by Missy Jane
“S-sir…I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.” His cackling laughter held no joy.
Zerach waved his comment away with one hand. “You should have. I told you our business wasn’t finished.”
Luther nodded. His face was in shadow and mostly hidden within the deep hood of his worn jacket. Zerach saw every detail of the grime-covered skin and blackened teeth in his rotting mouth anyway.
“Yes, sir. Yes you did. I’m just lucky that way, I guess.”
The urge to smile almost overtook Zerach’s better judgment but he stopped it as usual. “Have you been watching? As instructed?”
Luther shrugged, looked behind him to the mouth of the alley. “Yeah, yeah. Watching, listening, nothing going on right now though. I told you. Nothing ‘til New Year’s. I’m almost sure of it.”
His frown caused Luther to stumble back a step. “You’ve been wrong before.”
Like a stone Luther dropped to the ground, cowering on his knees with head bent to his chest. “I know, I know. I’ve asked for forgiveness.”
Zerach sighed. “Yes. Of course.”
He wouldn’t offer what wasn’t his to give, but the humans always heard what they wanted. Luther would now assume he had been forgiven by his version of God.
The aging, dirty human scrambled to his feet and bowed at the waist like an old court visitor. “Thank you! Thank you!”
“Enough. I have more questions about your former colleagues.”
Luther immediately stilled, but his fear and nervousness were almost palpable. “Y-yes sir?”
“Forge. Where can I find him?”
Luther glanced over his shoulder again. “I don’t know where he’s gone off to. He had a fine place right downtown. High up in one of those old buildings they made pretty again. If he’s left there…I don’t know where he’s gone.”
“What have you heard?”
A strangled sound like laughter escaped the human’s throat. When it sounded again he realized the man was crying. “He’ll kill me, sir. I know you could, too, but you’ve got compassion. Forge feels nothing, you know? He’s a demon all right. Feels nothing but pleasure at pain and suffering.”
Zerach closed the distance and took Luther by the shoulders, startling him into looking him in the eye. “You are protected. Haven’t you felt my brothers at your back? So tell me what you know.”
After a brief hesitation, the human nodded and dropped his gaze. “Some say he’s in Galveston, down on the peninsula. Don’t know if that’s true but it’s what I heard.”
Zerach released him with a slow nod. “Go on now. Keep watching and listening and true forgiveness will be your reward.”
Luther nodded vigorously until the hood fell back from his head, exposing a face scarred from hair to jaw with crisscrossing white lines. The grin on his skeletal face made him look insane and evil. Zerach inwardly cringed at the sight, but outwardly he showed no reaction at all.
“Thank you, sir. Thank you!”
He turned and limped away as fast as his ruined leg allowed until he disappeared around the corner of the building. A whisper of sound alerted Zerach to the visitor behind him.
“Well…that was enlightening.”
He turned to face his brother. “Rafe, what brings you into the city tonight?”
The lighter-haired angel rolled his bare shoulders. “I felt you near and thought I’d lend a hand…if needed.”
Zerach glanced in the direction Luther had gone. “No. Not tonight. There’s nothing new on this front and nowhere else to look for now. And you? Any news?”
“Things are certainly getting interesting. I think we’re going to have our hands full soon.”
He wasn’t surprised by his brother’s cryptic words, but asking for clarification usually did no good. “Luther can be our eyes and ears on the ground in the city, but he only sees and hears so much.”
“And he hasn’t seen or heard anything yet?” Rafe asked.
“Not enough. The waiting is worrisome, but expected. After all, the creatures we’re looking for like to hide in plain sight.”
Rafe nodded and looked behind him to the other end of the dirty alley. “Much like us. They are getting better at it too. The humans don’t realize they’re helping them. How much longer will we fight the inevitable?”
Unexpected anger shot through Zerach, fueled by his frustration at the truth in his brother’s words. Despite his own doubts, he didn’t like hearing Rafe’s. “We fight against the demons as long as there is even one human left to protect from their evil. Don’t forget that.”
Rafe lifted his hand to his head as if to tip an imaginary hat and gave a slow nod. “As you say. Though many times we suffer because of their ignorance.”
Zerach sighed a slow, sad sound and nodded back. “Don’t I know it.”
“I’m going to make another circuit inside the loop. Why don’t you head home to rest?”
Zerach’s shoulders sagged in relief and exhaustion. Houston was a large city to patrol and the three brothers often took sections. Tonight he had circled the city alone more than once. His thoughts were in turmoil and the demons alone weren’t to blame. One small, innocent female plagued his thoughts unexpectedly, and he hadn’t decided what to do about it.
“Thanks, I think I’ll do that.”
He clapped Rafe on the shoulder and leapt into the air. His angelic powers and the dark, cloudy night hid him from view as he made his way back to his apartment. It was one of many he kept all around the world and the only one he thought of as home. Even so, a glance around the nearly empty space had him frowning as he undressed for a shower. He didn’t like clutter and had avoided the human habit of collecting nonsensical objects. He had the barest of furniture and no decorations at all. His walk-in closet was probably the most used space since he never took women home. Being an angel, he didn’t have to eat if he didn’t want to. A meal had never been prepared in his kitchen.
None of that had mattered in the past, so why did it suddenly bother him now? The memory of laughter and a joyous smile filled his mind as his thoughts wandered back to Isadora. Spending some time with her that afternoon had been a revelation. She seemed to light up any space she filled and like a moth to the flame he couldn’t help but be drawn to her warmth.
It was a fluke that he’d even seen her at the mall. After his brothers had left his apartment, he’d headed to one of their nightclubs and unexpectedly left with someone. The clingy woman had kept him in bed as the sun rose, a time he would normally have been long gone. Hours later, he’d wiped her memory before heading out.
As soon as he stepped off the elevator he’d spotted Isadora sitting alone on the bench. He’d walked up to her on impulse when he probably should have slipped away unseen.
Spending time with her outside the office had been more pleasure than he’d known in a long time. He rarely indulged in the simple act of casual conversation. His life was filled with business of both the human and angelic sort. One involved investments and the many businesses he and his brothers owned. The other involved keeping the demon population in its place and the humans alive as long as possible. Sometimes he didn’t know which was more tiresome.
He stretched out on his bed and considered Luther’s former boss. As a young man Forge had gotten caught up in the sense of power that comes with summoning a demon. He hadn’t done the summoning himself, but he was the last living human who had been present at that event. Now he was loose somewhere, with the knowledge of how to initiate a summoning. He remained Zerach’s prime suspect in the surge of demons they’d been fighting lately. But why would a low-life thug with no more aspiration than to sell heroine on the street want to pull minions from hell?
It made no sense and left Zerach with the feeling of staring at a dead end. Unfortunately it was the most he had to go on right now. The breaches were too sporadic in both time and location, making it almost impossible to anticipate the next one. He tried to push it from his mind long enough to fall asleep.
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The next day began with a business meeting that took him through lunch. He returned to his office to find Isadora at her desk with a scowl on her face. The moment he stepped within a few feet of her the scent of demon taint hit him like a punch to the gut. He froze halfway across the open space that held her desk and a few filing cabinets. Normally filled with the scent of potpourri, the demon taint was thick enough to claw at his sensitive throat. She didn’t seem to notice it. He watched her for a full minute as she typed away on her keyboard.
“Is there something wrong, Mr. Maxwell?” she finally asked.
Innocent eyes looked up at him with curiosity. The glow of purity and goodness she always carried in her aura remained as well, a stark contrast to the bitter scent of death and greed.
He cleared his throat and loosened his tie. “No, nothing. I was just thinking…about the meeting.”
She frowned but said nothing else. He watched as she turned back to her computer without a care. However the taint had attached to her, it wasn’t by her own doing. She had recently been with someone who was very involved with the lower realms.
“So, what did you do for lunch?” he asked.
Luckily it wasn’t odd for him to ask. He often ordered lunch to be delivered when she didn’t take the time leave.
“First, I had to run by Bill’s office for some paperwork. Then I met Jake at the deli on Milam. They have the best sandwiches. Have you been there?”
He grinned as their conversation once again turned to food. It often amused him how preoccupied humans could be with what they consumed. “No I haven’t. How is Bill? He looked a little tired on Saturday.”
Concern filled her gaze and she stopped typing to give him her full attention. “Yes, I noticed that, too. Alice said he has a clean bill of health, but I worry about him. He’s under a lot of stress lately.”
Despite the acrid scent, he walked over and leaned against her desk. “Oh? Anything I can help with?”
Pretty brown eyes widened and she twisted her hands together. “Well…um…”
The temptation to read her thoughts was almost too great, but he and his brothers had decided long ago not to use that particular power unless all other options had been exhausted or it meant life or death. It was the worst betrayal to dip into a human’s mind and know exactly what they were thinking at any given time.
Now he decided to use charm rather than his angelic abilities. He slipped his hands into his pockets and tried to look concerned. “Whatever it is, you don’t have to worry about me spreading tales, Dora. You know that, right?”
She laughed weakly. “Of course. It’s just…well it’s not really my secret to tell and I’m not sure how big of a secret it is.”
Nothing about demons then. That would definitely be considered a big secret. “Is Bill all right? I know he had a stroke some years ago.”
She nodded and some of the concern cleared away. “Yes, as far as I know he’s fully recovered from that. He’s been under a lot of stress with his company, though, so I worry it could affect his health.”
“I see.”
She wrung her hands again and he could almost see the urge to confide more or ask for something on the tip of her tongue. “What is it? You can trust me.”
A small smile played on her pink lips, and he was shocked to find himself noticing her mouth for the first time. She nibbled on her bottom lip and a jolt of arousal shot through him so unexpectedly he nearly stumbled. He straightened instead to cover the action and crossed his arms over his chest. Thankfully his suit jacket was buttoned to cover the slight erection pressing against his zipper.
“Well…Mr. Max…Zerach…I kind of have a favor to ask.”
He held his arm out toward his office door. “Let’s go inside and discuss it.”
Putting his large desk between them seemed like the best option at the moment.
“All right. Let me finish this and I’ll be right there. Maybe five minutes.”
“Sounds good.”
He walked away without looking back as the sounds of her typing followed him through the door. Hopefully five minutes would be long enough for him to pull himself together. Too bad it wasn’t enough time for a cold shower. He glanced at the door to his private bathroom, but knew he’d never make it.
Almost exactly five minutes later she walked through his door with a file folder in her hand. It wasn’t very thick, but he didn’t recognize it. Most of the information in their office was digital.
She took a seat and set the folder on his desk. “This is a contract drawn up for Bill, to aid him with his company. Apparently there are some issues that have been snowballing over the past couple of years. Now the finances are out of control and he’s in a bad spot. I’ve been looking over the contract to make sure all of his needs are covered, but I feel like I’m missing something. I know I can trust your discretion. Would you mind looking over it?”
His tension eased, but not completely. The question of the demon taint on her pure and flawless skin remained. However, he would have to look into that later. Depending on how long she had spent with either man, Bill or Jake could be the guilty party. Any kind of physical contact with the summoner would leave the same echo around her. It was so subtle only one of his kind would note it.
“Of course I don’t mind,” he said. “Let’s take a look at what you’ve got.”
It took a full hour of him going line by line and asking questions after nearly every one to get through the contract. Bill had certainly gotten himself into dire straits and Jake was being amazingly generous with the terms of the merger. Though she had referred to it as a buyout, the contract told a different tale. Bill would retain almost full control of the company despite Jake’s influx of cash.
“This is all of it?” he asked. “There are no other documents to go with these?”
“No. I know, I feel the same way, like something’s missing. I mean, there’s another stipulation but that was an oral agreement. And it really doesn’t have anything to do with the company itself. But still, this offer doesn’t seem right.”
“What’s the oral agreement about?”
Hesitation filled her face. He simply quirked a brow and sat back as if it really didn’t matter to him. Unfortunately, he sensed it mattered a great deal.
“Um…it’s more of a gentleman’s agreement, I guess. I, uh…well, Jake has asked for my hand in marriage.”
An unexpected pain gripped his chest and alarm shot through him. His breath caught, and he had to look away from her sweet innocence to gain control of his expression.
“Oh. Well…congratulations?”
She laughed. “Was that a question or a statement?”
He laughed with her though it was the last thing he felt like doing. A dull throb had started in the pit of his stomach, and he wondered if for the first time in his very long existence he was going to be sick. “A statement. I promise, it was a statement. You just surprised me.”
Her amusement faded and he wished he could call it back.
“Why is that?” she asked. “I know I’m not exactly the femme fatale he seems to prefer—”
He waved that away with a frown. “No, no, that’s not what I meant at all. In fact I think it reflects well on him that he chose you rather than the skanks I’ve seen him with lately.” Her face flushed crimson and he realized he was an ass. “I mean…Jesus, Dora. I’m so sorry. Don’t listen to me. I’m not myself today.”
She nodded and the blush began to fade. He had hurt her and wanted to kick his own ass for it.
“It’s fine, Zerach. I’m well aware of his reputation, but he’s promised to be a different man for me. As I said before, I’ve known him most of my life.”
She looked away as if she didn’t want him to see the truth in her eyes. Despite his immediate revulsion, he knew he had no right to comment on it one way or the other. Jake’s reputation was no worse than his own and really none of his business, because Dora was merely an employee. But it felt wrong on a pr
imitive level to let the matter drop.
“And this is what you want?” he asked. “Are you in love with him?”
She gave another little laugh that held no amusement as she stood. Her head remained bent while she gathered the papers back into the folder. “There are many types of love. I certainly do care for Jake. I used to know everything about him.”
But she didn’t love him. The unspoken words rang in the empty space between them loud and clear. Zerach didn’t want to examine why that filled him with relief. “Well that’s certainly a start. Maybe you just need to spend more time with him.”
She lifted her head and smiled before turning toward the door. “Maybe. We have a week before these papers need to be signed. If you think of anything we missed will you please let me know?”
“Yes, of course.”
She paused at the door to look back at him, and he didn’t miss the hint of sadness in her gaze. Unfortunately, he had no clue how to help her. “Thank you, Zerach.”
She closed the door silently behind her, but it echoed through his soul with a resounding boom.
Chapter Four
Isadora fought down her annoyance as Jake pounded mercilessly on her door. They still had a few days until the contract needed to be signed but she hadn’t given him a definitive answer. Would she be his wife? Every time she thought about that question the expression on Zerach’s face from the day before popped into her head. A ridiculous spurt of excitement went through her at the hint of fear and disappointment he had let show. She knew better than to hope it meant anything, but her heart wouldn’t listen. He’d been back to his normal distant self today and it had been a bitter disappointment.
“Izzy, open up.”
Jake’s grating voice brought her back to the present, and she huffed out a breath as she opened the locks. He didn’t even wait for her to turn the knob before letting himself through the door. “Finally.”
She stepped back quickly when it became obvious he would have pulled her into an embrace. His arms fell limply at his sides, and he actually pouted. She barely held in her laughter.
