by M. R. Forbes
We hit the city proper, Alyx charging into traffic, leaping over and around cars that slowed and swerved without even knowing what they were slowing and swerving for. The Fists continued behind, though they were hampered by the human density, forced to trim their pace to avoid hurting anyone. Even if the people wanted to get out of the way, to avoid the Divine among them, they couldn't always do it. It was the obstacle we needed.
"That way," I said, aiming Alyx down a narrow alley.
There were all kinds of fruit stands and shoppers here, and we recreated movie cliche history, barreling through them and knocking everything aside, coming out the other end and racing across the next.
We nearly speeded headlong into one of the Fists.
"North," I yelled, holding on as Alyx planted her feet to turn.
I threw my power out between us and the Fist, catching the bolts it launched, at the same time she surged forward again. I was so used to being disguised, I had forgotten about Alyx's hot demonic aura. Her power was a blinding red beacon they could hone right in on. We needed to cover it up somehow.
We raced down the street. I could hear the Fists running behind us, falling back as we pushed through the mortal traffic. I winced when Alyx's foot came down on the roof of a car, causing her to slip and regain herself, sending the vehicle off into another, the driver surely wounded. Even so, I didn't ask her to slow. Not until we got further away.
"We need to go in there," I said, pointing at a tall, residential apartment building. She gave me a confused grunt, but made the adjustments to get us going that way. I vaulted from her back when we neared the revolving doors, and she shifted and came to a standing stop next to me.
"What are we doing?" she asked.
"He can follow your aura. We need to hide it."
"How?"
The aura was like a Divine radio signal. I'd learned to mess with it, to disguise it a long time ago. If we got close enough, I was hoping I could cover it over like a blanket, or deflect it like a piece of tin foil. If we could stay undiscovered long enough, Adam would forget about me, forget about us.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the building. The Fists were coming hard, but it would be a challenge for them to get into the small space without hurting anyone. They weren't made to fight in close quarters. That didn't mean Adam wouldn't send others in to try to draw us out.
We walked through the lobby, past the other people who were milling about on their way to here or there. We headed right to the elevator, crowding into the first one that opened heading upwards.
"Where are we going?" she asked again.
"Home," I replied.
"I don't understand."
"Trust me."
She smiled. "Yes, M-"
I put a finger to her lips. I didn't want her calling me that at all. I wasn't going to let her in public.
We got out on the seventeenth floor.
"Find us an empty one," I said. "Fast."
Alyx started running down the hallway, while I kept my eyes on the windows at either end of the corridor, waiting for angels to come bursting in. Would Adam send them, or would he wait me out? We both knew I couldn't hide in here forever.
"This one," Alyx said, facing us towards a door.
I reached out and unlocked it, shoving it open, pulling her in, and slamming it closed, almost at the same time the glass outside shattered. At least I had my answer.
I threw her down on a leather couch and brought myself down on top of her, putting my arms around her and holding her as tight as I could. I closed my eyes and focused on my energy, sending it out around me, running it around my limbs and connecting the spaces in between, acting like the tin foil I'd conceived. Would this work? I thought it would. I wasn't sure.
I felt Alyx's hands tighten around me, her breath against my neck, and then the wet softness of her lips against my flesh. She kissed my neck, pushing herself into me suggestively.
"Alyx," I whispered.
"Mmm... yes, Master?"
"This isn't what I had in mind." I kept my eyes closed, listening for the approach of the angels. I counted the seconds down. Thirty seconds to forget, thirty seconds more for good measure.
"You don't want your mate?" she asked.
Again her naiveté was forcing my hand. "I do. Just... not right now."
She kissed my cheek and pressed her face against mine. "They're right outside the door," she whispered.
I held my breath, waiting for them to open it. If they saw me, this game would be over.
"I never had this much fun with Espanto," she said, her breath hot against me. "He never let me go anywhere unless it was to kill something. I love you."
Did I hear that right? "What?"
"I love you."
I squeezed my eyes tighter. This wasn't happening. "Where are the angels?" The thirty seconds had come and gone. I wanted to be sure they had left.
She didn't answer right away.
"Alyx?"
"Do you love me?" she asked.
"Where are the angels?"
Silence.
"Alyx," I said, doing my best imitation of a snarl. "Tell me where they are, now."
She nuzzled her face against mine. "Gone, Master."
I gave myself permission to breathe, and let her go.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
"Alyx, I know that things are different for weres, and you don't have a lot of experience of the world outside of your pack and Espanto. I don't know you anywhere near well enough to love you."
We were still sitting on the couch. I don't know why I was even having the conversation. For some reason, I felt like I owed it to her after she helped me get away from the Fists.
"What is wrong with the way of the pack?" she asked.
"There's nothing wrong with it, if you're a werewolf. I'm not a werewolf."
"You're the diuscrucis. You're strong and powerful. You were also the alpha. You freed me from Espanto. You trusted me with your life. I love you."
She said it firmly, convinced that it was true. Maybe it was for her. She was a demon, and power was their most desired quality. It didn't help that she felt like she was supposed to be, deserved to be mated to her pack's alpha. Ulnyx was gone. Lylyx was gone. The pack was scattered and in ruins. Why not?
"Okay, say that you do. I loved someone before. I know what it feels like. I don't want to hurt your feelings. I don't feel that for you. We only met a few hours ago." I really didn't want to hurt her feelings. I needed her power.
She was quiet. She put her head down, thinking. Then she looked at me. "Do you think you will ever love me?"
"I don't know. It takes time to find out if you can love someone or not."
"Would you not love me because I'm a demon?"
Izak was a demon. He had once been as evil as it came. Love had changed him. "No."
"Then why do you think you wouldn't love me?"
I wasn't sure what to say. Truth be told, I already had a bit of a soft spot for her. Maybe it was the way she nuzzled my neck, or the fact that she could bowl over a Fist of God. There was something cute about her innocent exuberance and demeanor, and I felt guilty that I could probably get used to, and grow endeared to, the way she called me 'Master'. At the same time, she was so inexperienced with the outside world. In some ways she wasn't much more than a child. It was hard to see past that part.
Then there was Rose.
Did I have to get all confused and emo about every girl I met?
"I'm not saying I never will or won't. I'm saying I don't know. I need to spend more time with you."
She smiled and leaned over, putting her head on my shoulder. "Okay."
I took another deep breath and reached for my phone.
"What are you doing?" Alyx asked.
"Phoning a friend. We need to find out where they took Rose and Gervais."
She tilted her head, confused. "I thought you said the angels could keep them?"
"I know what Confession does to angels. I can
't imagine what it will do to a mortal. Also, wherever they took them... I bet that's where they took Matthias, too."
I found Alichino in the contact list and made the call.
"What is it?" the demon asked.
"The angels have Rose. I need to know where they took her."
"Landon? I haven't heard from you in two years, and what, you don't even say hello? Seriously. It's like you were raised by wolves."
That comment got a positive response from Alyx, who pushed her head harder against my shoulder.
"Alichino, shut up. She was taken by an angel, she said its aura was blinding. Also, I think they're moving the armors from the factory to another location."
I heard mumbling on the other end of the phone, and then some thumping and static.
"Signore," Dante said.
"Dante. Did you hear what I told Allie?"
"Yes. You said another location?"
"Yeah."
"It makes sense. The scripture on the metal is useless on its own. It requires an angel to give it Divine power and activate it. I have been traveling back and forth in order to help Alichino work out the requirements, based on our observations of the scripture. We haven't got it calculated yet, but it is quite a lot. More than a single angel can provide."
I knew what he was getting at. "A sanctuary."
"Yes. To power the scripture on the Fist, they would need to bring it to a sanctuary and bathe it in the light of Heaven."
"Okay, but they aren't flying them out. They had a loading bay, a whole setup to drive them."
"They likely can't carry them until they are activated. Ordinary metal is quite heavy, even for a seraph."
"So wherever they're going, it needs to be nearby. Where's the closest angel sanctuary."
"I'm not aware of one in Shenzhen," Dante said. "I don't know all of their locations. They don't like to advertise, for obvious reasons."
"They would need a road," Alichino said, his voice muffled by his distance to the phone. "One that could bear the weight. I'll get on that."
"Ah, yes. The demon is correct. The Fists are very heavy. They must have added or reinforced a road. Please, signore, allow us a little time. We will discover the location."
Time was the last thing we had. There wasn't much choice.
"Okay. Wait! The angel."
"What about it?" Dante asked.
"Rose said its aura was blinding. I've been face to face with some powerful angels before. I never felt anything like that."
There was silence on the other end of the line. It wasn't a good sign.
"Dante?"
I heard him take a heaving breath. "I am hoping that it is not what I think it may be, signore."
"Just spit it out."
"It is possible that there may be an archangel involved."
I froze on the couch, feeling like my jaw was resting on the carpet. "Oh. Shit. I thought that was against the rules?"
"It normally is. If Lucifer knew about this, Hell would have already come to Earth. They must be moving about in secrecy."
"What if Heavenly light wasn't enough?" I said, the thought springing to the front of my mind.
"Excuse me, signore?"
"What if Heavenly light wasn't enough? The Fists, the bombs, the Holy flame, even the crazy powerful scripture we ran into in the factory? This kind of evolution doesn't just happen. What if the archangel is giving some of his own power over to make all this stuff work?"
There was another pause.
"Then you best put a stop to it," Dante said.
I hung up without saying goodbye, feeling my body shaking from the implications. It was getting worse with every minute that swung by.
"Is it time to run?" Alyx asked.
"Not yet." I hit another name on my phone. The odds were fifty-fifty that she would answer.
It rang three times before she picked up. "Landon?" She sounded surprised. Considering I'd never called her before, it made sense.
"Elyse. Hey. Where are you?" I tried to be a little more polite than I had with Alichino.
"Cape Town. What's up?"
"How fast can you get to Shenzhen, China?"
"Not fast. It's probably about a twenty hour flight."
I tried to hide my disappointment. I was desperate for a little more backup. "You don't happen to have any quicker routes, do you?"
She laughed. "I take it you're in trouble?"
"We're all in trouble. It's a long story, but the bottom line is that the angels are kicking demon, and my, ass."
"I only have three rift stones. And retrieving one of them was the whole reason I came here."
"Do they do what I think they do?"
"Yes."
"There's a rift in Kowloon, about an hour drive from here. This is important enough to burn a stone on."
She didn't hesitate. She was a former Nicht Creidem. She knew the score. "I'll call you when I get to Shenzhen."
"Thanks, Elle. Oh, and watch out for weres when you come through."
"Got it. Thanks for the warning."
"Write this all down, so you don't forget." I could prevent people from forgetting me when I was near them. Phone calls? Not so much. Elyse was used to the small complication, and she retained the memory of when we had first coordinated the system.
"I'm already doing it. See you soon."
She hung up on me.
"Who is she?" Alyx asked. There as a slight hint of jealousy in her voice.
"A friend. She's going to help us."
"So what do we do now?"
"There's nothing to do but wait."
She smiled mischievously. "I can think of something else to do."
I wondered how many men would turn down two offers in one day. Or how many men would even turn down one offer in one day. At least I wouldn't have to worry about that with Elyse.
"Do you remember what I said about not knowing you very well?"
"Yes, Master." She blinked her big eyes, her mouth open and inviting. I could smell a change in her, that reminded me of Gervais and his pheromones. It probably worked great on other weres.
"Yeah. So... let's try to wait until I know you better and the mortal world isn't threatening to fall apart in the next twenty-four hours."
"As you command, Master." She backed away from me a couple of feet and made a face that left me feeling guilty for turning her down. It was intentional, manipulative. Despite her inexperience with people, she was still a demon.
I leaned back on the couch and closed my eyes, trying to take a minute to relax and recharge. I managed a couple of deep breaths before my gut wrenched again, the tickling pain causing me to groan.
"Landon?" Alyx said. She slid over, putting her arms around me. "What is it?"
The balance. Again. Adam wasn't about to let me slow him down.
He was moving forward with the angels' plan.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Whatever he was doing, it was big enough to keep me unsettled the entire time we were waiting for Elyse. I leaned against the arm of the couch, feeling more desperate and more angry with each twist of my soul, with each shift of the needle. It would take the death of a lot of demons to throw the balance altogether. Weeks at the current pace.
Who knew if the current pace would last?
My phone rang.
"Elyse. Where are you?"
"I'm here. Shenzhen. Where are you?"
"Somewhere downtown. A big apartment building. I'm not sure what the address is. Just look for the bright hot aura of a Great Were."
"You're kidding."
"Not this time. I'm getting too desperate to kid."
"Okay. I'll be there in fifteen."
She ditched me again.
Alyx was laying across the couch, her eyes closed. She was snoring lightly, her mouth hanging open. She looked peaceful, content. I was sure she didn't understand the gravity of the situation. I wasn't pretty sure she wouldn't care, even if she did.
I watched her stomach rise and fall w
ith her breath, watched her nose twitch, watched her hands and feet shake a little. What did weres dream about?
I didn't realize I was staring for so long, until her eyes snapped open. She didn't say anything to me, or pay me any mind. Instead, she hopped up onto her hands and feet, her eyes on the door. She was ready to pounce.
Someone knocked a few seconds later.
"Human," Alyx said. "A strange smell. Different."
"It's okay. It's Elyse. You can stand down."
She finally looked at me, her face violent and serious. It softened, and she smiled. "I saw you watching me." She fell backwards, putting her back against the arm of the sofa and pulling her knees up to her chest.
Of course she did. I could only guess what she thought about it. I reached out with my power and pulled the door open.
It was easy for me to forget sometimes how young Elyse actually was. She had the wisdom of years drilled into her by her father from the time she was born, and that kind of upbringing had brought her to carry herself with a confidence that was more akin to a two hundred year old angel than a twenty four year old mortal.
She was some part German, some part Japanese. Pale skin, almond eyes, short and lithe in a leather jacket and tight blue jeans. She had a dozen necklaces around her neck, rings on every finger, earrings, a nose ring, and I knew that underneath the clothing her entire body was tattooed and scarred in scripture and rune, an artistic mutilation to give her maximum protection against the Divine, protection that I hoped she would be able to pass on to Rose once she had time.
She wore a black do-rag over her scalp, hiding the mess of a scar her father had added to her forehead, and the bald head that refused to grow hair since the day he had done it.
She smiled when she saw me. "Landon. You still have my sword, right?"
I pulled the stone from my pocket and tossed it to her. "Of course. It wasn't worth having to deal with your wrath to risk losing it."
She caught the rock and walked over to me, reaching up so I could give her a massive hug. "It's been too long," she said.
After the Beast, after I'd finished mourning, I had sought Elyse out. She had made a lot of sacrifices to help me, and the loss of her father and the shunning by her family had left her pretty much alone. In a lot of ways, we were in a similar place at the time, and while I never talked to her about Charis and Clara, and all the crap that had spilled out to Rose, we had talked about a lot of other things. Mainly, about Heaven and Hell, good and evil, my place in the universe, and hers. It had taken a few weeks, but I won her over in the end.
