“She’s okay now? How did you save her?”
“Hem thought I was behind her kidnapping, so he came to beat the shit out of me. I managed to convince him of the truth, and he took care of the demons in Lust while I went up against Asmodeus and Iblis. Who turns out is now working with Asmodeus. So that’s another problem.”
“You went up against both Asmodeus and Iblis? And you survived?” asked Tessa.
“Not quite.” I held the cigarette between my lips as I dug inside the pockets of my jacket and took out the stone. I set it on the table and Tessa stared at it, cocking her head to the side.
“Is this supposed to mean something?” she asked.
“The Abraxas Stone,” I said. “Or a part of it anyway.”
“You can’t be serious…” muttered Morrison, sliding to the edge of the couch and bending over to get a closer look at the stone.
“It’s how Lilith and I were able to convince Lucifer to give me Asmodeus’ domain,” I said.
“What’s it do?” asked Tessa.
“According to the legend, Abraxas was one of The Fallen, but he had no desire to simply rule alongside the others. He wanted all of Hell for his own and then planned to build up its armies and return to conquer Heaven,” said Morrison. “To accomplish that, he summoned the darkest and most ancient of magicks to craft a weapon of unspeakable power.”
“So what happened?” asked Tessa.
“King Solomon defeated him and fractured the stone,” I said. “This piece is all we have. And I’m the only one who can use it.”
“Why?” asked Tessa.
Morrison looked at me, realization written on his face. “Your father is Abraxas, isn’t he?”
I nodded as I exhaled a cloud of smoke. “That’s my deadbeat dad.”
“Then that’s it, problem solved, right?” asked Tessa. “If you’ve got that stone and it was powerful enough to scare Lucifer, should be easy to get Asmodeus to back off.”
I shook my head. “Wish it were, but there’s a problem. Last time I used this, I had to channel the spirits of a haunted housing project just to give it enough juice. Right now, it’s just a damn paperweight.”
“How did you use it on Asmodeus then?” asked Tessa.
“I didn’t. Just summoned some hellfire to create a convincing light show and scare him off. It was a gamble and one that probably won’t work again,” I said.
“And the angel?” asked Morrison. “You said you met him?”
“Oh yeah, I met him all right. Took me to a jazz club, bought me a drink, then told me to fuck off and left me stranded in Uptown. Nice guy.”
“In other words, we’re on our own,” said Tessa with a sigh.
I nodded. “Which means we have to make sure Dakota and that kid are safe.”
“Anywhere you go, Asmodeus will find a way to track you down, you know that,” said Tessa. “If Dakota’s with you, she’ll never be safe.”
“I know, but thanks to Chuckles over here, I also know she’s in the Philippines.”
“What was I supposed to do?” asked Morrison. “Raziel was gone, we didn’t know what was going on. We had no choice in the matter.”
“Yeah well, now that you told me what country she’s in, it’s only a matter of time before Asmodeus gets the drop on me. And once that happens, he’s got ways of making even me talk,” I said. “If you’d just stayed away in the first place, none of this would’ve happened.”
“Shut the fuck up, Cross,” said Tessa.
Tessa’s outburst drew my stare. At first it was mostly shock, but I started to feel anger bubbling up inside me again. “You wanna say that once more?”
“Asmodeus wouldn’t even be after Dakota if he wasn’t left behind in Purgatory,” she said.
“I didn’t tell him to leave you and Cain on your own,” I said.
“No, but you also didn’t give a shit about finding him once we got back.”
“Don’t recall you objecting too much. Mostly just storming off.”
She sighed. “You’re right. That’s on my head, too. But I didn’t fuck Asmodeus’ wife and steal his house. Our past mistakes are coming back to bite us all in the ass and we have to face up to what we’ve done, or we’re completely screwed.”
I took a long, slow drag on the cigarette. I felt Tessa’s eyes on me and focused my own sight on the cup of coffee slowly cooling as it sat on the table. Raziel was more than likely dead, and I couldn’t count on any help from Gabriel. He’d made that very clear. Celeste wanted nothing more to do with me, the Sons of Solomon wouldn’t be any help, and Lilith was pissed at me for not spending more time with official duties.
The only person I had on my side right now was Tessa, and even that was tenuous at best. To make matters worse, her powers were still unreliable. All these moves I’d made in recent months to shield myself from any trouble, they now seemed to be completely useless.
“I should kill myself,” said Morrison. “That way, we can ensure Dakota’s location stays a secret.”
“What? Are you insane?” asked Tessa. “Absolutely not, we won’t kill an innocent man.”
My gaze settled on Morrison as smoke wafted from my open mouth. Had to admit, I’d entertained that thought once or twice since everything went south. It was starting to seem increasingly more like the right move.
“I could make it quick,” I said.
And then I felt Tessa’s glare burning into me. I chanced a look back at her and her face was twisted into a mask of anger. “You cannot be serious. Tell me you aren’t considering this.”
I sighed and shifted in the chair, turning my attention to her. “We’ve got to consider every option here.”
“You want to be a murderer now?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“This is different. You’re talking about killing an innocent human being in cold blood. That’s not the kind of thing you walk away from, Luther. Not ever.”
“You wouldn’t have to, I could kill myself,” said Morrison.
That was a pretty big deal for Morrison, given his faith. Catholics didn’t have a very forgiving view of people who committed suicide. And so far as I knew, it was bullshit. Most of what the different religions taught were fairy tales very loosely inspired by the real deal.
“We’re not having this conversation,” said Tessa. “You’ve pulled a lot of crap recently, Cross, but this? This is going way too far! And besides, aren’t you forgetting something? Killing Charles just means his soul no longer has a vessel. Where do you think that soul will go?”
Dammit, she was right. If Morrison went upstairs, the angel could easily find him, force him to talk. That’s why the angel stashed Luxton in Purgatory last year—he was afraid Raziel might find him. And if Morrison went to the basement, Asmodeus still had plenty of contacts down there and I was sure one of his brothers would be willing to offer up the soul of one man.
“Can’t believe I didn’t think of that…” I muttered. “Tessa’s right, you’re actually at greater risk of getting captured if you’re killed. So we need another plan.”
Morrison sighed. “I’ve brought all this on you, and I’m sorry, Luther.”
There was genuine regret in his eyes. Dumb bastard came all this way to ask for my help and now he was apologizing for causing an inconvenience. I had to look away. I stood and walked to the kitchen area to toss the remains of the cigarette in the sink. It sizzled as the embers burned out in the water left in the basin.
“We don’t have a choice,” I said. “We’ve got to go to the Philippines.”
“Don’t be stupid,” said Tessa, turning to stare at me. “You’d just be putting an even bigger target on Dakota’s back.”
“Not permanently, just long enough to get them somewhere safe. Somewhere I won’t know about,” I said. “Chuck can’t go without protection. Your magic’s not in any shape to handle this job. That means it’s got to fall to me. There’s literally no one else.”
Tessa gave an exasperate
d sigh as she ran her hands through her short hair. “Shit…”
“You know I’m right about this,” I said.
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“So it’s settled. Chuck and I will go to the Philippines, take Dakota and the kid and I’ll protect them until they can get somewhere safe.”
“What about the stone?” asked Tessa. “Are you sure there’s no way to use it?”
“We’d need a place with a lot of spirits that’s near where Asmodeus is or will be. I don’t know how long I could hold onto that much energy. It’s not something we can count on right now.”
This next part I kept to myself. I wasn’t lying about having trouble holding onto the energy, but the real reason I didn’t want to use the stone was because I didn’t know enough about it. I felt something the last time I used it, something I’d tried to keep buried. I didn’t want that coming back out again.
I took out my phone and started searching for flights. “Think I’ve got something. There’s a red-eye to Manilla leaving tonight. Sooner we get out of here, the better.”
“Okay, let’s do it,” said Morrison.
I reserved two tickets and completed the purchase. “Good, that’s taken care of.”
“What do you need me to do?” asked Tessa.
“Run interference,” I said. “Get in touch with your contacts, see if you can stir some pots, give Asmodeus a few distractions to keep him off our backs at least long enough for that plane to take off.”
She nodded. “Of course, I’ll do what I can.”
“Good.” I returned to the chair and settled into it. “Now if you don’t mind, I haven’t slept in forever and I need at least a few hours before we get going.”
20
The summoning of a demon was a fairly simple exercise, provided you had the name of the demon you wanted to speak with. For Iblis, that task was made even easier. While other demons may choose to stab each other in the back at the first opportunity, Iblis was patient. He understood the value in making connections and learning everything he could about those around him. Even in Hell, social skills proved extremely valuable.
Asmodeus had tasked him with learning whatever he could about the resistance Lilith was facing in Hell. Fortunately, Iblis had already been doing that ever since the first whiffs of rebellion wafted into the air. He’d learned the name of the demon responsible for fostering dissent against the newest Hell Lord.
And now, Iblis stood before a circle painted on the floor of his motel room. Inside the circle, the name of the demon was written in the Dimoori Sheol, the language of the damned. Iblis spoke the summoning ritual in that same tongue, which sent a message to the demon that he was being summoned by one of his kind.
The sigil glowed bright red and a column of flames reached almost as high as the ceiling. Iblis stared into the fire. Just past the blaze, there was nothing inside the circle. But in the blink of an eye, suddenly he saw a shadow. A shadow that slowly came into clear focus and the flames subsided.
The demon who stood before him had taken on human form. His hair was short and dark and he had a thin, chinstrap beard lining his jaw and framing his mouth. His yellow eyes burned with intensity as he looked upon the face of the demon who’d summoned him.
“What do you want, Iblis?” he asked, a clear hint of annoyance in his tone.
Iblis sat on the edge of his bed and smiled at the demon. “You ought to be more kind to me, Raum. After all, I come bearing gifts.”
Raum scoffed. “You’re a bootlicker for the establishment. What’s wrong, is Lilith having too much trouble quelling the rebellion?”
“I’m not working for Lilith. At least, not really,” said Iblis. “I’m working with someone else. Someone who would be very interested in supporting your cause.”
“My cause is overthrowing the tyranny The Fallen supposedly rebelled against to begin with,” said Raum. “Trading the Divine Choir for the Infernal Court, swapping out one set of overlords for another. Now who among your friends would have any interest in supporting such a cause?”
“Asmodeus.”
Raum began to laugh. “Asmodeus is dead. Even if he weren’t, he was hardly what I’d call a populist.”
“Two things you should know, my friend.” Iblis stood from the bed and held up a finger to illustrate each point. “First, he’s not dead. He’s been trapped somewhere recently and now he’s back. And second, he has other interests beyond his former realm.”
“Trying to get back at his woman for sleeping with the half-breed?” asked Raum.
Iblis gave a hesitant nod. “Sure, let’s say that’s the reason. It’s as good as any.”
Raum folded his arms across his chest. “Say I believe you. What exactly is Asmodeus offering?”
Iblis began to circle Raum as he spoke. “Right now, your rebellion against Lilith has caused her some headaches. But the problem is you don’t have a unified force.”
“How would you know that?”
Iblis stepped up behind Raum and smiled before whispering, “Oh, I have friends everywhere.”
“Fair enough. So how can Asmodeus help with that?”
Iblis came around in front of Raum. “That’s simple. Asmodeus was something of a beloved ruler. You may not be a fan of monarchies, but you have to acknowledge that he did run a tight ship. No one had any interest in siding with you against him back when he was running the show.”
Raum looked down at the floor and conceded this point with a nod. That made the smile on Iblis’ face grow.
“If you agree to help us, Asmodeus will have me put the word out among his followers that not only is he back, but he fully supports your cause. An overthrow of these inexperienced rulers—one of whom is an absentee Hell Lord—and the start of a new era.”
“That’s an interesting proposition,” said Raum. “But what does Asmodeus get out of this? Really? And don’t tell me this is just about vengeance. He’s sacrificing a lot just because of some adultery. It’s not like demons are known for their fidelity in the first place.”
“You’re right, there is more to it. But it has less to do with Lilith and more to do with Cross.”
“Again, the same question. If it’s not about his relationship with Lilith, what does Asmodeus want with Cross?”
“Cross has something that Asmodeus wants to possess.”
“What?”
Iblis clicked his tongue and wagged his finger. “That’s not part of the deal, Raum. Nor does it even concern you. The only thing that should concern you is do you want to overthrow Lilith and start a new chapter in the history books?”
Raum stroked the thin beard and thought on Iblis’ proposal. This was everything he’d been trying to accomplish for centuries, laid right at his feet. And all he had to do was agree to play ball with a demon he’d spent many years trying to overthrow.
“If I were to join you…” began Raum, “if we overthrow Lilith and Asmodeus gets his hands on Cross…what then? What will happen once all this is over and Asmodeus has what he wants?”
“Asmodeus doesn’t want the realm, he has higher ambitions,” said Iblis. “His time away gave him a new perspective.”
“I need assurances,” said Raum.
Iblis gave a chuckle. “We’re demons, Raum. This is as close to an assurance as you’re likely to get. But frankly, you don’t really have any better options, do you? Either you side with us, or you have to face Cross and Lilith on your own. And what happens if they reach out to the rest of the Court for assistance? How long do you think you’ll last then?”
Raum took a deep breath. “Okay, Iblis. You’ve got yourself a deal.”
21
At nine in the evening, there were few cars on the Kennedy Expressway, giving me the opportunity to step on the gas and push the Camaro past a hundred. Morrison was in the passenger seat and he stayed quiet the whole time. My eyes were fixed on the road, thinking about where to go from here and what our plan would be once we got to the Philippines.
<
br /> I checked the mirrors constantly for anyone following us. No signs of any suspicious activity. Couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this exposed on a job. The only backup I had now was the man sitting right next to me, and he was just an academic. He couldn’t hold his own in a fight.
It was ironic that all my attempts to shield myself from retribution just ended up leaving me isolated and without a single person I could trust. I tried to ignore that thought, but it wouldn’t stop rearing its ugly little head in my direction.
I took the exit to the I-190. Planes flew overhead and I could see the lights of the O’Hare International Airport in the distance. I increased the speed, wanting to get there as soon as possible. Wanting to get all this over with so I could focus on my own life and what I’d do next.
Just where exactly could I tell Dakota and Morrison to go? How would I guarantee their safety without knowing where I should send them? That was the step in the process I hadn’t figured out yet.
I took the ramp to long-term parking. Wasn’t sure exactly how long this trip would last and I didn’t want my car ending up in a police impound lot. I pulled into an empty spot and turned off the engine before looking at Morrison.
“You ready for this?”
Morrison nodded. “I suppose so. We don’t have much choice, do we?”
“Not really, no.” I got out of the car and opened the trunk. I took Morrison’s bag and handed it to him, then my own, draping it over my body by the leather strap. I couldn’t carry my weapons on my body, but I could put them in checked baggage. Guns had to be unloaded and kept in a hard container in the bag, so I’d done that, separating the rounds from the revolver. I’d still have to use my influence power if anyone found it once we got to the Philippines since I didn’t have a Permit To Carry there. But as long as I followed most of the rules, would be easier to only have to influence one customs officer as opposed to several.
The downside meant that right now, I was walking around in the open without a weapon in easy reach. Made me feel naked. Yeah, I still had my magic and strength, but that revolver had always given me an extra layer of security. Gave me an edge when going up against the supernatural.
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