer didn't look up once; instead he circled the rim of his wine glass with his index finger causing it to ring and echo throughout the room. Lilith began to spew a rich tapestry of obscenities and profane statements to her lover with every forced step she made. Lucifer simply lifted his hand and flicked it towards her as if shooing away the annoyance of a fly. Lilith became silent as her lips ceased to move.

Lucifer snapped his fingers once more and her pace forward to the table quickened. When she made it to the chair with a carving of Judas' face on the raised back, Lucifer's eyes followed her as she was thrown into the seat with her palms placed to rest flatly on the surface of the table. Russ and Inanna looked from Lilith to Lucifer, both holding their breaths as they watched the small flames dim from his eyes. He turned away from Lilith while speaking to her.

"My dear, I know how much it angers you to feel me exert such force over you, but if you can't cooperate then these kinds of things will happen. Do you understand?"

Lilith stared directly across the table at Russ, as if she were trying to burn a whole through his head with her eyes. In her mind, Russ' eyes showed no fear or concern but a mocking satisfaction at what Lucifer had done to her. She'd show him when this was all over, she'd let him know who was the weak one and who the puppet was. She didn't look at Lucifer or acknowledge his voice as he spoke to her.

"Lilith. Do. You. Under. Stand?" Lucifer spoke with all the emphasis and tone a parent would use towards a child. Lilith released a heavy sigh and nodded her head once. Her will was restored to her body and movement but of her lips speech was not. She opened her mouth to find herself mute.

"No my dear, I think we'd ALL like to enjoy our dinner in peace."

Lilith slammed her fists down on the table causing the water goblets and silverware to rattle. She mouthed a series of hateful threats to Lucifer then gripped her steak knife in her right fist and proceeded to lift it. Lucifer passed an annoying glance to Lilith while cutting into his steak and put an end to her tantrum.

"You seem confused my dear. You seem to think that you are in the presence of your dear Adam. I shall implore you to look again."

A tight squeezing sensation gripped Lilith's throat. She dropped the knife, sending it plinking hard to the porcelain plate set before her then raised her hands to her neck for relief but found none. She coughed, choked and spat as her body sought air. The invisible grip grew tighter around her neck, causing her arms to flail about. Inanna gasped and reached out for her across the table, Russ grabbed her shoulders as Lucifer's hand clasped hers then slowly pushed Inanna's hand away.

"We have guests Lilith. You are upsetting your daughter with your dreadful behavior. All you need do is behave Lilith. Behave and it will stop."

Inanna screamed out as Lilith's eyes began to roll to the back of her head. Russ' head turned quickly towards her. Lilith lowered her arms and gave in to Lucifer's will. He issued one last warning for the evening.

"Behave... do not, make me do this again, my love. It hurts me just as much as it hurts you, to be forced to have to do such unpleasant things in the presence our lovely daughter."

Lilith sat still, unable to breathe. She calmed herself, light headed as she was and stopped resisting Lucifer. The grip loosened on her neck and she was able to breathe once again. A gush of air flowed into her lungs too fast and sent her into coughing spasms. Lucifer poured wine into his glass then smiled at Russ and Inanna, as if someone had just told the most amusing joke he had ever heard.

"Please, please eat your fill. The two of you need your nourishment." Lucifer said jovially.

Inanna felt as though she'd been holding her breath the whole time while watching her mother suffer at the hands of her father and let her displeasure be known.

"Father, why did you do that to her?" She said so full of hurt and anger.

"What?" Russ' eyes grew wide as he nearly spilled his glass of water while trying to lift it to his lips. He couldn't believe his ears. Lucifer a bit stunned and confused turned to Inanna as if he hadn't understood her question. Russ looked back and forth between Inanna and Lucifer – looking for resemblance.

"Sweetheart – don't worry your-self over this. We are just learning discipline. That's all. I think you'd agree that it's quite long overdue."

"That's all?!" Inanna yelled.

"Father!" Russ turned to Inanna.

"Yes Russell, I'm afraid the cat is out of the bag."

Lilith mouthed something to Russ that looked as if she'd called him a "fucking idiot" and Russ was quite certain that's what she'd said but he couldn't be sure.

"Stop this right now – let her talk."

"Precious, I don't think..."

"Father?" Russ said addressing Lilith. Lilith crossed her arms over her chest and looked to Lucifer with her face screwed up.

"Now!" Inanna slammed her hand down on the table shaking loose the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

"Well alright sweetheart. But you're asking for it."

"He's your father?" Russ said giving his full attention to Inanna. She ignored his question and focused on Lucifer.

"What – do you plan on treating me the same way?"

"No, never. I wouldn't dream of such a thing." Lucifer straightened his back and reached out to his daughter to find her withdraw from him.

"So you'd only do it to her...because she is uncontrollable, she's untamed!"

Lucifer locked eyes with Inanna then waved his hand in the air, releasing Lilith's lips.

"I was trying to spare your Russell of Lilith's tirades but if this is what you wish...then so be it." Lucifer sighed.

"Fucking Satan is your daddy!" Russ shouted.

"Yes!" Lucifer, Inanna and Lilith all yelled at the same time.

"Really Russell, you must move on from this, to dwell on the past is to hinder your future. Calm yourself and eat your food." Lucifer spoke in exasperation.

Russ lifted the water glass to his lips and took a huge gulp into his mouth. He felt somehow lied to and betrayed but didn't understand how when no one had flat out denied a fact that hadn't been questioned. They'd just simply left it out.

"Everyone calm down – you two eat, you drink and I will talk. Fair enough?" The others nodded and fixed themselves plates while Lucifer filled them in. Lucifer rose from his seat and began a slow walk around the table with his glass of wine in hand.

"While we were in Chicago a terrible disturbance that has altered the universe took place."

Russ and Inanna looked at each other then over at Lucifer while they ate at a slow pace. Russ looked down at Inanna's hand and noticed her skin in that transparent film. He had seen it before when she was hungry earlier. He thought she would need a "special meal" soon to satisfy the otherworldly part of her. Lucifer continued speaking now with their full attention, while Lilith sat back in her chair trying to rub the soreness from her throat.

"It seems that the world as we know it is coming to an end. A great injustice to the very living thing that keeps life in balance throughout the cosmos is dying and now the world in turn is dying."

Russ dropped his fork and stared at Lucifer, forcing himself to speak the only question he could muster without giving anything away.

"What?"

"Yes Russell. It appears that when Inanna was pierced by Samael's sword that something triggered the Tree of Life's destruction."

Inanna chose her words carefully as she addressed her father. Something inside of her warned her not to give away too much and to see how much he knew.

"What do you mean something triggered the Tree of Life's destruction? How is that even possible?"

Lucifer looked at his glass of wine thoughtfully then raised it to his lips to think on the logical answer to give.

"The Creator sent His armies of angels to retrieve Samael – maybe it has something to do with the fact that he performed a crime against The Creator's will and against his function as The Angel of Death, seeking to take those whose time has not yet come. You nearly died Inanna."

Inanna exchanged a surprised look with Russ as it dawned on them both that they had no idea that she had actually died upstairs in the bedroom. Inanna bit her lip and nodded slowly as if agreeing with her father's words. Lilith sat up in her chair and cleared her throat to chime in.

"If that were true, wouldn't something like this have happened before?"

"No my dear, I believe this is the first time The Angel of Death has acted with poor judgment and against the wishes of The Creator."

"Oh, so God wanted me to have a biting vagina. Got it."

"Hush." Lucifer said shooting her a sideways glance while narrowing his eyes.

Russ remained quiet and still and listened carefully to Lucifer speak, all the while noting the differences between what The Creator told him and the things Lucifer was saying. Inanna sat back in her chair with an awful thought presenting itself at the forefront of her mind. If she could feel the tree dying – would she also be able to feel the world around her dying too? What about the universe. She pushed her plate away and gripped her stomach in her hands while closing her eyes. Lucifer looked on his daughter and rubbed her shoulder.

"Inanna sweetheart, are you alright?" Lucifer asked with genuine concern for his daughter. Inanna nodded yes, shook as if overcome with an onset of cold chills then continued the conversation.

"What do you think happened? You speak as if you know something of fact," said Inanna.

"Yes, well... I only know what I feel sweetheart and I feel a great disturbance there and it is my belief that The Garden of Eden is dying."

"The Garden?" Russ asked curiously.

"Yes my dear boy. The Garden is the crux of all life and civilization. Everything and everyone began there and it stands to reason that if the world...the universe is dying – then it seems only logical that the damage that started this whole mess happened there and is already affecting us. It has become visible."

"Visible in what?" Russ said looking around the mansion then out of the window into the light glittered night.

"I noticed something while you were both upstairs resting. It's summer here in Venice. Everything is usually lush and green and fragrant for this time of year. However, as I stood at the window earlier and looked out amongst the flowers, shrubs and trees of my garden, I noticed that they were ...well turning."

"Turning?" Inanna asked opening her eyes.

"Yes sweetheart. The leaves are changing over to their fall foliage. My flowers are wilting and going dormant – it seems as if all of nature in Venice is going to autumn in the midst of summer. I'm quite sure the same is happening all over the world as we speak."

"And you think that this is because the Angel of Death acted against God?" Russ asked half sounding unconvinced.

"Yes Russell. I do think this is happening because of what he did."

"Can it be fixed? How do we keep it from dying?" Inanna asked anxiously.

"Sweetheart, you're asking – how do we save the world?"

"Yes. How do we make it stop?"

Lilith and Lucifer exchanged a look and Russ took Inanna's hand to calm her. Lucifer leaned in to speak to them both.

"There is a way, I believe we can fix the damage done and stop further destruction."

"Oh?" Russ asked not feigning an interest but really wanting to know what he had to say.

"Yes. Consider what I tell you with the utmost care, seriousness and clarity of reason.", Lucifer said as he looked on them both. Lilith lifted her drink to her lips and leaned into the conversation as well.

"Okay, we will." Russ interlaced his fingers with Inanna's. He could sense her anxiety during the conversation and sought to comfort her. She was looking into her mother's face and thought she saw her smile but for what reason she did not know.

"Russell...Inanna, you are aware of Lilith's position. Yes?"

They both nodded, looking quickly over at Lilith then back to Lucifer.

"As First Wife, First Mother and having been born of the earth in The Garden, we believe her blood will heal the ailing tree and stop the End of all civilization."

"Your blood mother? It seems a bit farfetched. How do you know this will work?"

"It's the perfect solution. I am a force of nature as it is. I was the second born to the Garden but the first mother of nature. It's only natural that my blood should set things right again."

"Lilith – nothing about you is natural. What if it doesn't work? Have you two thought about that? What then?"

Lilith shot a look at Russ and narrowed her eyes. Lucifer took a deep breath, seated himself back at the table then began to rub his temples.

"He's right father. Do you have a Plan B in case something unforeseeable happens that prevents your theory from coming to fruition?"

"Darling of course I do! I've thought of every possible scenario and I am quite prepared for mishaps and the unforeseeable but let us not dwell on secondary solutions before we have had a chance to test our sound logic. I believe this to be the truth of Lilith's power and the necessity needed to repair and return the Garden of Eden to its former glory."

Russ sat back in his chair as a warm sensation rushed over his body. He felt a heat rise over his skin and concentrate on the center his back. Lucifer's last words echoed on his ears as the heat rose over his body, particularly over the large divine wheel branded between his shoulder blades. It had begun to radiate and focus on the words Lucifer spoke. Russ stared off across the table. To everyone else it appeared that Russ was either in deep concentration or spacing out. They continued with the conversation while Russ' eyes saw the lies in the words that Lucifer had spoken. Each time Lucifer talked of how to repair The Garden, Russ' skin burned beneath his clothes, heaviness beset his body and he saw an image clearly in his mind of what would happened if that path were taken. Russ rubbed his arms then turned his head toward Lilith then back at Lucifer. His eyes trailed over the expanse of the vision that appeared before him. To Lilith it appeared that he looked at Lucifer then back to her. She thought he was staring at her when in truth – he could no longer even see who sat at the table with him. Russ was only able to hear the word exchange of those in conversation. She narrowed her eyes then coughed harshly and kicked him in the knee beneath the table, bringing him out of his trance. He took a quick glance around the room and then looked at Lilith as he reached down to rub the pain shooting through his knee.

Lilith caught his gaze and held it. She logged his facial expression as being both serious and judgmental. She smiled at him and in that smile Russ saw millions of sharp little teeth overlapping each other. Her eyes had been replaced with fiery brimstone. The skin of her face resembled a dried out deserted land deprived of water with deep crags and crevices spread out over the landscape of it. His heart pounded wildly and heavy in his chest as he fought to look away from her. Words whispered through his mind. "Veritas Omnia Vincit." Russ bowed his head at the voice that breathed through his mind and the words spoken in acknowledgment. He spoke the words at a barely audible hush but they were still picked up by Lilith's keen ears.

"What does that mean – Veritas Omnia Vincit?"

Russ lifted his head slowly and only raised his eyelids very little. He was unsure what his eyes would look like to the rest since he could feel a heat radiating behind them. He spoke softly and calmly with his hands folded neatly in his lap.

"It means, truth conquers all, Lilith."

Lucifer turned to Russ and watched him with fascination. Something from long ago was recalled to his memory at the exact moment Russ spoke those words, a memory – an event that happened just after his fall from Heaven as he stood on a hilltop outside the Garden of Eden. He had remembered saying something to Samael so long ago. Lucifer had tried to recruit him to be a part of the alliance he'd formed with the other Fallen banned from Heaven and denied access to The Garden. The Angel of Death told Lucifer that his want and need to rule is what caused his fall, that his want and need to sterilize God's Creation of the humans he'd made it for was in itself an act against God's will and was in itself punishable by death but because The Creator had not wanted Lucifer to be harmed, Samael let him be. It was then that Lucifer set about trying to gain The Angel of Death as an ally. He'd spoken to Samael passionately on that hilltop eons ago:

God's word is the truth because He created it. He created speech, language and knowledge so that it may be used amongst the masses of OUR kind. He has taken our pure, divine and complex language – watered it down and split it in two for the hordes of apes running rampant on earth. They understand nothing, they feel nothing. They are His sheep because followers are what they are destined to become and all that they shall ever want to be Samael and it is them...those, that gain His favor more than US. His truth, everything He says, He writes and does will be carried out by them and He will expect the same of US because that is His will. I will not be a conformist, I loved Him with every fiber of the being from which I was created but I will not sit by and take backseat to His experiment. I am in control of my own life and I will not follow His truth while we become slaves to HUMANS.

He had tried to recruit The Angel of Death for his own purposes and was denied but not right away, Samael sat and listened to every word Lucifer spoke – and it was the first time that he had ever known Samael to hesitate and waver on the Word of God. It was Lucifer's revelation that The Angel of Death had thought no more of the human souls he collected than of the lint that gathered in his coat pockets. It was the first time but not the last as he'd experienced earlier in Chicago.

Lucifer lifted the bottle of Trinity from the table and poured himself a glass as he ended his trip down memory lane then watched Russ and Lilith. He observed their interaction quietly while sipping the wine made by The Holy Son. He pulled the glass from his lips, looked over it then said to himself, "Hm...shepherd of the flock does make good wine, I'll give Him that."

Lilith pushed herself away from the table, stood up then walked around everyone with her arms folded over her chest. She addressed Russ with not even the hint of kindness in her voice as she stood next to him at his side of the table.

"Will the truth conquer me as well Junior?"

Russ leaned his head against the high back of the chair then lifted his hands to the front of his forehead to rub it.

"It won't just conquer you Lilith," he said rubbing his temples slowly.

"It will destroy you."

Lilith laughed her high pitch and psychotic laugh then lunged at Russ while he sat with his eyes covered by his hands. The force of her body against his chair knocked him into the table, causing him to bruise his ribs against the edge. He scrambled to his feet quickly. Inanna removed herself from the chair and stood aside. She looked towards her mother and saw her grab a steak knife from the table. She approached Russ with it aimed at his neck. Russ stood still and looked at Lilith as she came towards him. He didn't flinch or move. He seemed quite calm with the very tip of the knife at his neck.

"You threaten'in me Junior? Huh? Cause I don't like being threatened."

"No, I speak the truth. You will pay dearly for what you've become and the price will be higher than even you can imagine."

Russ' eyes darted quickly at her shaking hand and the knife cupped within it then went back to her face. Lilith drew her arm back to make a swiping motion and was suddenly stopped. Her arm froze in the air. Lilith tried to make a stabbing motion with the knife at Russ' face but was unable to. Inanna looked to Lucifer who was also out of his seat and approaching them. Lilith yelled out as she tried to move her arm.

"Lucifer, let me go!"

Lucifer stood watching with curiosity as Lilith's arm hung in the air with her hand wrapped firmly around the steel grip of the steak knife. He watched as she wrenched her body to at least move away from the spot she was in but found herself firmly grounded and unable to leave.

"Father you promised!"

"That I did sweetheart but this...this isn't my doing."

The knife in Lilith's hand slowly turned inward on her. The hand that held the knife was now moving at a slow and steady pace towards her neck as her arm was drawn into her. Lilith screamed for Lucifer to stop and Lucifer told her once more that he was not the one responsible. Inanna yelled for her father to make it stop and Lucifer did try but found that he could do nothing. The knife closed in on Lilith's throat, she tried to block the knife with her other arm, placing it at her wrist to keep it from reaching her face. She pushed hard against her other hand with all the force she could muster in such an awkward position to protect herself from the blade. Lucifer walked around Lilith, inspecting her body for charms or anything else that might be contributing to her strange behavior and found nothing, then scanned the room with eyes being careful not to miss a single detail. He looked all around them until his eyes fell on Russ.

Russ had been standing perfectly still and staring at Lilith the entire time, unflinching, unemotional unmoved. Lucifer walked towards Russ speaking his discovery aloud.

"Tsk tsk...Russell. It seems you've been holding out on us. That's quite the trick you've got there. Mind if I inquire how you came about it?"

Russ looked to Lucifer and when their eyes met Lilith's arm fell down to her side. The knife plinked on the marble surface of the floor. Lilith rubbed her arm and addressed Lucifer.

"That wasn't him you bastard! It was you!"

Lucifer turned away to look at Lilith and released a slow and low hiss between his teeth to let her know that she should stop talking. Lilith walked over to stand next to Inanna and kept her eyes on both of the men. Russ spoke with a calm and controlled voice.

"I was unaware that I could do anything like that until now. I just thought about what I wanted to happen while I was staring at her then it happened."

"You son of a bitch!", Lilith screamed at him. "I've had all that I am going to take from you Junior." Lilith pushed Inanna to the side and ran towards Russ, making it just close enough to grab his arm before she dropped to her knees and fell on to her side in pain, gripping her head. Lucifer bent down to lift Lilith to her feet. When he touched her, he could feel a surge of the pain she was experiencing and quickly released her with a gasp. Inanna pleaded for Russ to stop and at her cries, Lilith's screams ceased. Lilith rose slowly to her feet looking on Russ in bewilderment and exhaustion before backing herself up to the staircase.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it Lilith."

Lilith proceeded up the staircase with haste. Lucifer turned to look at Russ and Inanna, clasped his hands behind his back then proceeded to walk towards them making a heavy sigh.

"Sweetheart, perhaps you should take our Russell out to see the city. I think the night air and walk may do him some good. I think the space will be good for both of them."

Inanna looked at Russ with her heart thumping in her chest. Russ walked towards the door where he leaned and waited for her. She nodded her head and went to her father's open arms. He embraced her and promised his daughter that no harm would come to her mother by his hand. Before they left, he whispered to her his love and his joy at her recovery and that she should make it a point to discuss with Russ the solution they'd come up with earlier in the evening. And that she should try her very best to get him to see the reasoning in it all and to do it soon because time was ticking away. Inanna listened to her father's words as he embraced her and looked to Russ and the umber glow that filled his eyes. A flutter in her stomach caused her to pull away from Lucifer. She planted a small kiss at his cheek and walked towards the door.

Lucifer followed her and opened it. Inanna stepped out into the night beneath the lamps of the mansion's outdoor lighting. Russ followed then doubled back to ask Lucifer a question.

"Do you really believe using Lilith's blood is the best solution?"

Russ' question caught Lucifer by surprise. He smiled at Russ and nodded. He produced a large vial of Lilith's black blood from his robe pocket then placed it into the palm of Russ' hand.

"I believe that giving it to the embodiment of life within the garden will fix everything."

Russ held still as a hot rush of bumps covered his skin at Lucifer's lie. He didn't let on that he knew of the falsehood he'd spoke.

"What embodiment of life...a body of water or something? And why are you giving this to me?"

"The Tree of Life, my dear boy. Should the tree drink of the First Mother's blood all will be right with the world and I am giving it to you because neither I nor Lilith can set foot or return to The Garden in its current state. I'm afraid we've been exiled from its beauty. But where Lilith and I have failed, the two of you will succeed. You will restore the Tree and the Garden - and the world will be saved."

Lucifer gave Russ a smile that car salesmen often use on doubting buyers then gave him a pat on the shoulder. Russ' skin flushed with a burning sensation that caused him to make a small groan as he stood there with Lucifer. He rocked on his feet then steadied himself against the door frame. Lucifer placed a hand on Russ' shoulder to help him remain still.

"Russell, are you alright...do you need to come back in and have a seat?"

Russ looked over his shoulder and saw Lilith on the steps staring at them both in confusion. He straightened up his back and moved himself away from the door.

"No...I'm fine. I'll take the walk."

Lucifer looked over his shoulder to see Lilith approaching then shook his head at Russ. Russ went to Inanna's side and they walked down the massive drive up to the front gate to get out on to the streets of Venice. It was then that he'd decided Inanna needed to know exactly what The Creator had told him. They needed to have a talk and have it soon.

The fate of mankind depended on it.