There was large, comfortable-looking furniture arranged around a wall-mounted TV. Never took Asmodeus for much of a couch potato. At one end of the room, I could see a king-size, four-poster bed with black sheets.
“Make yourself at home,” said Lilith, gesturing towards the seating area.
I sat at one end of the couch and took out my cigarette case to light up. As I smoked the cigarette, I thought about what Celeste and Wayne had said to me. What struck me wasn’t what they had said but my reaction. Even as little as a week ago, I wouldn’t have been so dismissive. But I found myself caring less and less about what anyone else thought. The old Luther was melting away and I was getting more comfortable in his skin with each passing day.
That didn’t mean I was an idiot. I took the Abraxas Stone out of my pocket and examined it closely, holding it up to look at it in the light. This thing definitely contained power. It radiated off it and I felt like it was calling to me. But no matter how strong it was, that power felt just out of reach. I tried to see if I could draw from it, yet nothing happened. The power was in there, just locked away somehow.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Lilith had a scotch in each hand and passed one to me before she sat next to me on the couch. Her body was pressed close to my side and I could feel her warmth. I looked over at her and saw her eyes staring at the stone, too.
“Yeah,” I said. “Beautiful and powerful. So how does it work?”
She held out her hand. “May I?”
Something inside caused me to hesitate, telling me not to trust her. To tell you the truth, I didn’t know if that was my conscience trying to get me to do the right thing, or my demonic side saying I’d be better served using the power for myself. But in the end, I relented and passed Lilith the stone.
She held it in the palm of her hand, staring at it, almost like she was mesmerized. I was so fixated on her, I almost didn’t notice that the stone’s glow had faded somewhat when she held it. Once I saw it, I couldn’t get it out of my head. Why was the stone glowing when I touched it, but not her? Did it have something to do with the spell Asmodeus had used to imprison her? Or was my power growing to the extent that I was now stronger than Lilith?
“How do you use it?” I asked.
Lilith leaned forward and set the stone on the table. She sat back in the couch and sipped her drink, taking her sweet time before answering my question.
“I just went through a lot of crap to get that stone for you, so the least you could do is answer my questions,” I said.
“It hasn’t been used since it was destroyed,” she said.
“Then how do you know it’ll even work?” I asked. “You saying we have to find all the fragments?”
She looked up at me. “You touched it. Felt its power. What do you think?”
I nodded and took a sip of my drink. The stone was powerful, but we needed an instruction manual to figure out how to use it. “You’re right, there’s power in it. So, the question is, how do we access that power?”
“There’s a ritual. Very ancient. Thought destroyed, but fortunately for us, Abraxas was really good at hiding his toys,” said Lilith.
“And you know the ritual?”
She shook her head. “No, but I know where we can get our hands on it. Are you willing to follow me to get the job done?”
I stared at her. “Y’know, since I hooked up with you, I’ve now got a cop, a pissed-off yeti, and a vampire coming after me. And what do you think will happen if they tell the Sons what we did?”
“You forgot the demons trying to take over Asmodeus’ territory,” said Lilith.
“Right, thanks for reminding me,” I said. “So why should I follow along after all that?”
Lilith flashed me a smile and pushed closer against me. She brought her head to my neck and I could feel the caress of her warm breath sending ripples across my skin. I took a deep breath to keep myself in control.
“Because, Luther,” she whispered into my ear, “we both know you’re having the time of your life right now.”
I looked down at her, our eyes connecting. When she looked at me, I felt like she was looking right through me. Every secret I’d ever kept, every awful thought or base instinct I’d ever suppressed…she knew them all. And her eyes told me it was okay to embrace them. Not only throw out the rulebook, but burn it to ash.
I lowered my head and she sat up, our heads moving closer together. We closed our eyes at the same time and our breath was on each other’s lips. Just mere centimeters apart, and right before my lips would have brushed up against hers, I pulled away and stood. I took a drag on the cigarette and heard Lilith utter an audible sigh.
For my part, I walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window and stared outside at the city. Wasn’t as good as the view from my balcony, but it wasn’t bad. I sipped my drink and thought about what had just almost happened. I didn’t know how I had been able to keep myself from pushing forward with Lilith in that moment, but somehow, I had managed to control my instincts. Even though every fiber of my being was screaming at me to just give in to her.
“Is it the vampire?” asked Lilith.
That would be a convenient excuse, but it wasn’t it. I didn’t answer, just sipped my drink and stared out at the city. Looking out over the skyline, I kept flashing back to the dream I’d had, when I saw Chicago burning and the skies the color of blood. This had all started because I’d wanted to get some answers and I didn’t care how far down the rabbit hole I went or what I had to do to learn those answers.
But now, a tiny voice inside kept warning me that I was about to cross the point of no return. And I didn’t know if I had the strength to take that final step, to go to a place I might not come back from.
“Luther.”
I turned around and Lilith stood just a few feet away from me. I faked a smile and said, “It’s not about Celeste. Our thing…whatever it was…it’s over now. I’m not the same man she loved, not anymore.”
“So why the cold shoulder?”
“Because I don’t know how much of what you’re telling me is the truth and how much is bullshit,” I said. “Whatever the ratio, I do know you’re keeping something from me. And I think it’s long-past time you started to level with me. Especially given what I’ve risked for you.”
“I’ve told you everything,” she said. “I told you about Asmodeus, about why I needed your help. I’ve been nothing but forthright up until this point.”
“Don’t con a conman,” I said. “I can tell there’s something you’re still sitting on. Now that you have the stone, why the hell do you still need me?”
“For several reasons,” she said, taking a step closer. “You’re quick on your feet, you’re good in a fight, and you’ve got power and skill few others possess. More than that, you’re smart enough not to let yourself be led around without having a strategy in mind. Maybe I’m playing you, but aren’t you also getting something out of this whole deal?”
She sighed and then continued.
“I was created to be the first woman, equal to man. But I was denied that because I refused to be subservient. And then I was punished for the crime of standing up for myself. For falling in love with someone who actually respected me. How about you, Luther? How many times have they tried to put you in a box?”
I sipped in silence.
“The Sons of Solomon…Heaven…Hell…even Celeste,” said Lilith. “They all want you to be something you don’t want to be. They want to take away your freedom to live your life how you please, just like they did to me. I’m giving you a chance to do a whole lot more than just learn about your past. Together, with that stone, we can take control of our lives and make sure that they never interfere again.”
I’d be an idiot if I said the idea didn’t appeal to me. More than that, I couldn’t think of anything else I wanted more. Being completely done with Heaven and Hell. No more prophecies, no more unexpected visits from angels in my garage, no more missions. Just
me and my future, free to do whatever I wanted.
“Sounds all well and good,” I said. “But how does the stone fit in? I know how it’ll get you what you want, but how can it keep everyone off my back?”
“Because right now, you’re not strong enough to fight them, and there would be no consequences for them to continue to interfere in your life,” said Lilith. “But what if you were elevated? Now you wouldn’t just be some cambion for them to push around…you’d be something more. A king. And I can help you get there.”
I walked around her and put my drink on the table, then left my cigarette in the ashtray. Lilith came up behind me, one hand rubbing my arm, the other my shoulder. I turned and stared into her bright, yellow eyes, trying to see if I could tell whether she was playing me or not.
But at that moment, I didn’t care.
I grabbed her waist and pulled her up against me. She took the initiative, too, hungrily pressing her lips to mine. There wasn’t any hesitation this time; we both gave ourselves in fully. Her hands ran over my chest, sliding my leather jacket off my body, and then she pushed me onto the couch.
Lilith smiled at me and took off her shirt before straddling me. My hands moved over her pale skin as I kissed down her collarbone, our bodies growing warmer in each other’s embrace. She panted and moaned between kisses on my bald head.
I could feel myself on the verge of losing control. And judging from Lilith’s increasingly aggressive actions, seemed she was in the same spot. I wasn’t going to fight it anymore. It was time to do what I wanted, damn the consequences.
I gave in.
23
Celeste had just been knocked back by Lilith. Just as she got up, Lilith had joined Luther in the town car and they were speeding off. Celeste was going to start running after them, but she saw no point. She sighed and looked at Wayne, who stood, staring out with glazed-over eyes.
She went over to him and snapped her fingers in front of his face. No reaction. After a few gentle slaps, Luther’s influence over the detective faded. Wayne blinked a few times and looked at Celeste.
“What happened?”
“We got our asses kicked is what happened…” Celeste turned away from Wayne and walked over to Hem, who was asleep and pinned between a van and a car. She rubbed his bald head, trying to wake him, but he just kept snoring.
“What now?” asked Wayne. “That didn’t exactly go the way we planned.”
“We have to wake Hem up and get out of here before the cops show up.” Celeste tried to push the van away, using her vampiric strength, but it wasn’t quite enough. She sighed and looked up at Wayne. “Can you give me a hand?”
Wayne started to approach, but then Celeste saw something behind him. She held up her hand to stop him and pointed over his shoulder. Wayne turned and saw what she saw. Men in black robes with hoods covering their heads walked towards them. Celeste moved beside Wayne, her claws extending.
“Be ready for anything,” she said.
The cloaked men stopped a few feet from them. One of them slowly reached his hands up and pulled down his hood. He was bald with a silver beard and glasses. “Celeste King, I presume.”
“Who’s asking?” said Celeste.
“My name is Thomas,” he said. “I think we can help each other. But we should hurry before the authorities arrive.”
“We’re in kind of a tough spot,” said Wayne, jerking his thumb back in Hem’s direction.
Thomas nodded to one of the other monks. He went over to Hem’s side and placed his hands on the yeti’s head. After some chanting in Latin, Hem’s eyes slowly opened. Once he realized where he was, Hem pushed the van away, freeing himself from the trap.
“Now, hurry; we have to get inside the temple,” said Thomas. “Time is definitely a factor in this.”
Hem looked at Celeste for confirmation. She nodded in response. The Sons of Solomon weren’t exactly high on her list of people to trust. Ancient religious orders generally didn’t take too kindly to vampires. But she also knew that with Luther having gone rogue, some additional help might be required.
Wayne came up beside her as they followed the Sons towards the temple. He leaned in close and whispered as they walked. “Who are these guys?”
“The Sons of Solomon,” said Celeste. “Ancient order of demon hunters. For now, we’ll listen to what they have to say.”
Wayne nodded. Celeste glanced at him and saw the uncertainty on his face. He’d worked with Luther in the past, so Celeste knew Wayne had seen his share of unusual things. But this must be on a whole other level for him.
The monks led them into the rear entrance of the temple and then through the corridors until they finally came to the library. Celeste, Hem, and Wayne were offered seats along one side of the table while Thomas sat across from them. With a word from Thomas, the rest of the monks left them alone in the library.
“I’m sure you must have questions,” he began.
“I do,” said Celeste. “Starting with why the Sons of Solomon would let a vampire set foot in one of their temples?”
“Luther Cross once worked for us, Ms. King. I think that should tell you we are not blindly prejudiced against the supernatural,” said Thomas. “The great Solomon himself worked alongside such beings.”
“What is this place?” asked Wayne.
“A temple, one of many we have across the planet,” said Thomas. “The Sons of Solomon follow the tradition of the great king himself. We protect the world from the influence of demons, study them, seek ways to preserve humanity.”
“And Luther is one of you?”
“Was,” said Thomas. “After the death of his mother, Luther was raised in this temple. We taught him our ways and our magicks. But when he came of age, he chose to reject an offer to become a full member and instead went off on his own. We hadn’t seen or heard from him since.”
“Until tonight,” said Wayne.
“I was surprised to see him. From the moment I sensed his presence, I knew there was something…off about him. But I never expected…”
“A few months back, Luther had a job that took him to Purgatory. Since he came back, he’s been different,” said Celeste. “We think something happened to him down there.”
“He went to Purgatory?” Thomas leaned forward and rested his elbow on the table, stroking his beard with a concerned look on his face. “My God…”
“So, you think we’re right, something happened to him down there,” said Celeste.
“Cambions face a constant inner struggle between their human and demonic heritage. Most eventually give in to the darkness, which is why the policy of the Sons of Solomon is to eliminate cambions whenever we find them,” said Thomas. “However, Luther was different. We believed if we’d raised him in our order, we could control his demonic side. And for a long time, that seemed to work. I’d kept tabs on him after he left the order, learned of his many good works.”
“Why did he come here?” asked Celeste. “What did he want from you?”
“He stole something from us, something ancient,” said Thomas. “It’s known as the Abraxas Stone. A very powerful artifact, created so an archdemon could take sole control of Hell away from Lucifer and his generals. But Solomon defeated the demon and destroyed the stone. One of the fragments was kept here in this temple.”
“So he doesn’t have the full stone, then…that’s good, right?” asked Wayne.
“Even a fragment of the Abraxas Stone is still extremely powerful,” said Thomas. “But it’s not easily used. When Abraxas created it, he wanted to ensure it couldn’t be used against him. In all the centuries it’s been in our possession, none of our mystics have been able to learn how to use it.”
“Then there’s no need to worry?” asked Celeste.
“Of course there’s need to worry. We can’t take the chance that Luther might learn how to unlock its power. And if he’s been corrupted by his demonic side, there’s no telling what he could do with that kind of power at his command. It’s a
risk that can’t be taken.”
“We’ll stop him,” said Celeste.
“When Luther confronted me, I sensed a voice in his head. I couldn’t determine who it was—they were too good at covering their tracks.” Thomas looked at Celeste. “Do you know?”
Celeste took a breath and sighed before giving a nod. “Lilith.”
The color drained from Thomas’ face at the mention of that name. “Dear God… This is far more serious than I could have anticipated…”
“We can find them and take care of this before they cause any trouble,” said Celeste.
Thomas rose from his seat and walked across the library, almost as if he were in a trance. Celeste stood and followed him. Thomas stopped at a bust of Solomon, staring into the face of his order’s founder. Celeste came up behind him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“I wish it were that simple, Ms. King,” said Thomas. “But Luther working with Lilith could put everything in jeopardy. And I’m afraid it will take a lot more than a vampire, a cop, and a yeti to stop them.”
“Then help us do something about this,” said Celeste.
“I plan on it,” said Thomas. “There is someone I can call ... someone who has a bit of experience in these matters. Though, I should warn you, he’s not the most pleasant individual.”
“We’ll take whatever help we can get,” said Celeste. “Right now, it’s just the three of us. We’ve got a witch friend, but her powers aren’t too reliable at the moment.”
“Then I’ll make the call,” said Thomas. “But I should warn you, Ms. King. If you go down this path, there may be no way to save Luther. Not without killing him.”
Celeste wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Thomas may have very well believed there was no coming back for Luther, but she refused to think that way. She’d never met a man stronger than Luther Cross in her whole life, and if anyone could come back from the brink of whatever this was, Celeste knew he could.
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