Ch 13 The Judas Project

Malum and Mara spent the night just enjoying being in each other's arms until they had both passed out from exhaustion. The morning light came in all too soon and Mara woke up to a missing Malum who left a note on his pillow. 'Forgive me my love. There was a work emergency I could not pass off to someone else. I promise to make it up to you in the hopes that we can fall asleep and wake up in each other's arms for the rest of our lives. I have given Prudence the day off for my piece of mind and to keep you from being bored. Behave and I will see you later My Mara. -Malum' Next to his note was a singular rose that was fully bloomed. She picked it up and smelled the flower enjoying how potent it's aroma was. Mara heard the front door open and close with the clack of some heals before Prudence called out to her. "Mistress I brought breakfast!" she yelled.

Mara straightened out Malum's shirt she wore and got out of bed to head to the bathroom. "Be out in a second, I just woke up!" she said before handling her morning routine. As Mara finished she stared at herself in the mirror and placed her hand over her abdomen. "There's really two little people growing inside me…" she whispered to herself. She shook her head with a smile and walked out to the main area to find the table set with various breakfast foods. "Before you ask, he said and I quote 'She's eating for three. Gotta keep my girl and boys fed' " Prudence said mocking Malum's voice when she saw Mara look at all the food. Mara giggled, "And I think its funny how he feels like you guys are having boys." she scoffed with a shoulder raise. "Pretty sure they're going to be girls!" Prudence said and Mara full on laughed. "I said the same thing and he seems to not believe me I swear!" Mara replied sitting down. "Please don't let me eat alone." she pleaded with Prudence who smiled. "You pack your plate first 'mommy to be' and I'll pick up the scraps." Prudence offered.

Since the cat was out the proverbial bag, Prudence and Mara decided to have a baby shower. Nothing big or over the top, just them, Malum, Legion and their kin and Dominique, much to Prudence's protests. "Okay so where are we going to have it?" Prudence asked and Mara shook her head. "You know better sis. We have it here. Warded and safe. We don't want to be out partying and boom, bat shit crazy 'I like to pray and shank a nigga' shows up for my ass. I have to be extra careful now." Mara said with a smile as she rubbed her belly. "So does that mean we're not going baby shopping?" Prudence asked. "Oh fuck yeah, but we play it smart. We not some air headed 'I know I'm in danger and still do stupid shit' main characters in some wattpad book you feel me? See if Vyngence and Kayos can come play bodyguard. They can watch from afar and we can invite some of the sins to actually shop with us. Cover all our bases." Mara said with a smile and Prudence nodded as she made her calls.

Mara took out her own phone and called Malum, he answered on the first ring. "Mm My Mara, how happy I am to hear your voice." he said and Mara giggled. "Before you spazz out, I already had Prudence call Vyngence and Kayos for distance protection and some of the sins are coming with us to go shopping for the babies." Mara informed him waiting for his reply. He sighed deeply, "Okay at least you're being smart about it. If anything happens and I mean anything, come straight to me please. For my peace of mind." he asked and she agreed. "Of course my king." she replied with a sultry voice causing him to hum in approval. "Matter of fact, once you all are finished come to the office anyway, the girls can drop you off." he suggested. "Perfect. See you later then." she replied and hung up.

"Alright, they're all on the way and super excited, cept the guys of course but whatever." Prudence said and Mara laughed. Everyone had arrived rather quickly and piled into two SUV's before heading out to the outlet mall. "Ooo we're getting two nieces girls! We have to be ready for anything!" Envy said with a cackle. "Or nephews." Kayos tossed in and all the girls looked at him like he was mad. "Nonsense. They will be the cutest and most adorable and powerful princess ever!" Pride squealed excitedly. Vyngence didn't bother trying to help his brother out. He just shook his head and did his job. Much to the girls dismay, Mara made sure anything they did buy that required a gender was unisex, since they didn't know but she kept them on track with getting mostly things for the nersurey and supplies. Okay so, my queen, the girls and I have gotten you signed up for a 'wipes and diapers' delivery service. Paid out for two years, not that you'll need it that long, and you just updated them when you need larger sizes." Gluttony said. "Aww guys you didn't have to! Aww thank you!" Mara said, trying not to get emotional. "Nonsense, it's the least we could do. You know how much happier the King is with you. Satan knows how much a grouch he used to be and now with the babies com-", "Babies?" the heard a random guy asked and turned around to see Gabriel himself staring at the girls.

Kayos and Vyngence closed in quickly on the group although the woman had already surrounded Mara protectively. "M-Mara?" he asked Mara for clarification as his voice cracked with sadness. "You're p-pregnant?" he asked again looking almost broken. This is not how Mara pictured her life. She had imagined her and Gabriel together so many times, their kids running around with all types or crazy hair textures and colors and the laughs they'd make when Gabriel would help teach them to fly or when they went on trip together. Now here she was, happy as could be with someone else and even more elated to be carrying that man's children. She didn't regret her happiness or feel bad about it, but she felt bad that Gabriel was suffering as a result. "We need to leave." Mara said looking away from Gabriel's broken and pained stare as she was escorted away.

"Mara wait please!" Gabriel cried out garnering the attention of those around them. Kayos stopped Gabriel from following them as Mara was shoved into an SUV and taken back to Malum. "Move demon!" Gabriel hissed, pushing Kayos to the side. Kayos smirked, "You will never have the queen. You sent you lap dogs to capture and torture her and we ended their miserable lives. Best learn your lesson because the more you send the more we get to revel in their deaths." he hissed before walking off just as mall security had shown up. Gabriel was shocked but more so confused. 'Torture?!' he asked himself as his face scrunched in confusion. He waved off the security, telling them everything was okay and made a beeline to his car. He needed to speak to the Father.

Gabriel pulled up to the Vatican and walked in and to the back as everyone knew who he was. He walked into what looked like a service elevator and took it down to a floor that wasn't even marked on the list. The images his mind made up of Mara battered at the hands of Father Anderson hurt him but also enraged him. He wanted their help and it seemed they only pushed her further into Maum's arms. So far that she now carried the demon's children. Was there even a point to this anymore? Shouldn't he just move on and look for his own mate if he had one? He could love those children as his own, demon or not but what if Mara was actually in love with Malum? What if this was all for nothing? He wouldn't know until he could talk with her and if what Kayos told him as true he could understand her apprehensiveness towards him. First things first. The Father.

"Where's Father Anderson?" Gabriel asked the nun behind the desk. She looked up as if to tell him off but once she realized who she was she cleared her throat before replying. "He is actually unable to take visitors right now. He is recovering from an incident that left him rather badly wounded. "Heinkel and Yumiko?" Gabriel asked with a brow raised in agitation. "Well they were with him ArchAngel." she replied. He took a deep breath trying not to snap at the woman when Father Enrico Maxwell walked up. "Ah oh holy Archangel Gabriel. What an honor it is to finally meet you. I am Father Maxwell. I presume you're here to see Father Anderson?" he asked in a thick Italian accent. "Yes but I was advised that he and his top commanders are unavailable at the moment." Gabriel replied, to which Father Maxwell nodded. "Unfortunately they were trying to apprehend the demon that has taken a liking to the woman close to your heart. The plan backfired, needless to say as we underestimated the demon.

"It appears that this Malum is every bit the most powerful demon the rumors claim him to be and his Legion of demonic generals are no laughing matter either. However, we have been working on a contingency plan for just such an issue and the Father has volunteered to be our first trial run of the Judas Project." Maxwell informed him. Gabriel never understood why the order was named after the man who betrayed his little brother but they got the job done by any means so it fit. "And what exactly is this 'Judas Project' exactly?" Gabriel asked. Father Maxwell laughed softly but it wasn't humorous at all. "Unfortunately I don't know the details myself. The scientists handle all of that, I just spread the word and love of your great Lord and Savior." Maxwell replied in a vague manner. "I need to know what happened to Mara while she was in Father Anderson's custody." Gabriel asked. "Unfortunately anything we had in the building was destroyed and we weren't able to debrief the father before he was whisked away for the project. I will be sure to let you know as soon as he is available." Maxwell offered. Gabriel took a deep breath and let it out slowly so he didn't snap on Father Maxwell. "Fine, keep me posted." Gabriel replied and left without another word.

Father Maxwell waited until Gabriel got on the elevator before he let out a relieved sigh. "Gabriel was here looking for you. He wanted to inquire about what happened to the witch while she was in your custody. Anything I should know about?" Maxwell asked with a knowing smirk. "Aye' nothin' crazy. Just tested out muh new blades on the lass, all of em." Father Anderson said with a sick laugh that caused him to start coughing. " What I didn't expect was for her to block the pain it would have caused him. Vile wench was pretty strong and smart. Oh but the sounds she made were like glorious praises to the Lord." he added after his coughing calmed down. A doctor let himself into the room with a team of nurses who carried a cooler. "Father Anderson, if you are ready, we would like to administer the enhancement," the doctor said.

Maxwell took a step back to give the medical team room as a nurse prepped Father Anderson's arm and the doctor prepped the needle filled with the scientifically altered blood of Christ. Once his arm was prepped the rest of the nurses strapped him down knowing the changes it made to his body could possibly get violent. Father Maxwell said a prayer and the doctor administered the injection. The blood could be seen spreading from the injection sight throughout father Anderson's body as his body started to twitch before it began to violently spasm. Even with the straps, the team of nurses had to hold his body down. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he let out a blood curdling scream. He broke through the straps and was tossing people off of him like they weighed nothing and more people were called in to hold him down.

The transition and screams lasted for almost an hour before Anderson finally passed out. Maxwell could feel a strong aura coming off of him that made Maxwell smile. "Finally, we can begin." Maxwell murmured and left Anderson's room to go to another. "How is she fairing?" Maxwell asked the doctor. "We gave her a less potent dose of the drug seeing as how she was fully human unlike Father Anderson. Same reaction as him but she stabilized a lot faster. It's a shame me lost Yumeiko but I know Heinkel will prove useful." the doctor replied, taking notes on her vitals. "What about the missing extremities?" Maxwell asked motioning to her missing legs and arm. "We wanted to see if they heal any or at all and then we can fit her for our latest and greatest prosthetics. All made of pure silver of blessed crosses and covered in a specialized blessed coating made with holy water. They have been specially crafted with her handgun specialties in mind." the doctor replied making Maxwell grin with pride and joy. "Wonderful! May the Lord bless us on this journey and may we put down the enemy in his name. Amen!" Maxwell prayed excitedly. "Amen." the doctor replied.

Heinkel had woken up amid their conversation, "Amen." she muttered lowly making both the men turn to her. "Ah Miss Heinkel, you've recovered rather quickly. Blessings of the Lord no doubt." Maxwell praised, as the doctor and nurses checked over her body to see if there was any regeneration. "No cellular regeneration of old wounds, let us know if you can heal any better after." The doctor said to her as the nursing staff prepared her for surgery. "Doesn't she need a moment?" Maxwell asked not really caring. "She has the blood of our savior within her. She will be fine." The doctor said excitedly and she was rolled out to the operating room. "We are coming, foul creature. Just you wait." Maxwell said to himself before letting out a maniacal laugh.

~

Malum sat at his desk as his ears started ringing. He sucked his teeth and shook his head to get it to stop. "Fuckers always running their mouths behind my back" he muttered just as the sins practically shoved Mara and Prudence into his office before slamming the door shut and running off to secure the rest of the perimeter "What the hell happened!?" He asked getting up and pulling Mara into a bone crushing hug while somehow still being careful of her belly area. "Are you alright my Mara?" he asked, pulling away and looking over her for wounds. "Relax my love. If I was hurt you would have felt it. I am fine however, we may have an issue…" Mara said looking to Prudence for help. Prudence took a deep breath before she began. "So we went out shopping and everything was fine. Mara wouldn't let us buy any girly things just in case we're all wrong and they're actually boys." Prudence started. Malum gave her a glare, "Prudence! Focus!" he ordered and she nodded staring at the floor. "We were leaving a store and Gabriel was there and he put two and two together about Mara being pregnant between the shopping bags and us chatting away." She finished as she scooted behind Mara ever so slowly.

Mara could feel Malum literally shake with demonic volumes of rage as he took deep breaths trying to control himself from snapping. He knew it was no one's fault but now that the cat was out of the entire bag he grew worried for his mate and their young growing within her. "Thank you for keeping her safe and getting her to me quickly and unharmed. Oh and thank the girls for me." he finally said, sparing Prudence a glance before staring lovingly at Mara. "I know you're going to hate me and I really honestly did try." He said to Mara as Prudence left the room. "What do you mean?" She asked worriedly. "I didn't want to be a worry wart and be on top of you all the time but now that he knows, he is most likely going to inform the Iscariot and we cannot risk that. I need you with me as much as possible so I can make sure nothing happens to you." he said cupping her cheek and kissing her forehead. "And them." he added kneeling before her and kissing her abdomen twice on each side. Mara took a deep breath, she knew it would be annoying as all hell but with Anderson and somehow Heinkel surviving the fire she didn't want to risk it either. "It's alright my love. Spending all the time with you doesn't sound so horrible." Mara said with a smile as he stood back up. "From now till the end of time." he whispered against her lips before kissing her hungrily.