The Knight: The Original's Trilogy - Book 3

by Cara Crescent

  Trina waved her back. She leaned over Julius, one hand on the headboard.

  His hand lashed out, clamping around Trina’s shirt front. He stood, pushing her back to allow him space to stand. “Where’s Kat? What did you do—?”

  “I’m here.” She pressed herself between them and he let go of Trina to pull her into his arms. “She’s helping you. She got rid of the felo-de-se curse.”

  “Jesus.” He shifted Kat to his side and extended his hand to Trina. “Sorry about that. Thanks for your help.”

  Trina stared at his hand for a moment before shaking his hand. “It’s no problem.” Her gaze narrowed. “How do you feel?”

  He shrugged. “Same.”

  “That seemed way too easy.” She glanced at her watch. “If I can, I’ll come back before the sun rises again, just to make sure.” She shook her head. “That didn’t seem right.”

  No, it didn’t.

  Laughter bubbled up from right behind Trina, high-pitched, the definition of madness itself. A figure rose from its hunched position, rising above her as she turned and backed toward her and Julius.

  It looked like Julius. Sort of. An emaciated, diseased version of him. The Curse stared at them through sunken red-rimmed eyes, his rotten mouth wide open to expel its humor. Its skin was awful . . . ruffles of white dead skin rose in bunched lines above angry red tissue, like white-tipped waves cresting over an infected red sea. “Julie-us.” It giggled again, holding its hands together under its chin in a delighted gesture.

  Julius’ grip tightened on Kat as he drew her behind him. “What is that?” He pulled Trina back toward him, away from the Curse.

  “Don’t let it touch you.” Trina held out her hand behind her, staying him from drawing her behind him, too. “Kat and I will handle this.”

  Julius tensed. “The hell you will.”

  The Curse tilted its head to the side, shifting its weight.

  Trina stepped to the side to block it.

  “If it touches you, it’ll merge with you again.” Kat twisted her hand from Julius’ grip. “Then we’ll have to start over.”

  The Curse jerked the other way, taking a step closer.

  The three of them mirrored it, Kat and Trina staying between Julius and the Curse.

  “If I had my blade, that thing wouldn’t get close enough to touch me.”

  “Julie-us.”

  Kat slipped the bottle of holy water to Trina. “I have the jar.”

  “Yeah, though I walk through the valley of death . . . .”

  As Trina recited Psalm 91 its humor vanished, leaving nothing but soulless eyes and sunken features. “Cut-cut-cut.”

  Kat shuddered. Was that what he’d been hearing all this time?

  They all backed up a step, though Trina continued to recite the exorcist’s prayer.

  It lifted its hands, revealing razor-sharp claws.

  They shifted their route in unspoken agreement, backing toward the bathroom.

  “Julie-us, cut your eyes out.” It clicked its claws together. Giggled. Lunged.

  The three of them tumbled into the bathroom.

  Trina used her Magic to slam the door shut. “Shit!”

  “Julie-us.” The Curse scratched its nails down the wood.

  “What the hell?” Julius got up and pulled Kat to her feet. “Fat lot of good hiding in here does us.”

  Trina stood. “We’re better off waiting a few minutes. Now that it’s outside of you, there’s no energy for it to feed on.”

  A giggle came from the other side of the door.

  “The fuck was that?” He shuddered. “Do either of you have a knife?”

  Kat looked at Trina who shook her head. She put her hand on his chest. “If we wait a little while . . . .”

  A long sharp nail slid under the door. “Cut. Cut. Cut.”

  “Bullshit. What if it gets out of the house? What if it can go through your shield? Or if it possesses one of the animals?”

  “Animals?” Trina’s brows rose.

  Kat covered her face. This wasn’t good. “A hawk, some field mice, and a hen.”

  Julius cocked his head. “It’s quiet.”

  “Shit. It heard us.” Trina pressed her ear to the door.

  “I still have the jar.” Kat rose on her toes and kissed his chin. “Stay here.”

  He scowled. “Maybe I can mesmerize it.”

  Trina’s shoulders tensed. “I don’t like the idea of you at my back.”

  “Then I’ll go first.”

  “No, you’ll stay behind me so I don’t end up casting against you.” Trina put her hand on the knob.

  “Fine. I can see over the top of your head, just don’t look back.”

  Kat shot him a glare. The implied threat that he would mesmerize Trina if she did was the last thing they needed right now.

  They all held their breath as Trina eased the door open.

  The whole house was silent.

  Trina stuck her head out and looked around. “It’s not here,” she whispered.

  Kat moved forward as soon as Trina did, with Julius right behind her. The Curse could be anywhere. Her gaze shifted to the bed. She knelt and looked under it.

  Nothing.

  Julius had crept over to the closet, pausing to get the Guardian knife out of the drawer. Once armed, he slid the door open. Shook his head.

  All their gazes turned to the door leading to the hallway. Kat crept up to Trina’s side. “There’s a door to the right that goes upstairs and one to the left near the stairs where the animals are.”

  “We go out at the same time. You turn right, I’ll turn left. You close the door that leads upstairs.”

  Kat nodded as Julius came up behind them. “Didn’t hear that.”

  “Good.” Trina nodded once. “Stay behind us or better yet, stay here.”

  Kat frowned. Trina wasn’t exactly doing her part to get along with Julius, either.

  Together, they stepped into the hall. Kat kept her gaze on her side, scanning the dark corners at the end of the hall near the open door. The Curse could be upstairs. Or it could be behind the door.

  She sneaked forward, sticking to the far wall, her gaze darting from the door to the opening. Bit by bit, the stairs came into view. The lights were on upstairs, but she didn’t see any shadows moving on the staircase. For a few seconds she paused, watching, listening. When there was no sound, she reached out and gave the door a push, enough that it swung partially closed.

  Nothing hid behind the door. She closed it the rest of the way. If the Curse was upstairs, they’d hear the door open when it came out.

  She turned and almost jumped out of her skin. Julius was right behind her. “Gaia.”

  He put his hand on the small of her back and ushered her back down the hall toward where Trina waited outside her patients’ room. It was too quiet in there. None of the animals were making any noise. The running wheel in the mouse’s cage was still. The hawk didn’t squawk or ruffle her feathers. They were all still and alert in their cages. They sensed the danger.

  Trina sidled around the right.

  Kat entered the room, going straight ahead, but keeping her gaze on the door. It wasn’t pushed all the way against the wall. She reached out and with a finger on the knob, pulled it out so she could see behind it.

  A giggle came from behind her. Above her.

  “Look out!” Julius grabbed her arm and pulled her back out of the room.

  She turned. The Curse scrabbled across the ceiling, jumping down to fill the doorway.

  Shoot. Her fingers slipped on the lid of the jar as she tried to open it.

  Julius fell back, sprawling on the floor.

  Trina released a spray of holy water and pustules bubbled up on the Curses diseased flesh.

  The metal lid scraped against the glass jar as Kat twisted it off.

  The Curse lunged for Julius as Kat pulled the lid from the jar.

  With a screech, it froze mid-air, hovering over Julius, arms extended, claws milli
meters from his face. The salt drew on the holy water, shrinking the Curse and pulling it into the jar. As soon as it was fully inside, Kat rammed the cap on and twisted it shut.

  Julius stared at her, swallowing hard. “Jesus Christ on Sunday.”

  She gave him a tentative smile. “It’s gone.”

  He let out a breath. “Yeah.” Laid back and laughed. “Sure as shit, I’m glad that’s over.”

  Trina joined them in the hallway. “That thing was mean as fuck.” She slouched against the wall. “I’ll take it back with me. You don’t want to risk having that jar break anywhere near Crowley.”

  “It’s all yours.” Kat gave it to her. “Are you going to stay a bit?”

  “Long enough to get the book.”

  The Devil’s Bible. Trina had done her part, now she had to give the book to her. “It’s in the bedroom.”

  Jules got to his feet and they all went back into the bedroom.

  She pulled the book out of the dresser. “It doesn’t open for everyone. Mother could never get it to—” She swallowed, freezing with her hand on the book. Trina and Lilith would see the Dybbuk curse eventually. They’d realize she must have opened the book for Mother. Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier?

  Julius’ hands settled on her shoulders. He leaned down and his lips brushed her ear. “Tell her, butterfly. You gotta get it out in the open.”

  Kat nodded and turned to face Trina. “Mother wasn’t always easy to live with.” She clutched the book to her chest.

  “We know.” Trina tipped her head toward the book. “When we realized you had the Devil’s Bible, when you said the spells inside were awful, we figured Rowena must’ve gotten her spells from inside.”

  They knew. They already knew what she’d done and they’d still helped her. “You must hate me. Both of you.”

  She shook her head. “Lilith and I know all about doing what we had to do to survive. You had it as bad as us, just in a different way.”

  Her lips quirked. “I’m starting to think you aren’t as tough as you make everyone think.” She handed Trina the book.

  For a moment, they all stared as Trina ran her hand over the cover. Then over the latches. Nothing happened.

  Kat shrugged. “Like I said, it doesn’t always open for everyone.”

  Julius scoffed. “It likes me.”

  Trina’s head jerked up. “You’ve opened the book?”

  “Nah. As soon as I pick it up, it kinda falls open.”

  “Show me.” Trina held the book out.

  Sure enough, as soon as he had it in his hands, the latches released.

  Trina sidled closer. “There are blank pages inside. That’s what I need to see.”

  He flipped to the first blank page and ran his hand down the parchment. Words rose to the surface of the page.

  * * *

  The Original created the Tanin’iver by giving a lost soul a body meant for another. He’ll be forever cursed until he makes a great sacrifice.

  The Tanin’iver was first called Abaddon, the Destroyer. He was the first soul and will be the last. The Original renamed him the Tanin’iver in an effort to trick the goddess, but she was not fooled.

  * * *

  He snapped the book shut and handed it to Trina. “It’s bullshit. Nothing but a fairytale.”

  Except it wasn’t. Kat shook her head. “He’s the Knight. The one that can help you and Lilith destroy the wayward Watcher. The poem says: When the Original is no longer cursed she’ll come to thee as three. All as humans first, then as daemons are set free: The beacon burning bright, the shadow hidden from sight, the blighted, damned knight.”

  Julius pressed his lips together. “I’m blighted? Nice.”

  “There has to be a way out of the curse. You and Lilith—”

  Trina rolled her eyes. “Lilith’n me’ve been reincarnating for centuries. We’ve had no choice but to live out the goddess’ curse. And the Watchers are imprisoned in their towers—they’re living out the goddess’ curse, too. None of us have “gotten out” of her curses and neither will he.”

  Julius scoffed. "I don't need to get out of anything. You don't believe this shit, do you?"

  When they both turned to stare at him, he conceded a little. “Curses, yeah. I get that. I’ve seen those. But a goddess?”

  Kat ignored him. "Trina, all curses can be reversed. You know that."

  Her jaw clenched. "There's a precedence here, Kat. We didn't get our powers back until we learned our lessons. The Watchers, they're still living out their punishment, still learning their lessons. He's the only one who hasn't satisfied the goddess." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I want this to work for you, Kat, but he needs to prove he's sane and trustworthy.”

  Julius looked back and forth between them. “To who?”

  Kat swallowed. “The Original.” She wet her lips. “You have to prove yourself to Trina and Lilith before they’ll help us.”

  “A small sanity test.” Trina’s smile was razor-sharp.

  The sidelong glance Julius shot Kat was wary. “How the hell am I supposed to do that? You should’ve just let that fucking curse do me in.”

  She reached out and squeezed his arm. “You’ll do fine.”

  “Even if he succeeds in that, there's this." She smacked her hand onto the book. "And if he escapes the curse, the humans want him. This might be a lost cause."

  “Humans?”

  Kat shook her head. He didn’t need to know about that. Not yet.

  “This is hopeless.” Julius dragged his hand down his face. “And here I thought the Guardians were my biggest problem.”

  Trina’s gaze shot between him and Kat. “That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about.”

  “Oh?” He folded his arms over his chest. “Why’s that?”

  “There’re only two left.”

  “Two? That can’t be right. The Guardians are the best

  trained—”

  “Yeah, and it only took one asshole to get them all ashed.” Trina took a step toward Julius.

  “Enough.” Kat slipped between the two. “Stop. We’re all on the same side.”

  Trina took a step back. “I should get back. I’m gonna hold onto this.” She took the book. “I want to see if Lilith can open it. I’ll see you later, Kat.”

  Kat let out a pent-up breath as Trina spell-traveled from the room. More likely than not, Trina just wanted to keep the book well away from Julius.

  “What did I do?” He sat at the edge of the bed. “I thought maybe I killed some humans and the Guardians were after me . . . but she made it sound like I destroyed them.” He looked up. “How is that even possible? Why the hell do the humans want me? They don’t even know about daemon kind.”

  She nodded. “They do now.”

  “Tell me what I did.” He stood.

  “If we force your memories, they might not come and you need them, Jules. Now that the felo-de-se curse is gone, you have time. Let the memories come on their own. You have important information in that head of yours.” After all that time, he must know the name of the Watcher who had possessed him. “Information that could protect us all. We can’t risk rushing your memories and you losing that information.”

  Part of her didn’t want him to remember. Part of her was terrified he’d remember being an active participant. Another part of her hoped he’d remember something to exonerate himself.

  She slid her hand into his. “Let’s grab something to eat.”

  All was well for a time. Until the Grigori appeared. The two hundred angels were angry that the goddess had neglected them to watch over the humans. The Grigori claimed the humans were evil. The goddess wouldn’t hear their accusations. So the Grigori went down to Earth to prove it.

  The goddess threw her hands up in the air. Free will was contagious.

  Chapter 20

  Harrison followed Mason down the hall to his office. They didn’t talk. It wasn’t safe. He waited while Mason unlocked his office door and followed him i
n. The lights went on and Mason cursed.

  Duncan, James, and Lilith were waiting for them.

  “I don’t think I’m ever going to get used to that.”

  Lilith held out her hand, palm up. “I found this. Thought you’d want to know.”

  “Another bug.” He pinched the small device off her palm. “I can’t even tell you who’s doing it.”

  She smiled. “If you want to know, I can find out.”

  That she could. She and Trina had a direct connection to the Watchers. They could tell them who was doing and saying anything.

  Mason nodded as he slumped into his chair behind his desk. “I’d appreciate the help. Won’t be able to do anything about it until I have proof that’ll stand up in court, mind you. But it would be nice to know who my enemies are.”

  Harrison sat in one of the free chairs and George hopped onto the back. “Whoever sent that video would be a good guess.”

  “The DoD?” Scott scoffed.

  “The Department of Defense sent that?”

  Scott nodded. “The letter that came with it wasn’t signed.” He shook his head. “I should’ve watched the damned thing first.”

  James met his gaze. “What video?”

  Harrison explained what happened in their first training.

  “Don’t know why you’re bothering to train humans anyway.” Duncan settled back in his seat. “Can’t go out in the field until the Nephilim are destroyed.”

  Scott raked his hand through his hair. “I’m not training them for that. I’m training them to work here, in the building. Do the administrative stuff. Hell, most of these guys can’t work in the field. They’re too old, they’re injured, or they’re incompetent. The whole goal of the training was to get them on board with working peacefully with their daemon counterparts.”

  Harrison grinned. “He tried to get some of the daemons you sent from Machon to take shifts in the office but . . . hell, they can’t figure out the stapler, much less a phone or computer.”

  The daemons who’d been trapped in Machon during the three hundred years when the portals had been closed had lived in a world that had evolved in a different way from Earth. Earth’s technology, even the simplest forms, mystified them.