“But that’s all fascinating speculation,” Matty said. “We may never know exactly where it’s been.” He chuckled. “For all we know it could have been carried by one of Jesus’s apostles.”
His voice carried true and clear to us.
Almost like he wanted us to hear.
The hair at my nape lifted and I didn’t hesitate, easing deeper into the shadows and drawing Clay back with me. Nothing felt right about this. We needed to come back after they’d left for the day. Now we knew they had the sword—and that my body confirmed it was the sword—our next step was to make sure that we stayed within close range and grabbed it at the first opportunity.
Standing at the end of this sewer pipe trapped us and left us without enough exits. Where it had been perfect for surveillance, it left us too few options and I wanted to be back above ground. Now.
Clay’s hand found mine in the dark and he squeezed. I didn’t have time to relay everything I was feeling, but the pressure of his fingers let me know that he’d understood and would follow my lead.
We moved backward with stealth and I didn’t take my attention off Matty and all his associates and students on the dig, even as they grew smaller and I couldn’t make out one face from another as they moved like black specks against the daylight at the end of the tunnel. In the matter of a few moments, Matty had gone from reminding me of my Dad to being Harrold’s twin in evil. The last thing I wanted to do was turn my back on him. Clay moved beside me, facing the other way as we retreated, guns up and ready.
Topside, we moved rapidly to the car and got in. “Move to where we can watch,” I told him, reaching into the backseat and grabbing the sniper rifle.
He eased the car out of the parking spot and up to the upper level and against the outside barrier. I removed the scope and got out, wishing again for a smaller set of glasses so I didn’t have to compromise the weapon. “Stay with the car.”
“Screw that.” Clay got out and walked with me to the edge. We stayed close to the large beams that protruded from the stairwell so we wouldn’t stand out as the only thing peering over the edge. I lifted the scope and surveyed the dig. Matty still stood by the excavation table and the sword glinted in the afternoon light. That was our baby, all right. He touched it, caressing the hilt and dragging his finger down the blade.
One of the students called him over to look at something and he hesitated, like he didn’t want to be away from the treasure for even a moment.
“I’m worried that he’s not going to leave it on-site tonight.”
“Would you?” Clay scoffed.
“No.”
A group of students crowded around a stack of personal effects beside the table—backpacks, water bottles, and notebooks. They gathered things as if they were taking off.
“Headed to a class?” Clay asked.
“Maybe. That would leave Matty and only a few people.”
“Better odds.”
I wasn’t about to get overconfident about our chances. Matty had been acting strange since they’d found the piece and he still wasn’t more than a dozen feet from it. This was more than just a relic—it had gotten personal for Matty.
But it had always been personal for me.
Chapter Eighteen
One by one, the remaining workers punched out, until only Matty and one other person remained.
“We have to do this now,” Clay said, pacing the rooftop. He’d been restless and antsy for the last hour and I didn’t blame him. Only my training and experience with stakeouts kept me from being the same unraveling wreck.
I’d been about to tell him we were stuck waiting until Matty was on the move when the last worker swung her backpack over her shoulder and waved to Matty. Clay was right. The time to do this was right now. “Agree. I’m taking the stairs so we don’t lose him. Grab the car and meet me down there. We need to be in position the moment he leaves.”
His fingers wrapped around my arm. “I can’t cover you.”
I clenched my teeth. That had never been a problem before but we had to roll with it. “I’ll be fine. I only have to make it down a couple flights of stairs. You did it earlier.”
“Yeah, with your rifle watching my back.”
“You going to stand here and argue with me?”
He clenched his teeth. “Fine. If you get shot, it’s your own fault.”
“I know. It’s fine.”
He snorted and walked around the car and opened the door, but he didn’t get in, spreading his hands across the roof of the car. “Don’t get dead … okay?”
I nodded. “Same.”
We stared at each other and I didn’t know what else to tell him. I was armed, deadly, and—honestly—itching for a fight. It was coming, I didn’t know how big or fast it would be, but there’d be no clean getaway tonight.
Chapter Nineteen
I raced down the stairs, weapon drawn and out in front of me, expecting the worst. From my vantage, I watched Matty load the sword and several other boxes into the back of a light blue van, then pause in the center of the dig. I crouched on the final landing before I’d lose my line of sight on him. He stared up in to the night like he was waiting for something—or someone.
Every hair on my body tensed and my muscles were locked into fight mode. I didn’t want this to go down with Clay in the car and me out here. I wanted us together, either that or him on his way to Ralph’s to get them to safety. Metatron may have promised Ralph that he and Anna would be safe, but I didn’t trust Metatron to hold up any bargain at this point.
I felt the noose tightening around us, and the compulsion to grab them all and hole up somewhere was overwhelming. I couldn’t lose anyone else. My breath came in fast gasps, and I fought to get it under control and act like the goddamn professional who’d been doing this exact thing a hundred times before.
Matty turned, looked right at me and blew me a kiss. “He’s coming for you.”
The words were a whisper, but they pierced my eardrums with startling clarity. I stood and straightened. “Good. I’m ready.” And I was. “But tell him to stop sending his fucking minions. I deserve a meeting with him, face to face.”
A thousand feet separated us, but I could feel the intensity of Matty’s gaze, the tension in his own muscles. If I’d had the sniper rifle on me, I’d have pulled the trigger, sending a bullet through his eye. Useless as it was at this distance, I still raised the handgun and pointed it at him.
Matty laughed and got in the van.
I raced down the steps, holstered my gun, and dove into the car. “Do not lose him!”
Clay floored it, then eased up as we turned the corner and found the van sitting in the exit of the dig, waiting. Matty’s pale face shone brightly in the driver’s-side window. Once he spotted us, he turned onto the street like we were following him to the local park for a playdate. A heavy weight settled in my stomach.
“This isn’t good,” Clay said, slowing the car until we followed three car lengths behind.
“No.” The back of the van didn’t have any windows, and if it had, I wasn’t sure I’d take the shot I’d been itching for all day. Matty was doing his job as Azazel had commanded and right now we were supposed to be following him. Matty was my ticket to the next step, whatever that was, and I wanted a showdown. And that sword to be in my possession.
He drove us through the main part of town to an industrial section that had seen better days. Most buildings had broken windows and boarded-up entrances, and the signs on the ones that did look occupied had burned out long ago.
“Getting worse,” Clay said.
I fingered the hilt of a knife. “Stay in the open. No matter where he goes, keep an escape route.”
“Not my first rodeo.”
“Sorry.” God, I was glad he was here. Going back to jobs without him was going to suck and at the same time, I’d gotten to comfortable having someone to rely on. Even having a driver so I could focus on other details was a complete luxury.
We pas
sed a fenced yard filled with stacks of steel and a massive crane looming ominously between the building and the open space. Matty pulled through an open gate in the chain link, slowing to make sure we saw him.
“Follow?”
I leaned forward. “I don’t know. Slow down and let’s check it out first. I don’t want us behind that gate. We could still blast through it if they locked it, but that kind of shit will slow us down and I think anything that will cost us seconds at this point is a bad, bad deal.”
“Agree.” Clay moved to the middle of the street and let the car coast to a stop. We were deep in the industrial park and there wasn’t oncoming traffic, so we could sit and wait until Matty made a move. He stopped in front of a trio of large overhead doors, parking in front of the middle one. We still had a clear view of the van and could see every door.
“Wait.”
“Are we following if he goes in?” Clay rested his hands on the top of the steering wheel and I pulled my handgun from the holster in case they were counting on us being so occupied with Matty that we got ambushed from the back.
“I don’t know, but keep an eye on your mirrors—”
He cut me a look and I ignored him. How the hell did I know what he’d done for recon and stakeouts for his jobs? I’d rather boss him around and risk making him mad than assume he knew what we were supposed to be doing. We waited long enough that my legs cramped.
I fidgeted and scowled at the van. “We didn’t miss it, did we?”
“He hasn’t gotten out. No way.”
“What the hell is he doing?”
“Waiting, I guess. It’s strange. Is he waiting for us to come over?”
“I don’t care.” I checked my mirror and scanned the scenery beyond us. Nothing moved, nothing watched. For now, the three of us were the only people around.
“We’re sitting ducks out here.”
“Worse if we go in blind.”
He ran his hands across the steering wheel. “I hate waiting.”
My fingers curled around the door handle. I did too. “If we use the stacked steel as shields, we can make it around that side of the building and case it while staying out of view of the van.”
“Then what?”
I sighed. “We go in.”
“You sure?” He shifted in his seat and looked at me.
I nodded. “We go together and not until we’ve cased the entire building. If there isn’t another entrance, we come back to the car. We’re sure not walking in through the front.”
“Agree.” He glanced at all the mirrors and stiffened. “Uh, Lina…”
Chapter Twenty
Blinding light filled the interior of the car and I opened my door slowly and got out, facing the oncoming army behind us, illuminated by a brilliant halo of light. Clay followed my lead, climbing out the driver’s-side door and standing beside the car.
I blinked and my fingers curled instinctively around my weapons at my hips.
“What in the fuck?” Clay murmured.
He could say that again. A thousand angels walked toward us—there was no mistaking their identities as they marched behind Metatron. His wings were in full glamour, protruding four feet above his head and furling out behind him. Angels flanked him on both sides, extending back hundreds of feet. They were alarmingly beautiful, dressed in full-battle gear with armor and weapons. All thoughts of avoiding a holy war vanished.
If anything was frozen, we couldn’t tell, but maybe that was why Matty hadn’t moved from the van.
Metatron stopped five feet from me and I shielded my eyes, squinting and blinking agains the shining light of his army.
“Evangeline.”
I nodded, unsure how to react. Had he come to help or take me out? Didn’t imagine a lot of people got away with smacking an archangel.
“So, uh, who’s your crew?” Clay asked, jutting his chin toward the angels.
“I gave thought to your issues, Evangeline and I brought them before Himself.”
I coughed. “Sorry?”
“Your points were valid and losing your mother cost us dearly.” He held up a hand to halt my comment and I snapped my mouth shut. “As it did for you. I now see that.” He inclined his head. “And apologize.”
I blinked, shocked. Absolutely shocked. “Uh, thanks.”
“After I discussed matters of the covenant with Himself, he thought perhaps I should offer you the assistance of the heavenly army. If you want, of course.”
Was he serious? Of course I wanted a damn army behind me. But that came at a cost that bothered me too. “How bad is this going to get?”
“He did not allow me to break every rule. I cannot foretell the future, Evangeline. I do hope you’ll understand the why of that. There is still enough uncertainty that I hope to be wrong in what I’ve seen predicted for this night.”
“Yeah,” Clay said with a laugh. “Us too.” He stepped closer and examined the front row of angels. Their golden armor shone with a brilliance of a thousand candles, and the tips of their spears and swords looked like they’d been sharpened beyond the capacity of earthly tools. I wanted one. Beautiful faces looked out from beneath helmets, and held traits of both males and females. Strong jaws matched with full lips and strong cheekbones. This could have been a fierce fighting army of women as much as men.
“I must take my leave of the events,” Metatron said, pulling my attention away from the angels. “But I leave you the army. They’ve been instructed to follow your every command. But choose wisely, Evangeline. Mankind will not survive another war of angels. Whatever you call down tonight will stand in time as your own decision. Himself and I have washed our hands of what comes next. This is still your journey, we’ve just chosen to arm you with something more … suitable.”
I laughed. “You have no idea how to play fair, do you?”
“Life is not fair, darling. I merely hope to tip the odds in your favor. Before I go, you must go get the sword and bring it to me.”
I tensed and glanced at the building. We didn’t know what was waiting for us in there. “With or without them?” I pointed at the glowing warriors readied for battle.
“Without. You’ll not find resistance yet.”
“Then why do we need the army?” Clay asked, stepping closer and examining a spear held in a massive hand of an angel.
“They’re coming for you.”
That’s what Matty had said too. It didn’t sound any better coming from Metatron.
“And you’re leaving us the moment you have the sword?” A chill raced up my spine. Harrold had warned me about this. Was now when Metatron double-crossed me?
“Only for safekeeping. When you finish here, I’ll be waiting for you at Ralph’s. We still have one more relic, Evangeline.”
Chapter Twenty-one
With Clay at my side, we marched up to the van, weapons drawn. I eased to the front door and pointed my gun where Matty should have been in the driver’s seat. I shook my head.
Clay moved carefully toward the back of the van and I took a few steps back so I could cover him. He reached slowly toward the handle. Metatron had said we wouldn’t find resistance, but Matty hadn’t gotten out. He had to be in the van.
I nodded sharply and Clay yanked the door open.
It was empty.
Save the sword, lying on a work table, softly glowing.
“Wow,” Clay said.
I agreed and walked closer, holstering my gun and stopping at his side. I didn’t know how he’d done it, but Matty had managed to escape without our notice. The thought sent a freakish chill along my skin.
I leaned closer. It hadn’t looked like this when Matty had found it and now I wanted to examine it, and study the intricate carvings and delicate jewel-crusted hilt.
Clay’s fingers wrapped around the back of my neck. “Later, babe. Get it and let’s get the hell out of here.”
“Sorry.” I pulled myself out of my trance and grabbed the sword. It tingled against my palm and I holstered all my
other knives so I could hold it with both hands. “I’m following you.”
Metatron waited in front of his army, arms crossed. I stopped a few feet short of him and dropped the sword to my side. I had something to say before I handed over this bit of sacred history that I needed to save Griffin. “You’ve got some making up to do. You’ve put us in danger too many times and I’m done with it. Nothing—nothing—stands between me and what I want. You called down this holy war when you brought your army into it and I can only assume that since they’re coming for me that they’ll be bringing a legion of their own, and now we’re in for a hell of a fight. Azazel’s going to be upset that you helped me.” I narrowed my eyes. “Pretty sure your boss isn’t going to be pleased about it either.”
He sniffed but didn’t comment.
“Be at Ralph’s.” I took a step forward and handed him the sword, my fingers tightening before I let go. I hoped I was making the right choice. “You have a lot of explaining to do and I’m not waiting weeks to go after the last relic.”
He inclined his head in agreement, then glanced at Clay. “Keep her safe.”
Clay laughed heartily. “Yeah, right.” His hand found the small of my back. “Come on.”
Metatron vanished and I walked over to Clay. Now that we had two of the three relics, I wasn’t slowing down for even a second in our pursuit of the last and final piece I needed to open the gate to Hell and save Griffin. He'd damn well better be at Ralph's.
The angels’ attention was riveted on me. “Well, boys, shit’s about to get real. Stay close, stay alert.” They nodded and snapped to formation. It was a heady feeling, but one that I didn’t expect to last long.
I looked at Clay and held out my palm. “Let’s do this.”
He grinned and slapped my hand with his. “Hell yeah.”
Chapter Twenty-two
We paused at the car and foolishly grabbed our mortal weapons. I held no illusions that they’d prove to be at all helpful. Not if the other side had ones that looked like the army following us, but being armed made me feel better.
The God Game: Evangeline Heart Book 2 (Evangeline Heart Adventures) Page 8
