SEVEN ARCHANGELS: ANNIHILATION -- Jane Lebak

All is not heavenly in Heaven. Demons have abducted the Archangel Gabriel and have him chained in a dungeon in Hell. In Heaven the angels are debating whether to invade Hell and try to rescue their number one hornblower. They bicker and squabble. I was surprised to learn that even angels can't just get along. They do manage to agree on allowing one angel to slip into Hell undercover to do some reconnaissance.

As one might expect, it's worse in Hell. Mephistopheles, who ranks next under Lucifer, is supposed to be best buddies with Beelzebub. According to celestial gossip, the two are plotting a junta against their boss. Yet--no surprise really, considering they've chosen evil over good--they don't get along so well, either. At one point Beelzebub even rapes Mephistopheles. The scene is graphic, although Jane Lebak's artful writing manages to keep its skirts a smidgeon above the mud.