by Aileen Erin
Even knowing that, I hoped we weren’t racing into some kind of a trap. Because that would seriously suck.
Six
The car rattled as we passed over the cattle guard and onto la Aquelarre’s land. Now that the compound was abandoned, Claudia had changed the wards. The only ones left in place were specifically set for humans, instead of the old one for all non-coven members. The headlights on the SUV lit the road between houses. Dastien flipped on the brights and a shiver ran up my spine.
I was wrong. St. Ailbe’s wasn’t a ghost town. The witches compound was. Grass had sprouted on the dirt road that separated the two rows of burned-down houses. A few support beams had survived the fire, but most of the buildings were just concrete foundations covered in ash and rubble. Only Raphael, Claudia, Shane, and Beth were left from this coven, and I highly doubted they’d want to rebuild here. I knew I wouldn’t. Too much evil history had seeped deep into the soil. There wasn’t enough sage on the earth to cleanse it.
Dastien had parked by a few other black SUVs, but no one was in sight. “Where’s Adrian?” I asked as the three of us got out. I didn’t want to be here for one more second than we had to be tonight. I planned to dig around in Luciana’s stuff to see if any of her magic had survived and was causing all the demon attacks, but I was waiting to do that under the noonday sun.
“That way.” He pointed toward the woods. “He said they were about fifty yards east of the cars.”
The scent of sulfur was light at first, but the farther into the woods we went, the stronger it got.
“Anyone else have a bad feeling about this?” Chris said, and I almost laughed.
Bad feeling? I had a terrible feeling about it. Whatever we were about to meet knew me by name and Adrian wasn’t sure what the hell he was, aside from not being a demon. That left a whole lot of unknowns.
A twig snapped maybe fifteen feet ahead of me. I froze. Someone was walking towards us. They took a few more steps and the moonlight hit his face.
Adrian.
His short black hair glistened with sweat, even in the cold night. His shoulders were hunched, making him look shorter than his six feet. He was wearing a pair of generic sweats that he must’ve grabbed them from the Cazadores’ stash after shifting back. Whatever Adrian had just been through, it had to have been a tough fight.
“Are you okay?” I said as he strode to me.
“Okay-ish.” He pulled me in for a quick, one-armed hug. “I’m sorry to drag you out here the second you got back. We were on our nightly demon sweep, but this time there were a lot more demons. It was going to be a bloodbath, but this guy showed up. Saved our asses and then asked to talk to you. He wanted me to put in a good word for him. I guess he thought you’d blow him off without it. Anyway, guy saved our butts. So, would you mind talking with him?” The way Adrian was asking, thick with unspoken apology, made me wonder what the other shoe was and when exactly it was going to drop.
“That’s why I’m here.”
“The only thing is…he kind of knows things.”
I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that. “What do you mean? Like he can read minds.”
“Yeah. I think?” He crossed his arms. “He says that he’s got a beef with Astaroth, and—”
“Wait. Who’s Astaroth?” This conversation was getting frustrating. It felt like Adrian was burying the lead.
Adrian shrugged. “Apparently, a demon none of us ever want to meet, but this guy said you met Astaroth last night. I figured that was why you pulled all that power through the packs?”
“It is.” The demon in the black abyss. Astaroth. His name felt right, somewhere deep in my gut.
If we could trust this guy, then I was about to be a step ahead. Or at the very least, not so many steps behind.
Before I could think too hard about what I was doing, I quickly followed the trail of sulfur deeper into the woods. When I saw a group of people standing around, I paused.
The earth was scorched in spots all over the small clearing between the trees. Each spot marked a demon killed. Broken branches and debris littered the dirt. I was almost sorry to have missed the fight. Actually getting to fight an opponent, instead of getting magically and psychically attacked, would’ve been a nice reprieve.
A few Cazadores were off to the side, talking quietly amongst themselves. They looked like they’d been through it. Blood dripped down one Cazadores’ arm. He was going to need some holy water. Fast.
Five more Cazadores were standing around a guy who was leaning against a tree. None of them were saying anything. But the Cazadores—all in their black sweats—were giving the man some serious side-eye.
I stepped forward, and the Cazadores who’d been talking came over to us. Dastien spoke to them but I tuned them out. My focus was on the guy in a white V-neck, leaning lazily against the tree. His relaxed stance gave off the impression that he wasn’t intimidated at all being surrounded by a group of Weres. He looked to be maybe in his mid-twenties, but I couldn’t assume anything. Donovan looked about twenty-five, and I knew he was much older than that.
Coming here, I didn’t know what to expect. We’d rushed over here so quickly, I hadn’t really thought it through, but I didn’t expect him. The man was beautiful. Like stepped-out-of-a-magazine beautiful. His long, white-blond hair brushed his shoulders. His brows were dark and furrowed. Deep-set pale blue eyes caught the moonlight, glowing just enough to hint at his supernatural nature, but his face was soft. Sweet. Almost cherubic.
He wore relaxed fit, light washed jeans, and his white shirt didn’t have a speck of blood on it. Even after saving Adrian and the others from a horde of demons.
If we were anywhere else I would’ve thought he was just a pretty face or a model, but something was seriously off with him. Why was he so freaking handsome? And where the hell were his shoes?
As if he could read that thought, a smirk spread across his face.
I wasn’t sure if he was reading my mind like Adrian suggested or just something in my expression, but either way, I built up my mental barrier and tried to school my features into a calm mask. “You wanted to talk to me?”
He stepped toward me, and I could feel Dastien’s heat as he came to stand right behind me.
“I’m not going to hurt her.” The man’s voice sent tingles down my spine.
The Cazadores stepped back, giving us room. Clearly they trusted him, but my mate was having the opposite reaction.
What did he just do to you? Dastien said, but his words barely registered.
I don’t know, but there’s something magical about his voice. “What are you?” I asked. It came off as rude, but I didn’t mean it that way. I had to know what—or who—I was dealing with. Especially if he was using magic on me.
“A friend.”
“If we’re going to be friends, then I need to know—what are you?”
“You werewolves are always big on scent. Come closer.” He held out his arm. “Take a good whiff. Let’s see if you can make a guess.”
I started to step toward him, but Dastien grabbed my wrist. No.
I’ll be fine. The words came out before I could think too much about it. My wrist slipped from Dastien’s hold as I stepped toward him, closed my eyes, and breathed in.
He smelled like earth and sun and the grass smelled on a hot summer day. And jasmine. The scent of jasmine grew and grew until it overpowered all the sulfur that lingered from the earlier demon battle. When I opened my eyes, it was all I could smell. “Are you fey?”
“No.” His blue eyes were brighter than the summer sky.
This was going to be a stretch, but I might as well ask. “Angel?”
He grinned as he stuck his hands in his pockets. “Not likely.” His voice was so like a cool balm on a hot summer day.
“Are you using magic on me to make your voice sound like that?”
His grin widened. “No. Not magic. That’s just how it sounds.”
Okay. I was out of ideas. “What are you?
”
“I’m an archon.”
Dastien was wondering what an archon was, so he was just as clueless as me. I looked back to Chris and Adrian, but both just kept staring at the guy.
Great. None of us knew what that meant. “What’s your name?”
“You can call me Eli.”
I laughed. “Eli? Really?” It was way too normal, too plain for someone who looked like him.
He shrugged. “In the end, it doesn’t matter what I am or what you call me. Only that I’m someone you should trust.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“Because you’re going to need my help if you want to stop Astaroth.”
My throat tightened at the name. “Who is Astaroth and why does he want me?”
“Astaroth is one of the Great Dukes of Hell and part of the evil Trinity. If you’re not very careful, everyone will die.”
One of the Great Dukes of Hell? Evil Trinity? Everyone will die?
The air turned heavy and I struggled to get in a breath. What the hell had Luciana gotten me into? “I don’t understand. Why me? What does he want?”
“Your power is unique. You’re a powerful witch that has been bitten by a powerful Were. The fact that you straddle different supernatural lines in this plane, means that he can use you to merge the planes—ours with the one beyond—and bring the end of times.” He paused. “If that happens, this plane will be swallowed by demons.”
“The apocalypse?” That’s what he meant. I was sure of it, but I needed him to be clear before I fully freaked out. “He wants the apocalypse? That’s what you’re saying, right?”
“Exactly.”
This was worse than I’d thought. So much worse. “How do I stop him?”
He stepped closer, leaning into my personal space. “You have problems, and they’re only just beginning.” I could feel his breath on my cheek. He spoke so quietly, that even with my hearing, I had to fight the urge to lean closer to hear him. “What the witch did here tipped things off balance. The Seven is in shambles. Not just because they’re missing three members, but because fey magic brewed the bond. Without the fey returning, they can’t fix what they’ve broken. Their bond was the seal between the planes. They were the good that balanced the bad. That’s gone now, and because of their mistakes, Astaroth has a window to use your power and merge the planes. Are you understanding now?”
I was starting to, and he was freaking me out. “This is really bad.”
“Worse than bad. This is catastrophic. Unknowingly, the fey and the wolves started a chain of events that could destroy all life.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
My heart raced, and its throbbing beat in my ears. “Astaroth’s stronger than me. I can’t beat him, especially if he’s somehow tied to me. Can you break the tie?”
“I would if I could, but it’s too complicated for that. He’s woven himself through your magic. You’re going to have to figure out how to break the tie yourself.” He stepped back from me, raising his voice. “It’s not just the tie that’s the problem. You’re going to need to renew the seal between planes. And before you ask—no, I can’t help with that either. At least not yet. Archons aren’t allowed to meddle in the affairs of this plane. At least not much. We wait. We watch. We only step in when the time is right. I’m only here to set you on the path. You’re the key. Not just for Astaroth, but for everyone. Once you’ve found a way to fix what’s been broken, call to me. I’ll be waiting, but my help will come at a cost. One you might not want to pay.”
And with that, he was gone.
It wasn’t like how Van disappeared with Cosette. I didn’t feel any magic in the air. No spell brushed along my skin, so it wasn’t witchcraft. It was like he was never there. Even the scent of jasmine had disappeared, leaving me choking on the sulfur again.
“What the hell was that?” Dastien’s anger beat at me. “What did he say to you?”
I stumbled as I stepped back from the tree the guy had been leaning against, bumping into Dastien.
“Tessa!” Dastien spun me to face him. “What’s going on?” He held on to my shoulders and gave me a shake, but I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t think. I felt like I was floating outside of my body as the enormity of what Eli had said hit me.
The apocalypse? Seriously? How was this possible?
What had the Seven done to start off this chain of events? I knew that they needed new members, but the way Eli talked about it, the problem was bigger than that.
If the fey leaving was part of this broken seal, how the hell was I supposed to bring them back? I didn’t have that kind of authority. I wasn’t sure anyone did.
I didn’t know where to start. I wasn’t even sure if what he said was true. If the world was falling apart and for some insane reason it was up to me to fix it—
No. This was insane. He had to be lying. Maybe he really was a demon and he’d faked his scent and killed some of his own to save the werewolves in some sort of ploy to gain my trust. All to mess with my mind. To mess with all of our minds.
But what if he wasn’t?
Astaroth—one of the Great Dukes of Hell—had somehow tied himself to me. How was I going to break it? What cost would I pay to stop the apocalypse?
The realization that I would do way more than I thought I could made my stomach churn.
Suddenly, the sulfur was too strong. Too real. I turned and ran through the woods. I had to get out of here. I needed off this land before I had a total meltdown.
The next couple of hours went by in a blur. My movements were more rote than anything else as I got in Dastien’s car with him and Chris and headed back to campus. I ate with them in the cafeteria and I know they talked, but I stayed quiet. Overwhelmed didn’t seem to cover the spread of emotions I was feeling.
I just wasn’t sure how to process everything that’d happened in the last thirty-six hours. Between nearly drowning, Muraco’s murder, my visit to the black abyss with one over-possessive demon, and then the hot guy-archon-whatever thing in the woods…
It felt like I was back in the ocean, twisting and turning, trying to find which way was up. I couldn’t see the light. There was no end. At least not one that was pretty.
As I got into bed, I was waist deep in my pity-party, but then something else occurred to me.
Everything wasn’t lost. Sure, I might have been thrown into the deep end, but I was good at digging my way out of messes. This mess was worse than most, but I could do it. I just had to snap out of it.
I had a name. Astaroth.
I was going to have to do some research to confirm it and everything Eli said, but it was a start. And if I could get ahold of Claudia and some of those Peruvian crystals, then maybe this wasn’t going to be as hopeless as I’d thought.
I also had information that something the Seven had done by not having Seven members had started this off. That was another big clue. And I was super lucky. I knew Donovan and Mr. Dawson. Two excellent resources.
If I could somehow reach Cosette and convince the fey to come back, then I could make this all work out.
The last one was probably going to be next to impossible, so I’d start with the easiest stuff first.
I wasn’t sure when or how I’d need Eli’s help, but if I did and he wanted to make a bargain? Well, then I’d just have to figure that out.
And with that thought, I snuggled up against Dastien’s warm body and was finally able to fall asleep.
Seven
The morning woke me up six hours later. The light cut through the curtains in Dastien’s tiny cabin, and I was still exhausted, but I had to deal with everything. It was time to get up. I needed to grab some food and start digging up everything I could about Astaroth.
Dastien was sleeping soundly next to me. His soft, even breaths told me that he was in deep REM. The cabin was basically a studio apartment. Along the back wall was a kitchen with a breakfast nook. The countertops were wood instead of granite or la
minate like the ones in other houses I’d been to, but they worked for the cabin. I could sneak and make breakfast, but that would make too much noise and I wasn’t sure if there was any food stocked. Plus, I didn’t want to wake Dastien, and if I was being honest, I didn’t really feel like cooking again. Not when the cafeteria was a short walk away.
My stomach rumbled as I thought of devouring a mountain of pancakes and bacon. I rolled over, trying to muffle the sound with the mattress. I was debating whether or not to sneak out of the cabin when one of our cells started vibrating.
Claudia.
I jumped out of bed, tossing things around and trying to find where I’d put my damned phone in my panicked haze. “Damn it.” I muttered to myself.
“It’s mine.” Dastien’s voice was groggy with sleep. “Hello?”
“Welcome home,” Mr. Dawson said.
It wasn’t Claudia. I slumped to the floor for a second before starting to gather up the mess I’d made.
“Thanks. What’s up?” Without our bond, I wouldn’t have even noticed a twinge of annoyance in Dastien’s voice, but it was there.
“Can’t I just call to say hi?”
I wondered if Mr. Dawson knew that he was annoying Dastien.
“Sure.” Dastien paused to answer me through our bond. He totally knows. Other than you, he’s probably the person who knows me best.
Interesting. Sometimes the bond was extra handy. I not only got to know my mate better, but I also got the benefit of his knowledge about other people and things.
“So, what’s going on?”
“We’re having a meeting this afternoon.”
Who was having a meeting?
“Who is?” Dastien said, echoing my thoughts.
“The Cazadores, what’s left of the Seven, and a few others.”
Dastien sat up. “A meeting like that would’ve taken a while to plan.” And really well timed. I wondered if they knew at least part of what Eli had told me yesterday.
