“She’s over there. I’ll get the supplies,” said Tessa.
In another corner of the basement was a couch and I saw Dakota sitting at one end. She wore earphones plugged into a tablet resting against her bent legs, her gaze fixed on the screen. Once she realized she wasn’t alone, she looked up from the device and pulled the earphones out.
“You’re back.”
“Yeah, had some things to take care of,” I said.
Dakota closed the tablet’s cover and set it on a small coffee table in front of her. She rose from the couch and stretched, then came over to Tessa and myself. “Did you find out anything?”
“I think I can scratch one potential suspect off my list, but nothing really more than that,” I said.
“Fortunately, you’ve got me to help you with that. C’mon over here.” Tessa called us to a spot in the room, holding a small box in her hands. She set it on the ground and took out a can of red spray paint.
We moved by Tessa’s side, watching as she knelt and drew a circle with the spray paint, stopping to shake the can whenever necessary. Inside the circle, she drew several connecting lines, forming a unique sigil.
“What’s she doing?” whispered Dakota.
“You know how in books and movies, you see witches performing spells by dressing in robes, mixing up strange ingredients, all that stuff?” I asked.
She nodded. “What about it?”
“Mostly it’s bullshit,” I said. “Magic’s not about newt eyes or cosplay enthusiasm. It’s about harnessing the energy around you and using that energy to achieve your desires.”
“Does that mean all that self-help visualization crap is real?” she asked.
“In a way, yeah. All the accoutrements you see people use with magic are just things they use to help them focus their concentration. Could vary depending on your belief system, traditions, whatever. Now, some people are more naturally adept at this than others, and they can tap into the energy surrounding us a lot easier—people like me. But it can also be learned—Tessa’s proof of that.”
“What about Cassandra and her tarot cards?” asked Dakota.
“Perfect example; she uses them to focus her concentration.”
“Is that the same thing with you and those Latin words you use when you cast spells?”
“Yeah, exactly right. One thing that’s pretty effective is what Tessa’s doing now—preparing a sigil. It’s a way to focus concentration. Contained within the sigil is the mage’s wish. In this case, finding out the name of your baby daddy.”
“Okay, we’re set,” said Tessa, standing up and looking down at her handiwork. “Have a seat around the circle.”
I took off my trench coat and jacket, tossed them on the couch, and rolled up my sleeves. Dakota sat at one point of the circle, and when I returned, I sat at another. Tessa placed large candles on the edges of the sigil and then took her point at the circle. From her pocket, she drew a switchblade to trim hardened wax away from the burnt wicks.
“Luther, do you mind?” she asked.
I nodded. “Ignis.”
A flame suddenly lit up each candle wick. Tessa held her hands out to each of us and both Dakota and I took one of hers before linking our own together.
“I want you stare at the sigil,” said Tessa. “Clear your mind so that the sigil is the only thing you can see or think of. Forget everything else, banish all other thoughts and images. The sigil is all that matters. Now, close your eyes.”
We both did.
“All you see is black,” said Tessa. “But in the darkness, you see something bright. The sigil. It’s the only light in the darkness. So unmistakably clear. Concentrate on the sigil. Feel the energy moving through you.”
As Tessa spoke the words, the images came. The sigil was there in the dark, so bright it was practically on fire. The light it gave off…it was almost blinding, but I couldn’t look away.
“Open your eyes,” said Tessa.
We did and watched as the flames jumped from the wicks, landing on the sigil and lighting it on fire. Dakota gasped and I could feel her trying to pull away. I tightened my grip.
“Don’t break the circle,” I warned her.
I could still sense Dakota’s desire to run, but she kept herself in place. I dared to look away from the sigil so I could see her face. Her gaze was fixed on the burning symbol—I could see the flames reflected in her eyes.
The flames died down and the sigil was now glowing like hot coals. Slowly, it peeled itself from the ground, rising into the air and rotating, hovering at eye-level with us. The sigil turned, allowing us each to view it.
“Your name, demon,” said Tessa. “Tell us your name. We command you.”
The ground rumbled in response and Dakota yelped. I squeezed her hand, repeating my silent command not to break the circle. In my other hand, I felt Tessa’s grip tighten, too. I looked at her and saw her eyes were now glowing with a bright white light.
“Tell us your name!” she repeated. “Show us your face! You cannot hide from us, demon!”
Objects started to move around the room. The books in the case were thrown from their spot. Papers flitted all about us. The tablet Dakota had been watching before now turned on by itself and I could hear sound coming from it as it flipped through songs in Tessa’s music library.
And Tessa herself? She just smiled. The wind was blowing through her bright red hair, but she took it in stride. She was one witch who wouldn’t be deterred, no matter what the situation.
“I don’t scare easy, you bastard. Now tell us your name, demon!”
A loud boom reverberated, like the sound of thunder. It was a warning, that much I could tell. A powerful sense of fear took hold of my heart in an ice-cold grip. Every ounce of blood in my body froze and gooseflesh erupted over my skin.
“Something’s wrong, Tess…” I said.
But Tessa was undeterred, her voice growing more frantic. “Tell us your name!”
This wasn’t supposed to be happening. The demon in me, it was crying out in fear, scratching at the walls in an attempt to escape. My demon side was terrified of something in the room with us, almost as if it were an evolutionary response. But what could cause something like—?
Oh. Oh shit.
I knew what we were up against. I looked at Dakota, whose fear-drenched eyes were fixed on Tessa. “Dakota, let go and break the circle!”
“But you said—”
“Forget what I said, do what I’m saying! Break the circle!”
Dakota and I released our hands and we tried to do the same with Tessa, but her grip was stronger than ever. She either wouldn’t let go, or she couldn’t. And now her commands had turned to screams. The light in her eyes was growing, almost too bright for me to see anything, pouring forth from her body.
Only one chance, although I knew this was a risk. I reached for my belt where I kept the dagger sheathed. Drawing it free from its container, I brought it closer to Tessa. I felt resistance pushing against me, straining. But I kept going, drawing the blade nearer to her. As soon as I was within range, I jammed it into her leg and Tessa screamed even louder.
The winds in the room suddenly stopped and all the books and papers that had been flying around now dropped to the ground. The light was gone and there was no trace of the sigil on the floor. The music from the tablet had since stopped.
And Tessa? She was lying on the ground, my knife sticking out of her thigh and blood trickling down. I moved by her side and turned her face so I could get a good look at her. Her eyes were shut. My fingers moved down the side of her neck until I found her pulse—weak, but there. I gently slapped her cheek a few times.
“C’mon, Tess, wake up. I know you’re not dead, so quit screwing around.”
She suddenly opened her eyes as she drew in a sharp breath. Blinking a few times, she finally sat up and stared at her thigh. “Cross…why the hell is your knife in my leg?”
“Only way to break you out of the trance,” I said.
Tessa sighed. “I didn’t get a name, but I do know one thing—it’s not a demon.”
“What? But how’s that possible?”
“It’s an angel,” I said.
20
Tessa took the warm cup of herbal tea I’d just prepared for her and slowly sipped it. She made a face as she moved on the couch, her leg probably sore from where I’d stabbed her. I used a bit of magic to speed up the process a little, but it would take time for the wound to fully heal. I passed another cup to Dakota, who sat on the other end of the couch, then reached into my pocket and removed my cigarette case. While lighting a fresh cigarette, I studied Dakota’s face.
She was in a state of shock. Which was to be expected. We’d just learned that it wasn’t a demon who had impregnated Dakota. It was, in fact, an angel. And that raised all kinds of questions. Dakota herself hadn’t said a word since we’d finished the spell. She had just stood and walked over to the couch, where she’d sat ever since.
“You got another one of those, Luther?” asked Tessa, pointing at my cigarette.
I took one out of my case and passed it to Tessa. She held it between her lips so I could light it with my Zippo.
“Thought you quit,” I said.
“Yeah, well, I need one after what just happened,” she said.
“Sorry about stabbing you. The knife’s mystic properties disrupted your connection with the angel. Otherwise, if you’d looked at him much longer, your eyeballs might’ve exploded.”
Tessa slowly exhaled, the cigarette trembling in her hand. “Yeah, I know. Thanks. Just don’t make a habit of it.”
I grinned and dragged on my cigarette as I circled around the couch. I looked down at the spot where the sigil had been and where the candles remained, unlit. With a deep breath, I turned away, trying to put the scene out of my head. Demons, I could take. Even archdemons. But tussling with an angel? That was a whole new level of danger for me.
“An angel…” muttered Dakota; the first thing she’d said since we learned the truth. Tessa perked right up, leaning closer to the blond girl while I came around the front of the couch and knelt in front of her.
“You okay, kid?” I asked.
Dakota was staring past me, like she was completely disconnected. She finally blinked, and her eyes met mine. “My baby is an angel?”
“Not quite,” I said. “Angel-human hybrids are called nephilim.”
“They’re also extinct,” said Tessa.
“What do you mean?” asked Dakota.
I rose to my feet and took a few steps back, looking out over the room. “It’s what led to the armistice between Heaven and Hell. Back in the early days of the world, angels and demons were at each other’s throats for who would get to control the destiny of mankind. They also had a penchant for mating with humans, producing cambions and nephilim. Problem was, these beings? They were shunned by all sides. Both Heaven and Hell saw them as abominations, and mankind was understandably frightened by their power.
“So they went into hiding. Cambions evolved over the centuries, becoming different types of monsters—vampires, werewolves, you name it. But it was different for the nephilim. You see, angels are hard-wired to obey. It’s in their nature. But free will is a trait that humans possess in spades. So there’s this war going on in each nephilim between its human and angel side. That constant push and pull between obedience and freedom, especially when there’s no one to obey because Heaven shunned them all…it drove a lot of nephilim insane. They became violent, intent on destroying the worlds that created and despised them.”
I paused for a second to take a drag on my cigarette, then continued.
“Eventually, it became too much. A rare alliance between the Divine Choir and the Infernal Court was struck, and together, angels and demons rid the world of the nephilim in a massive display of power.
“After that, the two sides signed an armistice agreement. The terms in there were specific on a few points—no more direct interference in human affairs; angels and demons could only act as influencers. And no more hybrids. They didn’t want a repeat of the nephilim incident.”
“But the cambions that already changed?” asked Dakota.
“They went into hiding, emerged later. They weren’t anywhere near as destructive as the nephilim, so they were allowed to stay,” said Tessa.
“But people know about you, right?” asked Dakota, looking up at me. “You fight demons, you talk to angels. Why don’t they kill you?”
“Because I’m useful, and I’ve got connections,” I said. “Cambions are still known to be born, but it’s mostly low-level demons who are behind those births. The archdemons respect the armistice.”
“And now we’ve got an angel breaking it?” asked Tessa. “You ever hear anything like that before?”
I shook my head. An angel going against the Divine Choir was a serious breach. To my knowledge, there had only been one time in history when that had happened—the Fall. Lucifer rebelled and it sparked a revolution that had nearly burned Heaven to ash. For something like that to happen again…the consequences could be pretty dire.
“So this means the Minister was telling the truth?” asked Dakota. “He was working for Heaven?”
“I doubt it; more like he’s working for a rogue angel. Which is pretty bad itself.”
“Hey, Luther?” Tessa cringed a little as she moved, standing from the couch. “Got time for a quick word?”
“Sure, no problem.”
I crushed my cigarette in the ashtray and held my hand out for Tessa so she could use me as a human crutch. I led her over to the kitchen area, and she turned so that she had her back turned to the corner in which Dakota sat.
She glanced over her shoulder a few times at the pregnant girl, then finally looked at me, whispering. “You know this is bad,” she said. “You have to go back to Eden and tell Raziel what’s going on here.”
“Not yet,” I whispered back.
“What? Are you nuts? She’s pregnant with a nephilim, Luther! That’s how she was able to kill that man. And if that thing gets out, there’s no telling what damage it will cause.”
“I get that, believe me,” I said. “But it’s not that simple. The angels have a tendency to smite first and ask questions later. I was able to reach an arrangement with Raziel, but that was because we thought we were dealing with a cambion. When it’s a nephilim we’re talking about, that’s a very different story. He won’t give me a chance to figure out what’s really going on.”
Tessa huffed and folded her arms over her chest, resting her weight on her good leg. “And what’s going on?”
“The Minister has three other girls captive, that we know of. He’s going to try again. This isn’t just about a nephilim coming into creation, it’s about someone actively breeding them.”
“Why would anyone do that?”
“If you ask me, someone’s trying to build an army.”
Tessa’s mouth opened and her eyes looked like they might pop out of their sockets.
I looked past her, back at Dakota on the couch. “I need you to watch her for a little bit longer,” I said.
“Me? I’m just a witch. What if that kid’s father decides to come knocking? It’ll take more than some lightning bolts and fireballs to keep an angel away.”
I sighed. “You’re right. We need more protection.”
“Where are we gonna find that in Chicago?”
“We’re not. We have to go on a little trip. I’ve got a safe house we can keep her in for now.”
“A safe house? Where?”
“A cabin out in Fox Lake,” I said. “We’ll take Dakota there. Very few people know about it and I’ve got all sorts of warding already set up.”
“Against angels?”
“Against everything. Far as the angels or demons are concerned, the place is invisible. They can’t find her there.”
Tessa took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, her eyes fixed on the floor as she considered her options. “I don’t know, Luther. This all seems way too big for me.”
I placed both hands on Tessa’s shoulders. “I need your help on this. I can’t watch her and investigate the Minister at the same time, and if I’m going to have any hope of finding which angel is behind this, it starts with the Minister.”
Something was wrong. I could feel a pit in my stomach, and the hairs on the back of my neck started to stand on end. I moved Tessa away and took a few steps closer towards Dakota. She was hunched over on the couch, but there was a flicker of light around her.
“Dakota…?” I asked, carefully moving closer. “You okay, girl?”
I heard her start to giggle. About what, I had no idea. But I was pretty certain this wasn’t a good sign. She turned her head and looked at me. Her blue eyes had changed; the irises were now a deep purple. And they glowed.
Oh yeah, definitely not a good sign.
The purple eyes flashed, and the next thing I knew, my back hit the cabinets above the counter. I was further away from Dakota now and, try as I might, I couldn’t move, pinned to the cabinets by her power.
“Luther!” screamed Tessa, moving to come to my aid.
“Stay back!” I shouted at her, but it was too late.
Dakota had already risen off the couch and now hovered above the ground. She pointed at Tessa and then made a sweeping motion with her arm, bringing it to the side. Tessa’s body involuntarily followed that motion, and she slammed against the refrigerator before falling to the ground.
“I know what you were talking about,” said Dakota, hovering closer to me, staring up into my eyes. “You were talking about my baby, weren’t you? You want to hurt it.”
“Y-you don’t understand,” I said.
Dakota laid her hands on her stomach, staring down at herself lovingly. “You tried to tell me it was evil. That it was a demon. But you were wrong.”
“This isn’t you, Dakota,” I said. “This is the nephilim talking. It’s working its will through you.”
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