“You do have a certain reputation.”
He pulled me close again. “How about it? Want to be partners?”
Did I ever? But I knew he meant professionally. As it was, I could use the help of someone who knew the city and its inhabitants well.
“You have a deal.”
Balthazar slung an arm across my shoulders. “Ah, you two seem to be getting along famously. Lovely. Would you like to have that chat now, little cambion?”
“Cassia,” I said.
“Beautiful name.” He looked at Rafe. “Do you mind if I cut in?”
Rafe released me and I couldn’t help but notice the look of disappointment on his face.
Balthazar was every bit as graceful as Rafe. I felt like a clumsy oaf by comparison.
“Why don’t we continue the talk we started upstairs?” he asked.
“A demon was tortured for the location of the academy. When he didn’t break, his captor used truth serum.”
“Oh my. A sadist in our midst.”
“That was my reaction. Anyway, the information was used to break in and steal a book and my caretaker was killed in the process.”
Balthazar cut a quick glance at me. “You’re still there?”
I nodded. “Please don’t say anything. Rafe can’t know about the academy.”
“No, of course not. I’ve worked hard to preserve its secrecy in this city, which is why it’s disconcerting that I’d even be considered a suspect. I would never resort to truth serum.”
Interesting that the implication was that he would, however, resort to torture. He wasn’t kidding about not trusting him.
“Do you know anything about the break-in?” I asked. “The one that tortured Harlan—he had two minions with him. They were invisible, so he didn’t get a look at them at all. They knew where to find him and that he used to work at Domus.”
“So, they knew of its existence already,” Balthazar said. “Curious. It is one of the best-kept secrets in Philadelphia. He inclined his head. “If you don’t mind sharing, what did they steal?”
I decided to come clean, that way if he learned anything, maybe he’d reach out. “The Book of Admissions. It lists all the current cambions at the academy and their origin and abilities, if known.”
The vampire whistled through his fangs. “My, my. Very dangerous information in the wrong hands, isn’t it? And I suppose you’re on that list?”
“Yes, though my origin is still unknown.”
“Interesting.” He brushed my hair from my shoulder. “And your hair is so striking. I would think you’d glamour it to remain inconspicuous.”
He made a good point. I’d been so focused on glamouring weapons and wings, I hadn’t given much thought to my hair.
“I’m staying at the hotel,” I said. “If you hear anything at all, will you let me know? I’m in room 530.”
“And what will you offer me in return, hmm? I don’t know that there’s much you can—a cambion from the academy.”
“I can owe you a debt. I won’t be in the academy forever, and you’re immortal. Eventually the favor will be returned.” I leaned back. “This is contingent on actually receiving helpful information from you, of course.”
“Fair enough.” We continued to dance. “Tell me, it isn’t Sam who was killed, is it? I rather like that crusty seraph.”
“No. Her name was Mariska.”
“I am sorry for your loss. It must be especially hard to lose someone when you’ve already lost so much. Trust an immortal to understand your pain.”
“I guess you would.”
The song ended and Balthazar took a step backward and bowed. “A pleasure, Cassia. Don’t be a stranger.” And with that, he merged with the crowd.
Rafe must’ve been watching us because he was by my side in an instant. “I need to catch Balthazar before he disappears, but how about tomorrow night for the club? Meet out front here at ten?”
“Sounds good.”
He observed me from head to toe. “This is pretty, but you might want to dress more like a demon for Pandora. Just a thought.”
“I’ll take it under advisement, thanks.”
He held my gaze a beat longer than necessary. “See you tomorrow night.”
I watched him thread his way through the crowd in search of the vampire. He was ridiculously handsome. Were all nephilim that attractive? If so, I could understand why they were ‘uppity bastards’ as Elder Bahaira had said.
My stomach rumbled, so I grabbed a plate of food from the buffet table and headed to my room for a solid night’s rest. I had a feeling tomorrow night was going to require all of my faculties on high alert.
Chapter Nine
Pandora was located down a dark alley off Chestnut Street. There were no signs. No landmarks. Nothing to indicate that a demon nightclub was in full swing. The bouncer was glamoured to look like a homeless man staggering his way around the alley. That would be enough to keep the bounders away.
The bouncer looked at me sharply. “Cool hair.”
“Thanks.” I’d left it white for the demon club. Left my wings intact as well. I did, however, trade my mortal attire for black leather pants and a shimmering silver top, which seemed to meet Rafe’s approval. I drew the line at a spiked collar.
The bouncer scowled at Rafe. “This isn’t your kind of place, nephilim.”
“He’s with me. He’s a Watcher who likes to watch, if you catch my meaning.” I rubbed his bicep. “And I like to perform.”
The bouncer brightened. “Then this the place for you. Go ahead in.” He moved aside and a doorway appeared. Rafe and I stepped through it together.
The nightclub was like no other place I’d ever seen. The pulsating music seemed to emanate from inside my own body. Lights flashed in different colors and it took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the glare.
The interior was a mob scene. Every type of demon from the Nether seemed to be present tonight.
“I had no idea so many demons lurked in this city,” I said.
Rafe looked at me askance. “How long have you been here again? I know I said it before, but I’m surprised you haven’t heard of this place. It’s pretty popular in your circles.”
I knew by ‘your circles’ that he meant demons. “I’m only a half,” I said. “You know how that goes.”
His expression darkened. “Yes, I certainly do. A bit of both so we belong to neither.”
“It must be different for you though,” I said. “Seraphim are more accepting of their offspring.”
He offered a rueful smile. “You’d be surprised. It’s not always that simple.”
I strained to hear him over the loud music. “This place is so packed that it’s going to be difficult to find Tommy.” Tommy the Bull owned the club and was the demon Rafe hoped could lead him to the entrance to the gray market.
“We should go to the bar. It’s a better vantage point.” He took my hand and led me through the dancing demons to the bar. The entire counter looked like it was made of lava, although it was cold and hard to the touch. The bartender was busy pouring drinks for the two vampires next to us, so we waited our turn.
“What are you having?” he asked.
I stared blankly at the rows of bottles behind the bartender. “I have no idea. I guess the mortal drinking age doesn’t apply here.”
“Definitely not. I can order for you, if you like.”
“I’m in your hands,” I said. My thoughts instinctively turned to the way his hand had felt around mine. Strong and secure. It was a nice feeling and one that I wouldn’t mind repeating.
The bartender shifted his focus to us. He sneered when he saw Rafe. “Your kind isn’t welcome here.”
I leaned across the bar and fixed him with a hard stare. “He’s with me,” I said. “If you have a problem with that you can take it up with Tommy.”
The bartender flinched at the mention of his boss’s name. “Got it. What can I get you?”
“Two volcanic rocks,” Rafe
said. He turned to me and said, “They’re very popular with this crowd. It’ll help us blend in.”
I happened to think that nothing was going to help us blend in, but I didn’t argue. Rafe paid for our drinks and we moved away from the bar. We tried to thread our way through the gyrating bodies in search of Tommy. It wasn’t easy. It seemed that every demon we passed either wanted to dance with us or took a dangerous interest in Rafe. He was brave to come here for the sake of a lead.
“I’ve never seen so many incubi and succubi in one place,” Rafe said. “Not that I’m surprised. Lots of their kind of energy here.”
Many demons were only partially clothed, exposing the more alluring parts of their bodies. It seemed that everywhere I looked, I felt the need to avert my gaze. Nowhere was safe.
“See any demons that look like someone called Tommy the Bull?” I asked.
“No. I bet he’s in one of the private areas,” he said. “Let’s check them out.” He tugged me down a narrow hallway.
“I can’t really hear you,” I yelled over the din.
He slipped behind a curtain and into an alcove and pulled me with him. “Is this better?”
I closed the curtain behind me. “A little.” I surveyed the cramped space. “Definitely no bull here. I’m not sure he would fit. What’s the point of a space this small?”
“No idea. At least we can hear each other.”
“Yes, but we can’t look for Tommy here.” Although, suddenly, I didn’t really care. I only wanted to talk to Rafe, to get to know him better. He was the one that wanted Tommy.
“I don’t mind hanging out here for a minute to stop the throbbing in my head,” Rafe said.
“Not used to noise, huh? I guess that’s what happens when you live alone.”
“Yeah, I grew up in a noisy home, so you’d think I could deal, but I’m used to quiet and solitude now.”
I tried to picture the environment he grew up in but found myself floundering for an image. “What’s the story with your parents?” I asked.
“I’m nephilim,” he said. “What do you think?”
“I honestly don’t know. It’s not something that gets discussed in my circles,” I said. The main thing we’d learned about seraphim and nephilim from the Elders was to avoid them at all costs. A lesson I’d clearly not learned very well or I wouldn’t be here now. Elder Sam rarely spoke about Dominion or his kind.
“My father is a seraph and my mother was earthbound,” he said. His fingers squeezed around the glass. “She died not long after I was born.”
“So you were raised by your father in Dominion?” I asked.
He laughed bitterly. “Not quite. Why do you think I became a Watcher? There wasn’t really any other place for me.”
“But your father knew about you,” I said. “He didn’t…” I nearly said “want you,” but I realized how awful that sounded. “Was he too upset about the death of your mother to care for you properly?”
“That’s very sweet, Cassia. No, my father had no special attachment to my mother. He’s fathered many like me over the centuries. I met him once though.”
I nearly spat my drink all over his shoes. “You met your father once?”
“Many of his offspring were raised in the Silver City together,” Rafe said. “My father lived elsewhere, but one year he decided to pay us a visit. He wanted to choose a favorite to take back with him.” He looked away. “He chose my half-brother, a boy called Solomon. We never saw either one of them again. It was after that I was chosen to train as a Watcher.” He fell silent and I got the sense that the memories haunted him.
I set down my drink on the bench. “If it’s any consolation, I never knew either of my parents. They abandoned me after I was born.”
He looked at me with a pained expression. “I’m sorry, Cassia. They didn’t deserve you if they were willing to throw you away like garbage.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I like to think that they died, not because I’m evil, of course, but because it somehow seems less painful than not being wanted by those who created you.”
His blue eyes glimmered with understanding. “How did you survive?”
“Fortunately, I was taken care of by someone,” I said. “It’s her murder I’m trying to solve. Her name was Mariska.” I realized that I was treading in dangerous territory. I felt terrible that I couldn’t be honest with him when he’d just been so open with me, but I couldn’t betray the academy.
“I’m so sorry…” He set down his drink next to mine and locked on my face. “They killed the woman who raised you? Cassia…”
My throat thickened. “I’m going to find the one responsible. I’m going to take back the book and bring her killer to justice.”
His stare intensified. “Has anyone ever told you that your eyes look like the clouds of a gathering storm?”
I turned away so he could no longer see them. “How poetic.”
He chuckled. “You don’t seem impressed.”
“If I wanted poetry, I’d open a book.”
“Too bad you don’t have a phone,” he said. “You could Google one.”
I looked back at him, smiling. Before I could respond, Rafe fastened his lips to mine. I was as pleased as I was surprised. My hands moved to cup the back of his head and my fingers slid beneath his silken hair. His body pressed harder against mine as the kiss deepened. Although I could scarcely breathe, I didn’t care. The only air I wanted to swallow was the air we currently shared. Rafe seemed to feel the same because I felt his strong hands tighten on my waist. We both seemed to have forgotten the reason we were here.
“Who’s in there?” a voice demanded. “That space is off limits.”
The curtain rustled and we broke apart.
“Oh, right,” the horned demon said, noticing our embrace. “Listen, lovebirds. Tommy’s on his way and he wants the kissing booth for him and his new friend.”
“Kissing booth?” Rafe asked.
The demon frowned. “Didn’t you know? You’re in the enchanted kissing booth, bro.”
The curtain was jerked further aside, and this time the voice was less forgiving. “What the devil do you think you’re doing in my private space?” The demon sported a bull’s head with horns, a stout body, and gryphon wings. His lower half appeared human. Tommy the Bull, presumably.
I cut a glance at Rafe and saw that his cheeks burned from embarrassment. I wasn’t sure whether the shame was a result of being caught kissing or being caught kissing demonspawn like me.
“We’re so sorry, sir,” Rafe said. “We meant to leave, but time got away from us.”
Tommy seemed to soften. “It isn’t every day one of your kind gives me the respect I deserve.” His gaze flickered to me. “Nice choice, by the way. It isn’t often you see angels and demons together unless one is trying to vanquish the other.”
“No vanquishing here,” I said. “Isn’t that right, muffin?”
Rafe’s brow lifted. “Absolutely, my…flower.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
“We’d like a word with you while we’re here, if you don’t mind,” Rafe said. “It’s a matter of great importance to the Watchers.”
Tommy shoved the curtain closed behind him, making the alcove a tight squeeze. “What do I care what’s of great importance to the Watchers? They certainly don’t care what’s important to me.”
“It’s my job to protect this city,” Rafe began.
“I’m not stopping you,” Tommy said. “Protect it all you like.”
Rafe seemed to grow frustrated. “The gray market, sir, I need to know…”
Tommy cut him off with a sharp look. “I don’t know anything about the gray market, so you can stop right there. Now if you’ll excuse me, my friend is outside here and would like to join me. She’s a karma demon, so I certainly don’t want to keep her waiting.” He moved his hand to the curtain.
“I need to find the gray market,” I said quickly. “He’s asking
for me. Not the Watchers.”
Rafe gave me a sidelong glance but stayed quiet.
Tommy released his grip on the curtain. “What do you need at the market?”
“Something was stolen from me and I have reason to believe it’s going to turn up there,” I said. Once I said the words aloud, there seemed to be a ring of truth to them. “I need to make sure that I’m present so that I can buy it back. I don’t want any trouble. I just want the return of what’s rightfully mine.”
Tommy studied me. “You’re going to buy back something that already belongs to you?”
I shrugged. “What choice do I have? They went to a lot of trouble to steal it. They’re not going to hand it back to me for free.”
Tommy licked his lips. “Okay, fine, but you didn’t hear it from me. The entrance pops up when the market’s open and never in the same spot. A business associate mentioned it yesterday because he thought I might be interested in checking it out. He said go to the portal at Fifth and Arch.”
“The burial ground?” Rafe asked.
“Like I said, that’s the last I heard. I don’t go to the market. Not my thing.” His expression hardened. “You might want to take precautions when you go. Even if you don’t intend to start trouble, it doesn’t mean trouble won’t find you.”
“Thank you,” I said. “You’ve been more helpful than you know.”
Tommy gave a gruff nod and opened the curtain, a clear signal that it was time for us to leave. Rafe and I grabbed our drinks from the bench and returned to the main floor of the club. I sucked down the rest of it in an effort to calm my nerves. Between kissing Rafe and dealing with Tommy the Bull, I was a wreck inside.
“Thanks for helping out back there,” Rafe said. “I don’t think he would’ve given me the information without you.”
“Oh, he definitely wouldn’t have. Maybe the Watchers need to add a demon to their team. We come in handy.” I hiccupped and clamped a hand over my mouth.
Rafe suppressed a smile. “Feeling okay, Cassia? I don’t suppose you’d like another volcanic rock?”
I shook my head mutely. The mere thought of the red and black liquid made me want to puke. “What’s in those drinks anyway?”
Demonspawn Academy: Trial One Page 9