No doubt about it, Bas was awesome.
“Where have you been?” Julie asked as soon as the door closed on Cindy.
“You need to get back to Gehenna,” Bas said, not answering her question.
A muffled sob pulled her attention from Bas. She turned to see Luc folding his sister into a bear hug.
Ah, yes. Marguerite.
Julie marched to the woman and yanked her out of Luc’s arms. Marguerite gasped, took one look at Julie’s face and cringed. Jeez.
“I’m not going to hit you.” Julie held on to both of Marguerite’s forearms. “At least, I don’t think I am,” she amended, impelled by honesty. Squinting, she looked into Marguerite’s thick-lashed eyes, trying to see through into her brain. She raised her voice. “Harry, can you hear me?”
“No. He can’t.” Marguerite blinked, tears welling. “There’s been nothing but a wall for the last ten minutes. I don’t know what happened.”
Julie felt herself soften at the desperation in Marguerite’s eyes. The woman couldn’t be all bad if she was worried about Harry.
“What happens if the Balance dies while I’m in his head? I’m feeling dizzy and my head is pounding.” A tear rolled down Marguerite’s cheek. “Will I die, too?”
Julie dropped Marguerite’s arms and walked away before she smacked the selfish itchbay. That would not be a good example to set for Tash. “Bas. What’s happening? Why has she lost contact with Harry?”
“I don’t know. I do know this is a critical time for Harrison. Abigor is tempting him. If he agrees to stay in Gehenna, he’s lost to us.”
Julie swallowed. “Could Harry be dead? Is that why the curse isn’t working?”
“No one in Gehenna will kill him. If he’s agreed to stay, he will be kept there until his body dies naturally. When that occurs, his soul will be trapped forever.”
Icy-hot chills choked her lungs. Her stomach heaved, and she put a quick hand over her mouth. No. Not Harry. If he got stuck in Gehenna, she’d spend the rest of her life trying to get him out. Her coffee cup was placed in her hands and she looked up at Dorie.
“Drink,” Dorie said, firmly. “Pretend there’s whisky in it.”
Bas turned to Marguerite. The woman straightened and sniffed, but seemed to pull herself together. He spoke gently. “You don’t have the power to instigate or sustain this tie on the Balance. I assumed your energy was coming from Abigor, but it’s not, is it?”
Marguerite looked uneasy. Her eyes flitted around the room, not settling on anyone.
“Tell me you didn’t make a deal with Ashakarin,” Bas ordered.
“Okay.” Marguerite agreed too quickly.
“You don’t know what you’ve done.” Bas sat down on the table.
“Ashakarin’s the demon who was at war with Dad, right?” Julie didn’t like the look on Bas’s face.
“Is at war is more like it. Abigor currently has the upper hand, but the battle is eternal. They’re like two pit bulls at each other’s throats. The only good thing about it is that they’re so occupied with each other they don’t cause as much trouble on earth as they could. Abigor managed to weaken Ashakarin enough to send him to Lobolo—the dimension of lost souls. Ashakarin has obviously regained enough power to work through Marguerite.”
“I don’t know that it’s Ashakarin,” Marguerite said quickly. “It could be Abigor or…anybody. The demon promised to channel power through me so that I could succeed in tying Harrison to me. As Balance, Harrison has the key to Lobolo. Through him, I can find out how to release my grand-mère.”
“For what price, Marguerite?”
“Price? Nothing has been asked.” She looked at her toes.
Bas shook his head. Even Julie realized how stupid Marguerite had been. Demons didn’t give away anything for free. “You have been tricked, Marguerite. Belle is not with the lost souls. I knew your grandmother and was with her when she died. Her soul is at rest.” Bascule spoke softly.
“No. I’ve had dreams for years. Grand-mère Belle needs me. I have to control the Balance and find the secret of Lobolo to save her. She told me the demon would help me.” Marguerite’s voice took on a note of panic.
“Ashakarin sent you the dreams. He twisted your mind and your will. He deceived you.” His calm tone gave truth to the words. “Ashakarin needs the key to Lobolo to be free.”
“No!” Marguerite shook her head, horror on her face.
“Why did he choose Marguerite?” Luc asked, running a soothing hand down his sister’s hair.
Julie looked at Bas, waiting for him to say that Ashakarin chose Marguerite because she was morally weak and easily swayed.
Instead, Bas shrugged. “Your sister is powerful, yet the death of your parents at a young age left you both vulnerable. Perhaps it is only chance that Ashakarin happened upon Marguerite in her dream state that first time. He gave her purpose, and he gave her hope when he planted the seed that she could save a loved one.”
And perhaps Bas was being way kinder than she would have been by giving the Walkers that explanation. Julie frowned, suddenly uncomfortable. Of course Bas was kinder. She was half demon. To make up for her previous demon-like thoughts, Julie smiled sweetly at Marguerite, which made the woman blink nervously and sidle closer to Luc.
Julie sighed and turned to Bas. “How do I get back to Gehenna?”
“Demons normally use a Gate to travel between worlds,” Bas said. “With you, the rules are different. I think you just need to want to be there, and you will be there.”
“I tried that and it didn’t work. What about a focus or trigger word? Luc told me members of the Triad use them to access power.”
“They do. They are trained to their word as children. You don’t require one, Julie.”
“I require something.”
Bas studied her thoughtfully. “Perhaps you are trying too hard. Just say the words, Take me to Harrison. Maybe that will work.”
“Take me—”
“Wait!” Tasha pulled on her arm. “I want to go with you, Mom. We need to get Grandma back, too. I want to help you.”
No way was Tasha ever setting foot in Gehenna again. Julie hugged her close and whispered in her ear. “Hon, we have company. I need you to stay and play hostess.”
“Mom,” Tasha whispered back, “cut the bullshit.”
“Okay.” Julie lifted her head and looked directly into her daughter’s eyes. She kept her voice soft so only Tasha could hear her. “I love you more than anything in this world or any other. You are not going to Gehenna.” Then she said the words that always signaled to Tasha that an argument was over. “This is non-negotiable.”
Tasha closed her eyes. “I love you more than anything in this world or any other, too. How can I let you go into Hell, how can I let you confront Grandpa by yourself? How can you ask me to do that?”
“Easily,” Julie said promptly.
“Mom, I never defended you during all those arguments you had with Dad toward the end. I was such a chicken that I hid under the covers. Please, let me help you now.” Tash’s voice was low and trembling.
Julie frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I heard Dad say that you were destroying him and his career. I heard him say you were boring and he couldn’t hold an interesting conversation with you. He said you just let your mind and your body go.”
Dear Lord. She hadn’t known Tash heard those terrible fights. Both she and Jack had said horrible, nasty things. Well, mostly Jack had said them. He’d wanted to leave, but hadn’t known how, so he’d created a huge rift that had made it impossible for him to stay.
“Your dad didn’t mean most of what he said, but I’m sorry you had to listen to those arguments. That must have been scary for you.” She closed her eyes for a moment, sad to her soul that she couldn’t take that small Tasha in her arms and comfort her. “And what’s this about defending me? Children aren’t supposed to protect their parents. Besides, I defended myself quite well on my own.”
Julie took Tasha’s cheeks between her hands and met her eyes squarely. “Honey, I cried mostly because I was stupid enough to think your dad could be something he wasn’t. I cried because I wanted the perfect family for you, and I gave you a broken mess.”
“No.” Tasha shook her head, a quick, agitated motion. “No. You gave me the perfect family. You and Grandma Jean and Grandpa Abe….” Her voice trailed off. “You and Grandma Jean. You were always there for me. Let me be there for you. Please.”
How could she deny Tasha’s need to give back to her? Julie could see how important it was to her daughter. But how could she let her go back into Gehenna?
She couldn’t. Dropping her hands, she took a step back, filled with regret, knowing her refusal would hurt Tasha. “I will come back.” She tried to think of something hopeful and upbeat to say, but for once, nothing came to mind.
Tasha stared at her, pale and stricken. Then she turned and, like a homing pigeon, headed toward Luc.
Julie’s gaze lingered on her daughter wrapped in the tall man’s arms. She forced herself to look away.
She should consult with Bas and plan what to do when she reached Gehenna. But a growing urgency blocked out common sense. Harry needed her. So she smiled at Dorie, grimaced toward Bas, and then said the words. “Take me to Harry.” The kitchen disappeared.
Harry and her father stood in the center of one of the white rooms. Neither glanced at her when she appeared in a corner.
“Will you stay in Gehenna, Harrison Chevalier?” Her father asked, with the kind of persuasive enthusiasm only an ex-salesman or game show host can pull off.
“No!” Julie burst out before Harry could answer. “Harry won’t stay here.”
Harrison turned to look at her, his face remote. “My name is Harrison.”
“I know that,” Julie said, moving toward him.
“Stay away,” he warned, holding up a hand.
She paused, confused.
Abigor laughed harshly. “He doesn’t want you, Princess.”
She looked at him, a pain in her chest. “Dad, don’t. Don’t call me Princess and don’t laugh at something that hurts me.”
Her father’s mouth snapped shut, and he watched her warily. “You were always too sensitive. You’re a grown woman now, Julie.”
“Does that mean I don’t need a father? Does that mean you can be cruel to me?” When he didn’t answer, she sighed. “What do you want from me, Dad?”
“I want you here, in Gehenna, with me. Now that your powers are fully triggered, you’re too dangerous to walk untrained on earth.” He nodded toward Harrison. “If you go back, you’ll force Harrison to sit in judgment on you. You’re a wild power, Princess. You haven’t been trained to ignore your heart and wield power with your head.”
“Like you? Oh, but wait. You have no heart to ignore.”
“You and your mother were my heart.”
Julie sighed. “I don’t believe you.”
Abigor reached out a hand. “Stay and let me teach you, Julie.”
Julie ignored his hand. “I don’t want to learn evil.”
Abigor smiled, a small twist of his lips. Julie felt a rush of emotion so strong that she almost sobbed. She’d watched old movies with this man every Saturday afternoon while curled on the couch in front of the television. He’d helped her build snowmen in the winter and had made her button her coat up to her chin so that she wouldn’t get cold. This was the man she still missed with every movie she watched, that man she still mourned years after his death. How could he be evil?
“What is labeled evil and good depends on your perspective.” Abigor spoke quietly. “Some call Americans evil, some call terrorists saviors. Demons don’t accept the labels others give us. When you know us, know our motivations, neither will you.”
He made his argument sound plausible, sane. She looked at Harry, who watched her intently.
“Just stay here for a while, Princess. Learn who we are. Who you are.”
The pain inside her grew. “You’re trying to trick me.”
Abigor shook his head. “You can’t be held by tricks or promises. Don’t you know that? You’re more powerful than any here.”
“Where’s Mom?” She needed her mother. Desperately.
“She’s not leaving.”
“Where is she, Dad?”
He flicked his hand, and Jean appeared, holding two small pieces of paper. “Abe, don’t do that! Ask before you move me.” Then she saw Julie. She dropped the papers and ran to her. Harry walked over and picked them up.
“Tasha?” Jean asked, folding Julie in a hug.
“Safe, at home.”
Jean turned her head and scowled at Abe. “Those Skaven are dumb as dirt.”
“Dad could have released Tash and Luc immediately,” Julie reminded her mom, stepping out of her arms.
“I know. What he’s done is unforgivable.” Jean wouldn’t meet her eyes.
“Yet you forgive him?” When her mother didn’t respond, Julie stepped back farther. “Mom, I don’t think the forgiveness thing needs to extend to demons. And what happened to being gay?”
“You’re gay?” If anything, her father looked intrigued by the idea. Not something she wanted to see. “That must give your church fits.”
Jean narrowed her eyes. “Some people in the church have a problem with my sexuality, some don’t.” Then she turned to Julie. “I’ve always loved your dad, Julie. It transcends sexuality.”
“Does it transcend eternal damnation? Mom, you’re being even more nuts than usual.”
“Julie Anne Dancer.” Her mother skewered her with her gaze. “I know you’ve had a difficult week. But so have I. I just found out my dead husband is not dead. He’s a demon. My father is not really my father because my mother was fooling around with a Walker. And my daughter—who never showed a smidgeon of ability to wield light energy—is actually an immortal of untold power.” Jean paused to take a deep breath. “Don’t you dare call me nuts, young lady. Not until I’ve had at least a week to incorporate all of this into my world view.”
“Don’t speak to your mother that way. Ever,” Abigor added in a cold, menacing tone.
Which stopped Julie’s movement toward her mother. She turned on her father. “Do you really think you have the right to parent me? One, I’m over forty. Two, you left the family of your own accord and abdicated all parental rights. Three, you’re an evil demon and therefore hardly a voice to which I would listen.”
Abigor stared at her in shock. Apparently people didn’t talk back to him. Surely he hadn’t forgotten family life so soon.
“Mom, Harry. Come on. Let’s get out of here.” Julie motioned them towards her.
“No. She’s a demon trying to trick you. Come with me.” Julie Deluxe spoke from behind her shoulder.
Julie swung around and stared at her in disbelief. The demon even had the same clothes on as she did. Julie folded her arms, disgusted with her father. “This is so lame, Dad. Like Harry and Mom won’t know who I really am.”
Her father smiled. “Then we’ll need to confuse them, Princess.”
The room began spinning, slowly at first and then faster and faster, like one of those amusement park rides where you’re backed against the sides of a big cylinder, holding onto metal poles and once the ride is twirling fast enough, the floor drops out, centrifugal force holding you against the walls.
She had no nearby wall or poles to hang onto today. She lost her balance and dropped, yelping as her hip landed hard against the white floor. She rolled, knocking into Julie Deluxe, who’d fallen beside her. The demon reached out and hung on to her. Julie found herself face to face with her mirror image. She hadn’t realized her eyes were quite that rich a shade of brown, or that her nose had that little scar on it. And she really did need to moisturize more often.
The room picked up speed and the two of them rolled together, bumping into Jean, who was flat on the fl
oor but hanging on to Abigor’s leg to keep in one spot. Smart woman. Julie rolled toward Harry’s leg and stretched an arm toward the neat cuff of his pant. The room tilted again and she and Deluxe rolled in the opposite direction.
Finally, the frantic motion of the room slowed, coming to a halt. Julie lay still, gulping in air, waiting for her head to stop spinning, too. When she was reasonably sure that her legs would hold her, she stood. Julie Deluxe shadowed her actions. Across the room, Julie saw her mother hold onto the wall as she got to her feet.
Abigor and Harry had both stayed standing. Different center of gravity, apparently.
Abigor smiled. “Sorry about that, but I wanted to mix up the Julies. This seemed the easiest way.”
“Like that’s going to work,” Deluxe said, her tone holding the exact amount of dry sarcasm that Julie’s would have. “Mom will always know her own daughter. Won’t you, Mom?”
Jean held a hand to her head as if still disoriented, but she took a step toward Deluxe.
“Mom!” Julie couldn’t believe it. “I’m your daughter. You gave birth to me, for Pete’s sake.”
Jean paused and looked between the two, obviously confused. “That was the olden days. I was sedated, totally under during the birth.”
Julie turned to Harry, disgusted. “Harry, don’t tell me you’re fooled, too.”
“Remember the blackout?” Deluxe interjected.
“Hey,” Julie stared at her, appalled and embarrassed. “How do you know about that?”
“Because I was there, demon.” Deluxe stared right back at her. “Harry’s not going to fall for your little game.”
Julie looked at Harry in frustration. He stood, legs slightly apart, arms crossed over his chest. He didn’t look in the least perturbed.
“No one is going anywhere for a while,” Abigor interjected, obviously satisfied with the results of his manipulation.
Harry slowly unfolded his arms and walked to Julie. He took Jean’s elbow as he passed and brought her along with him. He stopped at Julie’s side and briefly put his palm against her cheek. The touch was fleeting, but it marked her, soothed her. “You know me,” she whispered.
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