‘Wow, that was…’ I began, but Cain wasn’t there.
***
Well, OK, he was there – just not at my eye line. I looked down, stunned, to see him collapsed in a heap, Laclos trying to both help him and untangle himself at the same time.
‘It’s OK! Everything’s fine!’ Laclos called out, which seemed superfluous until I realised my door had opened, and Mariko and Leon were there, having felt the disturbance and come to help. He gestured them impatiently back inside.
‘Fuck,’ muttered Cain, struggling to all fours, his breath ragged, his voice hoarse. ‘I can’t do that again.’
Then he passed out.
Laclos looked at me in alarm as I kneeled beside Cain, cradling his head in my lap.
‘What do we do?’ he hissed, not wanting to be overheard, but before I could answer, Cain’s eyelids fluttered open.
‘I’m fine. I’m good,’ he muttered, though not very convincingly, since it took both me and Laclos to get him to his feet. ‘OK,’ he put a heavy arm around my shoulders, leaning on me for support. ‘Maybe we should keep the Valkyrie around for now.’
Chapter 19
We waited outside for a moment to let Cain pull himself together. A couple of neighbours, woken by the tremors, stuck their heads out of their doors and hastily retreated at the sight of us, seemingly not reassured by my cheery wave. I’m guessing by this stage they were used to seeing me with strange blokes, and even at his weakest, there’s something about Cain that deters open curiosity. Laclos looked as shaken as I was – I forgot that, whatever cable access he thought he had to Cain’s mind, he hadn’t seen the Counsel’s takedown, had never experienced the kind of power the angels had at their disposal. Cain had sniped at Aeylith and Baelam and called them second rate and out of shape: if this were true, I would hate to see what an angel could do at top of their game. But despite the many questions he was clearly struggling to subdue, Laclos said nothing, simply stood by Cain until the latter straightened up with a brusque nod, indicating he was ready to go back inside.
***
We found Mariko and Leon in the hallway looking like statues from a particularly bad tempered religion, but I think that while they were near the front door so they could go to Laclos’ aid, they were also deliberately avoiding the kitchen, where things were getting a little heated, to say the least.
‘But why do we not just slay them all? Rid this city of the undead scourge!’ Val was demanding, on her feet now. Medea looked ready to pitch a fit, Katie not far behind her, and Jonesy was wearing his now-familiar look of a man who’d just been run over.
‘Because that kind of indiscriminate slaughter got us into this mess!’ Katie yelled.
‘Um, also… slaughter. Not generally a good thing…’ Medea protested, weakly, clearly being out-voiced by the more vocal women.
‘Laclos started this by killing people!’ Katie seemingly hadn’t noticed – or wasn’t bothered by – our return. It must be a fairly serious argument when even a minor earthquake doesn’t distract you. Or perhaps Val’s table slamming was already shaking the room so much they hadn’t noticed Baelam’s efforts, concentrated around us as they had been. ‘You want to balance it out by killing more? These aren’t animals. They’re Others, but they’re people. They’re Meds’ and Cass’s clients, for god’s sake!’
‘They are our enemies!’ Val slammed her fist down so hard on the table it cracked – great, another bit of my kitchen ruined – but Cain stepped forward and calmly laid a hand over hers, his voice kind.
‘They are not the ones who you are angry at, my wife.’ She glared at him, but he smiled, wryly. ‘Much as I have sympathy with your strategy, I would have you save your wrath for those who are worthy of it.’
She softened slightly at that, though not without a glower at Katie-the-appeaser. But I was done, now, and I couldn’t face any more arguing or broken furniture.
‘Look, we’re not going to settle anything now. It’s nearly daylight and frankly I’m knackered, so why don’t we all just call it quits and reconvene after dark tomorrow and we can see if we can set up some kind of parlay or something.’ Several people in the room looked ready to protest at this notion but I held up a hand. ‘Or launch a nuclear strike. Or whatever the fuck you want to do. I know we only have a few days to do this, but I just can’t be doing it tonight.’
The humans in the room looked at me sympathetically, my exhaustion clearly reminding them of their own, but the rest of the room descended into a sullen agreement, the uneasy silence when half of the room is clearly hiding something from the other half. Leon scowled.
‘What aren’t we being told here?’
Before Cain could formulate an answer, Laclos frowned.
‘There are many things you are not being told,’ he said, coolly. ‘As befitting your status as an employee. A rather junior one, at that.’
For fuck’s sake. I knew vampires were hierarchical, absurdly so, but surely even someone as aware of his status as Laclos could see that when you’re in a tight corner depending on the loyalty of people who have no pressing reason to give it, not behaving like an over-privileged twat might be an idea. Leon and Mariko exchanged a glance that could have frozen the ground between them, and Leon’s expression hardened.
‘An employee tasked with keeping you safe. The more information you keep from me, the harder that job becomes. And that is, after all, what we are paid so handsomely for.’
Laclos looked like he was about to reply but Cain stepped forward, giving Leon a remarkably expressive look that couldn’t have said ‘ignore him we all know he’s a dick’ any clearer if he’d had it printed on a t-shirt.
‘Look, we don’t think you’re idiots. You’ve realised my wife and I aren’t human. Fair to say, there are more players in this game than you know, and the stakes are far higher than you can comprehend.’
‘So… what? You just want us to shuffle along in blissful ignorance?’ Leon demanded. ‘How are we supposed to fight something if we don’t know what it is?’
Cain gave a sad shake of his head.
‘You won’t fight them. If it comes to that, none of you will. You’ll just die before you even know they’re here.’
***
So on that optimistic note, we called it a night. There was an awkward moment when we realised we had no idea where Val was staying (where did she usually stay? A luxury hotel? A cloud?), but Medea and Katie offered their spare room, and she gratefully accepted, though I heard Katie mutter to Medea that they would need to clear the Loki bobble-head doll out of the bathroom. Jonesy clearly had his own arrangements, and with a hunter’s caution wasn’t keen to share them.
‘Are you going to join your… family?’ I asked Laclos, but he shook his head and turned to Cain.
‘I was going to request that I could avail myself of your safe house once again.’
By way of response Cain dug a key from his pocket and handed it to him. Laclos inclined his head in thanks then turned back to a stony-faced Mariko and Leon.
‘Are we allowed to ask where we’re going, or is that above our paygrade?’ Leon asked, his commitment to being a career vampire clearly getting shakier by the minute. Laclos looked affronted at his tone (and by the fact I smirked openly at it). This wasn’t helped by Leon muttering to Mariko, sotto voce, as he left, ‘So do you want to drive Miss Daisy or shall I?’
Laclos caught my admittedly not-well-hidden snigger.
‘They are my employees,’ he reminded me, tartly.
‘But Jesus, Laclos. They’re not the help. They’ve risked their lives to save you.’
‘Which they are well remunerated for doing. You really have no idea how vampire society works, do you, Cassandra?’
‘Whereas you’re a master of its nuances and subtlety, Laclos?’ I sighed, too tired for this fight. ‘Because you’ve done a bang up job of securing people’s loyalty so far. Maybe if you stop treating them like disposable minions they’ll be a little less willing to slit your thr
oat in your sleep? If you hang onto people through fear or money, there’s always someone richer or scarier. Maybe try the revolutionary ‘don’t be a dick’ plan and see how that works out for you?’
Laclos looked outraged at this, and turned to Cain, in search of supernatural support, but Cain was having none of it.
‘Go on,’ I went on, pleased by Cain’s non-reaction. ‘Treat them like actual people for 24 hours. What have you got to lose except a reputation for being a pompous prick?’
Laclos stared, shocked. He was so used to my willingness to find his arrogance charming I think he forgot that, with my lifelong membership of the Little People Club, my existence was already dictated by the whims of pasty-faced posh boys, so I found his condescension to his employees genuinely irritating. Vampires were nature’s ultimate aristocrats, and his snobbery and casual acceptance of his privilege could be infuriating. Especially as, in true rich man style, it was too often other people who had to deal with the consequences. He opened his mouth to protest but, realising he wasn’t getting any sympathy here, he gave a curt bow and stalked after his bodyguards.
***
‘Jesus,’ I said, slumping against a countertop and surveying my ruined kitchen. I held my hands skyward. ‘Right, if anyone else plans to attack, materialise or break any more of my stuff, do it now! Please!’
For a moment, my heart stopped, and I thought I’d tempted fate too far. But no: silence.
‘Cass,’ Cain’s voice was low, ragged with tiredness. He was sitting on one of the chairs, looking as done in as I was, though obviously with more cause, since he’d been a bit busier on the ‘not letting the building fall down’ front. His legs were sprawled out in front of him, and he looked like nothing short of the next apocalypse would shift him.
‘No more angels? No more hunters?’ I asked out loud, though not that loud. I was a bit worried they might hear me.
‘Cass…’
He reached out and closed his fingers on my wrist, gently tugging me towards him. I let him pull me down into his lap, putting my arms around him and burying my head in his neck, as if somehow I could offer him respite. For a moment, I just nuzzled at him, allowing that familiar sensation of solidity and heat to soothe my weary bones. Then the reality of the hour hit me and I straightened up, reluctantly.
‘Fuck, I need to make the bed up.’ Had it only been hours since his wife had been there? It seemed impossible, but the thought of sleeping in sheets stained in her blood was too much for me. I went to move, but Cain’s arms were around my waist.
‘Screw it. We’ll throw the spare duvet over the couch or something.’ He paused, green eyes serious. ‘I feel like… we’ve been running around in circles forever. I’ve missed you, Cass.’
It should have been a ridiculous thing to say – we’d barely been out of one another’s sight – but I knew what he meant. Our lives were suddenly jam-packed with chaos and I felt like we kept passing one another in the crowd. I nodded, and put a hand to his jaw, stroking the scruff of beard that was starting to emerge since he’d been too tired or busy to shave.
‘I’m right here,’ I said gently, resting my forehead against his, my eyes closed. We stayed like that for a while, then he kissed me, softly at first, tenderly, then his kiss hardening as his arms tightened around me, pulling me against him.
‘Uh, maybe we should move this to somewhere more comfortable?’ I murmured, but his mouth curved into a smile against mine.
‘I’m good here.’
I sat back, and put my hand on his chest.
‘I’m really, really tired…’ I protested, weakly, but he grinned at me and, despite my exhaustion, my stomach did a little flip.
‘I promise, you really won’t have to do much,’ he said, his voice almost a growl, and I laughed at that, before wrangling myself free of his embrace. I shimmied out of my jeans and pants with as much sexiness as I could muster – I suspect, at this stage, that was almost none – but his smile widened and his eyes darkened nonetheless, and as ever I felt my own desire stoked by his obvious appreciation. I skipped back as he moved to help me pull off my t-shirt and bra, laughing at his huff of frustration as I moved out of his reach. Then I leaned back in and kissed him, my hands at his belt, his jeans, and he let out a soft groan of pleasure as he shifted to free himself.
‘God, you’re beautiful,’ he murmured, pulling me back onto him, my legs wrapping themselves around his waist.
‘I assume you mean you appreciate my beautiful soul,’ I smiled, then froze in horror: shit, was I being insensitive about his angel-ex? But if I was he was too far gone to notice. He just chuckled throatily and dipped his head to my breast, his mouth hot on my skin.
‘Totally. Beautiful soul.’
Then his hands were strong on my hips, guiding me onto him, and I couldn’t tell if I was shaking from tiredness or passion as I put my arms around him and rocked myself against him, onto him. Both of us were exhausted but we needed this connection, this reminder of who we were, joined together against the madness and the violence. I clung to him, my eyes clenched shut against his neck as he gasped his release into my hair, and for a moment, it was just us, and it was enough, and it was everything.
Chapter 20
We threw the spare duvet over my blood-splattered bed and slept with it rolled around us like a sleeping bag. Cain hadn’t even undressed, simply fallen beside me in his t-shirt and unfastened jeans. He held me so tight I barely moved in my sleep, waking once with a start but then, realising we were still alone, burrowing myself back in against him, losing myself in his embrace.
I had no idea what time it was when I finally woke up, stirred by the cat tunnelling his way under the duvet and indicating he would like feeding, and whether that was with cat food or our toes was entirely our decision. I turned onto my back, too bone-weary to get up, and Cain shifted, slightly, to accommodate my movement without letting me go. His belt buckle was digging into me and I was pretty sure I’d have a neat outline of a zipper pressed into my flesh when I made it out of bed, but even that mild discomfort couldn’t convince me to move. I wanted to stay here, in this cocoon, and let the vampires and the hunters and the angels all go battle it out amongst themselves while we just stayed in bed. Besides, I knew as soon as we were both awake, we’d be fighting.
***
‘You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!’ Cain exclaimed, his usual authoritative tone slightly hampered by the fact I’d sneakily waited till he was eating breakfast to inform him of my plans for what remained of the day, so he was protesting through a mouth full of bagel. Dante, who’d been draped over his shoulder like a shawl, glared at me, since my announcement had also stopped Cain from feeding him bits of bacon.
‘No, I’m not. I need to go into work for a few hours. The human side of the business still needs running, and I’ll make sure I’m out of there by dark.’
‘Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?’
‘As opposed to staying in the inviolate sanctuary of my home?’ I snapped, and he frowned, having to concede my point.
‘How about I pay you to stay here?’ he ventured, eventually, in the slightly plaintive tones of a last ditch attempt. ‘I can cover your bills till this all blows over.’
‘It’s not about the money, Cain,’ I sighed, even though a voice inside me was reminding me how much a new kitchen would cost, so was pretty keen on the money right now. ‘It’s my business. It matters to me. When all this is over, I want something…’ I trailed off, running out of steam. I didn’t want to vocalise it, but we both knew what I was thinking. Whatever happened with the vampires, the Valkyries or the angels, for good reasons or bad, Cain would be leaving.
‘You took money from Laclos.’
‘As an investor.’
‘So why can’t I be an investor?’
‘Because he’s a silent investor. You’d be more of a never frigging shuts up investor.’
He pouted at that – a new look for him – and I stepped forward and kisse
d him lightly, smiling at his bready, buttery taste. The cat looked put out by this, so I petted him too for good measure. Great, two moody males in my life.
‘I’m sorry. That came out meaner than I meant it to. But I’m not a hunter, Cain. I’m not a heroine. I’m a woman with no savings, a London mortgage and a proven track record of being unable to hold down an office job.’ He softened slightly at my conciliatory tone. ‘You and Jonesy go do whatever hunter stuff you need to, and I’ll meet you back here just before dark. Nobody is going to attack me in broad daylight.’ He opened his mouth to argue and I interrupted. ‘I’ll take the gun, and I’ll be with Medea.’
‘Medea who has no magic?’
‘Her fingers still work, I’m sure she can call the police just fine.’
He frowned, reluctant to let me go but knowing I was right. After all, if our enemies could teleport, I was as safe in one place as another.
‘You promise she’ll call me before she calls the police?’
‘You think you’ll get there faster?’
‘Babe, if I know you’re in trouble, I’ll be there before she hangs up the phone,’ he grinned, and kissed me. Though we both knew it wasn’t true – there’d been plenty of times I’d needed him and he’d been late or not there, since in some ways he was as human as the rest of us – but if that was the lie we needed to get on with our days, so be it. I leaned into his kiss, smiling.
‘OK. And I won’t take your money for my work. But I will let you buy me a new fridge and a kitchen table.’
***
I was still pretty exhausted as I headed off to work – if nothing else, I envied the angels the ability to materialise wherever they wanted to – but at least there was good news. The explosion at St Paul’s had now been put down to some drunk tourists who had thought the garden of one of the country’s best-known landmarks would be a good place to have a late night BBQ and who had been rewarded for their blasphemy with an exploding gas stove. This was obviously nonsense, but I was pleased the vampires had camouflaged their attack so well. This meant Laclos’ people could return without having to worry about police and anti-terrorism units, and, equally importantly, it meant my city wasn’t plunged into fear about another terrorist attack.
Angel Falls (Cassandra Bick Chronicles Book 3) Page 16