The Lariat (Finding Justus Series)

by Ashley Dotson

  Like Orrin.

  And whoever was waiting at our door had the humble sense to respect our privacy.

  So I was surprised when his presence invaded me before I opened the door. Those intense blue eyes and those broad shoulders taking up the entire doorframe. I made a worthless effort not to smile. He exuded kindness and warmth. Every time he looked at me it was like being hugged from the inside out. A different feeling than I had experienced with Orrin. There wasn’t the danger or excitement, but a sense of peace and belonging. He was changing things whether I liked them or not.

  Before I could analyze it any further, he slid to the side revealing a line of smiling people making their way up the tall steps to our second-floor apartment. Every one of them lugging backpacks, and suitcases full of God knows what. Leading the pack was the best-looking face I had ever seen. I pushed by Cyrus and nearly knocked over the man I hadn’t seen in ages.

  “Dad,” I cried. “Dad, hi. Hi.” I laughed and cried and hugged him tightly to me. It had been over a year since my dad had come to see me. I didn’t like visiting Providence. Even though it was neutral territory, the city, the river, my bedroom, it was all just too painful. It was filled with memories of Orrin. It was the city he helped build. He was in every building and breeze, every hazy dawn and dusk. Providence had become merely a dream that was too painful to endure.

  “Oh, Layla.” He laid both hands on my cheeks turning my face from side to side, “We thought you might be in need of a good visit.”

  “We’re not taking no for an answer either.” A familiar voice drew my attention from my father. Eyes thickly lined, long dark curls framed Ava Ruiz’s small face.

  “Ava? You too?” I hugged her, “It feels like forever.”

  She looked me over from the top of my head and down my legs. “Your colors look good. I think you need to exercise more. You feel stressed, but I guess I can understand why.” She could see auras, and she knew something was up in my life since mine was unique- it had more than one color. Later she told me that having a rainbow aura was a sign of being a healer, which was why she was never scared of me, but mine had too much black woven into it.

  I hugged her again, “I missed you so much.”

  “I can tell. And what about him?” Our eyes slid to Cyrus who was hovering and watching our reunion, “Is he the reason you have so much of this cotton candy color floating around you?” Humans like her were a rarity. My dad knew it was his job to train her as soon as he found out.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” I lied.

  “Mmm hmmm. We’ll talk later,” She looked over her shoulder and met his eyes, “When you’re not around.”

  He just smiled indulgently.

  “Where’s Ben? Is she feeling okay?” she asked and barreled through. I wasn’t surprised that they all had been apprised of our situation. Ben and Ava had become fast friend as well since Ava had moved up to Providence. The two of them texted and video-chatted between visits during their trips between Rhode Island to Texas. I couldn’t bring myself to go back to Providence. I felt unwelcomed. Watched. So Dad always came to visit me. But I hadn’t seen Ava since her training as a Daemonologist began.

  The three of them piled into my living room leaving me staring at one person I’d hoped I would never see again.

  “Hi, Layla,” The voice was a soothing and even as ever. I had never seen this man lose control, even when his daughter had been kidnapped by daemons, drug through the portal to Hell and delivered to Lillith herself. Neither after she returned as shell of her former self. “I hope you’ve been doing well. I’ve heard only great things from James on the car ride over.”

  Mr. Kevin Reese. He leaned in and pulled me into an awkward hug. As excited I was to see my dad and Ava, Kevin Reese’s appearance made me want to weep. He had accepted me into his home when I had nowhere to turn. I walked through Hell to save his daughter, not because he asked me, but because it was my job. So why now did I feel resentful of his presence?

  I felt sick as my daemon’s claws drew my blood at his touch. I pushed it down. I would be polite. He deserved none of my hatred. He deserved my respect and friendship. He was my father’s best friend and pretty much the only family we had.

  Daisy’s father. Oh God…

  I nodded, too overcome to speak. What could I say to him- Orrin’s father-in-law? It was too close, he was too much. But I would to endure him. This man had come to help me for the second time and I would be grateful. I would be a grown-up

  All three went inside and Cyrus stepped out onto the balcony overlooking a parking lot full of faded college student vehicles. He closed the door leaving the two of us alone. I smiled listening to Ben and Ava gab loudly.

  “You called them?” I asked Cyrus pointedly.

  He just shrugged those beautiful shoulders and I tried desperately to keep my thoughts to myself. “It should have been me that called them.”

  “It had to be done. We need them. I really don’t think you get the severity of your problem. Samael wants you, in his bed, under his thumb. He wants to hurt you. The people in that room would die before they let that happen.”

  “I know,” I sighed. “I guess it’s good to have them here. At least now I can watch over them.”

  “They’re stronger than you think. They came here to protect you.”

  “Ha,” I exhaled, “I don’t need protecting. They do. You do. The world does. I have always been on my own.”

  “That’s a lie you have come to believe, but it does not make it true.”

  I was beginning to feel insulted. My daemon was itching for a fight. “I don’t need protecting.”

  “Well you have it nonetheless. How have you been?” He slid his fingers down the side of my arm.

  I pulled away, “I’m fine. I need to get inside with my dad and Ava. I wish I would have had a little warning. I would have cleaned or something.”

  “This is hardly the time to worry about dusting,” Cyrus countered. “I did tell you to call them. I gave you enough time.”

  “I know. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I didn’t want my father to see me so messed up I guess.” Besides my slip-up in the kitchen, I hadn’t had a drink in almost two weeks. I had been so preoccupied my daemon was the last thing on my mind. It was as if it retreated to the far recesses of my soul while Ben was so ill. I was only focused on keeping Ben safe.

  And Cyrus. I was focused on Cyrus too.

  Overwhelmed is more like it.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” Cyrus continued, “It’s not a bad thing, Layla, to let someone take care of you too. That was my only intent. That, and I knew James would want to be here. This business began with him, you know.”

  “I guess it does. I know Lillith used him and my mother, Layla, to create me. They all knew what was going on the entire time, but never said a word. They all pretended to be ignorant for what- my sake? My fate was like a giant polka-dotted elephant no one wanted to acknowledge. I’m his daughter after all and I know he’s been on this merry-go-round, protecting humans from daemons long before I ever arrived. It’s just a little silly for him to try a protect me. That’s my job. That’s my fate.”

  “What do you really know of fate? You’ve been the Beacon for what- three years?”

  “Almost four.” I hated the way that sounded.

  He was trying hard not to laugh, his face too stoic, “Hopefully, you will look back on these beginning years of your life and think how easy it was. Life is simpler when you are young.”

  “My life hasn’t been simple for years.”

  “Don’t say that,” he chided. “You are in pain. Things seem bleak, but know they could always be worse. You have many people that have hastened to your side so you wouldn’t have to fight Samael alone.”

  “Yeah, all but one person,” I wouldn’t say his name. I wouldn’t let the blood flow from that wound again.

  “Very true. Quit dwelling on what you lack. Let’s go back in there and be with the peopl
e that love you.” He kissed my forehead before I could even protest, “That includes me. I am here for you in whatever capacity you need.”

  My stomach did a backflip. My daemon perked up at his words as well. How had he infiltrated my life so completely? His words of love made me squirm, not necessarily in a bad way, but I just didn’t know him well enough to find happiness in such a heavy sentiment. And I still didn’t know how to move forward while I was tied to Orrin. Orrin had always been my anchor, but now it felt like he was just dragging me down.

  I couldn’t think of Cyrus without thinking of Orrin. I couldn’t think about Orrin without losing control. I didn’t want to think about anything anymore.

  We crossed back into the apartment and my father embraced me again.

  “You told Ben already, huh?” he asked.

  “I had to,” I squeezed back. “Did Cyrus tell you about the attack at the Montrose?”

  “I’m here, aren’t I? Why would you go into a building like that? Most condemned buildings are torn down for just that reason. Even humans can feel the Otherworldly presence in that place. Years ago when I was stationed in Austin, I knew of the Montrose’s reputation as a daemon haunt.”

  “Well, you never shared that information with me,” I huffed. This was the kind of thing Cyrus spoke of. My ignorance made me feel naïve.

  My dad unloaded old tomes I had never seen before. Mr. Reese, or Kevin rather, was moving the couch and furniture around in the living room. Ben and Ava were moving pillows and blankets into her room.

  “Ben, don’t get too worked up. Ava, she’s still not one hundred percent.” Ben just waved a hand at me and Ava nodded. I looked at everyone else, “What are ya’ll doing to my apartment?”

  “We need a base of operations. Our group will have to stay as tight as possible until we get a handle on what Samael is up to.” Kevin opened his lap top, “I’d like to see those pictures Bennet took. The one from the Monstrose.”

  “Gimme a sec,” I heard Ben yell from her bedroom.

  “And you’re staying here?” My question bounced off the general chaos surrounding me.

  “It’s out of necessity,” My father replied still busy. “We’ll stay out of your way. Promise.”

  “Yeah, I bet.”

  “What, we’re not welcomed anyway?” Ava’s sarcastic question bounced into the living room from Ben’s bedroom. “You better get used to us. You’ve gotten yourself into a major quagmire…again.”

  The shuffling through my apartment was disconcerting. I just stood there feeing invaded. The little girl inside me desperately wanted to hold her family. My daemon only wanted peace and solitude, while the Beacon wanted to eradicate any threat to their lives. The dispute within me was evident to all of them.

  “Ever heard the saying, treat them like dirt and they’ll stick like mud?” Ava asked.

  “Is that what I do? Do I treat ya’ll like dirt?”

  “Well, it’s not like you call a lot or anything. I’m closer to Ben than I am you these days.”

  That one stung. “I appreciate you coming. I’m just a little overwhelmed at the moment. There’s been a lot going on, like you said. Ya’ll just surprised me is all.” The apartment had just shrunk to half its original size with new bodies spreading about. “We just may be a little tight.”

  “It’s okay. We’ve done this before,” Kevin assured me.

  “I’m not staying,” Cyrus whispered in my ear, surprising me. I frowned, but wasn’t sure why.

  “Is that disappointment on your face?” He was smiling down at me, “Come out with me tonight.”

  I glanced sideways at the room full of people, “Didn’t you just hear my father say we are all supposed to stay close?”

  He drew nearer to me, “You think I would put you in danger?”

  “No. I don’t think so. I’m not worried about you and I, I’m worried about them.” I jabbed my finger over my shoulder at the melee. No one was paying any attention to us, or so I thought.

  “That’s exactly what she needs, Cyrus.” My father nudged me, “We’ll be fine here for a while, Layla. It’ll give Kevin and me the time we need to analyze those photos Cyrus told us about. Good thing we got here before he had tried to analyze them.”

  “What the hell does that mean, James?” Cyrus threw back chuckling.

  “You’ve been known to miss things from time to time.” My dad added.

  “It was one time. One time twenty years ago. Can’t you let it drop?”

  “It’s just pure luck that you’ve lived thousands of years. Have you always had someone to get your ass out of a sling?”

  They continued to throw their comments back and forth, while my mind reeled.

  Thousands of years…

  Thousands…

  I gawked at Cyrus, beginning at his vibrant features to his commanding height and build. No wonder he exuded such confidence. With a lifespan that rivaled most Otherworldly beings, he was in a class unto himself.

  My dad hit Cyrus in the shoulder and he barely flinched.

  My head was spinning. I looked to Cyrus, “Did I hear him correctly? Exactly how old are you?”

  All three men stopped and looked at me, then my father and Kevin turned to look at their good buddy Cyrus. “I quit counting after two thousand,” he muttered suddenly embarrassed.

  My dad slapped his shoulder, “Cyrus doesn’t like to be reminded about his age.” My father swept at his shirt, “Here, let me just dust the layers of dust off your shirt, a bit.”

  “James, shut the…” he stopped, looking at me.

  I was gawking at all three of them, all acting like immature teenagers. I had never seen Kevin Reese, an Episcopalian priest, or my father with his nose stuck in a book act so goofy. They were retired daemonologists, a job that required focus and a steely heart. Seeing them like this, I imagined these two older men as younger mad-caps, full of life, like Cyrus who was forever locked in his prime.

  “So you guys, it was the three of you when you were younger?” My disbelief was making it hard to process.

  “Until your mother came along,” Kevin said, standing next to his two comrades and then their faces fell.

  “So you knew my mother too?” I asked Cyrus.

  “Yes, I know your mother,” he corrected me. “And before you ask, I was forbidden to speak about any of it. About what was in store for James, Layla, or their daughter-…you, that is.”

  “So you knew what was going to happen to your friend, my dad? You knew Lillith was going to use him, and my mother to create me? You knew all about my prophecy and said nothing?”

  He stepped closer to me, “Your turning this into more of a personal conversation, Layla. Your dad is one of my closest friends. We have already made our peace years ago. He does not hold me responsible for things that were out of my control, and I don’t think you should either, but I cannot make that choice. I can however remind you I offered to take you out this evening where we could discuss more privately some of the details that are beginning to surface.”

  I had no reason to say no, so I stalled, “I hate it when people try to keep things from me, just so you know.”

  “I will file that away for future reference.”

  “And I hate being patronized,” I continued.

  “I would never dream of patronizing you.” He smiled when I scoffed, “You already said as much on our first date.”

  “It wasn’t a date. It was coffee, and it’s not like you gave me a choice.”

  “Wow, suave man,” My father laughed. “Do we need to have a talk, you and me? You are talking about my baby after all.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Cyrus gave my father, his friend a hard glare.

  I smiled, “You’re the one that decided to ask with God and country all around us.

  “Wait, so you two are a thing?” Ava joined the not-so-private conversation. Her gleeful smile was infectious, I couldn’t help it. Color crept up to my cheeks that had nothing to do with my own fire and
everything to do with the embarrassment these people were trying to pull from me.

  I rolled my eyes and tried to shoo them all away, even Cyrus. Just then I heard Ben’s voice break through, “Layla, you know you wanna go, so just do it. You already told me so earlier today. You’re not fooling anybody. And by anybody, I mean everyone in this apartment.”

  My face reddened. I bit down on my lips to keep from giggling like an airhead. Cyrus smiled too, “Just because you want something doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea,” I yelled back.

  “Why am I just learning about this guy now? James you never said anything about Cyrus and Layla hooking up.”

  “We did not hook up,” I hollered loud enough for the neighbors to hear. I buried my face in my hands, wishing I could vanish into the black clouds of hell rather than endure this conversation.

  “I don’t think it’s polite to discuss other people’s business. Layla is a grown woman now, and as hard as that is to admit, one who carries the responsibility of the world, like Atlas himself.”

  “Thanks, dad.” I offered. But I couldn’t tell if he was being genuine. He was enjoying my distress as much as the rest of them. It did feel good to joke with them. I needed some family time, and it seemed that Cyrus knew that.

  “We’ll be fine here for a bit.” Dad continued. He tied and lit a bundle of incense and began waving it around the windowsills and along the walls, “You two go out and talk about whatever you need to talk about. We will be right here waiting for you when you get back.”

  Ava popped into the doorway, “Yeah, we wanna hear all the details you wouldn’t want your dad to hear.”

  I want to die.

  I glanced up and Cyrus, whose eyes hadn’t left my face throughout the entire circus. This was one of those pivotal moments in life when you know a decision you make will change everything you’ve known about who you are and everything you will become.

  But it wasn’t the claws of my daemon I felt, but the trembling of my wings as I relented, “Okay.”