Something started vibrating all of a sudden. Paul handed me my mobile. He’d found it on one of the Watchers, so he brought it with him. Zach was trying to get through to me and I was glad that everything turned out the way it had.
“Hello,” I answered.
“Fuck, Maxine, are you all right?” he asked, sounding out of breath.
“Overall all right, now I just need a few hours sleep to regenerate my strength,” I said, then explained what went on after they took me from the station. Zachary was with Zara in Reading; he was hoping that Nameless could tell him what happened to me. Eventually my battery went dead and we were cut off.
Paul left me a glass of wine on the table, silently letting me know that he wasn’t planning to give me magical tequila anymore.
The last thing I remembered from that night was sitting on his sofa, thinking about the vision from the maze.
I must have fallen asleep on the sofa, because when I opened my eyes later it was a bright morning. Paul was sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag. I was glad that he came for me, but still confused about his past. I rubbed my sleepy eyes, realising that my ribs must have healed. It was going to take me a few days to fully recover, but my energy was back.
Paul must have gone back to work last night, after I’d fallen asleep. I didn’t want to wake him. I grabbed what I could and wrote him a short thank you note. Several minutes later I left and an hour later I was heading back to Ricky’s apartment in Chelsea. Once I had a bath and changed into clean clothes, I started doing research about any place that resembled the one from my vision. Matilda was keeping Summer in the charm, so the child was unaware of what was happening to her.
It was an island in the middle of the sea, like Gjöll. The tower seemed familiar, and I had this strange sensation in my gut, like I had been there before. Maybe she was keeping her somewhere in the underworld, or in the crossroads.
The books didn’t give me any indication of where to go from here. I took a break for a coffee and some food. Ricky’s fridge was empty, but I found a can of beans in the cupboard.
I had been so absorbed with the hunt for Alexis that I almost forgot about Ricky. He was in the hospital, fighting for his life. I really had to get that reversal spell and for that I needed Morpheus. Suddenly I had this crazy idea. I needed to get close to a demon that could take me directly to Lucifer. Morpheus wasn’t going to be much help. Besides, I needed to figure this out on my own.
I started sifting through the bills, wondering how Ricky managed to keep everything so organised. It was one way to take my mind off mounting thoughts. A black shiny envelope with an odd symbol of a gargoyle caught my attention. There was no return address.
Inside I found an invitation to Vortex, an exclusive nightclub in east London. Tonight there was a party going on there that supposedly attracted a lot of important demons, some even from hell. It was a one in a million shot, but I guess that my plans for this evening were sorted.
Chapter 25
“Their tears first cluster into frozen buds, and then –as though a crystal visor – fill the socket of the eye beneath each brow.” ―Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
Zach had left a couple of voicemails and I didn’t call him back. I wanted to, but dragging him with me to the party filled mainly with demons didn’t sound like a very good idea after all. I was surprised that he wasn’t waiting outside already. That sensual night connected us emotionally, but for now I felt that we needed a break from each other. I messed everything up with Arthur and I was scared to hurt Zach too.
Alexis had to die. She caused so much pain to everyone that I love and the dark lord himself considered her a threat. There wasn’t any other way around this, but first I needed to figure out where she was hiding.
All my clothes were still in my flat. I took a few bits and bobs when I left up north, but I needed something appropriate for this evening. Ricky had built a lot of useful contacts over the years. He attended parties to spread word about our business. I dealt with the more practical approach. Vortex was considered the creme de la creme of demonic society. I was hoping that at least one person at the party could take me down to the boss himself. It was a hell of a risk, but I needed to get Ricky back. I owed him for everything good that happened in my life.
It was time to take matters into my own hands and if necessary make another deal with the master of the underworld. I didn’t have much money, but the shopping trip was necessary. An hour later I was back in the apartment with some black trousers and a low-cut top.
I could barely walk in the heels that Morpheus had picked up for me earlier. Now I was doing this my way. Too many things went wrong in the past. I had to nail Alexis and find that damn spell that could save Ricky’s life. Those two things were possible, but only if I was standing face-to-face with Lucifer. There was a reason that he asked for me and I was ready to offer myself to him on a silver platter.
Close to eight, I put on the new trousers, added my old boots and I was ready to face the dark lord himself. There was no point worrying and calculating what I could have done. I’d lived a good life on earth, but I was ready to give it all up, knowing that my daughter would be safe.
The streets were busy, men rushing to get home on time, mothers pushing prams with children. Humans had such a simple life, and I wished that I had fully embraced it when it was still possible. My mother had died and my abilities started to get out of control, so I’d asked for help.
I switched off my phone leaving the Kingsland station, then headed on foot towards the street filled with clubs. Vortex was amongst a few on the same street. The mixed clientele attracted a lot of demons, and the main thing was that I had an invitation. Part of me was unsure if any of the seven leading demons would show up today. Only Berith, Mammon, Asmodeus, Leviathan, Beelzebub or Astaroth could take me to Lucifer. I just had to be convincing enough.
My stomach was in knots as I walked through the busy road, passing humans that were heading over to the party. I hadn’t stopped since Gjöll. Action spoke louder than words, as someone once said.
I spotted a few Watchers patrolling the streets. I crossed the street and vanished inside a shop just so I could avoid them. After the incident in Victoria I wanted to stay off their radar. Rodriguez was most likely looking for me again. He’d crossed me too many times and I’d had enough when he locked me up in the cage. He was going to pay for everything. I was going to make sure of it.
Waves of my energy slid down my body, alerting me that in this area every second person was a demon. I waited on the other side of the road for a bit, observing the entrance. It was a very important event to anyone that wanted to matter in the upcoming election in hell. I had no doubt that at least one of the seven demons would show. Ricky had once told me that he met Berith himself in one of the events. I just needed to believe that tonight was going to be my lucky day.
Part of me knew that Berith was Lucifer’s second-hand guy, so it was going to be pretty tough for me to get an opportunity to talk to him. Either way I had to give it a go.
I stood outside for at least twenty minutes. A few cars stopped and a few elegant demons walked inside. I saw beautiful human women strolling inside with their demon companions.
I glanced at my watch: the party was just about to start. Finally after some time I spotted a head of Mammon’s faction, who greeted demons standing outside. Rodriguez had made up accusations against me. He didn’t have any evidence and that one incident with Arthur wasn’t going to change anything. Everyone was nervous about the election, and I had a feeling that some demons would want to see Rodriguez go down. Mongrel or not, I had information that they all could use.
A few deep breaths later I crossed the road and handed my invitation to the bouncer at the door. He was human and he didn’t care for the fact that it was Ricky’s invitation and I wasn’t even supposed to be at the party. Inside, the elegant waiter told me to follow the stairs up to the first floor. Nerves were getting to me when a stream of ener
gy began dancing around me. A waitress smiled at me when I entered the large room on the first floor. It was busy and I had already counted at least a dozen demons in small groups that spread around this big space. The band on stage played a soft jazz music.
I grabbed a glass of champagne that I wasn’t intending to drink and began looking for a demon that was considered the most powerful. Demons were staring, and some didn’t look happy seeing me strolling around like I fit in. Obviously they weren’t expecting to see any mongrels at such a significant event. There were some snippets and whispers from the group by the bar. I wasn’t welcome in here, but I didn’t give a fuck. My invite was legit.
“Do you know if Berith is going to make an appearance tonight?” I asked one of the demons from Leviathan’s faction. He was wearing an expensive suit, and his watched cost more than I paid in rent for a year.
“Not sure. There were rumours that he’s too busy preparing his candidate for the upcoming election,” the demon said. “Besides, he wouldn’t waste his time with you, mongrel girl.”
“We will see about that,” I snapped, ignoring his obnoxious attitude.
“Disgraceful. I think that I might have to make a formal complaint to the organisers,” he added, summoning his power. “Scum like you shouldn’t be let into places like this.”
I laughed, pretending that I didn’t care about his comment. Yeah, that pissed him off even more, but I was already walking away. My confidence was shrinking, but I wasn’t planning to leave until I got what I wanted.
“Beelzebub intends to put forward someone from the parliament. He was instructed by Lucifer to prep the guy for a debate. I believe that John has a huge chance to become the new head of Beelzebub faction,” said one of the demons proudly standing in a small group with others. I kept wondering why the current head of Beelzebub faction wasn’t involved in this conversation. He was standing by the bar, talking to a human waitress. That’s why I kept away from politics.
I drank my champagne in one go, masking my nerves. I was feeling lost. The alcohol wasn’t relaxing me anymore, and my energy was pounding in my ears.
“Hey, my name is Maxine Brodeur,” I said, approaching the current head of Beelzebub faction, cutting to the chase. He was a handsome demon, with gracious green eyes and a clean-shaven jaw. He glanced at me in surprise, measuring my colourful highlights.
“A mongrel? I believe there has been some mistake. This party is—”
“I have an invitation, so no, this isn’t a mistake,” I cut him off, feeling drunk. Okay, maybe I wasn’t supposed to drink, but it was too late. “Can we talk somewhere more private? I have certain information that might be useful to you.”
The demon stared at me for more than a minute without a word. I presumed that Lucifer was trying to sift through the entire faction and pick up new leaders. Rodriguez was going down and so was the demon in front of me.
“I’m sorry, Miss Brodeur, I don’t think that I want to waste my time with someone insignificant like you,” the demon stated, and his lips curled into a nasty smile. “I suggested you to leave, before you get thrown out. This party is for demons only.”
I didn’t let him see that he got to me, so I simply smiled and walked away. Well, what was I expecting? No one was going to take me seriously around here. Demons were too fucking arrogant to see beyond their own over-the-top egos. I went to the bar and asked for a double tequila, thinking that this should boost my confidence.
It didn’t help that the barman was a mongrel too. He gave me the drink and the look that said:
“Go back where you came from. This bunch is too upscale to even consider listening to a mongrel girl.”
I didn’t need him to feel sorry for me, but I was slowly losing my patience. None of the seven demons had showed up yet. Ricky didn’t have much time left and I was determined not to let him die.
I glanced at my sparkling fingers and cursed, aware that I wasn’t controlling myself so well around so many demons. A bead of sweat rolled over my face and I exhaled sharply.
Then I saw him. It was Berith himself, walking across the room, several meters away from me. He must have only just arrived. So far I had only seen him on the illustration of books. He was over six foot, tanned with a wide chest and looked a lot like a Greek god. The tiny voice in my head reminded me that he wouldn’t be here without guards. A few demons glanced over, and a wave of excitement circulated around the room. I’d heard rumours that he was one of Lucifer’s favourites.
Demons liked spreading rumours about the head of Watchers. Some believed that he had horns on his forehead, others that he could change water into any potion. The energy that radiated from him was like nothing that I’d ever seen. My pores released the heat, and I struggled to remain on my feet for a split second. I couldn’t have been wrong. It was Berith.
Magic circulated around me, heating up and increasing the temperature of my body. Demons were still staring at me, but I was too drunk to even care. I fixed my eyes on him and waited for an opportunity to talk to him.
He obviously liked surrounding himself with beautiful female demons. He laughed, talked and drank his wine. It seemed that others just wanted to be around him. A second later a very tall female demon with tar-black hair and tiny waist placed her palm on his shoulder. She was the head of Astaroth faction. Paul had mentioned her once or twice. Apparently she liked torturing sinister humans for fun, and was very creative. Berith glanced over to her and gave her a mischievous smile. Soon a few other demons joined him.
It was time for me to make a move, but at the same time I knew that others wouldn’t let me anywhere near him. Watchers from the other side of the room were eyeing me up. There was an answer to my earlier question. Berith had his people with him, but he probably told them to stay back.
“Have you heard about Rodriguez? He’s losing his supporters,” said a female demon that came up to the bar. She was with a very good-looking human man. She wore a peach-coloured dress, and I guessed that she was part of Lucifer’s faction. I was standing close enough to hear everything she was saying.
“The royals are very precious to the dark lord, but Rodriguez has made mistakes. The disappearance of Prince George weakened his position,” the human pointed out. The man was aware of everything that was going on around him, so he must have had the relief licence from Michaelstone. He was the only one that could grant papers like that in London. I didn’t dare to move anywhere, knowing that soon this conversation might get interesting.
“Surely he is going to pick himself up. There were other—”
I wasn’t listening anymore, because I saw Berith leaving his tight group and heading towards the back corridor on his own. My heart skipped a beat, and I knew that this was my opportunity. He vanished behind the door, and no own went after him. The Watchers didn’t move; they continued to scan other demons around the room. I grabbed one more glass of champagne, drank it in one go and then decided to try my luck following him. He was going to listen to me, because no matter what, tonight I would stand in front of the dark lord.
Chapter 26
“Don’t dwell upon the form their sufferings take. Think of what follows, and that, come the worst it can’t go on beyond the Judgment Day.” ―Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
I was drunk, well, maybe not as much as when I was on liquid magic, but this was a close call. Scorching energy pumped in my blood, like a volcano that was just about to explode. Demons were staring at me when I crossed the room. They were all asking themselves how I dared to stand by them and act like I belonged here. I vanished shortly after that behind the same door that Berith had. I waited outside for several moments, but no one followed me.
My head was screwed and I had lost hope that my daughter could be reunited with me. Despite all, now I had a chance to face Berith and beg him for help. I started following the stairs, all the way to the ground floor.
I heard voices outside and presumed that the door led to one of the club’s back entrances. Berith�
��s energy was overwhelming, crackling around the entire space and speeding up my pulse. I never thought that I would have a chance to face one of the legends, a demon that was feared by many and dismissed by others. Although something wasn’t adding up, because Berith would have never appeared on earth without his guards. I didn’t understand why the Watchers didn’t keep a closer eye on him. Maybe he wanted to have some fun at humans’ expense tonight and he asked them to stay back.
“You have to admit, it’s such a dull party. Demonic sisters are clinging to you, trying to use you,” the voice was saying. The door was ajar, and I sensed two individuals outside. Berith was there, talking to a human or another demon. It was difficult to tell. Then I heard his deep, joyful laugh.
“Don’t be so harsh, Dante. They are all only trying to survive,” Berith responded with a positive chuckle.
I couldn’t hear what the other demon or human said. He either whispered or lowered his voice. I waited, clenching my fists and contemplating going back upstairs.
“No, the position is open. I need to get back up there. Speak soon, old bastard.”
The other demon must have finally walked away, because his energy was slowly fading. They were done with their conversation.
A few deep breaths later and with a large amount of alcohol in my system, I stepped outside. The harsh wind ruffled my hair when I glanced around the back entrance. To my right I saw bins and several empty beer barrels. The smell was horrendous and I wondered what the hell Berith was doing here alone. I spotted him leaning over the wall. He was smoking a cigarette and reading a leaflet that he must have picked up earlier on. I was stunned, seeing him in such a common pose, away from everyone at the party. Maybe I had made some mistake, maybe it wasn’t Berith, but everything else about him fit. Even his famous tan was real.
Doomed Cases Series Box Set Page 64