Soul Trade
Page 22
Jack shot Belial the bird. “Fuck off,” he said, with only a hint of annoyance. Belial was terrifying, but he was also oddly irritating when he was right there, in your face, talking his usual line of shit. Pete empathized with Jack’s urge to swat the demon off him like a chatty house fly.
“Aren’t you even interested to hear what would bring me up from the comforts of Hell to speak with you? Because let’s face it, Jack, you’re not a font of witty conversation on your best day.”
“No,” Jack grumbled, shutting his eyes again. “Or, fuck off.”
Belial tsked and turned his gaze on Pete. “How about you, luv? You’re interested, aren’t you? You know that I know what I’m talking about.”
“If we listen, will you leave us alone?” Pete sighed. Belial cracked his knuckles and grinned at them.
“So it turns out being a Prince of Hell isn’t all torturing underlings with pliers and massages from nubile succubi,” said Belial. “Turns out, there’s a bit of a scuffle down in the Pit at the moment.”
“What a shock,” Jack grumbled. “Treacherous cunts turning on one another. Amazing turn of events.”
“Why should we care if somebody is marching with placards against you?” Pete asked Belial.
“Because this particular treacherous cunt doesn’t just have his eye on Hell,” Belial said. “Ambitious little fucker wants the whole pie.”
“Like any one demon could rule the Black,” Jack muttered. “Most of you can’t even manage to get off your arses and leave Hell.”
“Not the Black,” Belial said, and for the first time his voice was a cold blade against Pete’s neck that sent an involuntary shudder through her. “The whole world. Daylight, dead side, probably even the in-between. All of it.” He stood and straightened his tie. “I’m not about to let him upset my apple cart. And having the crow-mage on my side would ensure that.”
Jack snorted a laugh. “Yeah, me work with you voluntarily? What’d be in it for me?”
Pete saw the irritation flick across Belial’s face, a weirdly human expression that made her slightly sick to her stomach. “You may not care beyond your next pint and wank,” said Belial. “But you’re going to have to live in the aftermath.”
“Same question,” Jack said. “I don’t owe you shite, mate. Quite the other way around, after I did you that favor with Abbadon.”
“You know what’s coming,” said Belial, and Pete felt the Black vibrate all around them, saw shadows quake at the corner of her vision as the demon’s power washed over her. “You both know. The end, Jack. The full stop, the period at the end of the sentence. The Morrigan will march across the burnt face of the world, and you’ll be the dead man riding at the head of her army. It’s inevitable, and you’ve always known it.”
“Fuck off,” Jack said, but his voice was barely a whisper. Pete wrapped her arms around herself as Belial’s shadow lengthened and the temperature dropped.
“I can offer you a way out,” Belial said. “You help me, I’ll help you get out from under the Hag’s claws.”
“You think we’re stupid?” Pete blurted. “If you really knew how to help Jack out with the Morrigan why didn’t you dangle it before?”
Belial shrugged. “I never needed you before, Petunia. Was you lot who needed me.” He worried his ruby cufflinks with his black claws. “It’s a good bargain, crow-mage. It’s one of the best bargains I’ve ever made, and I’ve been making them a very long time.”
“So,” Jack said slowly. He’d sat up, and his crystal eyes were fixed on the demon’s obsidian ones. “Let me get this straight. I go to Hell, I help you put a boot up this demon’s arse, and you help me get the Morrigan off my back once and for all?”
“Yes,” Belial said.
“Bullshit,” Jack snapped. “I know you. You’re a tricky bastard, and you’d never make a deal if there wasn’t some third angle working in the back.”
“There is no angle,” Belial retorted. “I want to bargain. What about that is so hard to believe?”
All at once, Pete recognized the emotion on the demon’s face. The fact that there was an emotion to be seen was startling enough, but even more alarming was that it was fear. Demons didn’t feel fear. Even when Abbadon had escaped and Belial’s responsibility was to bring him back, he hadn’t shown fear.
“It’s already happened, hasn’t it?” she asked. “You’re on the outs.”
Belial flared his nostrils. “The other Princes and I aren’t on the best of terms,” he said. “But I still rule. I am still one of the Triumverate.”
Pete looked to Jack. “He’s scared enough to play straight with you,” she said.
Jack sighed. Pete silently willed him to take the bargain. She’d never thought it would come to this, hoping for a bargain with a spawn of the pit, but if it would get Jack out from under the yoke of the Morrigan, then almost anything would be worth it.
“All right,” he said to Belial at last. “You’ve got me.”
“Us,” Pete said. Belial flicked his eyes to her.
“Excuse me?”
Pete stood to face him. When Belial was in his human form, she was nearly as tall as the demon. “You want Jack, you get me, too,” she said. “I’m not leaving him with you again.”
Belial sniffed, as if she were a teenager clinging to her boyfriend’s arm. “Fine,” he said. “Two is as good as one, I suppose. And you, you little harbinger of doom…” He reached out and flicked his fingers across her cheek, before Jack’s growl dissuaded him. “How could I resist?”
The demon walked a few feet away, then glared over his shoulder. “Well?” he said. “What are we waiting for?”
Pete picked up her bag. “Margaret,” she called. “You wait right here, luv, and Lawrence will be ’round to get you in just a moment.”
“Pete…” Margaret said, face crinkling with concern.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” Pete said.
She turned to walk with Jack and squeezed his hand with her free one. He didn’t say anything, but he squeezed in return.
They followed the demon, Pete’s heart in her throat, until all she could hear was the beating of it, and the scream of the train whistle as it rumbled from the station, leaving her and Jack behind.
Also by
Caitlin Kittredge
BLACK LONDON SERIES
Street Magic
Demon Bound
Bone Gods
Devil’s Business
NOCTURNE CITY SERIES
Night Life
Pure Blood
Second Skin
Witch Craft
Daemon’s Mark
Acclaim for Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series
“Takes supernatural shadows to the next level. Kittredge knows how to create a believable world, and her fans will enjoy the mix of magic and city grit.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Crackles with conflict and perilous magic … For those who love their urban fantasy hypnotically treacherous, this book’s for you!”
—RT Book Reviews
“Street Magic jumps right in to nonstop supernatural action, taking urban fantasy fans on a wild ride.”
—Darque Reviews
“This is a dark, visceral read that sucks you in and doesn’t let you up for air. That is part of my intense love for this series … It hit all my buttons: ghosts, magic, demons, cemeteries, England, moors, fog, supernatural creatures, ancient deities. The way things ended, I am seriously anxious to see what is happening next. Go out and get this!”
—Night Owl Romance
… and the Nocturne City novels
“Pure Blood pounds along hard on the heels of Night Life, and is every bit as much fun as the first in the series. With a gutsy, likable protagonist and a well-made fantasy world, Pure Blood is real enough to make you think twice about locking your doors at night. A swiftly paced plot, a growing cast of solid supporting characters, and a lead character you can actually care about—Kittredge is a
winner.”
—Jim Butcher
“I loved the mystery and the smart, gutsy heroine.”
—Karen Chance, New York Times bestselling author of Claimed by Shadow
“A nonstop thriller laced with a ferociously deadly menace. Count on Kittredge’s heroine to never say die!”
—RT Book Reviews
“Kittredge takes readers on a dark adventure complete with thrills, chills, and a touch of romance. Well written … and impossible to set down.”
—Darque Reviews
“Fast-paced, sexy, and witty with many more interesting characters than I have time to mention. I’m looking forward to reading more stories in the exciting Nocturne City series.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Wow, I am still thinking about this book. The last time I reacted to a book this way, it was the first Mercy Thompson book by Patricia Briggs. If you are looking for a book that seamlessly blends a police procedural with a paranormal, go out and get this book.”
—Night Owl Romance
“A tense, gritty urban fantasy that grips the audience from the onset.”
—Mystery Gazette
“Caitlin Kittredge just keeps honing her craft with each new book. Second Skin has some pretty creepy elements and page-turning action. Readers who enjoy good solid urban fantasy will enjoy this installment.”
—A Romance Review
“Night Life dived right into the action, and carried me along for the ride … If the following books are written with the same care and interest as Night Life, they will be a welcome addition to this fantasy genre.”
—Armchair Interviews
“Kittredge’s amazing writing ability shines through in this wonderful tale of murder, magic, and mayhem … The intriguing plot grips you from the very first page and takes you on a roller-coaster thrill ride with an ending that will leave you gasping for more.”
—Romance Junkies
“If you’re looking for a good paranormal mystery and enjoy reading about shapeshifters, give Caitlin Kittredge’s work a try!”
—Bitten by Books
“Hot, hip, and fast-paced, I couldn’t put [Night Life] down. Don’t go to bed with this book—it will keep you up all night. It’s that good.”
—Lilith Saintcrow, national bestselling author of Working for the Devil
“Luna is tough, smart, and fierce, hiding a conflicted and insecure nature behind her drive for justice and independence, without falling into cliché … A lot of fun to read.”
—Kat Richardson, national bestselling author of Poltergeist
About the Author
CAITLIN KITTREDGE is the author of the Black London and Nocturne City series, as well as several short stories. She is the proud owner of an English degree, two cats, a morbid imagination, a taste for black clothing, punk rock, and comic books. She’s lucky enough to write full time and watches far too many trashy horror movies. Visit her websites at www.caitlinkittredge.com to learn more.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
SOUL TRADE
Copyright © 2012 by Caitlin Kittredge.
All rights reserved.
For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
www.stmartins.com
eISBN: 9781466807143
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / September 2012
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Contents
PART ONE: Paradise
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
PART TWO: Possession
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
PART THREE: Wasteland
25
26
27
28
EPILOGUE
29
Don’t Miss More from Caitlin Kittredge’s Series
Also by Caitlin Kittredge
Acclaim for Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series
About the Author
Copyright