by R. D. Brady
Laney nodded. “Just taking it all in.”
Victoria squeezed her hand. “I know it’s a lot.”
Victoria closed her eyes again, but kept hold of Laney’s hand. Laney smiled, feeling the warmth seep from her mother into her. It was hard to reconcile this caring woman with the demoness Lilith—the hairy demon who killed children in their sleep.
Laney knew that women had long been maligned in the Roman Catholic Church. Some argued that it was due to the growing influence of Mary Magdalene, who was allegedly Jesus’s wife. In 591 AD, Pope Gregory the Great had associated Magdalene with a prostitute, even though there was no evidence to indicate that Magdalene had actually been the woman described in the well-known passage—and a great deal of evidence to suggest that she was incredibly important to Jesus.
Had a similar smear campaign been aimed at Lilith? A memory flickered through Laney’s mind and she tried to catch it. Something about Edgar Cayce and Lilith. But she couldn’t chase it down. She pulled out her phone and entered the words “Edgar Cayce Lilith” into a search engine. Thousands of results popped up.
But she didn’t need to read them. The first headline was enough to recall the prophet’s ideas to the forefront of her mind. Lilith, one of the Atlantean goddesses. The first wife and companion of Amilius, another name for Adam. In Cayce’s view, there was nothing evil in Lilith—only equality with her companion. And she and Amilius were the first incarnation of humans in physical form—or what Cayce called the “third root race.”
“Heads up!” Jake yelled.
Laney jerked and looked forward; in front of them, Mustafa’s car had slammed to a stop. Two large trees blocked the road.
“Jake…” Henry said, a warning in his tone.
“On it.” Jake threw the car into reverse—they both knew this roadblock was no coincidence.
Sure enough, two SUVs raced out from the thick trees that bordered one side of the road, blocking the road behind them. Along the other side of the road ran a river, swollen from recent heavy rains, further boxing them in.
Armed men poured out from both the trees and the SUVs. Laney’s head swung from side to side, trying to find an escape route. She caught Jake’s eyes in the rearview mirror, and he gave her a subtle shake of his head.
They were trapped.
CHAPTER 78
Mustafa’s voice came over the car radio. “What do you want us to do?”
More men had appeared from behind the downed trees. By Laney’s count, there were at least twelve in total. One man from the group in front of them stepped forward and motioned for them to get out.
“Laney?” Jake asked.
She ran her finger over the ring. “They’re human.”
Jake’s jaw was taut. He grabbed the radio. “Right now, we do as he says. Everybody out.”
Slowly, they all climbed out of the car, keeping their hands in the air. Mustafa and the three agents in his car did the same.
The gunmen waved Mustafa and his men back to join the group from the second car. Laney felt better having them next to her. Not for protection, but because she was already planning how to take the gunmen down and she needed them out of the way.
“What do you want?” Jake said.
The lead gunman smiled. “We’re not who wants to talk to you.”
The men parted a little.
Jorgen stormed forward, pointing a finger at Laney. “You’re supposed to protect her! How can you take her to the tree?”
Laney stared at him in disbelief. How did he—
Henry stepped forward, his anger barely concealed. “What do you want, Cain?”
Jorgen reared back, surprise on his face. But it disappeared in a flash. He pulled off his glasses. Black eyes stared them down. “Well, I guess the time for hiding is over.”
Jake and Henry started at his eyes. Laney didn’t.
Jorgen looked over the group, his gaze pinning Laney in her place. “You are leading her to her death.”
Laney looked to Victoria. “What is he talking about?”
But Jorgen didn’t give her a chance to explain. He stormed forward, his intent clear.
Laney pushed Victoria toward Ralph. “Get her out of here.”
Ralph grabbed her, but before he could take a step, three men behind them raised their weapons.
Laney whirled toward Jorgen. “What are you doing? If you’re worried about her safety, why would you point a gun at her?”
Jorgen smiled. “The guns aren’t pointed at her.”
CHAPTER 79
Elisabeta settled back in her chair, her anger still burning. They had rushed to the airport and taken off. She had instructed the pilot to head toward Europe, although she wasn’t sure if that was where they would land. For now she just needed to put some distance between herself and Victoria’s little bastards.
She glanced down at the hole in her shirt and curled her lip. That had been too close.
She drummed her hands on the table in front of her, staring at the leather journal. They’d lost Victoria and Max, but she supposed it didn’t matter. They had the book—that was the important thing.
Elisabeta pulled the journal over to her and ran her hand over it. There was nothing written on the cover; to all outside appearances, it was just an ordinary worn leather journal. She cracked it open carefully. Dust rose from it.
She read the first line and frowned. What was this—Aramaic? She quickly scanned through the book and identified at least seven other languages. Damn it. She hadn’t expected this, but she should have. She slammed the book shut.
“Hakeem.”
Hakeem quickly made his way over. “Yes, Samyaza?”
Elisabeta held out the book. “Have this scanned and sent to my people in London. Tell them I need it translated immediately.”
Hakeem bowed and took the journal.
Two hours later, Elisabeta finally had the translation sitting in front of her. And as she read it, she grew more and more annoyed. What the hell was this? Ramblings about birds? Phases of the moon? Where was the information on the tree?
With an angry swipe, she turned another page. This is ridiculous. She pictured Victoria’s face and imagined smashing her fist through it.
She glared down at the words and then went still. She narrowed her eyes. What was this? The first humans emerged both male and female, equal in their spirit and minds.
It was followed by a description of the beginning of mankind and the fall of Adam and Eve—although this accounting was an accurate one. It included the tale of Lilith, the first woman, who had fought humans’ baser nature and had led the Children of the Law of One.
Elisabeta smiled at the mention of herself—the leader of the Sons of Belial. But when she reached the part of the story where she died—her first death, killed by one of her own—she glowered. That death still stung most of all—because of the surprise. She had had no idea they had been made mortal.
And now it’s time to change that.
Elisabeta’s eyes flitted through the tale of the first time the tree was moved. She smiled when she saw the list that followed—all the previous locations of the tree. Elisabeta’s eyes scanned down it: Nineveh, Sanggyeong, Atlantis, Paris, Aguateca, Copan, and another dozen or so. The last location on the list was in Japan. Mount Fuji.
Elisabeta flipped the page, her heart beginning to race. As she read the entry there, a smile crept across her face. Finally. She was about to call for the pilot when she noticed the writing on the opposite page.
Curious, she continued reading. And with each word, her anger and surprise grew.
“That bitch,” she muttered.
Elisabeta’s hands clutched the translation angrily and yanked—ripping it in two. Her Fallen looked up, but no one dared say a word.
Elisabeta tossed the pieces onto the table; scraps of paper scattered across the cabin. The answer had been in front of her the whole time. She grabbed the armrests, trying to calm down and think clearly.
Victoria and
her brats would no doubt be heading for the tree. Elisabeta’s eyes darted to the journal. Which could be an advantage.
She pictured Victoria—then pictured draining her of all her blood. If I can’t get the book, I can become immortal another way. After all, only I really need to be immortal. She flicked her eyes to her men, and then to Gerard, who was still sedated. None of them deserve that honor. Besides, they might try to take a run at my role, and that will never do.
She smiled. This was actually a blessing. Now instead of one chance to achieve immortality, she had two.
Elisabeta waved Hakeem over. “Tell the pilot we need to change course.”
“Where to, my liege?”
Elisabeta smiled. “China.”
CHAPTER 80
Time seemed to be moving by in slow motion. Laney struggled to figure out a way out of the stalemate. They could take out the shooters, but someone would undoubtedly get hurt. And worst of all, no one could harm Jorgen without receiving the same damage sevenfold.
On the other side of the car she noticed Henry and Jake nod subtly at one another. Jake looked over at her, then flicked his eyes toward the shooters in front of them.
Laney’s gut clenched. She kept her eyes on the men, but her mind was focused on the sky. She gave Jake the subtlest of nods when she was ready.
Jake turned and opened fire on the gunmen in front.
Laney blasted the remaining gunmen with wind, throwing them into the river that ran along the road. Mustafa and his men took care of the gunmen behind them.
From the corner of her eye, Laney saw a blur as Henry raced for Jorgen. Laney’s heart all but stopped when he plowed into him and the two of them collapsed to the ground.
Henry’s scream was loud, but it still didn’t drown out the sound of his bones breaking.
“No!” Laney yelled as Jorgen crawled from underneath Henry, cradling his arm.
Laney ran over to Henry and kneeled at his side. Her eyes went wide. His arms and legs were broken at crazy angles, and there was no telling what other bones had shattered. His appeared to be unconscious, no doubt a result of the pain. Just please don’t let it be a head injury.
Laney looked up as a shadow fell over her.
Jorgen stood a few feet away, at the edge of the riverbank. He pulled a gun from his jacket and pointed it at Laney. “You should have let me take her.”
Laney covered Henry’s body with her own without taking her eyes off Jorgen. She heard Jake shout something, and then Jorgen’s body jerked backward as two bullets slammed into him. He stared at Laney for a moment, his face incredulous, and then toppled over the side of the bank. The raging river dragged his body under.
Jake. Laney turned in time to see him fall to his knees. For a moment, time stopped, and her heart went still. Then blood burst from wounds in Jake’s shoulder, his arms, his legs. Without counting, Laney knew there were fourteen bullet wounds.
“Jake!” Laney scrambled over to him. She tugged off her jacket and pushed it against the wounds in his chest. Victoria and Ralph appeared beside her, and they also helped put pressure on Jake’s wounds.
Laney looked up into her mother’s eyes. “Help him. Please.”
Victoria shook her head. “I’m sorry. My blood won’t work this time. Not against injuries from Cain.”
Laney looked back at Henry’s broken body, then again at Jake, his blood running through her fingers. She was shaking so hard, her teeth were chattering. Jake and Henry were both down. How was that possible?
The ring bearer will fight alone. The words from the book appeared unbidden in her mind. She stared in disbelief at the proof that those words were true.
Through a fog she heard Mustafa calling for the medical unit. Two of the SIA agents squatted down next to her with a med kit, gently pushing her aside.
Laney moved to Jake’s head and cradled it on her lap. She stared numbly at the blood soaking into the dry earth.
This can’t be happening. Not again.
CHAPTER 81
Laney sat in the back of the van with Jake laid out on the stretcher next to her. Luckily the SIA had had a full mobile surgical unit at standby at the safe house; they had rushed over when Mustafa called. Laney was more than grateful for the SIA’s foresight.
Henry was in a separate van, accompanied by Ralph and Victoria, although his wounds, thankfully, weren’t life-threatening.
Laney reached out a shaky hand and ran it along Jake’s face. “Hold on, Jake. Just a little longer.”
Ahead of them, the gates to a walled village were pulled open and the vans were waved through. Although as Laney looked around, she thought that “village” might be a little too strong a term. There were only about a dozen buildings here.
There were also very few people. And the ones she saw did not look Indian.
Laney leaned forward to Mustafa. “Where are we?”
“This village was abandoned about ten years ago. We’ve borrowed it for the time being. We’ll be leaving here as soon as the reinforcements arrive, assuming Mr. Rogan and Mr. Chandler can travel.”
“Shouldn’t we take Jake to a hospital?” Laney asked.
Mustafa shook his head. “In this part of the country, you do not want to visit the hospital. Trust me, what we have here is much better for Mr. Rogan.”
Laney looked into the kind Egyptian’s eyes and nodded. She’d have to trust Mustafa’s judgment.
They pulled up in front of what was the largest house in the community by far. It was two stories; white columns held up the second story and more columns lined the balcony on the second floor. The rest of the buildings in the village were simple, with stucco walls and thatched roofs.
The door to the van opened before they had completely stopped. SIA agents in surgical gear slid the stretcher out and were carrying Jake into the building before Laney was even out of the van.
She stepped out slowly, then watched another group grab Henry’s stretcher from the other van, followed by Ralph and Maddox. Mustafa made his way quickly over and escorted Victoria inside.
Laney watched them all go, feeling numb.
“Laney?”
She turned to find her uncle’s knowing eyes and opened arms.
In two quick steps, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. He held her while she let the tears fall, but she cut them off quickly. There were things to be done.
She wiped at her eyes and started to step away. “I need to go see—”
Patrick gently took her arm and held her in place. “Laney, the first thing you need to do is go speak with Kati.”
Laney turned back to him. Fear for Max crowded in next to her fears for Henry and Jake. “Kati? Is Max okay?”
Patrick patted her arm. “He’s fine.”
Laney let out a breath. “Then it will have to wait. I need to check on—”
“They’re leaving.”
Laney nodded. “That’s good. The sooner they get back to the States—”
“No, Laney.” Patrick took both her arms in his hands, forcing her to give him her undivided attention. “They’re not going back to the States. They’re leaving us.”
CHAPTER 82
Laney stared at her uncle. “What? Why?”
But even as she said the words, she knew why. Max had been in mortal danger for the last year. They had barely let him out of their sight the entire time. And even so, he had been grabbed, not once but twice.
She closed her eyes. Exhaustion, terror, fear, and sadness crashed down on her. It was too much. She forced her eyes open. She was going to have to face it regardless. “Where is she?”
Patrick tilted his chin toward the building just as Kati stepped out. “Right there. I’ll go stay with Jake.” Patrick walked toward the building, stopping to give Kati a hug and a whisper in her ear before disappearing through the door.
Kati came over to Laney and pulled her into a hug. “I’m so sorry about Henry and Jake.”
Laney wrapped her arms around Kati
and, for a moment, let herself grieve. She pulled back after just a few seconds though, because she knew if she gave into the emotions running through her, she’d be no good to anyone.
Laney studied Kati’s face, but Kati was keeping all her emotions in check. “Is Max okay?” she asked.
Kati nodded, and her eyes searched Laney’s face just as Laney had searched hers a moment ago. “He’s fine. He’s with Maddox. Are you all right?”
Laney opened her mouth to say yes—then shut it. She didn’t have the energy to lie. She shrugged instead. “I don’t know.”
An uncomfortable silence stretched between them.
Laney looked at Kati, this woman with whom she had lived for five years. They were sisters in every real sense of the word. Their house had always been full of laughter and conversation. But right now she couldn’t seem to think of anything to say.
With a jolt, she realized she hadn’t actually lived in their house in two years. And Kati and Max hadn’t lived there for the last six months. Time was marching on, things were changing, and Laney hadn’t even been seeing it.
Her uncle’s words replayed through her mind. They’re not going back to the States. They’re leaving us. Jake and Henry were hurt, and now she was losing Max and Kati, too.
Laney’s heart began to pound.
Kati looked away. “Let’s sit around back. There’s a deck.”
Laney nodded mutely then followed behind Kati as she led the way. Kati skirted the house and stepped onto an old dock with a tree springing out from its center. She walked to the edge and sat in the shade created by the house, her feet dangling over the side.
Laney sat next to her. “What’s going on, Kati?”
Kati let out a shaky breath and grasped Laney’s hand. “Laney, you have been my best friend for the last five years. More than that, you’ve been my family. Max’s, too. We wouldn’t even be alive without you.” Kati looked over at Laney, tears in her eyes. “But now, Max and I need to leave.”