“Whoever killed him might have mistaken him for full human,” Rafe said. “I still think it’s within our mandate to investigate.”
Jessup continued to observe the body. “I suppose you’re right. The last thing we need is some kind of demon serial killer of little boys in the city. The public would have a meltdown. Good heavens, every seraph in Dominion would have a meltdown.”
“I’m happy to help.”
Jessup blew an irritated breath. “Of course you are. You’re Rafe, the nephilim Boy Scout.” He clapped Rafe on the back. “No worries, friend. Go have fun with your illicit girlfriend. I won’t rat you out for getting groovy with the enemy. I can handle this on my own.”
“His mother is…”
Jessup cut me off with the wave of his hand. “Unlike Rafe, I don’t need help from demonspawn.”
“But I can give you the name,” I said.
Jessup turned his back to me and kneeled beside the body. “This is my jurisdiction. I can figure it out without you.”
“Let’s go, Cassia,” Rafe said gently.
“You’re just going to let him…”
Rafe silenced me with a look. He took me by the elbow and steered me to the end of the alley. The others had already continued to the corner, so we were essentially alone—or as alone as you can get in the middle of a city.
“Is he above you in the chain of command or something?” I asked. “Why are you letting him call the shots?”
“I’m not and he isn’t.” He blew out a breath. “Look, I’m sorry about Jessup. He’s kind of an ass.”
“No kidding.”
“And Liesel didn’t tell him anything, other than the fact that I met a beautiful cambion who rocked my world.” A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Her words, not mine.”
“You didn’t tell her about my…birthmark?” I asked.
He shook his head. “She’s pestered me a few times about looking miserable and about why I haven’t been in contact with you since the cemetery. I reminded her that you don’t have a phone. I couldn’t tell her what a jerk I was without revealing your secret.” He paused. “At least I assume you wanted to keep it secret and that’s why you didn’t tell me.”
“I’d only just discovered it. Truth be told, I’m still adjusting to it.” I glanced back to the alley where Jessup was now on his phone. “Do you think Jessup will even bother to do an investigation?”
Rafe heaved a sigh and raked a hand through his blond hair. “Honestly? No. I think he only wanted to win a pissing contest back there.”
I tried not to let the admission bother me. Jessup’s derision was obvious anyway. “Then I’ll come with you to see the mother. She lives in Manayunk.”
Rafe’s brow lifted. “No, Cassia. I won’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking me. I’m telling you what I’m doing.”
“You’re under no obligation to help the Watchers.”
“And the Watchers are apparently under no obligation to investigate the murder of a cambion, so forgive me if I want to be involved.”
Rafe shoved his hands into his pockets. “And I suppose you won’t share the mother’s name with me now.”
“No, but you’re welcome to come with me to see her. I’ll even let you ask a few questions.”
He shook his head. “You’re something else, you know that?”
I smothered my Cheshire cat grin. It felt way too amazing to be back in each other’s good graces. “Any luck with the gray market?”
“I’ve had a few false starts, but still no joy,” Rafe said. “There was a period of quiet. I think they’ve been regrouping after Mephisto’s untimely death.”
“Do you think they know what happened to him?”
He licked his lips. “Don’t worry, Cassia. No one knows except those of us who were there and we’re not telling.”
“You haven’t told anyone about the academy, have you?”
His face grew soft. “I know it doesn’t seem like it because I acted like an idiot, but you can trust me. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to show you.”
I tilted my head and looked into his eyes. “I do trust you, Rafe. That’s why I risked coming to you about the boy.” The devil have mercy, the pull was magnetic. His blue eyes sparkled even under the blanket of gray and I longed to curl my fingers around the nape of his neck and kiss him.
“I’m glad you did.” He inched closer and I leaned forward in anticipation of his lips on mine.
“Cassia!” Elder Sam’s voice shattered the intensity of the moment.
I jerked my head toward him. “What?”
“Let’s go.” Elder Sam appeared fixated on the tiny bit of space between Rafe and me.
“Go where?” I grumbled.
“Further away from me, apparently,” Rafe said. He seemed amused.
Reluctantly I trotted over to Elder Sam. “I’m taking Rafe to see the mother.”
Elder Sam frowned. “How do you know the mother’s name or where to find her?” His brow lifted. “Forget it. You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?”
I ducked my head. “Maybe.”
Elder Sam contemplated me. “I think we should let the Watchers take care of this one. We’re supposed to be on a field trip.”
“That young boy is dead,” I said. “I can’t just stroll around the city eating soft pretzels knowing there’s a cambion killer on the loose.”
Zeph stuck his head between us. “Excuse me. What’s a soft pretzel? Because it sounds awesome.”
Elder Sam pushed the cambion’s forehead back. “Fine. You and Rafe talk to the mother. I’ll update our friend at the hotel.”
“Meet us at Hotel Franklin in two hours,” Rafe said.
Sage tapped Elder Sam on the shoulder. “Does this mean we have time to go to a cemetery now?”
The seraph bit his lower lip, seemingly trying to contain his frustration. “Why don’t we do that now, Sage? Then we can stop hearing about it.”
Sage punched the air. “Yes! I always get my way.” She jabbed a finger into Barris’s arm. “Remember that.”
He rubbed his arm. “I don’t think you’ll ever let me forget.”
Chapter Six
We knocked on the green door of a modest brick row home. I was relieved that Rafe and I had left the others behind in Center City. We were about to break the worst news a mother could hear. It didn’t require an audience.
“Everything feels so close together here,” I said. The narrow houses were joined together and the street was lined with parked cars.
“Different parts of the city can seem that way,” Rafe said. “It’s one of the reasons I like the loft. It’s higher so it gives the illusion of more space.”
The door opened and a petite woman with light brown eyes and curly brown hair gazed back at us. The precise lines of her eyebrows made them seem more like artwork than hair.
The woman popped a hand on her hip. “I’m not converting to anything and I don’t buy makeup from strangers on my doorstep.” She squinted at my white hair. “Cool color. You’re young enough to get away with it. If I did that, I’d just look old.”
“Are you Maria Mancini?” Rafe asked.
“So my driver’s license tells me.” She didn’t smile.
“My name is Rafe and this is my associate, Cassia.”
She leaned against the doorjamb. “And?”
Rafe hesitated. “Would it be possible for us to come in? It’s a delicate matter.”
“You can be delicate right here on my stoop, snowflake,” Maria said. “I don’t invite strangers into my home.”
“It’s about your son,” I said in a low voice.
Maria’s brown eyes flickered. Wordlessly, she widened the gap to allow us entry. The downstairs was compact with a living area, eat-in dining area, and a small kitchen. A microwave took up a good portion of the counter space. The golden-brown hardwood floors were partially covered by a floral rug. It was impossible to miss its frayed edges and black
marks. That rug had endured some rough treatment.
“Sit,” Maria said, gesturing to the loveseat stuffed with throw pillows. One of them was green and embroidered with an eagle.
Rafe and I tried to make ourselves comfortable, but the limited space meant that our knees touched in the middle of the loveseat. There was nothing to do except ignore it, or at least pretend to.
“What do you know about my son?” she prodded.
“I’m afraid I have upsetting news,” Rafe said. “Your son is dead.”
Deep lines streaked across Maria’s forehead. “What do you mean he’s dead? I don’t understand.”
“His body was found today in an alley in Center City,” Rafe said.
Maria dropped onto the arm of a recliner in a stupor. “An alley? Like a rat?”
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Mancini,” I said. “I know this must be a shock.”
She wiped away a stray tear. “Would it be awful if I told you it’s not?”
Rafe leaned forward, staring at her intently. “You know what happened?”
She shook her head. “No, not specifically, but I knew he would meet a horrible end someday. I only thought it would happen when he was much older.”
“Why did you think that?” I asked.
Maria wrapped her hands around her knee and studied us. “I don’t have the Sight, but I’ve developed good instincts over the past few years, mostly because of Charlie. I figure you must be either part of the unseen world or know about it.”
We nodded in sync. “You figure correctly,” Rafe said. He didn’t offer more.
Maria laughed. “My introduction was pretty abrupt. Met a hot guy in a bar. Went home with him after a few too many tequilas. You know how it is.” She played with a loose thread on her skirt. “Anyways, I found out I was pregnant a couple months later.”
“Were you still in touch with the father?” Rafe asked.
“I was, actually. We’d seen each other a few times since that night.” She smiled and diverted her gaze. “Couldn’t seem to stay away from each other. When I told him I was pregnant, though, he disappeared. I never heard from him again. It was like he fell off the face of the earth.”
“You didn’t know he was a demon?” Rafe asked.
“Not until after Charlie was born.” Maria lowered herself into the seat of the recliner. “From the time he was a baby, he was different.”
“Different how?” I asked.
“He didn’t breastfeed. Wouldn’t. It was like he’d rather starve to death than drink my milk. My insurance covered a lactation consultation, so I hired one. Even she was confused by Charlie.”
“You didn’t try formula?” Rafe asked.
“Oh, sure, but that’s modeled on breastmilk, right? Charlie didn’t want any part of that.”
“What did he want?” I asked.
Maria looked from Rafe to me. “Blood.”
“But he wasn’t a vampire,” Rafe said.
“No, no, but his father apparently preferred it too,” Maria said. “I didn’t think of it until later, but he was partial to it. I thought it was a kink. You know, a fetish.”
“How did you figure out that Charlie wasn’t completely human?” I asked.
“The lactation consultant referred me to a doctor. An OB. That’s where I met Nurse Maynard. She’s the one I called about…setting Charlie up somewhere else. She’d mentioned it a long time ago, that she could do that for me if I wasn’t up for the challenge.”
“And the nurse made arrangements for Charlie?” Rafe seemed interested in this fact.
Maria nodded. “She has the Sight, so she and the doctor have a side gig with…that world. Your world, I guess.”
I looked at Rafe. “A side gig?”
“They probably see non-human patients outside of their normal hours,” Rafe said.
“Apparently they help other women like me,” Maria said. “If I’d known in advance Charlie’s dad was a demon, Dr. Brandt would’ve handled my delivery.”
I immediately thought of Rylan’s story about her mother. I’d bet good coin that the Elders already knew about Dr. Brandt and Nurse Maynard.
“Do you know what kind of demon Charlie’s father is?” I asked. That was one part of Elder Sam’s conversation with Balthazar that I missed.
“An agni,” Maria said.
Rafe pressed his lips together in consternation. “A fire demon.” He whistled. “He could have grown up with some pretty potent powers.”
“Why do you think the father disappeared when you told him you were pregnant?” I asked.
Maria threw her head back and laughed. “Because he might’ve been a demon, but he’s still a man, honey. Why else?”
“Tell us about Charlie,” Rafe said. “His fingertips were black, which makes me believe he tried to defend himself. Could he produce fire yet?”
Maria drew a deep breath. “Oh, yeah. Big time. One of my many challenges raising an agni hybrid. He nearly burnt this place down about ten times.” She lowered her gaze. “A row home fire is no joke. The whole block could go up in flames.”
Rafe’s face softened. “Is that the reason you sent him away?”
Maria’s head snapped to attention. “I didn’t want to get rid of him for my own selfish purposes, you know. I loved my son.”
“It’s okay, Ms. Mancini. We understand. We’re not here to judge you,” I said. “Charlie was going to be sent to the same place where I live. Only it seems someone else got to him first.”
Maria buried her face in her hands. “I wanted him to be safe. I just couldn’t handle him on my own anymore.”
“Because of the fires?” I asked.
Her hands jerked aside. “Because of all of it,” she practically yelled. “When he was angry, his eyes would shine red. Do you know how scary that is? I would lock myself in my room until he calmed down and then hate myself for being afraid of my own son. I’m his mother, for crying out loud. My only job is to love him and raise him.”
“It’s not your fault, Ms. Mancini,” I said. “You didn’t know what his father was.”
“I didn’t even know demons existed,” she said heatedly. “I thought they were only in movies. And then to discover I had my very own Carrie.” She squeezed her eyes shut.
Although I didn’t know who Carrie was, I understood the gist of her statement.
“Is there any reason to think his father might have wanted him dead?” Rafe asked.
“I doubt he even lives in the area anymore,” Maria said. “I’m pretty sure he left the city after my big announcement. A mortal in every port or whatever the demon equivalent is.” She shrugged like it didn’t matter anymore, but I could see the pain in her eyes.
“Did anyone know the truth about Charlie aside from the people you contacted to…handle him?” Rafe asked.
Maria blew a curly strand of hair from her eye. “Just my mom, but she lives in Buffalo and she adores Charlie. She didn’t want me to send him away. It didn’t matter how many times I’d call her in tears. She insisted that a child belongs with his mother.”
“I doubt your mother had a true sense of what you were dealing with,” Rafe said gently. “Most bounders don’t.”
Maria shot him a quizzical look. “Bounders?”
“Oh, sorry,” Rafe said. “Those bound to the earth like you. Humans.”
“You’re not…bound to the earth?” Maria asked. “What does that even mean? You can float?”
“Even better,” I said. “We can fly.”
She frowned. “Like superheroes?”
“Rafe and I have wings,” I said. “You just can’t see them.”
Maria blew out a breath. “I can’t decide if it would be cool to have the Sight, or an absolute nightmare.”
“Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt your son?” I asked.
She sniffed. “No. Charlie was sweet at his very core, just a bit wild. I was hoping they’d be able to help him control his abilities so that someday he could come back to me.”
Her body stiffened and her hands shot out to grip the arms of the chair. “There was that man.”
“What man?” I asked.
“I saw him lurking outside one night,” she said. “I heard a noise and looked out the window. He was standing by the telephone pole, smoking a cigarette.”
“Maybe he was just outside to smoke,” Rafe said.
“Maybe, but he was staring up at Charlie’s window.” She shivered. “I could see him under the light. He was a burly guy with a big tattoo on his arm.”
“A tattoo?” Rafe asked. “What kind?”
“Some weird snake symbol,” Maria said. “Here. I’ll draw a picture of it.” She scooted from the chair and dropped to her knees in front of the coffee table. She scribbled a symbol on a pad of paper and held it up for inspection.
“Looks like two intertwined snakes,” I said.
“One was green and one was black,” Maria said.
“Thank you, Ms. Mancini,” Rafe said. “This gives us a starting point.”
“If you think of anything else, will you give Rafe a call?” I asked.
The Watcher wrote his number on the pad of paper. “Do us a favor. If anyone else comes asking questions, don’t tell them what you told us.”
“Why not? Isn’t it better to have more of you out there with information?” Maria asked.
“Normally I’d say yes,” Rafe said. “But right now, there aren’t too many out there I’d trust.”
Maria typed Rafe’s number into her phone. “What kind of demon are you anyway?” she asked.
“I’m not a demon at all, Ms. Mancini,” Rafe said. “I’m one of the nephilim. We fight demons.” He cast a furtive glance at me. “Sometimes.”
“You would fight my Charlie?” she asked.
“No,” I said quickly. “Rafe is a Watcher. He helps the innocent, like your son. I’m part demon and Rafe and I are working together to find Charlie’s killer.”
Maria seemed mollified by my statement. “Tell me when you find the bastard, will you?”
Rafe’s jaw set in grim determination. “You have my word.”
Chapter Seven
Demonspawn Academy: Trial Two Page 6