Devil's Shadow (Luther Cross Book 3)

by Percival Constantine

  “Are you willing to go that far?” asked Thomas. “To kill the man you love in order to save the world?”

  Celeste hesitated and looked back at Wayne and Hem. Then she faced Thomas and finally said, “If that’s what it comes down to, then yes.”

  Just outside the Chicago city limits, in one of the many forest preserves found throughout the state of Illinois, the chill winter night was disturbed by sudden waves of heat. They created distortions in the air, rippling and coalescing together towards a single point. That point grew larger until a flaming tear in reality appeared in the center. As the tear increased, a figure stepped through the portal.

  He was tall and lean, clothed in slacks and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the collar open, all covered by a vest matching his pants. The moonlight reflected off his pale, bald head and his yellow eyes burned bright in the darkness.

  Centuries had passed since the last time Belial had set foot out of Hell. He wasn’t happy to be here. He preferred the pit. The sweet smell of sulfur, the screams of the damned, the freedom to do whatever he pleased. Belial longed to return there, to resume his fun.

  But Lucifer had a mission for him and Belial had pledged his eternal loyalty to the Morningstar. It was an oath he took seriously, even if it meant he had to walk among the hairless apes that populated this insignificant little mudball.

  Belial heard a growl behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, and in the darkness, he saw a beast moving on four legs, inching closer to him. Its limbs were taut, lips curled back to reveal fanged teeth, and yellow eyes that glowed.

  This was no simple coyote. Belial recognized the face of his master inside the beast and relaxed his stance. He got down on one knee and bowed his head in front of the animal. The coyote relaxed as well, covering its teeth and padding closer to the demon.

  “Welcome to Earth, my warrior,” said the coyote, speaking in the voice of the Morningstar.

  “Your wish is my command,” said Belial. “But why am I here?”

  The coyote licked its lips and continued. “Lilith is here. She’s escaped Hell and now she may pose a threat to everything we’ve spent centuries trying to build. I need you to find her and bring her back to me.”

  “Is that all?”

  “You don’t find that enough of a challenge?”

  “The first human to fall shouldn’t pose any difficulty, Sire.”

  “She’s not alone; she’s working with someone else,” said Lucifer. “A cambion by the name of Luther Cross.”

  “Then I’ll kill him. It’s been far too long since I slaughtered a half-breed mongrel.”

  “No!” The coyote barked. “Cross may still have a role to play. I need him alive for the time being.”

  Belial bowed his head in contrition. “I apologize, my liege. Of course, I will serve the will of the Morningstar.”

  “This is why I chose you, Belial. Not only are you the fiercest warrior Hell has ever seen, but none could ever question your loyalty to me.”

  “How should I find them?” asked Belial.

  “Lilith has taken command of a place once occupied by Asmodeus. But before you pursue them, I think there is someone else you should speak with.”

  “Who?”

  “There is a demon who likely has useful knowledge of Cross. Seek him out and see what he has to say.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “Serve me well, Belial, and I will reward your loyalty.”

  The coyote backed away, the glow vanishing from its eyes. It suddenly shook its head and then tilted its head to the side, examining Belial. Then, the coyote yelped and turned around, darting back into the forest.

  24

  I woke up to sunlight filtering in through the windows of Asmodeus’ former apartment. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes, cringing as I moved. My back felt sore. I reached a hand over my shoulder to try and touch. There was scar tissue and it felt more raw than the rest of my skin, causing me to flinch when I touched it.

  Lilith still lay next to me, asleep in the bed. The sheet was pulled up to her chest, just over her breasts. Her red hair splayed out on the pillow, and looking at her face, you’d think she was the most innocent creature on the planet.

  Obviously, I knew better. I looked at the clock, which read it was just past noon. Lilith seemed to be in a deep sleep and there was something I wanted to check on. I thought about taking a shower here, but didn’t want to risk the chance of her waking up.

  I did want to take the stone with me, though. Something told me it wasn’t a good idea to leave it in Lilith’s possession. Last time I had seen it was on the table. After dressing, I went to retrieve it, but found a surprise. The stone wasn’t on the coffee table.

  Maybe it had gotten knocked down when Lilith and I started getting physical? I dropped to the floor and checked under the table, then the furniture. When I couldn’t find it, I leaned back and sat on the floor, shaking my head as I tried to think of where it might have gone.

  “Looking for this?”

  My head started up, and I saw Lilith standing nearby, a red silk robe draped over her body and tied at her waist. The stone rested in the palm of her outstretched hand. I stood and walked over to her, offering my own hand.

  “Give it over,” I said.

  “We had a deal.” She closed her hand and put it behind her back. “Now you’re trying to renege on it?”

  “No, just wanna be safe,” I said. “This stone’s pretty damn powerful—last thing we need is it falling into the wrong hands.”

  “That’s why it’s staying here,” said Lilith. “Bad enough Celeste knows we’re working together and up to something…can’t let anyone else find out.”

  “Or what?” I asked. “What happens if the whole world finds out a demon is trying to do something selfish? That’s standard operating procedure.”

  “Not like this,” said Lilith. “If this goes sideways, it’s my ass on the line, so I have to take things carefully.”

  “Then let me put the stone somewhere safe, where no one can find it.”

  “It’s already in a place like that.”

  “Dammit, Lilith!” I reached out and grabbed the arm behind her back, forcefully pulling it towards me. “Just hand over the st—”

  As I pried open Lilith’s fingers, I saw something unexpected—the stone wasn’t in her hand at all. When she’d hidden it behind her back, she must have cast some sort of spell on it, transported it elsewhere. Or she’d created an illusion of the stone just now.

  “Where is it?” I asked.

  “You’re the one who said we should put it somewhere safe where no one else can find it,” she said. “I did just that.”

  I felt an urge to melt her face off. She must have seen the angry expression I wore, just as I was sure my eyes were burning with crimson intensity right about now. I could feel the hellfire scratching beneath the surface of my clenched fist and I wanted nothing more than to give it a release.

  But no. I stopped and kept my composure. I calmed myself and opened my fist, which actually made it easier for the hellfire to control. Lilith looked at me with interest.

  “Things are about to get very interesting for us, Luther. Why don’t you stick around here for a while? I can make us breakfast.”

  “You cook?”

  “No, but I have people who do.” She stepped forward and placed her hand on my chest, sliding it over my abdomen and closer to my crotch. “What do you say? Brunch and a fun little activity afterwards?”

  I grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away. “No,” I said. “I’m not playing any games. You let me know when you’re ready to use that stone. Until then, I’ve got more important things to do with my life.”

  I released her hand and turned my back on her, walking to the exit. As soon as I reached the foot of the stairs, the portal leading back into Lust opened up. I stepped through it without casting a final glance back to see if Lilith had followed. As soon as I stepped out of the portal back into her o
ffice at the club, it just vanished.

  My car was still at my building, so I had to take a ride-share to get home for a shower and a fresh set of clothes. The hot water stung against my back where Lilith had scratched at my flesh. After dressing, I took a duffle bag from the closet and packed up some things. I had a feeling Celeste and Wayne wouldn’t just leave things be after last night, so had to expect to go on the run for a bit.

  I finished packing up the clothes and went into the bathroom for my toiletries. When I caught sight of myself in the mirror, I did a double-take. My reflection was the more demonic version of myself I had seen in Purgatory during the dreamwalk. It was only for a fraction of a second—all I had to do was blink and my reflection returned to normal.

  I needed to get answers, and I knew Lilith didn’t have all of them. Even if she did, I doubted she would give me the full story. My meeting with Gabriel still raised a big red flag in my head. At first, I was relieved that I wasn’t at risk of Raziel coming after me. But now, I had to wonder just what all this enhanced demonic activity meant Eden was up to.

  I left my building and took the Camaro down to Willis Tower. Didn’t matter if it was the middle of the day; Eden remained open twenty-four-seven. I walked into the tower’s front entrance and climbed into the elevator. After the last of the passengers departed, I drew a sigil above the button panel and muttered an incantation. The air distorted and a white button appeared, which I pressed.

  The elevator went up even faster this time, and when the doors open, a white light filled the small box. I stepped out and set foot into Eden, the extra-dimensional night club run by Raziel, which served as an embassy of sorts on Earth for Heaven.

  I started walking through the club. Whenever I visited here, I always drew uncomfortable stares from the others mingling in the club. Very few demons were ever allowed to set foot into Eden. Cambions, even less so. But an exception had been made for me because Raziel thought I was useful. Didn’t matter if the boss said it was okay—the decision still didn’t sit well with most.

  This time, though, the looks were downright hostile. I wouldn’t have been surprised if someone broke out a flaming sword and tried to cut off my head. In fact, part of me thought that just might liven things up a bit.

  I walked to the bar and looked the bartender in the eye. He glanced at me and then flinched, quickly looking away. But he didn’t come over, didn’t ask me to wait a minute, just pretended that he didn’t even see me.

  And so I slammed my fist against the white countertop.

  That drew not only the bartender’s attention, but everyone else’s. They started to back away from me. I met their frightened gazes and grinned. “I’m just trying to get some service here.”

  The bartender approached. “Something I can help you with?”

  “Glenlivet, rocks,” I said. “And I’d like a word with Raz.”

  “I can get you the drink, but I’m afraid meeting with Raziel is out of the question.”

  I tilted my head to the side. “And why’s that?”

  “He’s very busy at the moment, isn’t taking any visitors.”

  “Then you should tell him Luther Cross is here and we have some things to talk about.”

  “I’m sorry, I really can’t.”

  He finished pouring the drink and set it in front of me. When he tried to walk away, I reached over the counter, grabbing his arm. The bartender looked at me, fear in his eyes. I narrowed mine. “You and I both know Raz isn’t here, but there’s gotta be someone else in charge. I’ll talk to him. Tell him it’s about Luxton.”

  “Luxton…? I don’t—”

  “You don’t have to understand, you just have to convey the message.”

  He nodded, and I released him. I rested on the stool and sipped my drink, watching as he walked to the other side of the bar and picked up a phone, speaking hastily into it. I let my eyes wander over the crowd at the club. A few people looked familiar, but no one that jumped out at me. Most of the people here were humans—the wealthy, the powerful, the connected. Others were celestial beings, but far lower on the totem pole than angels like Raziel. Most of the higher-level angels didn’t want to get within spitting distance of humans. And then there were even representatives of what we called the old gods—the ones who were worshipped long ago. Their power had come from mankind’s belief in them, so now they were former shadows of themselves.

  “Mr. Cross? You can go on up,” said the bartender.

  “Thanks.” I picked up my drink and walked through the club, going over to the spiral staircase leading up. I climbed the steps until I reached the end—a large, white room with a private bar and a man who stood behind it. A single chair sat on the edge of the platform, overlooking the city of Chicago.

  I walked closer, seeing wisps of smoke floating from the chair. I glanced at the bartender, but he ignored me. The chair had a high back, so if not for the smoke, I wouldn’t even know if anyone was sitting in it. I stepped onto the platform and circled around so I stood in front of the chair.

  “Welcome, Mr. Cross.” The angel who sat there was dressed in white with shaggy, black hair, standing out from his bright, blue eyes. He smoked a cigar and nursed a white Russian.

  “Pyriel,” I said. “Wasn’t expecting you.”

  “Raziel’s occupied at the moment,” said Pyriel, rising from the chair. “What can I do for you?”

  “That’s something I can only talk to Raz about,” I said. “A little bit personal. A job I did for him.”

  “If you took a job from Raziel, that means you took a job from Heaven. I have the authority to take point on all missions he sanctioned.” Pyriel set the glass down on a side table and snapped his fingers. A notebook appeared in his hand and he started flipping through the pages.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “A record of all missions sanctioned for outside operatives, meaning people such as yourself. Now, let’s see…Collins…Constantine…ah, here we are—Cross. And that’s…interesting.” Pyriel closed the book and it vanished. “Nothing about any active missions. Not for a few months now.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Of course; there’s no way Raziel would have asked you to undertake a mission off-the-books.” Pyriel chuckled for a moment. Then, he turned deadly serious once more. “That would qualify as disobedience.”

  I chuckled. “You got me. I just needed a way through the front door.”

  “Oh?” Pyriel raised an eyebrow.

  “Yeah, you see, it’s not about a job I’m currently working on from him, but it’s something I found, and I wanted to know if it’s his kind of thing.”

  “Trying to get him to underwrite your extracurricular activities?” Pyriel clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Disappointing, Luther. You should try being an altruist for once in your life; you might like it.”

  “I’ll pass.”

  “In any case, I’m afraid I can’t help you,” said Pyriel. “Raziel is currently engaged in a mission off-world.”

  “I thought Raz didn’t do that kind of thing these days. His smiting days have been over for some time, haven’t they?”

  “Extenuating circumstances…it was believed he was invaluable. I’m afraid I can’t tell you any more than that.”

  “Right, I got it.”

  “Then you’ll see yourself out?”

  I nodded. “My pleasure. Tell Raz I said hi.”

  I could feel Pyriel’s eyes follow me as I descended the steps. I left the club and stepped into the elevator. As I rode it back down to the ground floor, I couldn’t help feeling something very weird was going on here. Gabriel said Raziel was missing, now I come here and Pyriel tells me Raziel was sent on a mission? If that were true, Gabriel would know exactly where Raziel was.

  Things weren’t adding up.

  25

  A limousine pulled into the underground parking garage of a condominium building in Edgewater. The driver and two other men opened the doors and stepped out, each of them weari
ng a suit. A fourth man remained in the car until the driver opened the door for him.

  Iblis was a bit shorter than his entourage. He fixed his cuffs and nodded to his two bodyguards, and they began walking in unison while the driver remained with the car. Iblis checked his watch. It was just after ten, a good time for him to stop in his favorite café for a drink before heading up to his penthouse.

  When they reached the café, Iblis was shown to his usual table, a booth tucked away in the corner. It wasn’t long before the waiter brought over the demon’s usual—shrimp cocktail and a bottle of rượu rắn—without an order having been placed.

  His two underlings waited in silence and just watched. They both knew from experience that Iblis didn’t want to be bothered with business until after he’d had his first shrimp and drink. The demon ate the shrimp slowly, dabbing it in cocktail sauce before washing it down with a shot, as the other two looked around the room. Once Iblis finished the snake wine, he set the glass on the table and focused on his men.

  “So, shall we get down to business?” he asked.

  “Since Kimaris’ passing, we’ve had some luck on that front,” said one of the men, a demon named Finch. “Many of his crew have been more than willing to join ours. Others have been a bit more apprehensive. They want to know who could have killed Kimaris and so many guys on their own.”

  “And how do they know it was one guy?” asked Iblis. “I thought we had someone inside the police department who was spinning this to look like a turf war. Implicate one of the other territories, or even some street gang.”

  “That was the plan, but it didn’t quite work out that way,” responded the second man, Rashad. “Seems someone in Jadrac’s crew also had someone inside the department and managed to get a copy of the report on what went down in the strip club. They know the police suspect it was one man and they’ve got a description of him.”

  “In other words, it won’t take much for even someone of Jadrac’s limited intelligence to put together that Luther Cross was the one behind Kimaris’ death,” said Iblis.