by Alexia Purdy
Once the maid had left, Thalia stripped down to nothing, donning her panties and bra without a thought to Ereziel being in the room. He was getting a show, yes, but did it matter? She didn’t have anything he hadn’t seen hundreds of times before. His eyes lingering on her form didn’t make her blush anymore, and it served him right to be tortured with the one thing he could never have. The only way he affected her was when he looked her dead in the eyes with a soul full of regret.
She avoided those eyes like the plague.
She finished dressing, pulled on her jacket, and tossed the slip and robe onto a chair. She spun on the ball of her foot, heading out without a goodbye.
“Wait! Leaving so soon? Why did you text me before? You wanted something. Spit it out.” He jogged to catch up to her and almost ran her over when she stopped.
Thalia halted suddenly, sighing. She’d forgotten about her questions. Darn it if she couldn’t get away just yet.
“Oh, thanks for reminding me. The cursed soul on the list, the last one you gave me. One named Ariuk… who was he?”
Ereziel crinkled his eyebrows together, looking suspicious. “Oh, I see, it’s about the bounty. Okay, then.” He paced for a moment, cupping his chin as he rubbed it. Could he possibly be disappointed that her questions were just about work? This tickled her senses, but she straightened and did her best to keep any amusement from her face.
“He gave me something, and the Yakuza came after me for it.”
This perked up the archangel. “What did he give you?”
“A locket. The Yakuza are calling it a key.”
“What does it open?”
She shrugged. “Beats me. I just know since Ariuk gave it to me, someone has been messing with my head, telling me to return somewhere. They say the beacons are calling, whatever that means.”
Ereziel kept silent but his eyes drifted to the floor as he paled. “I see.”
“Do you know anything about a key to a place with beacons?”
He dropped his arm and shook his head adamantly. “No. I don’t know about any key. Ariuk dealt with antiquities. Rare stuff from the old world, when Heaven’s gates were still wide open. That stuff is powerful and should be destroyed, if you ask me, but I’ve never heard about any key or beacons.”
“Could it be a key to Heaven?”
“There’s no such thing.”
“How do you know? Anything is possible. You said it yourself, Ariuk dealt with old magic. It’s possible he had a key to the gates of Heaven. At least, that’s my theory.”
Ereziel continued to shake his head, frowning. “There were never any keys made to Heaven. Not from Earth, anyway.”
Thalia glared at him. Maybe he knew something and wasn’t letting on what it was. “What do you mean, not from Earth? Where else can one enter besides through the gates between Heaven and Purgatory?”
“Forget it. I don’t know. There just never were any keys to Heaven. You must kill and collect the evil souls, they’re your ticket in. Stock Hell with vile souls, and Heaven will eventually let you in via Purgatory.”
She wanted to scream. He was just taking her round and round. No concrete answers, just more questions.
“Yes, I know that. But how many souls is it going to take to get in? It’s been years, Ereziel. I’ve killed hundreds, if not thousands, of these cursed souls. I’ve grown impatient. I want to see my family again. I need to see them.” Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them spill down her cheeks. “You promised this was the only way in. I’ve killed so many, yet it’s still not enough. Will it ever be enough?”
Ereziel’s strained face softened, and the blank expression he now wore infuriated her even more. He either didn’t know anything or knew everything but refused to tell her.
“I don’t know, Thalia. You’re close. That’s all I can say.”
“Ugh!” She threw up her arms and stomped away, not wanting to talk to him anymore. She had some investigating to do, and if he didn’t want to volunteer any information about the key, then she’d find someone who would.
Ereziel didn’t call out to her this time but let her walk uninterrupted back to the bedroom for her weapons then right out the front door. Good. It served him right to feel cast aside for more important things in her life. Maybe now he understood how he had made her feel all those years ago, when love was all she’d had for him and time hadn’t burned loneliness and resentment into her mind.
But Ereziel was no longer the one at the forefront of her mind. It was time to pay Ichiro, the archangel leader of the Yakuza, a long overdue visit.
Chapter Nine
The air outside hit her with a bite, the wind whipping her hair against her cheeks. At least the rain had stopped. Thalia made her way toward the downtown of New York City knowing full well where she was going. The anger bubbling up inside her only fueled her as she neared the Yakuza headquarters. She had a score to settle, and the Yakuza’s archangel leader, Ichiro, was the only one she needed to see for answers.
Two bulky guards were posted at the entrance with arms crossed. They narrowed their eyes at her as she stepped into view.
“Get out of my way,” she demanded. But the guards wouldn’t move. Staring down their noses at Thalia, one of them gave her a subtle grunt of rejection, the answer to her demand. She drilled her eyes into both, daring them to continue rejecting her. She couldn’t believe they would not open the door for her. They knew who she was and what she could do. Thalia Brennan, immortal mercenary, deadly, cold-blooded collector of souls. What was there not to fear?
“I said get out of my way, or else,” she snarled.
“Or else what?” the guard snickered. He didn’t seem impressed by her machismo, nor did he seem one bit threatened by her tiny figure and even smaller voice, no matter how gruff she made it sound. Thalia groaned as she continued to swing her eyes back and forth at the guards, hoping her reputation would click in their minds and they’d escort her in. Nearly a minute passed, and she rolled her eyes at their idiocy. There was no way she was getting in without the archangel Ichiro’s approval.
“I must speak to your boss, Ichiro. It’s urgent, and he would want to see me if he knew I was here. It’s about Ariuk. He’s under Ichiro’s protection, and I killed him. All I ask is that you go tell your boss about him. You’ll see. He’ll want to see me right away.”
One of the guards glanced at the other, clearly indicating who the one in charge was. He pressed his lips tightly, unhappy with his new chore, but he turned and walked into the club without another word. The Yakuza’s leader was going to get a mouthful from her if it was the last thing she did. Walking into a den of Japanese criminals was not ideal, but most of them were mortal and much weaker than Thalia, which was a plus for her. She could take them down without a problem. It was the angel sidekicks who were more troublesome, but they didn’t know about her angel-killer sword.
As Thalia waited to see the Yakuza leader, she felt her heart flutter as concern seeped into her mind. She wondered if it was a good idea to ask Ichiro about Ariuk’s locket. The least she could do was question him about the pillaging of the grave. What if the leader was not merciful and didn’t want to explain himself? It’d leave her right where she currently was, so she breathed out, deciding that whatever happened, it wouldn’t set her back too much.
She swallowed back her panic as the other guard returned. He gave his partner the tiniest of nods and opened the door to allow Thalia through. She tossed him a mocking grin, as if to say I told you so. Sometimes her teenage years caught up with her. Though she was now more than twice that age, she was stuck in her seventeen-year-old body forever, and possibly its mind as well, something she’d never admit.
At least they were listening to her now. Maybe this would go more smoothly than she’d anticipated. The guards entered behind her then pushed past. Ignoring the shoves, she followed the guards through a maze of people sitting at tables, eating different kinds of Japanese dishes while listening to a singer belt ou
t her notes in their language. The crowd swung their eyeballs toward Thalia all at once. The music halted momentarily as her presence sucked up the air and chatter in the room until it was almost silent. They all held their breaths simultaneously, hypnotized as they watched her walk through the room.
Thalia straightened, trying to exude a confidence she lacked. She gripped her sword a little tighter under her jacket and wondered if any of the knives Matt had given her would be of use here tonight. The Yakuza had plenty of adept warriors, but she wasn’t planning on finding out if they were in the mood to scuffle or not.
As they passed the restaurant and club, the murmur of chatter resumed, muffling as they moved down a narrow hallway. Thalia sucked in a breath, her heart pounding in her ears as they continued, the faint red lights from the wall sconces the only source of illumination. Every few steps, she passed a pair of doors. Anything could be behind them, and anyone could be lurking, ready to jump out at her. She had to be ready.
She’d spent years avoiding the archangels’ domains, but now she was knee-deep in the muck and needed to speak to an archangel leader. Maybe he knew something about Ariuk she didn’t. Maybe he could tell her more about the locket the demon man had given her. If he had no answers for the questions she sought, what would she do with the artifact?
It angered her that Ereziel had been of no help. She hadn’t told him that Ariuk claimed the locket was hers. She had omitted the fact that a stranger with gray angel wings had been watching her. None of it was relevant, not yet. She didn’t need Ereziel knowing any of her secrets.
They reached a staircase and descended into the basement of the building. This worried her; there wouldn’t be an easy escape if she was attacked. Even though they were only one floor down, making her way out would be more difficult. Why would an archangel situate himself underground, when the safest place for him would be up above, near the roof? Winged creatures liked quick getaways. Maybe he was agoraphobic, she thought, amusing herself with the idea to keep the dread at bay.
Thalia’s curiosity was piqued as they entered a different section of the basement. It was another type of club, filled with illegal craps, poker, and blackjack tables. It was obvious who the boss was; no one could miss his glorious presence. He sat in a large corner booth, wearing a brilliant white suit with his equally startling and pristine wings slouched out behind him. As they got closer, the bored look on his face perked up, morphing into a mischievous smile that widened across his face.
Thalia immediately felt his power flow across the room, reaching toward her, soothing her and tempting her to relax. It was a power typical of archangels. They were as deceptive as they were beautiful. They came in all ethnicities, and physically, they seemed perfect in every way. They had been cut off from Heaven when the gates were suddenly closed, centuries before. They’d been on Earth, working for the higher power, but had not been allowed to return home. They had been stranded, left to fend for themselves and make a life among the mortals. Thalia almost didn’t blame them for their tendency toward corruption and mischief.
It wasn’t ideal, but most of them, like Ichiro, had created a cult following of mortals and immortals alike. Many would gladly give their lives for these higher beings. It made the archangels dangerous in a way she could never be.
Thalia had no such supporters, no crazy fanatics or loyalists. No, she was basically a nobody. Just another immortal throwaway who’d been taken under Ereziel’s wing. If she could’ve been marked and branded like cattle, she probably would’ve had his mark on her from the beginning. Though he had released her, she might as well be part of his posse, for everybody viewed her as his property.
Everyone in this world belonged to someone; an archangel, an immortal, a demonic possessor, an unnatural creature lurking the Earth. It didn’t matter who you were. If you lived in an archangel’s territory, they owned you, whether you knew it or not. However, they all had to abide by a predetermined set rules called the Concurrence, a treaty agreed upon by the archangels to minimize territorial disputes. For mercs like Thalia, who worked for but were not bound to an archangel, the agreement protected them from the other archangels if they were questioned for any of their actions.
She hoped the Concurrence would hold as she stepped before the Yakuza leader.
Chapter Ten
“Your Grace, I have the hunter, Thalia, to see you.” The guard bowed and took his leave immediately. Ichiro eyed her hungrily from behind a menacing smile. He was genuinely curious about her, since they’d never met, but she could tell her reputation preceded her. The various rumors about her had served her all too well.
“Thalia. Well, well. It’s so good to finally meet you. It’s been a mighty long time since I’ve seen Ereziel and his brood. I can see he has been quite busy selecting the perfect specimens for his sect. How is he doing these days?”
Ichiro stood and opened his arms wide as though to give an old friend a tight, satisfying hug. She didn’t know what to do so she bowed, as was customary. He immediately dropped his arms, but the apparent disappointment told her he might anger easily. Archangels were touchy-feely to the point of suffocation. Ereziel was an exception, but Thalia had never been so relieved to avoid touching another archangel. Not that he wasn’t gorgeous. It was the mere fact of who he was, an ethereal leader whose charms could overcome even the strongest, humans and immortals alike.
The continuing smile on his face told her that he’d expected her. The fool had probably ordered the pillaging of Ariuk’s grave just so she would come stumbling in, asking questions. This caused the fear to creep up her spine and neck, sweat beading at her temple and hairline as she swallowed.
“Hello, Your Grace.” Thalia addressed Ichiro like royalty. It left a sour taste in her mouth, but that was how most of the archangels wanted to be addressed, according to the Concurrence. “I hate to disturb you, but I must report a pillaging of a grave on hallowed ground, which is not allowed under the contractual agreement between the archangels. Your guards upturned a grave I created for one of my bounties after I killed him. This is forbidden, and I demand retribution.”
She sucked in a breath, hoping he hadn’t notice the waver in her voice. She glanced around, taking note of the locations of every guard and exit, just in case she had to fight her way out.
Ichiro remained silent. The fake smile on his face faltered ever so slightly, even though the crinkles framing his eyes deepened. He studied her intently. She could imagine the myriad of thoughts running through his head. Whatever rumors he’d heard about her, she wondered if she had lived up to any of them. Some were true, some were fabricated. Unfortunately, Ichiro had an even worse reputation. He treated women as though they were second-class citizens and was a cruel and inflexible ruler.
This didn’t bode well for Thalia. At least Ereziel treated women well, for the most part. He did not see them as weaker or lesser creatures, he viewed them as equals. Strong, capable, and fierce. At least he thought of her as the vicious warrior she was and not as a commodity or a thing to be owned. It partly had to do with her status as a traveler, but to imagine Ereziel trying to own her almost made her laugh out loud.
“Well,” Ichiro finally said as he reached up and ran a hand through his spiky, jet-black hair. “I believe it was an unmarked grave, dear Thalia, and unmarked graves can be examined for identification purposes.” He said the words as though all disputes were now settled. Thalia knew Ariuk had taken up with Ichiro’s company, and unfortunately, it was going to complicate things about the key. She had to play ignorant or risk losing the artifact to Ichiro. She frowned as he continued.
“So, you see, my cohorts were within their rights to examine Ariuk’s body. They had probable cause, for he was believed to have in his possession something called the key. That suspicion was only recently confirmed, and had he not died, I would have taken it from him, as would have been my right as his patron. You admit you killed him, so one can only assume you now have this… key.”
Thalia fl
inched, but she never let her eyes wander away from him. He probably considered her rude and unschooled, but Ichiro was well versed in the ways of the world. Most archangels were not easily offended. In fact, his facial features smoothed out as he watched her process his answer, looking so much younger than he should.
It was unnerving how they all looked as though they’d barely hit drinking age when they had become frozen in time. It was the same for Thalia. She would appear seventeen for all eternity. She would never grow old; not even a hair would turn gray. At least the archangels had godlike powers and beautiful, bright wings to fly with. The control they could assert over humans and other immortals was terrifying. She had no such advantages.
“A key?” she said, playing dumb. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t see any key when I took down Ariuk.”
Ichiro laughed, and the entire room fell silent. Some patrons slipped away, quietly knowing there would be violence. She still hoped to keep it at bay.
“You lie, girl. You were seen. You don’t know what you’re playing at. It is nothing less than a key to Heaven. It is the only key known to open the fourth realm, and everyone you know would kill you to possess it. Give it to me now, and your life will be spared.” Ichiro’s expression was no longer friendly. In fact, his eyes burned with a menacing fire. Even Thalia felt the heat of those irises, bright with impatience. If she were human, she was certain she’d have been incinerated where she stood.
What was this fourth realm he was talking about? There was no fourth realm. If there was, she’d never heard of it. Ereziel had never mentioned it to her. Thalia scanned her memories but came up with nothing. There was Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and Earth. Was Earth the fourth realm? No, Earth was just Earth. The other realms—well, they were eternal. They were everything which had come before and would remain long after the Earth was a lifeless cinder. So, besides Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, what else could there be? He had to be lying. If there was one more realm, why hadn’t all the immortals gone there instead of being stuck on Earth after the closing of Heaven?
