“What makes you think we’re safe?”
“He let me go, and he thinks you’re dead. Unless we keep poking the boar, we should be okay.”
“It’s poking the beast, not boar. Where did you get boar?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Now you’re just arguing to argue.”
“So he said nothing?”
Lucas averted his gaze looking a bit guilty. “He told me to say hi to my dad for him.”
His words confirmed the suspicions I hadn’t even wanted to think. “How many nephilim are a part of your father’s network?”
Lucas jumped to his feet. “Don’t go there, Lex.”
“How many nephilim have turned up dead or missing on his watch?”
“For fuck sake, Lex. Shut. Up.”
The denial was strong with this one. It broke my heart. I wanted to take back my words. But just like a loose thread, I needed to pull until I unraveled everything.
“Was he the same angel that killed your parents?”
His face turned red, and I knew I pushed too hard. I should have apologized, backpedaled even. Dragged him back down into the sheets and slept the rest of the day away.
Maybe things would have turned out differently.
Hindsight is a bitch.
“I know you don’t want to believe it. I don’t blame you. But can you really dismiss my suspicions?”
“I’ll go talk to him, but I’m not going to jump to conclusions because of baseless accusations.”
I didn’t think they were baseless at all. Then again if someone had told me Damian was responsible for the deaths of six innocents, I’d probably flip out on them, too.
“You’re too close to this.”
“He raised me as his own. He taught me to ride a bike, drive a car. He is a good man.” There was an edge of pleading in his voice as if he could just convince me that I was off base he could wash away his own doubts.
I could understand where Lucas was coming from, and I hated putting him in this position. But I trusted my gut.
“Let me go with you.”
Thankfully, he didn’t argue. In fact, he didn’t talk to me at all. The North Pole wasn’t as chilly as his cold shoulder.
Chapter 28
“Don’t say anything. Let me do the talking,” Lucas said as we pulled into the driveway.
I blinked back unshed tears. Things were different between us. Regardless if I was wrong or right, I didn’t think Lucas would forgive me. I hoped I was wrong. That I could just hand the map over to Damian and forget about all of this. Lose myself in Lucas’ arms and pretend I didn’t give a shit about anything else.
I knew the truth, though. I would never be able to just let go. I didn’t know how to stop caring even if it meant losing my first love.
We both dragged our feet to the front door of his house. Robert flung open the door before Lucas could knock. He embraced his son, tears flowing down his cheeks. Any doubt that he loved Lucas as his own fled. Any doubt he wasn’t responsible for everything went with it.
“You’re okay,” Robert said.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Robert didn’t seem to know that Lucas had been let go. Had Lucas gone straight to me rather than his dad? I wasn’t sure what it meant that I was the first thing he thought of. He had thought I was dead. So why had he been waiting at my doorstep?
My throat tightened. The only thing I could think was he’d had his own suspicions and hadn’t wanted to confront his dad.
A part of me felt used. Was I just a distraction for him? Something to lose himself in, so he didn’t have to face the truths staring him in the face?
Whenever something painful popped up, he was all hands and mouth.
No wonder he was mad at me. I wasn’t fulfilling the role he needed me to.
“The angel let him go,” I blurted out, ruining the reunion.
Lucas shot me a dirty look and Robert acted like he hadn’t even heard me.
“You’re not the least bit curious why he let Lucas go?” I continued.
Robert glared at me, a frightening hatred in his eyes. He knew where I was going with this.
“I don’t care why. Lucas is home. That’s all that matters.”
“Let me handle this, Lex,” Lucas said. His tone told me to back the hell off or else.
At this point, I didn’t feel like I had anything more to lose. Lucas could hate me all he wanted. It wouldn’t change the truth.
”I’ve been trying to figure out how the angel is finding his victims.”
Robert narrowed his eyes, all fatherly concern replaced with ferociousness. I expected him to start snarling.
“How should I know?”
I shrugged, unaffected by his display. I had faced down demons before. Taken a sword in the gut from an angel and kept going. Endured endless lectures from my brother and hadn’t lost my mind. Robert was about as scary as a llama.
“It’s kinda weird, don’t you think? All these nephilim going missing, turning up dead, and you being the only one connected to each. Either you are shit at your job, or you’ve been feeding information to the enemy.”
I wasn’t prepared for the blow across my face. My head spun as I stood stuck in shock. I barely registered Robert’s finger shoved in my face as Lucas tried to hold him back. He screamed obscenities as I rubbed my cheek. Vindication never felt so awful.
Lucas managed to shove his dad away, coming between us.
“Are you okay?” he asked, voice soft with concern. He kept his eyes on his dad. “What the hell are you thinking?”
“She has no right to come here and accuse me.”
I silently noted he didn’t deny anything. Lucas’ doubts were evident on his face. If Robert had wanted to hold on to plausible deniability, he’d ruined it by getting physical. Even if Lucas was using me, he still cared a little.
“Innocent people don’t generally attack someone who asks them questions,” I said dryly.
”Please tell me you didn’t,” Lucas said, voice heavy with disbelief.
Lucas searched his father’s eyes as if he were trying to find the remnants of a soul inside.
It’s got to be hard faced with the betrayal of someone you love. I’m glad I don’t know how that feels.
Robert crumbled under the weight of his sin. ”I was only trying to keep you safe. I’d told him I wouldn’t do it anymore. That’s why he took you. I gave him everything, every name, to get you back.”
”Are you daft? What do you think the crazed serial killer will do now he no longer has a use for you?” I yelled.
“He let Lucas go. That’s all that matters.”
Lucas’ shoulders shook. I wanted to reach out and comfort him. I would probably only make things worse.
“This is on you, dad. You have to help stop him.”
“What can I do? I’m only human. I don’t have magic or know how to shoot a gun. Would a gun even do anything? No. We’ve got to run. Right now. Disappear where he can’t find us.”
“You can be a coward all you want, but at least tell Damian what you know so he can clean up your mess.” Lucas’ voice cut his dad into ribbons.
Robert said nothing but the guilt on his face said everything.
Dread heavily draped over me like a wet blanket. ”What did you do?”
“What man, what father, would do nothing while a monster has his son? I did what I had to. I would do it again to keep my Lucas safe. To hell with the consequences.”
This was the shadow of a man who had been crushed between a rock and a hard place. Forced to make the impossible choice that no parent should ever have to and I had a hard time blaming him.
What wouldn’t I do to protect Damian or Wes or even Lucas? Who was I to sit upon my throne of judgment? It’s easy to claim that you would put the greater good above individual concerns. But let’s be honest. Would you save the nameless over someone you love? Or would you burn the whole world down if it meant you could hold on to that one person you breathed for?
“Did you tell him Lex is alive?” Lucas looked at his father with disgust.
While I had discovered understanding for this broken man, Lucas had hardened his heart. He saw a stranger, not the man who raised him. His world had shattered, the remaining jagged pieces slashing irreparable damage between them.
Why hadn’t I kept my mouth shut? What good did this do? What information could Robert give us that made any of this worth it?
“I didn’t say anything about Lex,” Robert said looking at me with deep sadness and guilt.
It sounded like he was holding back. I hoped I was wrong.
“What did you tell him?”
”I gave him all the names I had.”
“All?” My voice came out a whisper.
“I’m sorry. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to get my son back.”
I turned and ran to Lucas’ car. I didn’t look if Lucas followed. I’d hot wire the bitch if I had to.
There was only one name Robert would apologize for.
Chapter 29
“Go faster,” I pleaded. If we were too late…
Lucas sped down the street toward Damian’s office. I had tried to call my brother’s cell as soon as I got in the car, but there was no answer. Wes hadn’t answered, either.
“We need a plan, Lex.” Lucas sounded way too calm.
“Plan? I plan to stick my sword in the angel’s face. That’s my plan.”
I didn’t add what I planned to do to his dad if we were too late.
“That’s not a plan. That’s wishful thinking.”
I tried to calm my breathing, not lose myself in hysterics. I couldn’t help Damian if I was irrational. “You got a better plan?”
My cell rang. I didn’t bother looking at the caller ID before answering.
“Damian?”
“Huh? It’s Wes. I’m home. Where are you?” Wes sounded calm, oblivious.
“Where’s Damian?”
“I don’t know. Haven’t talked to him since this morning. You didn’t tell me where you are.”
I hung up. It was stupid. I should have told him what was going on but at this point, we were closer to the office than he was. Plus, I doubted anything out of my mouth would have been coherent.
Lucas grabbed my phone and glanced down. He hit a button and put it against his ear.
I didn’t register the one-sided conversation that followed, my mind too occupied by a torrent of what ifs, each more horrifying than the last.
After hanging up, Lucas tried to hand the phone back. I let it drop to the floor.
“Wes is going to meet us at the office.”
“Wes doesn’t like you,” I mumbled, having no idea why that popped into my head.
“Yeah, well I’m not a fan either, but we need all the help we can get.”
I was going to ask him what he had against Wes when I saw my brother’s office up ahead.
“Stop,” I yelled.
Lucas hit the brakes.
The car hadn’t come to a complete stop before I flung myself out the door and stumbled forward.
“Lex,” Lucas called out. “Wait.”
I ignored him and raced to the entrance of the office. The open sign taunted me. Maybe he wasn’t inside. If he was still looking for Lucas, he was probably gone.
Oh, gods, please be taking an extended lunch break.
A loud crash from inside destroyed the last thread of hope I clung to. My sweaty hand fumbled with the door knob, my panic making the simplest of tasks impossible.
I finally got a grip and pushed the door open.
Two mighty warriors, swords clashing like we were on the set of Conan the Barbarian, were locked in heated battle.
Damian glanced over his shoulder to see who had just walked in and it was enough of a distraction to give the angel the upper hand.
The angel slid his glowing sword through Damian in the same spot he had me.
Damian crumpled to the ground, his lifeblood spreading around the hardwood floor. I blinked. My brain not comprehending the information my eyes were sending it.
All I could think was the blood stains would make selling this place a bitch.
Reality hit me with a tire iron. Instinctively gripping Gladys’ hilt, with no regard of my own wellbeing, I charged the angel.
His lips curled into a smile as his blade blocked mine. Adrenaline pumped through my cambion veins making each swing pack more power than normal. I embraced my demon reflexes, reveled in the strength it imbued. Hatred, my own further fueled by the animosity my demon blood held for its ancient enemy, burned like one of those furnaces you use to cremate bodies.
The sweat beaded on his brow began to evaporate. He wasn’t even trying. Damian had pushed him to his limits. I was little more than an amusing distraction.
He should have been taking this more seriously. Even distractions have sharp teeth.
Gladys sliced through his shoulder nearly to the bone. His sword clattered to the ground. He howled, more from anger than pain.
His blood, pale pink, fascinated me. I’d never seen an angel bleed before. It was unsettling.
While I was gawking, he punched me in the solar plexus, driving the air from my lungs, and sending me through the air. I crashed in a heap against the far wall, pretty sure I’d made a dent. I covered my mouth with my hand as I coughed. Globs of blood splattered against my hand. Not a good sign.
“Lex,” Lucas cried out.
My eyes found him hovering over Damian, a rune on his forearm giving off a healthy green glow. Hope fluttered in my gut. Lucas wouldn’t have wasted magic on a corpse. It wasn’t too late for Damian.
I loved him more at that moment than I loved him before.
Hope is a funny thing. It can keep you running when you haven’t eaten in three days, haven’t slept, and are pretty sure something is broken inside you. Hope is what keeps the underdog in the fight. The power of hope can create miracles. And I needed a miracle right about then.
I pulled myself up. Raising Gladys in front of me, I plastered a grin on my face. “You hit like a human.”
The angel picked up his sword using his unwounded arm. I hoped he wasn’t ambidextrous, but with possibly eons of practice, the odds were not in my favor.
He stalked toward me, more careful this time.
“What’s wrong? Worried I’ll cut you again?” I mocked.
I had heard somewhere that giving into rage makes a person sloppy. I needed all the help I could get against the behemoth. Which meant I should keep running my mouth.
“Didn’t anyone tell you never to leave a girl waiting?”
I swung, and our blades kissed. I stopped thinking and just moved, trusting my body to know what to do. Years of training with a wooden sword against Damian’s far superior skill had forged me into a more effective weapon than had realized I was.
Sweat poured down my back. He snarled, unable to get another hit in. Light as a butterfly, I kept out of his reach and then moved in to deliver another blow.
Only I never got another hit in, either. My chest burned from the exertion and my body screamed with pain, no longer content to be ignored.
I didn’t know how much longer I would last.
I dug deep, searching for whatever reserves remained. If I fell, so would they. It was time for me to be the hero.
I moved a fraction of a second too late, and the angel knocked Gladys from my hand with his free arm. Considering the impact of the blow, I was lucky he’d used his injured limb.
I turned to go for my sword. I had no chance without her.
Agony lanced up my back as his blade ripped through cloth and flesh.
Instead of continuing away, leaving myself further exposed, I turned and charged, jamming my shoulder into his belly. The move took him by surprise, and the force of the blow took him off balance.
He regained his footing faster than I could use the advantage. He wrapped his hand around my throat and squeezed.
My hands flew to my throat as I
clawed at his grip. Useless.
I strained forward and dug my bloody fingers into the open wound on his shoulder searching for bone. He screeched, inhuman and deranged but didn’t let go.
Something inside me changed. I felt a thread between the two of us, invisible, untouchable, just a sense of otherness.
It called to me, a siren song, and in my mind, I stretched to grab ahold of it. Before I could make it mine, a force blasted the angel from behind throwing him forward and me back.
He let go, catching himself before falling on his face. I wasn’t so lucky. Ground met my already torn up back, and the edges of my vision went black.
I pushed through the pain, struggling to get back up, to get back to the fight. Dizziness forced me to stop.
Nearly every rune on Lucas’ body was lit up. A light show followed by a cacophony of sound. I had a hard time following the display. Everything Lucas threw at the monster bounced off. By the time the angel reached him, Lucas’ runes had gone dark.
The angel grabbed Lucas by the hair and forced him to his knees. Lucas struggled, swinging and missing, not giving up.
Bone cracked as the first blow shattered Lucas’ cheekbone.
Unable to get to my feet, I crawled. I tried yelling, trying to get the angel’s attention back on me.
The angel didn’t use his sword. He didn’t use magic. His fists were enough.
Raindrops landed on my shaky hands as I pulled myself closer. The few yards stretched for miles.
The wet smacks as he continued his assault burned into my memory. Blood gurgled as Lucas tried to suck in breaths. Bone crunched under unrelenting strikes.
I watched helpless as the man I loved was slaughtered.
Chapter 30
Hope is a funny thing. With it, anything is possible. Without it, you realize you have nothing left to lose so why the hell not.
I wrapped my figurative hand around the thread that connected the angel to me and pulled.
The effect was instantaneous. His power, his rage, the mad glee of another life taken, poured into me like gasoline over a fire. I choked on the wrongness of it at the same time as I drank deeper, pulling him into me.
Nephilim Falling (Trenton Investigations) Page 15
