“Given what he’s done, I imagine he’ll be going downstairs. Convincing Hell to turn a soul over to Heaven won’t be easy,” said Raziel. “They’ll have questions, and I’m afraid the truth would only make things worse.”
“I might be able to help with that,” I said. “What about Dakota?”
Raziel sighed, glancing at her and then lowering his head. “You know what the treaty says.”
“Exceptions have been made before,” I said. “Myself, for instance.”
“That was different.”
“So’s this,” I added. “Look, right now you’ve only got one lead—that child. Dakota’s done nothing here. She’s an innocent.”
“The Choir won’t like this,” said Raziel. “But you’re right. Until we find Luxton, she’s the only lead we have. I’ll protect her.”
“Mind if I have a word?”
Raziel nodded. “I’ll be outside.” He snapped his fingers and vanished.
I walked over to Dakota. She looked surprised when she saw my face. “You’re completely healed.”
“Angels are good for something, it seems,” I said. “Thanks for the save back there. If you hadn’t stepped in when you did, Azrael would’ve killed me before Raziel could turn up.”
“I should be thanking you,” she said. “It’s because of you I was able to take control.”
I smiled. “Just doing my job.”
“What now?” she asked.
“You’re going to go with Raz.”
“But I thought that wasn’t safe?”
“He’s got bigger things to worry about, and you’re the only lead he’s got,” I said. “He’s a good guy, he’ll protect you.”
“What about the others?”
“I’ll see they get help.”
She sighed. “So this is goodbye?”
“Just for now. But I’ve got a feeling we’ll see each other again soon.”
Dakota wrapped her arms around me. I returned the hug. She stared up at me and smiled. “Thank you.”
“All right, you’re gonna ruin my rep.” I rolled my eyes and broke the hug. Didn’t want things getting too sappy here. I walked Dakota to the hole I’d made with my car. We both stepped through it and saw Raziel on the porch, looking at the car.
“You certainly make an entrance, Luther,” he said. “Dakota, are you ready?”
She gave me a final look and I nodded. Dakota turned to Raziel and walked over to him. “Yeah, I guess.”
“You’ll be safe. You have my word.” Raziel placed his hand on her shoulder and his wings emerged. They engulfed the two of them and they were gone in a flash of light.
I took my case out and lit a cigarette. Would have to get those girls down in the basement into the car and figure out where to take them. There were a few calls I could make, some favors I could call in.
It was over for them. But for me, it was just beginning.
Epilogue
The Signature Lounge on the ninety-sixth floor of the John Hancock Center was one of the most exclusive bars in Chicago. I sat at a table near the window, looking out over the skyline as I sipped my Glenlivet. The view wasn’t as nice as the one from Eden, that was true, but I needed neutral territory to meet my guest.
“Luther.”
I set my drink down and stood to turn. Asmodeus was standing there. I gestured to the empty seat across from me and he accepted. After settling into his seat, he ordered his drink. We made small talk for a few minutes before the waiter returned with Asmodeus’ brandy and we got down to business.
“Why did you want to speak?” he asked.
“It’s about Joseph Luxton,” I said. “Came down with a slight case of death during the events. Raziel needs to question his soul, but he’s obviously not going upstairs with everything he’s done.”
“So, you still haven’t figured out who is behind this?” asked Asmodeus.
“No, that’s why we need Luxton.”
Asmodeus sighed and sipped his brandy. “Do you know what you’re asking?”
“I know how difficult it is. Taking a soul from Hell, handing it over to Heaven…it’ll raise questions. But there’s gotta be something we could do.”
“Perhaps there would be…if Luxton’s soul were truly in Hell.”
Asmodeus’ revelation left me speechless. I tried to say something, but when no words came out, I took a gulp of my scotch first. The second time, I managed to say, “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I had a feeling this was why you wanted to meet. So I looked into the matter,” said Asmodeus. “Luxton’s soul is nowhere in Hell.”
“So, what, he’s in Heaven then?”
“To tip the scales like that, our mysterious rebel angel would have to reveal himself,” said Asmodeus. “He wouldn’t be able to get Luxton past the pearly gates, but he might have found a way to hide him somewhere else.”
“So, what? Is Luxton a ghost then?”
“For your sake, I hope so.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Asmodeus took another sip. “Think, Luther. If a soul isn’t in Heaven or Hell, and isn’t stuck on Earth, then where would they be?”
I sighed. “Purgatory.”
He nodded. “The realm of lost souls. Our villain could have hidden Luxton away there to keep Raziel from questioning him. And now the only thing that stands in his way is the girl.”
“She’s safe. Raziel’s protecting her,” I said.
“For now. But it makes you wonder…” muttered Asmodeus. “An angel’s gone off the reservation, but my sources tell me things are pretty quiet upstairs. Why do you suppose that is?”
“Can’t keep this from getting out, obviously. Might make the Hell Lords nervous.”
“True, it would. But I believe there’s more to this. Something tells me those seraphim that make up the Divine Choir aren’t to be trusted.”
“You don’t think the angel acted alone,” I said.
“Perhaps I’m wrong. I hope I am.” Asmodeus finished his brandy and set the empty glass on the table just before he rose from his seat. “Like I said, makes you wonder.”
He left after that. I took a deep breath and nursed my scotch, staring out over the city. This wasn’t anywhere close to being over. Luxton in Purgatory, Dakota hidden away by Raziel, and Asmodeus and I talking angelic conspiracies over drinks.
Something big was coming. I could feel it. And I’d have to be ready.
Thank you!
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Afterword
Luther Cross is a character who has existed in my head for a very long time. Years back, around 2010, I was in the middle of writing a book titled Outlaw Blues, the second book in my Infernum series. And literally at the halfway mark, my hard drive failed and it would be months before I’d be able to get back to that book.
I needed something else to work on at that point, and so I decided to create a new character. I’d long-been a fan of the supernatural and the occult, having loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel on TV, as well as loving the Hellblazer comic series. I’d also recently discovered Supernatural at that point, so I had the itch to tackle the supernatural again in a way I hadn’t since my first novel.
That led to the crea
tion of Luther Cross and the beginnings of a first novel, The Devil’s Gate, which ran out of steam around the halfway mark. Though I never finished the first book, the character lived in my head for years, mostly being silent though occasionally scratching at the wall and wanting to get out.
A few years later, Tommy Hancock of Pro Se Press approached me about participating in Pro Se’s Single Shot Signatures line. The idea was these would be short stories under 15,000 words released individually in digital format and then later being collected in print volumes. I had a few different ideas in mind, one of which was Luther Cross. Tommy liked that idea, so it ended up being the one we went with and the very first Luther Cross Single Shot was released in the fall of 2014, with the plan for quarterly releases.
Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out that way. The Single Shots ran into a number of delays and there was a gap of over a year between the third and fourth stories, with the fourth one only being released a few months before the publication of this novel.
While searching for other projects, it struck me that Luther Cross would work really well as the lead character for an urban fantasy series. And somewhat fortuitously, around the same time Pro Se made the decision to scale back the Single Shot Signatures line, with Luther being one of the casualties.
But where this series and this novel in particular really took shape was in the author’s group I’m part of. I was doubting whether or not I could make this novel actually work. I almost gave up on it completely.
They wouldn’t let me. They gave me the support I needed in order to see to it that this book had the best possible chance of success right out the gate. The support they offered me goes above and beyond anything I ever thought was even possible and it’s not an exaggeration to say that if not for them, this book literally would not exist.
It’s fitting that I’m writing this afterword a month after I moved from Japan and a week before I move into my new home in California. This book coincides with a new beginning in my life, and I hope it will also mark a new beginning in my author career.
Percival Constantine
May 2017
Chicago, Illinois
About the Author
Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Percival Constantine grew up on a fairly consistent diet of superhero comics, action movies, video games, and TV shows. At the age of ten, he first began writing and has never really stopped.
Percival has been working in publishing since 2005 in various capacities—author, editor, formatter, letterer—and has written books, short stories, comics, and more. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English and Mass Media from Northeastern Illinois University and a Master of Arts in English and Screenwriting from Southern New Hampshire University. He currently resides in San Diego where he continues to produce more stories.
@perconstantine
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 by Percival Constantine
Cover design by Midnight Whimsy
http://midnightwhimsey.com
Editing by Izzi Pickering of Larks & Katydids
http://larksandkatydids.com
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
Published by Percival Constantine
http://www.percivalconstantine.com
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