I yawned, checking my watch. “How long was I out?”
“Roughly seven hours,” the demon replied in a nonchalant voice.
I eyed him before sitting up in my seat and reaching for the bottled water the flight attendant had been nice enough to leave me. “Been reading this whole time?”
“Well, the first in-flight movie was The Last Airbender, so yes.”
I choked on the water in mid-swallow, laughing at the utter scorn in his voice. “Good call. After she saw that movie, Jordan asked me if Shymalan was one of you.”
Belial smirked. “Come now. Not even demons are that evil.”
I chuckled and screwed the cap on my water. Belial was definitely a prick, but he could be pretty damn funny when he wanted to be. “Fair enough. What are you reading?”
“Doing some research on the Leviathan. It’s a rather popular figure in mythology. I’ve never seen it myself, so I figure I should be prepared in case the situation presents itself.”
His explanation made perfect sense. Thus, I became suspicious. Belial could easily facilitate the betrayal that the cult prophesized. He had always been known for his cunning even in the earlier days of history. I only hoped that the translation we got from the Symphony of Time would be more specific about who would betray whom.
“Mm. Expect the unexpected and all that,” I said, grabbing my backpack from underneath the seat. I had shoved a bunch of books in it because I hadn’t gotten the time to read in a long while. Truthfully, I just wanted an excuse not to pick a fight with Belial until we were at ground level and could properly rip each other a new one.
“I can finish this later,” the demon answered, setting his book aside. He linked his fingers together and set his pale eyes on me, his face unnervingly blank. “I thought we could take a moment to get reacquainted.”
I let out a dry chuckle. “Are you serious?”
Belial shrugged. “We’re both men. Perhaps we can find some sort of common ground.”
“We lost the last common ground we had when you fell from Heaven. I think it’s best if we focus on the mission and not on each other.”
“And we will be unable to do so until this tension is addressed.”
I stared at him and then lifted an eyebrow. “Are you coming on to me?”
Belial rolled his eyes. “Vanity does not befit an archangel.”
“Your crappy phrasing isn’t my fault.”
“I am interested in your wife.”
I went very still. Anger crept up my stomach, spilled through my arms and my spine until it consumed my entire person. But this wasn’t the time or the place for it, so I merely sat back in the chair and crossed my arms.
Belial continued now that he had gotten my undivided attention. “I have made it clear to her and so I will do the same for you.”
“I’d consider that a chivalric gesture if you actually had a chance with her,” I replied with a sneer. “So what’s your point? Do you want to have a duel? I’d be happy to whip out a glove and smack you with it.”
He ignored my sarcasm. “I am telling you this because up until this point, I have played by the rules. Once this case has been resolved, I will not stop until she is mine. I felt it necessary to inform you because I don’t want you to cry foul once I’ve made my move.”
“So this is your version of being fair?”
“Yes.”
“That’s damn civil of you, Belial. I wish you all the luck in the world.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “You’re not taking me seriously.”
“Oh, trust me, I’m taking you seriously,” I said, permitting some of the fury to slip through into my voice. “But I already know how this story ends so if you want to play mind games, try it with somebody more insecure. I know what you’re doing. I’ve known for a while. You’re trying to play Jordan and me against each other because you think that I’ll break her heart and she’ll come looking for you. If you’re waiting for that to happen, better grab a book ‘cause you’re gonna be waiting for eternity.”
“That is one thing you archangels never learned. Your victories are always handed to you, and so you no longer appreciate patience. You’re always concerned with the battles, never the war. I see the big picture. Sooner or later, she will give in to me. It’s just a matter of time.”
“Are you sure you’re not mistaking your arrogance for patience?”
The cold smile on his lips stretched. “Quite sure. Do we understand each other, archangel?”
“Perfectly.”
“Excellent.” Then he picked up his book and opened it as if we hadn’t just been talking about him planning to steal my wife. Wonders never ceased.
I took a deep breath to settle my rattled nerves and fished the laptop out of my backpack. After a minute or so, the demon spoke again.
“And for the record, I was coming on to you.”
“Shut up and read, Belial.”
* * *
THE PLANE ARRIVED at Guarulhos International Airport at half-past five in the afternoon. As soon as we landed, I tried to call Jordan and let her know we were on the ground, but her phone went straight to voicemail. It worried me, but I pushed past my paranoia and focused on the task at hand.
Belial arranged for his people to wait for the rogue angel’s arrival. He left the States hours ahead of us so we would be playing catch up, but hopefully not by too much. The demon’s henchmen spotted him hitching a ride into a small city outside of downtown São Paulo. They would report back when they knew where he got off. For now, Belial and I were headed for a hotel to wait for their call.
We split a taxi to the Hilton at Morumbi—a wealthy district of São Paulo that was several miles from downtown. I had taken care of paying for the flight so Belial booked two rooms right next door to each other. I knew it would be fruitless to insist that we stay in a less opulent place. Belial was oddly like Gabriel in that he believed in taking advantage of luxury whenever there was an opportunity. He had amassed a fortune over the centuries in business ventures and economic advisement. He used different names and different bodies, but the money always stayed close at hand.
I slipped the doorman a generous tip as he left, then went to the window to look out at the city below. We were on the tenth floor of the shimmering silver hotel and so I could see for miles. I’d never been in this part of the city before. The São Paulo I knew was not the decadent part, but rather the seedy underbelly where honest people struggled to get by. Crime was thick in this town, both the blue and white-collar sort. The city had made progress over the years, but some things would never change no matter how pretty you dressed it up.
Belial remained in the doorway, calling over to me. “Don’t get too comfy. I expect my men will be calling soon.”
“Got it.”
“Heard from the wife yet?”
I turned my head and frowned at him. He chuckled. “Forget I asked. Até logo, archangel.”
With that, he shut the door behind him. I shook my head and shrugged out of my jacket, tossing it on the bed. It was a shame I had to be here under such unpleasant circumstances. I had thought about taking Jordan to Brazil someday. Going to Edmonton was the first time she had ever left America. She still hadn’t been to Madrid, her mother’s birthplace, and I wanted to take her there for our official honeymoon after the wedding. Jordan thought it was silly to make a Bucket List, but I secretly kept one in my head for her. Our lives were hectic, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t have a few dreams left in us.
I unpacked the notebook containing the lyrics to my songs and started editing. I became completely consumed in the work until I glanced at my watch. I had been sitting here an hour with no word from Belial. Suspicious.
I closed my eyes and let my energy flood out of me. He hadn’t left his room. I could feel his presence there, which meant the rogue angel was still en route to wherever he was going. Or maybe Belial’s henchmen had run into trouble. I hoped it was the former rather than the latter. We couldn’t find
the rogue angel’s energy ourselves because he had learned to mask it, making him blend in with everyone else. Most experienced angels and demons knew how to do that, but the Seers unfortunately could not mask their energy without being taught how. I had taught Jordan how to do it a while back, but she wasn’t an expert just yet. It took a certain amount of control that she was still working on.
A few minutes later, there was a knock at my door. I opened it to find Belial in casual clothing, which was rare for him because he mostly wore suits. I suspected it was to prevent drawing too much attention to himself. He wore a white button-up shirt and black jeans. It bears mentioning that the ensemble probably cost just under five hundred dollars.
“Looks like this is taking longer than I thought,” he said. “I propose we find ourselves some food and get acquainted with the local culture.”
I eyed him. It sounded like the reasonable thing to do, which made me even more wary than usual of him. “Right.”
I went back into the hotel room and grabbed my jacket as well as the card for the room. I closed the door behind me and followed the demon to the elevator. It still struck me as surreal that I was traveling with one of my enemies as if we were friends. Then again, long ago, Belial had been one of my brothers. I never told Jordan, but before the Fall I had even liked Belial. Back in Heaven, he was very popular among the other angels because of his eloquence. Being around him again reminded me of those days before everything had literally gone to Hell.
“What sort of food are you feeling?” the demon said once we had reached the lobby of the hotel. “There are some American restaurants around this area, but I know of some good local places if you want that instead.”
“I can eat American food whenever I want. Let’s go local.”
“Very well.” We both stood on the sidewalk and flagged down a cab. Belial gave the driver our destination—a Brazilian steakhouse—and we were off. A while later, we stopped in front of a crowded place with a red tower and Fogo de Chão in black letters. Belial gave the name James Brennan, one of his known aliases, to the maitre’d, who nearly tripped over himself welcoming us. The demon had definitely worked this area before.
The interior was nearly all wood—from the floors to the chairs—and chandeliers hung from the ceiling above the tables. The areas were open rather than arranged with booths like at other places. I had heard about Brazilian steakhouses before and couldn’t pretend like I wasn’t interested in trying the food and the infamous All-You-Can-Eat carved meats.
A waiter came up and showed us to our seats. He explained how the restaurant worked, with little cards that had a green side to indicate you wanted more food and a red side to indicate you’d had enough. Belial ordered a glass of wine while I went for a soda. I didn’t drink while working. Maybe later, after we’d caught the murderer.
“So what’s the game plan after my men find the rogue angel?” Belial asked, crossing his arms and meeting my gaze.
I folded my hands on the table. “Recovering the page from the Book of Time is my first priority. You’ll be the one more concentrated on stopping him.”
“You don’t want to exact revenge yourself?”
“This isn’t about revenge. It’s about justice.”
“Bullshit.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t pretend like this isn’t personal. You may have Jordan fooled, but I know you better than you think. You want this man dead for hurting your wife.”
“Are you sure you’re not projecting your feelings onto me?”
The humor slid out of Belial’s face. I could tell I had gotten close to the central issue, at the very least. “I find it cute that you think I still have feelings.”
It was my turn to smirk. “I know you too, James. You also have Jordan fooled into thinking that this is all about power and possession.”
“Fine. What do you think I want?”
“I know you want power, probably more than anyone save your master, but the way you’ve fixated on Jordan makes me think there’s more going on than you want to admit.”
“What makes you say that?”
“You forget that I knew Zora.”
His posture stiffened, but his expression never changed. “So?”
“They have a lot of the same traits. Maybe you do want Jordan and maybe you remember what it was like having Zora around and you miss her.”
“Careful,” Belial said, his voice soft but threatening. “To imply that I miss a mere human might inspire me to break the agreement we have in place.”
The waiter returned with Belial’s selection of wine and poured him a glass. Red wine, of course, to go with the red meat. He continued staring at me as if he wanted to tear my throat out and drink my blood instead. Even in the crowded restaurant, I could feel his hostile energy pouring off of him in waves. I’d definitely struck a nerve. Good. Belial delighted in playing head-games with me, but he often forgot I could do the same thing to him.
“How’s the wine?”
“Delicious,” he answered after a sip, setting the glass down on the table and waving the waiter away. One of the many gaucho chefs moving about the restaurant came by with the first selection of meat, which he introduced as picanha—a type of top sirloin. The intense conversation dropped for a minute or two while we ate the delectable food.
“You should know I intend to use lethal force,” Belial said after a while. The anger had disappeared, replaced with that unnerving calm he was a master of, even while saying or doing terrible things. “Are you sure you won’t stop me at the last minute? Edmond is one of you, after all.”
“He was one of us,” I corrected. “We now have to consider him to be one of the Fallen. I won’t hesitate and I won’t try to save him.”
A ghost of a smile touched Belial’s lips. “That sounds rather cold for an angel. Shouldn’t you be offering him a chance to repent? Isn’t forgiveness part of your whole heavenly schtick?”
I shook my head. “He lost that chance when he confronted Gabriel. It’s too late.”
“So you’re saying there are some sins one can commit that are unforgivable?” the demon simpered. “How un-angelic of you.”
I frowned. He was pushing my buttons and I knew it, but it still annoyed me. “I’m not saying he’s unforgivable, but he has to be held accountable for his actions. The rules in place for angels are different from the ones for humans. You’re oversimplifying the entire process.”
“Perhaps, but you seem to be handling this situation like a demon. Conspiring with the enemy to eliminate a target, use of lethal force, hunting him down like an animal…maybe you and I are more alike than you think.”
“Are you really trying that cliché on me?”
Belial shrugged. “Sometimes clichés are based on facts, my friend.”
I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying, “I’m not your friend.” It should have been easy to shake off his words, but I couldn’t manage it. Our current methods were less noble than usual when fighting evil. I had gotten my hands dirty before many times, but never against one of my brothers. Maybe, just maybe, Belial had a point.
The chefs continued bringing us different types of meat and I got pretty full by the time Belial’s cell phone finally rang. I watched with trepidation as he answered it, saying “yes” a few times before hanging up.
“Was it your men?”
Belial merely smiled and flagged down our waiter. “Check, please. We’ve got a murder to commit.”
Chapter 15
Jordan
I WAS SITTING on the couch watching T.V. when the doorbell rang and nearly scared me out of my seat. It took me a second to calm down. Ever since the rogue angel, whenever I heard a doorbell or someone knocking, I jumped out of my skin. Great. First, an intense fear of cats thanks to Belial, and now doorbells. I really was a nut job.
There wasn’t a UPS or FedEx guy outside when I checked the peephole. In fact, there was no one there at all. When I opened the door
, I found a small box sitting on the welcome mat. I glanced up and down the hallway, but still didn’t see anyone. The box had my name and apartment number on it. No return address. Curious.
I picked it up and shut the door, locking it before taking the box into the kitchen. It wasn’t very heavy, but there was something solid inside. Maybe a gift from Michael to cheer me up while I waited for him to come home? He sometimes did sweet little things like this to make me feel better when he had to travel.
I pulled the tape off the sides, opened the box, and found a white card on top of a cluster of tissue paper. The front of the card had my name in capital letters, nothing else. I flipped it open and read.
Since Mr. Wallace was kind enough to lend you a hand, I thought you might like to keep it.
-L.B.
“What the hell?” I muttered, poking through the tissue paper to see what was inside. The thin tissue parted to reveal something pale and almost waxy looking. For a second, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing because I didn’t want to, but reality tore through my mind and made me realize I was staring at a man’s severed hand. The thick fingers and the silver class ring were a dead giveaway.
Wallace’s right hand.
Lamont had given me Wallace’s hand.
Revulsion, disgust, and sheer panic crept up my stomach. I stumbled over to the sink just in time to vomit. Stomach acid burned my throat as I retched, tears streaming from my eyes, sobs clogging my lungs like poisonous gas. A hand. He sent me a human hand and it was all my fault.
I clutched the sink as I began to hyperventilate. My shoulders quaked as I fumbled for my cell phone, hitting speed dial. The phone rang and I could hear myself hoarsely chanting, “Oh God, pick up, please God, pick up the phone…”
“Hello?”
Paranormal After Dark Page 224