by G. A. Rael
“Try me.”
“I’ve never sinned.”
Darren was rarely the first to laugh at anything, but his guffaw filled the silence. He froze when he realized everyone was looking at him. “Wait, you were serious?”
“I told you,” Hermes said, leaning back with his arms and legs folded. “Believe me or don’t, but it’s the truth. Only an angel who’s acted selfishly according to his own will can lose his status. Otherwise, the oath is just a really good paint job.”
“Is he telling the truth?” Jordan demanded of Samael. He was the only one she trusted to tell the truth. “I’ve lived with him for nearly two years and all I’ve ever seen him do is sin.”
The archangel reluctantly shrugged his shoulders. “It came as just as much of a surprise to me, but I don’t see how else it’s possible.”
“Did you know him before?” Jordan asked.
Samael’s gaze softened. “Yes. He’s… He was a dear friend.”
His affirmation stung for reasons Jordan didn’t understand. “Why didn’t you tell me, Hermes?” She gave a bitter laugh. “Assuming that’s even your real name.”
“It’s not,” he admitted. “But something tells me it wouldn’t taste any sweeter to you as Raphael.”
“Raphael?” she choked. “That was you?”
“I couldn’t let Michael see me in these shabby clothes.” His attempt at humor was halfhearted and it fell flat. “And before you ask, no. I’m not the one who was there for the fire. I just stole his ride.”
Jordan shook her head. No matter how she tried to make sense of it, it just…didn’t. “Why? What could you possibly want with my soul? Why go through all of this, why not just destroy me like the others want to?”
He stood from his chair and all at once, the others moved like satellites around her. Even Max was ready to spring to her defense.
Hermes ignored them, but he kept his distance. “Look at that. Your watchdogs are awake now.”
“Answer the question, Raphael,” Jordan spat.
To her surprise, his gaze softened. “For the same reason I do everything, Jordan. For you.”
“Bullshit! If you ever cared about me, even a little, you’d tell me the truth instead of lying and letting me get close to you, thinking you weren’t one of them.”
“You wouldn’t know what to do with the truth if I gave it to you.” The sadness in his tone took her by surprise. “Not now.”
“When, then? When I’m dead?” she challenged. “Am I just supposed to trust you with my soul and everything else?”
“Yes,” he answered without hesitating. “And in the absence of trust, it is a necessity. Your survival and theirs depends on it.”
Jordan looked around at the others, each of them trained on Hermes like they were ready to finish a battle that could only end one way. Knowing the carnage that would occur if she pushed him was the only thing keeping Jordan in check.
“More than that,” Hermes continued, “the world depends on it.”
Jordan knew the revelation that Hermes was an angel should have given her more hope that he meant what he said about wanting to use her power to save the world rather than destroy it, but it merely had the effect of erasing whatever trust had been built between them.
“There’s something else,” she said, steadying her nerves and settling her rage. “Something the demon told me, and I want to know if it’s the truth. Your answer determines whether I go through with any of this.”
His green eyes flashed with irritation, but he composed himself. “Yes?” he asked without parting his teeth.
“Am I going to become the mother of the antichrist?”
The room went silent. Jordan could feel the others staring at her, and the tension made it clear they couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. She kept her gaze on Hermes, daring him to lie to her.
He squared his shoulders. “I see he was chatty. The weaklings usually are.”
“Answer the question.”
“Yes,” he replied, a bit too quickly for her liking. “That’s part of the prophecy.”
“What the actual fuck?” Max interjected, looking between them. “Are you guys serious right now?”
Darren’s face was blank, and Chase was watching with the same look of concern and bewilderment he’d worn all night. Samael’s reaction was the one that troubled Jordan.
“You knew,” she breathed.
He clenched his jaw. “I had a hunch.”
His betrayal should have cut deeper, but it didn’t. Jordan told herself she had just finally achieved the state of emotionless that it was becoming obvious she had to maintain in order to keep her sanity now that Hermes was back.
“Great,” she said, throwing her hands up. “Anything else I should know about? Maybe Mrs. Herrin’s the next incarnation of the Buddha?”
Hermes turned his attention to Chase, his eyes growing heavy with condescension. “Well, there is one thing…”
Jordan’s heart raced. Did he know about Chase, too? It was possible he was just taunting her with the fact that he wasn’t human, but she was willing to play dumb for a little while longer if it meant erasing the risk that he would alert the original. When she saw the way her husband’s face shifted and a familiar ice came into his usually gentle gaze, she knew the eavesdropper in the room was thinking along the same lines.
“Don’t try to change the subject,” she snapped. She had to act quickly or the night was going to turn to chaos they couldn’t come back from. “What do you want with my baby?”
It sounded so bizarre to say those words. It didn’t even exist yet. She’d never seriously entertained the idea of parenthood. A life on the run wasn’t conducive to raising a child, and she had always feared that whatever toxicity lurked deep within her parents’ souls would somehow be passed down through her. There were enough normal reasons for her to be averse to the idea, let alone the fact that she was supposed to usher the devil’s son into the world.
“The antichrist has the potential to destroy the world,” said Hermes. “Like you, I intend to make sure he’s diverted from that destiny and guided toward another.”
“Which is what?” Darren spat. “Serving your interests instead of Lucifer’s?”
“Hang on a second,” Max said, holding his head. “Isn’t the antichrist Lucifer’s kid in the first place?”
“Newcomers,” Hermes muttered bitterly. “The devil’s a job title, Lucifer’s just the one filling it right now. I got to Jordan first, so the kid belongs to me. Regardless of who fathers it,” he said pointedly.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Darren demanded. “You don’t know?”
“The prophecy is both specific and vague,” said Hermes. “She has to consummate the bond with all five consorts, which will complete the ritual. From there, it’s Russian Roulette, but with sperm instead of bullets.” He hesitated. “That was a bad analogy, but I’m still coming down off the car trip from hell.”
“This makes no fucking sense,” Max growled.
“Unfortunately, it does,” said Samael. “But there’s one thing that don’t add up, even for me.”
Hermes yawned. “Make it fast. I need a shower.”
“The antichrist is supposed to be born in Babylon,” Samael continued. “Last I checked, we’re still in Cold Creek.”
Hermes smiled. “Give it a minute, Tex. I’m sure it’ll come to you.”
The confusion on the angel’s face soon became realization. “Fuck.”
“What?” Jordan demanded. She was still reeling and still furious at Samael, but he was her only reliable translator for Hermes’ cryptic nonsense.
“We’re already in Babylon,” said Chase. He’d been so silent that Jordan jolted at hearing him speak. At least he seemed like himself again.
“The ward,” Samael whispered, as if it was just occurring to him.
“That’s right,” Hermes said, examining his nails. “More or less. Babylon will rise once Jordan has fully realized h
er identity, and that can only happen once the ritual is complete, but it’s just a matter of logistics.”
“You’re saying we all have to fuck her and Cold Creek gets poofed into some mystical city?” Max asked. Jordan could tell he was far more unnerved than he was letting on, but he’d had far less time to adjust to it all than the others had. Jordan had known Hermes for the majority of two years and she was no closer to being used to it.
“That’s the less romantic version, yes,” said Hermes.
“When were you going to tell me?” asked Jordan.
“Soon. Though I doubt you’ll believe that.”
“You’re right,” she snapped. “I don’t.”
“What does that mean?” asked Darren. “What happens to Cold Creek when it becomes Babylon?”
“It gets a new fried chicken franchise and no one’s allowed to wear sandals with socks anymore,” Hermes said wryly.
“It becomes Hell on earth,” Samael muttered. “Literally.”
“It’s not the way he’s making it sound,” Hermes said, glaring at the other angel. “This place doesn’t even have a decent coffee shop. Trust me, it’ll be an improvement and Michael and Lucifer will both be unable to get to Jordan.”
“What happens to the people who’re already here?” Max demanded.
“They’ll be citizens of Babylon,” Hermes answered. “Quite an upgrade, if you ask me. No harm will come to any of them, as long as they’re willing to submit to the reign of their Queen.”
“Queen?” Jordan echoed. “Me?”
“I told you I had great plans for you, my love.” His words were spoken with the same flamboyant charm as always, but the pride in his gaze struck her as uncomfortably genuine. He took her hand before the others could stop him and Jordan couldn’t bring herself to care enough to pull away.
Interrogating him was a matter of practicality, but she’d stopped letting herself feel anything where he was concerned. Hermes stared down at her limp hand in his and frowned as he looked up at her. “You may not believe me, but all of this is for you. You and the child we’ll raise together.” His voice softened as he stroked the back of her hand. “He will be greater than the both of us, Jordan. Everything you’ve ever wished you could accomplish in this world… he will have the power to do it, and he’ll need you to guide him. His mother, his teacher, his —”
Jordan yanked her hand away. “I never asked for any of this.” Her voice was as icy as her heart felt, but she didn’t anticipate the way he crumbled before her. As if anything she said or did was actually capable of penetrating his armor. As if he had a heart to wound when he’d broken hers a thousand times over without a second thought.
“Jordan —”
“I’ll do it,” she interrupted. “Nothing has changed. As long as you hold up your end of the bargain, I’ll hold up mine. I’ll be your witch, and the incubator for your demon spawn, but I will never be its mother. Do I make myself clear?”
For a few moments of silence Jordan would have found unbearable if she hadn’t shut out her ability to feel discomfort along with everything else, no one said a word. Hermes stared at her like he was looking at a stranger. When he finally spoke, his voice was full of concern that should have enraged her. “What did you do?”
She ignored him, turning away. “You’re boring me. Talk it out between yourselves, I’m going to bed.” She hesitated, glancing over at Chase. Just because she’d numbed out to Hermes’ endless frustrations didn’t mean she’d stopped caring about him or the others, even if it felt more like autopilot than anything else. “I’m sorry. I know this isn’t the way either of us thought our wedding night would turn out, but —”
“It’s fine,” he said quickly, following her over to the stairs. “I’m just worried about you.”
“Don’t be.” She forced a smile, for his sake. She also hoped he would never learn just how much she dreaded being alone with him. They hadn’t slept in the same room since the original Chase had made his appearance, but wedding plans would cease to be an excuse. She had to find a way to tell him, on top of everything else, but if she stayed in that room any longer, his ghost was going to be the least of their worries. “I just need some space, that’s all.”
He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t try to stop her from going up the stairs. When she closed the door, she could hear the sounds of the poorly hushed argument below. She tuned it out and closed her eyes, staring up at the moon through the skylight. It was split in two, the other half so black with shadow it seemed to have disappeared from the sky entirely. Jordan could relate. She felt like half of her was missing, but she wasn’t in any hurry to get it back. Not when her missing half was the part of her that made it impossible to function.
Chapter 31
Jordan
Sunlight streamed into Chase's well-lit room and little birds chirped what was about to become their funeral march if they squeaked one more note. Jordan lifted her throbbing head to see half a dozen Chases oscillating around the dresser. She sat up slowly and blinked a few times, managing to clear the field to only three or four.
"Chase?"
"Oh good, you're up," he said without a trace of the sadness that had laced his tone the night before. "I don't suppose you've seen my blue argyle?"
"I haven't," she said, rubbing her temples as she strained to focus on him. It would be easier to tell if he was real if he would stop spinning for a moment.
"Damn gnomes," he muttered.
"Chase… what are you doing here?"
"I live here, darling,” he said, offering her a bottle of water and a couple of white pills. "If you want the house to yourself, I'm afraid you'll have to hire one of my friends to divorce me properly. It's the American way."
She stared down at the pills. “What are these for?”
“Darren mentioned you’d had a bit to drink before the ceremony, so I thought you could use them.”
Jordan frowned. “Since when do you and Darren chat?”
“Since we developed a common interest.”
Jordan sighed. “I’m fine. I know I was weird last night, but it wasn’t the alcohol.” She’d never had such a hangover from drinking. Evidently, there was a cost to her ability to go numb. It was convenient in the moment, but now that she’d come down off it, she was feeling everything.
“Are you really?” he asked doubtfully. “You just learned Hermes is really Raphael and you’re going to be the mother of the —”
Jordan held her hand up, wincing. “I remember. Trust me. If it’s alright with you, I’d rather not talk about it for now.”
“Of course,” he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She could tell from the way he was acting that he had something on his mind, and if he felt the need to keep it from her, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “I had some time to think last night about our…predicament. And between the second fist fight and the third, I did a lot of soul-searching.”
“Fist fight?” Jordan cried. He didn’t look hurt, but depending on what he was, that didn’t mean much.
“Just Darren and Samael being themselves,” he said dismissively. “And then Samael and Max… and then Max and Samael. Things happen when you’ve got a room full of males all competing to impregnate the same woman, but everyone is fine.”
Jordan blinked. “Your ability to be rational yet inappropriately casual never amazes me.”
“Thank you, love,” he said brightly.
She sighed. “What were you thinking about?”
“I know this is going to sound strange, considering the recent proximity to our wedding, but… I think you need to spend some time with the others.”
“I’m sorry, but…what?”
“Last night was a wakeup call, for all of us.” He frowned. “Even Hermes, I think.”
“I don’t understand. A wakeup call about what?”
“How hard all of this has been on you,” he said, taking her hand. “I’ve known something was different for a while now, and before you
say it, it’s not just the wedding plans.”
Jordan gulped. She knew the other Chase was listening, probably eating up her discomfort. He’d been treated to plenty of entertainment the night before. “I guess I can’t hide anything from you.”
“The fact that you feel the need to try is proof that something has to change,” he said, bringing her hand to his lips. “I love you, Jordan, but if there’s one thing I realized last night, it’s that I’m not the only one. I think—we think—that it would help you if you had some one-on-one time to get comfortable with the newcomers.”
“Who’s we?” Jordan asked, already having her suspicion.
“Me and Darren, truthfully,” he sighed.
“Since when do you two agree on anything?”
“We had a long discussion last night and we both came to the conclusion that monopolizing your time isn’t doing you any favors. Especially not with this whole baby thing on the horizon.”
“Chase…what are you saying?”
“You’re already dealing with your role in all this,” he said gently. “I know you worry about all of us, but you don’t really know Max and Samael, and Hermes’s distance certainly hasn’t helped ease the tensions around here. If you’re going to be intimate with them, the first time shouldn’t be in a ritual.”
“Are you saying you want me to sleep with other guys on our honeymoon?”
“Of course not. What you do or don’t do with any of them isn’t my business,” he sighed. “Or Darren’s. We’ve both come to an agreement that we’ll step aside and give you some time to get to know the others. Break the ice a little. That’s all.”
“What do you mean step aside?” As much as the prospect of being alone with Chase and the original unnerved her, the idea of him leaving her was so much worse.
“Nothing bad, love,” he assured her, caressing her cheek. “I’m not going anywhere. I just don’t think I should be your focus right now.”
“We just got married!”
“Yes, and Hermes’s surprise appearance already derailed our honeymoon. I don’t see any reason we can’t put it off for a couple more weeks and do things properly.”
