“Bullshit,” Azrael said.
“I got it on good authority.”
“Whoa, I heard about that,” Nathan said with wide eyes.
I smiled. “What you probably didn’t hear was that the Department of Defense had just contracted a white-hat hacker team from Claymore to try to break into it. Off the record, our guys said the system was secure. And right before they were about to send their all-clear report to the Pentagon…”
Nathan looked from me to a brooding Azrael. “Somebody broke in?”
“No one knows who it was,” Azrael snapped.
I mouthed “It was Chimera” to Nathan.
He chuckled.
“If this guy’s so good, how can Fury afford him?” Azrael asked.
“She can’t afford him. She blew through her savings trying to find Anya.” I pointed at Azrael. “Which is the only reason she agreed to come back to work for you last year.”
Azrael leaned back in his seat. “Not the only reason.”
“You think Fury came back for me?”
“I know she did.”
Nathan raised his hand. “I know she did too. And I hate to say it, but she used the shit out of my uncle to take a jab at you.”
Having suddenly found an ally, Azrael leaned toward Nathan. “And when this guy found out”—he pointed at me—“he was pissed.”
Nathan laughed. “Yeah, he was.”
“Then you should’ve told her I was with Sloan,” I said to Az, dodging their taunts.
Nathan stopped laughing. “Fury didn’t know the two of you were together?”
“She would have if her hacker was any good,” Azrael said with a laugh.
Nathan snickered again along with Reuel.
“What’s so funny in here?” Adrianne asked, walking into the dining room.
I stood as a wide smile broke on my face. “Adrianne.” I crossed the room and engulfed her in my arms.
She hugged me. “Warren. God, it’s been too long. You look great. Really great.”
“Hey, hey,” Azrael said, snapping his fingers toward us. “You can cool it with the ‘you look great’ nonsense.”
Laughing, she pulled back but still held onto my shoulders. “What do you expect me to say? He looks just like you.”
Azrael smiled. “That’s better.”
Reuel walked over and hugged her.
“My favorite guardian angel,” she said as he lifted her feet off the floor. “How are you, Reuel?”
He grunted.
“Still a man of many words, I see.”
He laughed and settled her back down.
She stepped over to me again and put her hands on the sides of my face. “You, dear sir, have been terribly missed.”
“You have no idea.” I took her hands and a step back. “Let me have a look at you.”
Azrael got up and stood beside us.
Adrianne hadn’t changed much. Her hair was a darker shade of auburn than I remembered, and it had grown out past her shoulders. She wore a fitted white top to display the bump around her middle.
I reached toward her stomach. “May I?”
“Of course,” she said.
I placed my hands on either side of her belly, and a faint wave of energy pulsed through my fingers. The sensation was wildly different from what I’d felt around Fury, something unexplainable. Something powerful.
“What do you think?” Azrael asked.
“What does he think about what?” Adrianne asked.
“He wants to know if the baby is human.” I looked over at him. “I really don’t know. It’s too early to tell, but if it is human, it’s certainly not an average one.”
“What the hell, Warren? Of course it’s human. What else would it…” Her mouth widened as she turned toward Azrael. “Oh my god. You think I’m giving birth to a demon.”
He took a step back. “Not necessarily. I’m not convinced it’s a demon.”
“What kind of father thinks their kid is a demon?” she asked.
Ionis jabbed his finger toward Azrael. It was hard for me to stifle a laugh.
“And who is this guy?” Adrianne asked, waving a manicured hand at the messenger.
Ionis got up and pushed his way between us. He went to hug her, but she palmed his forehead to stop him. “Um, no. Who are you?”
He smiled. “My name is Ionis. It’s nice to meet you, Adrianne Marx. I’m sure your son will be as beautiful as his mother.”
All our faces whipped toward him.
Adrianne’s lips parted. “My—my son?”
“You didn’t know?” Ionis covered his mouth. “I ruined the surprise.”
“A son?” Azrael said, grabbing Ionis’s sleeve. “Is it human?”
Ionis shrugged. “That’s the rumor in Eden. Congratulations, Azrael.”
“Rumor from who? I haven’t heard anything,” I said.
“I told you, you’ve been gone a long time,” Ionis answered.
Azrael stepped over to Adrianne. She laughed through the tears streaming down her cheeks as he embraced her. “It’s a boy,” he said, tangling one hand in her hair and resting his forehead against hers.
“It’s a boy,” she repeated and kissed him.
Ionis leaned toward me. “Aww…you’ll have a baby brother.”
Reuel laughed.
“Oh.” I frowned. “I hadn’t thought about it that way.”
Nathan’s face soured. “That’s weird.”
I shook my head to clear it as I sat back down. The thought of having a sibling was too weird to process over a turkey dinner. For that, I’d need whiskey. Or something otherworldly stronger. I pushed my plate away from me. “If the baby’s human, how do you explain the weird vibes from that womb?”
“Nanum,” Reuel agreed, meaning he felt them too.
Ionis drummed his nails on the tabletop. “As much as I hate to say it out loud, Azrael was one of the most powerful angels that’s ever lived. And he’s the only angel to ever become mortal. There’s no telling what kind of abilities that kid might have.”
Nathan raised an eyebrow. “Like Adrianne might give birth to the next Harry Potter?”
Ionis smirked. “Or the next Lord Voldemort.”
As if on cue, a thunderous boom shook the entire house. The windows clanged against their frames. The dishes rattled on the table.
Ionis flinched.
Reuel jumped up from his chair.
Adrianne screamed.
Nathan looked up like something might crash through the roof. “What the…?”
I slowly closed my eyes. “That was an Angel of Death.”
Chapter Six
Samael was coming up the steps two at a time when Azrael opened the front door. “Azrael. Good, you’re both here,” Samael said before I even appeared in the doorway.
Unlike the rest of us, Samael typically dressed the part of the Angel of Death. This visit, his flowing black robe shimmered with the pink-and-orange rays of the setting sun, and the magic of the spirit line still glistened on his mocha skin. Even I was impressed. It almost made me wonder who should actually be in charge: me or him?
“Samael, what’s going on?” I asked, stepping in front of Azrael. “Has the Council sent for me?”
“Yes. They have reached a verdict, but I’d like to talk to Azrael before we go.”
Nathan pulled me backward. “Let the man in. Let the man in.”
As I moved out of the way, Ionis leaned toward me and lowered his voice to a loud whisper. “He knows Samael’s not a man, right?”
“He knows.” I pushed him backward as Samael walked inside.
Samael reached for Nathan’s hand. “Mr. McNamara, a pleasure to see you again. I hope you don’t mind my unannounced intrusion.”
“You wouldn’t come if it wasn’t important.” Nathan closed the door behind him. “Come on in. You know everyone, right?”
Samael’s bright golden eyes swept the group. “Yes. Hello, Adrianne. How are you feeling?”
Sh
e greeted him with a hug. “Good, as long as you’re not here for one of us.”
He laughed. “Not here for a house call.”
“Then it’s wonderful to see you. Sloan will be so jealous.”
“Please give her my regards.”
“I will.”
“Samael, come on back,” Nathan said, leading us all down the hallway.
On the other end of the house was a dimly lit family room with a couple of couches and overstuffed armchairs. I sat next to Samael near the fireplace.
“If you boys will excuse me, while you talk angel business, I’m going to stuff my face with all that delicious food in the kitchen,” Adrianne said.
“Do you need my help?” Azrael asked her.
She kissed him quickly. “I’m perfectly capable of feeding myself. Thank you. Stay here. I know you eat this shit up.”
I grinned.
When she was gone, Azrael came and sat on the arm of the sofa beside me. “I heard you’ve got some dead bodies bearing my mark.”
“My mark,” I corrected him.
Azrael laughed. “The mark of the Archangel. Better?”
I nodded.
“Did he tell you about the purple haze?”
“Ionis used the word magic,” Azrael added, his skepticism clear.
Samael nodded. “Magic is a good way to describe it. It’s a power unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
“So we’ve heard. Got any theories?” Azrael asked.
“I hoped you might,” Samael said.
Azrael crossed his arms. “It’s hard for me to speculate on something I haven’t seen for myself.”
“Which is why I’m here. I think I know how to show you,” Samael said. “Do you have the blood stone?”
“Yes.” Azrael sounded surprised. He reached both hands behind his neck and released the clasp of the chain holding the blood stone. He handed it to me. “Put this on.”
“Good idea,” I said, ashamed I hadn’t thought of it myself. Samael could show me the scene again, and the blood stone could record it. I put the necklace on and turned toward Samael. “Go ahead.”
Samael gripped my forehead with his large hand, pressing his fingertips into the sides of my skull. My eyes rolled back as I dipped into his memory.
The spirit of the girl from Thailand was staggering slowly toward me. She was hunched over and crying like she was in pain. Surrounding her spirit was a faint glistening purple haze. It moved like smoke, twisting and curling around her.
The second victim, a man from Turkey, had the same swirling haze.
So did the first victim from Venice. Finally, I was looking at Sofia from Samael’s point of view in the room.
I pulled away from Samael’s hand and opened my eyes. Then I took off the necklace and returned it to Azrael. “Here, see what you think.”
Nathan leaned toward Ionis. “This shit is still so weird.”
Ionis wiggled his fingers again and whispered, “Magic.”
Nathan laughed.
Azrael’s eyelids fluttered as he watched the vision through the blood stone. Finally, he looked at us again. “I have no idea what that is, but I don’t think it’s possible for a copycat to know our mark. I know Jaleal is working the area now, but who sent the first spirit over?”
“Jeshua. He was the first to notify me of the mark on the body.”
“We’ll keep searching. We’ll find out who did this,” Samael said.
Azrael nodded. “I have no doubt.”
I turned toward Samael. “Shall we get back to Eden then?”
“They are waiting for you.”
Dread pooled in my stomach like acid. I stood, prompting everyone else to rise around me. Azrael reached for my hand. “Let me know what they say.”
“Of course.”
He walked to the dining-room door and pushed it open. “Adrianne, Warren’s leaving.”
I looked at Reuel. “You ready?”
He nodded.
Nathan came over and pulled me into a one-armed hug. “Take care of yourself, brother.”
“Always, man. Give my love to my family,” I said.
“You know I will.”
I held up the bag containing the photo album. “And thanks again for this.”
“You gonna be able to take it with you?” he asked, curiously cutting his eyes at me.
“Unfortunately, they don’t make trinket boxes big enough. But I can stash it outside the Eden Gate.”
He sighed and shook his head. “So freaking weird.” Then he stepped back to hug Reuel.
Adrianne came over with her arms outstretched. “Don’t leave. I thought we might video chat with Iliana.”
My heart wrenched as I hugged her. “As much as I would love that, I’m not sure I could keep my shit together for her.”
“Next time?” she asked.
“Hopefully. Kiss my baby girl for me?”
“I will.”
I touched her belly again. “And take care of this one. He’s going to be pretty special.”
She covered my hand with hers. “I’m already planning his marriage to Iliana.”
“I think that’s incest,” Nathan said, his face souring.
Her eyes doubled. “Oh, I didn’t think about that.”
Laughing, Azrael put his arm around her.
“Ionis, are you coming with us?” Samael asked.
“Unless Azrael wants me to stay with him.” Ionis flashed a smile across the room at Az.
Azrael pointed toward the door. “Get out.”
Ionis laughed.
Azrael, Adrianne, and Nathan followed us to the front door and lingered in the doorway as we descended the stairs and walked down the gravel driveway.
Samael and Ionis disappeared with a loud crack first. Then Reuel. Then I turned around backward and waved with a sad smile.
All three of them waved back. Adrianne blew a kiss.
I checked my tactical watch and started a new timer. It was 6:48 p.m. on March 24.
Then I breached across the spirit line with a thunderous boom.
* * *
The inside of the spirit line always reminded me of the colorful corridors that connected the terminals of Chicago O’Hare. Light from Earth and Eden filtered through its walls, splintering from the pressure of both space and time into a metallic rainbow mist all around us.
In a sense, it even had a moving sidewalk, as walking or flying wasn’t necessary. Our intention was enough to guide us to the Eden Gate through this living, breathing bridge between realms.
This time, we were moving quickly through it, a little like Willy Wonka’s psychedelic boat ride. But it was possible to linger in the gap between worlds. To gaze through the membrane at life on the other side.
It was torture for the demons who longed for home in Eden.
And it was torture for me, gazing back on the life I gave up.
Through this veil, when Iliana wasn’t hidden safely inside the Echo-5 fortress, the entire spirit world kept watch over my daughter. Those who would do her harm; and those who would destroy themselves to save her.
There would be no stopping now to check in on her. The walls around us were becoming thicker, the path was solidifying, and a sublime melody was growing louder in the distance.
Home was near.
At the end of the eternal corridor, both sides of the passageway widened farther than my eyes could see and stretched higher and higher until they disappeared into the kaleidoscopic lights above. Before us were the moonstone steps, hundreds of them, framed by alabaster columns.
The steps led to the colossal entrance, a gate made of moonstone and pearl. It had three arched doorways. The largest in the center led to Eden. The door to the left led to Nulterra. And the door on the right led to Reclusion—my chamber, where souls would await their final death.
Four large columns framed the doors. The two in the middle, on either side of Eden’s entrance, were etched with two verses in Katavukai. In English, they read:
“The world is but a bridge. Pass over it, but build no houses upon it.”
And,
“He who hopes for a day, may hope for eternity; but the world endures but an hour.”
The great gate that once stood outside Constantinople was carved with the same words. The design had been inspired by a very near-death experience of the architect. Apparently, the makers of a gate still standing in India had copied that one.
“Time to drop our stuff,” I said, walking toward the wall on our left at the base of the stairs.
There was a split where the wall overlapped itself, forming a narrow hallway. Inside it were rows of safes, small lockers we could use to store our items from the physical world. Each box had face recognition. Mine opened when I stepped in front of it.
Inside, I carefully placed my cell phone, my watch, and my wallet inside. Then I stole one last glance through the book Nate had given me.
Beside me, Reuel sighed heavily. When I looked, he was frowning at the last candy bar he still hadn’t eaten.
With a laugh, I put my hand on his shoulder. “Don’t be sad, my friend. Manna awaits.”
He nodded and stuck the candy bar in the locker.
Down the row, Ionis was stripping down to his briefs.
“What are you doing?” Samael asked. He was waiting for us at the entrance as he had nothing to leave behind.
“I’m not letting this outfit get burned up through the gate. That’s a seven-hundred-dollar jacket,” Ionis said, stuffing it into his locker.
I rolled my eyes, put the book in the back of my safe, and closed the door.
As the four of us ascended the steps, human souls materialized around us.
Samael was the Angel of Death who guarded the spirit line. He decided which spirits and human souls could cross into Eden, which humans should come to me to suffer the second death, and who must be turned over to Nulterra.
He hadn’t been gone very long, hours only. Still, thousands of newcomers had gathered, and thousands more of their loved ones had come outside the gate to greet them.
Thankfully, no one seemed to care or notice that Ionis was nearly naked.
For now, the newcomers looked similar to the way they had before they crossed over. But once they crossed all the way into Eden, everything would be made new.
The Soul Destroyer: The Soul Summoner Series Book 7 Page 6
