by Trina M. Lee
Having the dark nephilim in my house as well as my social circle might not be in my best interests as a white lighter. However, as keeper of the Midnight Star, it was kind of my duty, as Cinder had had to remind me many times already. It was safe to say that Arrow and I would never be friends though. I only put up with him because of Rowen. Though Arrow had shown me another side of him, it just wasn’t enough. He was dark. That would never change.
“Guys.” Rowen’s voice was firm but tentative. It couldn’t be easy for him to manage being light with a brother who was dark. Somehow he took it all in stride.
Arrow ignored us both. Dropping his gaze back to Seth, he turned away, shoulders slumped.
I exchanged a look with Rowen who shrugged. Releasing a breath in a huff, I lay back on the couch with my head on the armrest and stared at the ceiling.
My eyes closed and sleep called my name. What a long night. Sleep began to pull me under. I felt myself slipping into it. The sun would be up soon. Those two could sit there all day for all I cared. I was tired.
Once I had just tipped over the edge from dozing into full slumber, Arrow broke through the calm. “Wait, I do remember something.” His voice rose on each word with something like excitement, or panic. “Vicky and me, we weren’t alone. I remember black wings. There was a demon with us.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Just past noon Cinder dropped in. I awoke to the aroma of waffles and coffee. The angel’s penchant for domestic duties was something I hoped he never grew bored with. Without him I would be poorly fed. Culinary skills were not my forte.
When Rowen and I emerged from the bedroom, we found Arrow and Cinder at the kitchen table, across from one another. Cinder was trying and failing to make conversation with Arrow.
He’d slept on the couch, and from the looks of it, he hadn’t slept well. Dark circles beneath his eyes conveyed his fatigue, but Arrow’s hazel eyes tended to sparkle with a devious light, which was missing now. That dullness revealed the inner turmoil that had kept him awake.
“Grab some breakfast.” Cinder gestured to the counter where a plate stacked with waffles sat. “Then come sit. We’ve got to talk.”
“If I had a dollar for every time you started my day with those words I might actually have more than fifty bucks in my savings account.” Drawn to the food calling my name, I was almost able to overlook the seed of dread that continued to sprout in the pit of my stomach.
After piling waffles on a plate and dosing them liberally with whipped cream, I poured a coffee in the biggest mug I could find and joined them at the table. Rowen opted for just coffee. He was showing signs of stress and exhaustion as well.
“I’m guessing this isn’t a social call.” I sat next to Cinder, letting Rowen take the spot next to Arrow. “What kind of bad news do you have today?”
Cinder narrowed violet eyes at me and sighed. “It’s not always bad news. Although in this case… I was just telling Arrow that he’s been labeled a rogue by his own kind.”
I pondered this around a mouthful of fresh, fluffy waffle. “What does that mean?”
Arrow broke in before Cinder could respond. Through a sneer he said, “It means Dash is tired of fucking with me, so he’s trying to get the angels to lock me up.”
Rowen shared my surprise. “What? Is that really a thing? Can he do that?”
Cinder waited patiently for us all to shut up before he continued. “There are special circumstances in which the angels will imprison demons for their crimes. Your fathers are one example of that. However, rarely is a nephilim imprisoned, and I don’t see that changing now. That being said, Arrow’s been accused of several crimes including the unauthorized murder of a girl last night. Dash claims that Arrow has become uncontrollable and that he’s the light’s problem now. What he forgets though is that the angels don’t work that way. We don’t take orders from demons.”
“So what you’re saying is that Dash is trying to arrange for Rowen to have to lock up his own brother. Or kill him. He wants to turn them on each other.” I regarded both brothers with curiosity, assessing their reactions. Rowen was visibly upset while Arrow sat there with a glower, unmoved.
Cinder nodded. “Something like that. I’m sure this is all an attempt to punish the both of them for defying him. Unfortunately, the murder of this girl is a serious offense. We’re required to look into it.” His gaze swept the table before landing on me. “I’d like you to help, Ember.”
“Me?” The piece of waffle on my fork flopped onto the plate, but my attention was fixed on Cinder.
Sure he’d been in my life for several years now. He was both a friend and the angel in charge of the light nephilim, meaning me. But his faith in my abilities was growing too fast for me these days. I didn’t feel nearly ready for a task like this.
Arrow apparently agreed with my uncertainty. After swiping a waffle off my plate, he leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “What’s Spike gonna do? Crack a demon plot to frame me and clear my name? That’s a terrible plan.”
Looking like he stepped out of a drugstore fashion magazine, Cinder crossed his arms and donned a deadpan expression. He was serious. “Would you prefer that we don’t get involved?” In his long-sleeved, V-neck sweater and perfectly tailored pants, it was hard to take him seriously. He looked too Matt Damon. Too Brad Pitt. Too damn trendy. But his eyes said it all. Someone was dead, and Arrow, a nephilim, was the prime suspect. This was no joke.
Cinder and Arrow locked eyes. The sudden tension was palpable, all streaming from Arrow who appeared uneasy even as he also projected arrogance. I expected him to tell us all to get bent.
“I don’t need your help,” he said, his tone softer than anticipated. “Dash has been riding my ass for weeks. Whatever he’s working up to with this, it shouldn’t have to blow back on you guys. Besides, for all I know, I did kill Vicky. I can’t remember shit, so either way, I’m going to end up taking the heat for this.”
“Screw that.” Rowen slammed his mug down on the table, causing coffee to splash over the rim. “You’re being set up, and I’m not going to sit back and do nothing.”
“Yes, you are.” Those three words rang with authority. Cinder leaned forward, demanding Rowen’s full attention. “You will do what you’re told. Rowen, you are too close to this situation. It impairs your judgment.”
Rowen’s jaw clenched. The respect he had for Cinder was evident though when he got up to angrily fetch a paper towel rather than argue.
A part of me believed without a doubt that Dash had good reason to stick it to Arrow. But Arrow said he didn’t remember. He admitted himself that he could have done it. So what if he did? We needed to know for certain.
“I’ll look into it,” I said, drawing their gazes to me. “I’m not sure where to start, but I’ll try. Ok? We’ll get some answers.”
“I really don’t need your help, angel girl.” The stony expression Arrow wore was devoid of any emotion, utterly chilling.
Still his lack of gratitude wasn’t a surprise. It did get under my skin though, making me burn with the urge to lash out at him. Yet stooping to his level wouldn’t prove anything.
“I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for Rowen, because he seems to believe you couldn’t have killed Vicky, though I can’t say I’m as sure of that as he is.” Regarding him with a cool stare, I sipped my coffee and silently dared Arrow to say whatever he was thinking.
Rowen was more shocked by my statement than Arrow was.
In fact, Arrow didn’t look the least bit surprised. A small, devilish smile pulled at his lips. “There’s got to be a better way,” he said, directing this to Cinder. “Isn’t there some great omniscient force who can clear this all up?” His remark was facetious, meant to irritate.
Cinder wasn’t easily irritated. His impressive patience had greater bounds than Arrow realized. “The truth will be revealed, Arrow. There are procedures and protocols we must follow.” Cinder tried to hide a smile, but I saw it there twisting his li
ps. “Try to have a little faith.”
“Yeah, like that’s gonna happen,” Arrow muttered, stuffing half of my stolen waffle into his mouth. “I’m so screwed.”
I shot him a dirty look for talking with so much food in his mouth. With an arrogant wink, he reached for my coffee cup. I slapped his hand hard enough to sting and hissed at him like a cat before dragging the cup close and holding it protectively. Nobody messed with my coffee and got away with it.
“You’re not screwed.” There was such vehemence in Rowen’s voice that we all turned to him. “We’re going to deal with this. Dash will be sorry he tried this.”
Cinder nodded and rubbed his hands together, slowly, as if pondering. “Since you’re so intent on making yourself part of this, Rowen, I’ll allow you to be involved. However, you will do as I say, and when I say to leave certain aspects of this situation alone, I mean it. Understood?”
Rowen sighed and nodded his agreement.
It was Arrow who scoffed. “Oh, clever. Taking advantage of my shitty luck to lure me into your little team by getting my brother involved.”
Cinder had told the three of us and Jett that he believed we’d make a great team. He saw our varying strengths as beneficial, believing we could operate as a unit. Arrow had been reluctant, to say the least, ridiculing our willingness and Cinder’s certainty that it was a good idea. We’d proven ourselves against Dash, the four of us: three nephilim with various skills and one badass werewolf with a fearlessness I envied. Yet Arrow didn’t know how to play nice, and he’d been working for the dark too long to see that he could be so much more.
“I have no need to lure you anywhere. You’re already exactly where you’re supposed to be.” Cinder dismissed Arrow and his haughty attitude with a genuine smile, then turned to me. “Though I doubt he’ll be willing to share anything with you, I’d like you to try talking to Koda. It’s a long shot, but it’s worth a try.”
I groaned as my appetite began to fade. Koda was the last person I wanted to discuss anything with. “He’s not going to tell me what he knows, but I’ll ask.”
“It’s a place to start. Then we’ll dig deeper if we must.” Cinder’s expression grew dark, closed off. “And if all else fails, we dig into Arrow’s memory and drag last night out of him.”
“Um, what the hell does that mean?” Arrow demanded, sitting up straighter in his chair. “Sounds painful.”
Cinder grew silent for a moment. Thoughtful. “It is.”
* * * *
Early in the night, The Spirit Room already thrummed, a hotbed of noise, booze and various unsavory activities ranging from drug deals to one-night hookups. A new-ish band in town graced the stage, doing their best to get the party started before Crimson Sin played.
A knot of tension sat heavy in my stomach. It wasn’t stage fright, though I did tend to get a case of the nerves right before we played. This time it was worry. Rowen had been in a real mood since our talk with Cinder. This whole Arrow ordeal was eating him up. I could see it even though he forced a laugh when Jett made a snarky remark about it. Not only was she not surprised at the accusations being flung at Arrow, like me she suspected he might be guilty.
I felt terrible. Arrow was far from my favorite person, but his brother meant the world to me. I would do what I could to help and pray that he was innocent. He’d never struck me as the murderous type, but when one spent all their time with demons, well, anything became possible.
Rowen, Jett, and I sat around a table with Tash and Rubi. I smiled and nodded along with their conversation though I barely paid attention. Keeping an eye out for Koda stole my concentration. He would come. He always did.
In the meantime, Arrow kept his distance from the rest of us. He lingered as far across the room as he could get without being outside, mingling with a group of people I didn’t know. Being a drug dealer meant that Arrow knew just about everybody that frequented this place.
I felt Koda before I saw him. The strange vibe I got when demons were nearby was like a greasy finger sliding down my spine. It made me shiver on the inside.
“I’ll be right back,” I said, sliding out of my seat.
Jett followed my gaze to the demon who slowly ambled through the growing crowd. His red gaze swept over me, lingering for just a moment. “Do you want me to come with?” she asked, always ready for a confrontation.
“No, thanks. If he knows anything I’ll get more out of him alone.”
Rowen watched me go, hope burning in his fiery eyes. I gave him a tight smile, wishing I could relax. Since Cinder had asked me to talk to the demon, I’d been a jumble of nerves. This was too much responsibility for a newbie like me. What if I fucked it all up?
“Koda.” My voice sounded strong and firm, demanding his attention. “I need to speak with you.”
“Do you?” He turned to me with a grin, flashing perfect white teeth. “That’s new. Since when do you ever want to talk to me?”
“Since someone in my inner circle has been accused of a crime he doesn’t remember. Tell me what you know.” I saw no point in trying to work my way up to it; I might as well just lay it all on the line.
Koda crossed his arms, doing his best to look down at me. Despite the five-inch heels on my knee-high boots, he was still taller than me. “So you’d like to pump me for information even though you’ve made it abundantly clear that you want nothing to do with me. Why the hell would I tell you anything?”
“I don’t expect you to, but I have to try. Why would the dark want Arrow locked up? It makes no sense to me. Since when do demons give a shit about murder?” I did my best to appear curious. If Koda knew I was on a mission for Cinder, things could get a lot worse and fast.
A smirk slid across Koda’s face. He was handsome, as most demons were, choosing to show themselves as beautiful when, in actuality, they were ugly as sin. It had taken some time for me to realize that the beauty most demons possessed was fake, an illusion.
“If you’re referring to the extinguishing of that one fragile human life, then no, we don’t care. At least, I personally don’t care. But despite what you may think of us, there are natural laws and rules that we must abide by. Arrow broke those rules. He must pay the penalty. That’s just how it works, Spike.”
I stared at Koda, wondering how to manipulate a master of deception and lies. It was an art form for someone like him, but I could do little to twist this situation to my advantage. “So you were there?” I asked. “How else would you know that Arrow did it? You speak as if it’s a fact.”
Arrow had remembered at least one demon there that night. Though I doubted that it was Koda, it was possible.
Those red eyes locked on me. Heavy and searching, I stood beneath the weight of that stare but just barely. He was picking me apart, seeking out my purpose. The intensity overwhelmed me, and I had to give myself a silent pep talk in order to stand there unruffled.
“What are you up to, Spike?”
“Answer the question, Koda. Unless you have something to hide.”
Tension grew as we faced off, neither willing to share our secrets.
But he was onto me, knew that I was digging for a reason. “Do yourself a favor and stay out of it. Arrow isn’t worth the kind of trouble he’ll get you into. I can promise you that.” The warning was spoken with a viciousness that frightened me. Koda might have appeared human in his jeans and t-shirt, but the vibe he emanated was pure evil.
“Is that a threat?” I countered, refusing to show the fear that had blossomed in my chest and nearly choked me. “Arrow happens to have a brother who cares about him. And I care about Rowen. Like it or not, I’m part of this now. I’m going to find out the truth somehow. Why don’t you just save me some time and tell me what you know?”
Koda’s gaze went to the table where Rowen sat. “This doesn’t concern either of you. Brothers divided by light and dark are no longer brothers at all. Stay out of it, Spike.”
“I can’t do that.” My declaration came out weaker than
intended, despite having to raise my voice over the music.
“Then it’s your funeral.” Koda pushed by me, leaving me standing there alone, mouth agape.
A chill stole over me. As keeper of the Midnight Star, I was to be a beacon, a flame, to liberate the nephilim from the darkness Arrow reveled in. As hard as it was to swallow, this was about more than my duty to Rowen. This was about my duty to those lost in darkness. To Arrow. I had to help him. And hope like hell it didn’t get me killed.
“Come on, we gotta get ready.” Jett appeared behind me. Her dark gaze settled on Koda, watching as he drifted away. “Did you get anything out of him?”
“Yeah. Nothing helpful though.” With an apologetic glance back at Rowen, I followed Jett outside to help haul our gear out of Tash’s van.
As we dragged our amps inside, I went over the brief conversation with Koda in my head. Something was definitely up.
“Chill, Spike.” Jett nudged me after we deposited our amps beside the stage. “There’s nothing you can do about any of this right now. I need you to have your head in the game. We have a meeting with Joe tomorrow.”
When Arrow mentioned the song Rowen and I had written, Jett had wasted no time contacting our manager, Joe. She remained furious, having been stewing ever since, which was exactly what Arrow had wanted. So tomorrow we were off to have what I hoped would be a professional discussion about it.
I nodded, trying to show her that I was ready to perform. “I know. Don’t worry. I’ll be there. I just can’t shake this awful feeling that Koda knows something about Arrow.”
“Of course he does. But he’s not going to help you unless you let him touch your naughty bits. And since that’s not happening, all you can do is let it go for now.” She snickered and slung an arm around my neck, dragging me close. Alcohol cloaked her like a perfume.
