The Knight: The Original's Trilogy - Book 3

by Cara Crescent

  “Is that why you pulled me out of there? And Scott? You don’t want to be that much of an asshole?”

  Julius snorted. “You don’t know me.”

  “Yeah, well, you sure as hell don’t make it easy to.” Harrison leaned back against the wall. “No one likes the fact that you know everything about them.”

  He was right. Once Lilith and Trina explained what happened, once it came out that he remembered everything the Watcher had seen over the years . . . maybe they could hide that fact. Then again, that was the only way he could prove he’d been possessed by the Watcher. So the very thing that could save his skin, might also be the thing that ended him.

  A ripple ran through Harrison’s aura. “All that shit you spouted when we first brought you in . . . .” He tipped his head to the side. “At first I thought you were stark raving mad.” Harrison let out a sound halfway between a chuckle and a sigh. “But you’re not.” He ran his hand over his head and turned toward the door. “Kat’s lucky to have someone so protective.” He patted his thigh. “Come on, George.”

  A chill raised the hair on his body. If the humans didn’t let him go free, he didn’t want them to associate Kat with him. It would be dangerous. “Hey!”

  Harrison poked his head back in.

  “I am crazy. I did hypnotize her. I made her do everything. It’s my fault.”

  For a long moment, Harrison stared. He opened his mouth to say something, then shook his head. “You got it, man.”

  Fuck. He’d been so focused on getting the job done and then so secure in the knowledge that he was innocent, he’d forgotten his role. Who else had noticed aside from Harrison? Scott? The coven?

  Harrison went straight back upstairs, Scott right behind him. “Can I speak freely?”

  Lilith rolled her eyes. “Hold on.”

  Seconds later, Trina burst through the door. “What’s wrong?”

  Lilith nodded to Harry. “He wants to speak without anyone hearing. If it’s for the reason I suspect, we need you.”

  “Okay.” Trina came deeper into the room to stand next to Lilith. “Go ahead.” She was the Shadow. Not even the Watchers saw her or those she was interacting with. Whatever he said now would never go beyond these walls.

  He couldn’t believe he was about to do this. “We can’t turn Crowley over to the humans.”

  The women shared a speaking glance.

  “He could’ve escaped. He could’ve left us for dead. Instead, he almost died fighting for us. He came back to Machon and he fought some more even knowing we all hated him. He’s not insane.”

  Trina snorted. “All evidence to the contrary. Did you even listen to what you said? Those are not the actions of a sane male.”

  Scott came forward. “He’s not a threat to us.”

  Trina pointed. “You started this. You wanted nothing more than his head on a damn spike, remember?”

  “I didn’t understand.”

  Lilith raised her brows. “And you do now?”

  Scott shrugged. “I have a lot to learn about daemon kind. I get that. The thing is, I’ve been in Machon long enough to know I have a lot to learn.”

  “That’s something, at least.” Trina folded her arms over her chest. “Can you get Dorset and the others to give up on using Crowley as their scapegoat?”

  His mouth opened. Closed. He held his hands out to his sides in a helpless gesture. “They’ve publicized the hell out of this. I was kind of hoping you could.”

  “What? Snap our fingers and make everyone in the world forget? Wave a wand and make the powers-that-be see reason?” Trina scoffed. “You do have a lot to learn.”

  Lilith sighed. “You’ve put events into motion and now they’re speeding along far too fast to stop. We have to see this through to the end.”

  “To what end?” Harry paced across the floor in front of them. He carried enough guilt. He didn’t want to add the death of an innocent male to his burden. “This is bullshit. There has to be a way.”

  Trina picked up her Tarot cards. “Look.” She spread them, fanning them between her fingers to show the faces of the cards. Then she turned them over. “What happens if I hand Crowley over to the humans?”

  She flipped over the Hanged Man.

  “What happens if we hold a trial for Crowley before handing him over to the humans?”

  She flipped over the Hanged Man.

  “What happens if we refuse to hand over Crowley to the humans?”

  The Hanged Man.

  “What happens if we take any option available?”

  The Hanged Man.

  “What happens if we take an option we haven’t thought of yet?”

  The Hanged Man.

  “What is Julius Crowley’s fate no matter what we do now?”

  She threw down the remaining cards and they all fell face up. They were all the Hanged Man.

  Harrison swallowed. They were about to hand over an innocent male. How the hell were they supposed to live with themselves afterward? What would happen to Kat? They expected her to live out her life without her mate?

  Lilith shook her head. Her voice was gentler than Trina’s, but her words weren’t any more comforting. “His fate is sealed. As is ours.”

  “Ours?” Scott asked.

  “Yes.” Lilith motioned to the cards. “Crowley’s fate is sacrifice.” She picked one up, turned it in her hand, and showed them the face—the Five of Cups. “Ours is regret.”

  His cell had been as busy as Grand Central Station all night. Dorset and Angie had been in to ensure he was secured. Duncan had come to see if he needed anything and to thank him for bringing Harrison home in one piece. Now the door opened down the hall and a soft set of footsteps approached. His cell door opened and Trina slipped inside.

  “Somehow, I don’t think Duncan would approve.”

  “I’ll tell him soon enough.” She glanced around the small space, grabbed a bucket from the corner, flipped it over, and sat.

  “Staring contest or conversation? If it’s the former, you might want to take the hood off. I’ve been known to cheat.”

  A small smile curved her lips.

  “No? Well, I can’t sing or dance . . . if you want to pull my pants down, I’m sure my dick still works.”

  Her expression didn’t change. “If I thought for two seconds you were serious, I’d rip off your man parts and beat you to death with them.”

  “Good God. Duncan lets you touch his? Amazing. Cute as you are, I can’t say I’d want you anywhere near my . . . man parts. Then again—”

  “Cut the shit, Crowley. Shut up for a minute.”

  “Fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven—”

  She huffed. “You can drop the act.” Trina leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees. “We both know you’re running off at the mouth to keep attention off Kat. Harry told us you were back to insisting you’re crazy and spouting off about mesmerizing your mate. Thing is, you can’t mesmerize Kat. Rowena cast a spell over her. I can’t even get into her head.”

  Well, shit. Now they tell him. “She didn’t do anything wrong. You two gave her permission to keep me at her place. You can’t turn on her.”

  “We’re not going to let anything happen to Kat. No one has even suggested that she might deserve punishment.” Trina shrugged. “She’s a healer; she was doing what is in her nature to do.”

  He nodded and something settled in him. Calmed. Kat would be okay. “And me?”

  The door opened again and his gaze shot to the doorway. He hadn’t heard anyone approach.

  Lilith.

  Trina huffed. “About damned time. I was about to muzzle him.”

  He shifted his gaze between the two women. This wasn’t good. “So you’re here to tell me Dorset realized this has all been a big misunderstanding and I’m free to go.”

  “Almost.” Lilith walked right up to him and removed his hood. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She had lines of strain around her eyes and between her brows.

&nb
sp; He stared at them. “You’re just gonna take it off?”

  Trina met his gaze. “You forget, when we merged . . . .” She shook her head and looked away. Chuckled. “I think Lilith and I will be having nightmares for a long time.”

  Lilith leaned against the wall and smoothed his hood out against her thigh before folding it. “We knew it would be bad, merging with you. Being in your mind.” Her hands trembled and the material slipped. She smoothed it out again and started over. “But I didn’t expect . . . .” She met his gaze. “I don’t know how you’ve survived the last three centuries.”

  Trina nodded. “You may be crazy but you’re the bravest, strongest-willed crazy person I’ve ever met.”

  “All the more reason for the two of you to exercise caution.”

  The corner of Trina’s mouth curved. “We’re Kat’s sisters. The depth of what you feel for that woman is—” Her voice cracked and she drew in a deep breath. “Breathtaking.” She lifted her hand and dashed her fingers under her eye. Sniffed. “You’re not a threat to any of us.”

  “Jesus. Don’t . . . don’t cry, for God’s sake. I’d rather get possessed again.”

  Both women laughed. It was a sad sort of nervous laugh but even then he wished he could join in. “You’re both doing a damn fine job of avoiding my question. What’s happening with me?”

  “You’re a problem,” chimed in Trina, always one to get to the heart of the matter.

  “Three problems, actually.” Lilith winced. “Kat was going to trade you out with a doppelgänger so we could hand that over to the humans and you could carry on with life.” She looked away. “She lost her Magic before she could do so.”

  Damn. “And now the sniffer has my scent.”

  Trina nodded. “When I allowed her down here, I thought you were the doppelgänger. If I’d realized . . . .”

  Jesus. It was a fucking tragedy of errors. “What happens now?”

  The women looked at each other. Seconds ticked on in silence. They must be discussing something telepathically. When they broke eye contact, they both looked down.

  Trina drew in a breath. “In six hours, Scott and Harrison are going to escort you to Seattle. The Superior Court building belongs to the DDC now. You’ll be tried for several crimes in a jury comprised of both humans and daemons.”

  He chuckled. “We have to keep up appearances, don’t we?”

  Trina drew in a deep breath. “We do.”

  “The problem, Julius—” They both jumped. It was the first time anyone aside from Kat had used his first name. Lilith smiled and continued, “Julius, we’re dealing with a much larger issue than your trial. This is the first legal interaction between humans and daemons. Everything hinges on promises being kept. We’re not trusted. If we do anything suspicious . . . .”

  It was all for show, but it was an important show. Should the humans terminate him without trial, it would create a precedence that would allow daemons accused of crimes to be terminated prior to conviction. These were smart ladies. They’d make good leaders. He nodded. “I understand.”

  “That being said”—Trina leaned closer, lowering her voice—“Scott and Harrison will escort you to court tomorrow. The humans have announced that you’ll be there. We’re expecting . . . .”

  Finishing her sentence for her wasn’t hard, “A mob.”

  “A circus.” Lilith pressed her hand to her stomach.

  His gaze shifted between the two. They were hiding their discomfort well, but they were both scared shitless. Not of him, of what would happen tomorrow. “You’ll both do fine. You’ll do what you need to do to be good leaders.”

  They shared another glance. Then Lilith said, “It’s your choice, Julius.”

  “What choice?”

  “We will get you to court. You will be hooded and restrained with Plasticuffs.”

  The same cuffs he’d broken out of twice yesterday. His wrists were still raw, but he could do it again if needed. “But it can’t look like you helped.”

  They both nodded.

  Trina scuffed the toe of her shoe against the rough stone floor. “There’s something else you should know.”

  “Trina!”

  Another silent battle of wills raged between them. Lilith sighed. “Fine.”

  “We read the rest of the blank pages in the Black book of Daemonology. The sacrifice you have to perform to get out from under the goddess’ curse . . . I think you were supposed to do it while you were still human and still able to reincarnate. The curse says you have to sacrifice yourself completely, which, with you being a vampire and all is kind of a shitty deal.”

  “No reincarnation, no paradise. Just the Eidolon Wastes to look forward to.” He swallowed. “What if I don’t?”

  “We’ve looked at this from every angle. One way or another . . . .” Lilith looked away.

  “One way or another, I’m ash.”

  Trina nodded. Looked up. “Your choice comes down to this: Do you want to risk a war to have a little more time with Kat?” She stood. “You hold the fate of two worlds in your hands. You can go down fighting and leave war and strife behind you, or you can go to your fate with grace and bring peace to both.”

  He snorted. “You want me to sacrifice myself.” For what? For a bunch of assholes that wanted him dead without even knowing what happened?

  Trina stood. “You wouldn’t be the first to do such a thing.”

  She shifted her weight, looking a little lost. “After everything you did today, helping with Azazel, taking in his knowledge, bringing Harry and Scott back, I wish we had better news.”

  “It’s not your fault.” This was his fault. His own trusting stupidity that had taken him to Azazel’s tower to meet Leopold. His own arrogance that made him hold onto the bastard.

  Trina opened the door and slipped out.

  Lilith came closer. Lifted the hood and hesitated.

  Now that she’d been in his head, she knew why he didn’t like it. Yet, right now, he almost preferred to be alone in the darkness. He nodded.

  She slipped it over his head. “We owe you for your actions today. We’ll support whatever choice you make.”

  Owed him, but still intended to sacrifice him. “I appreciate the offer.”

  The door closed.

  “Please let the fucking thing stay closed.” He couldn’t handle another visit. Not today.

  Abaddon still didn’t like the daemons. Nor the humans. The way he carried on, she had no doubt he’d make the wrong choice. Part of her wanted to step in and make things right, but she’d promised the humans to never interfere again.

  Chapter 34

  Sunday

  Kat opened the door to Julius’ cell and slipped inside.

  “Butterfly.” Muffled by the hood, the one word could have been her imagination.

  She pulled the door closed behind her. Her hands twisted into her skirt. “Everything is going to work out.” She nodded. “It’s going to be fine.”

  “I—” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “Christ, I missed you.”

  There was nothing she could do about the chains, she didn’t have the key but the hood had to go. She fit her fingers under the zipper to move his hair out of the way while she unzipped the damn thing. He took a deep breath as she pulled it off and tossed it to the side.

  She tipped his face up and caught her breath. Gaia, he looked wrecked. “Are you okay?”

  He gave her a wobbly smile. “Yeah. I’m good.”

  Lilith and Trina had visited earlier. They kept saying everything was fine, but they didn’t want her at the trial tomorrow. They were hiding something from her. “What’s wrong?”

  One brow rose in mocking question.

  “Not that you don’t have plenty to be upset about. I was more asking what you were thinking about right now.”

  “You.”

  “I’m okay, Jules. Somehow, everything will be fine. We’ll make them see reason at the trial tomorrow. I have to believe that or I’m gonna lose my
mind. Gaia wouldn’t have brought us together if she was just going to tear us apart.” She touched her forehead to his. “How are you?”

  “Slightly terrified.” He winced. “Give me a minute. I’m sure I can come up with something a little more emasculating.”

  She smoothed her fingers over his eyebrows. “I never got to explain things before Harrison came and now. . . .” She shook her head. “If the Nephilim hadn’t come, you wouldn’t be here right now. I thought . . . .” She blinked hard against the burning behind her eyes. Goddess help her, she’d screwed things up. “I never wanted you to get hurt. I love you, Jules.”

  His lips curved. “I—”

  “Don’t.” She pressed her fingers to his lips. She couldn’t bear to hear the words while he was chained up in this cell. “Tomorrow. When you’re home with me. Tell me then.”

  “Okay.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “Take my mind off things, butterfly. I’ll take anything, tell me a story. Kiss me.”

  She skated her hands up under his shirt, over his sides. “Oh, I think I could do better than that, handsome.”

  He chuckled. “They didn’t leave me much room for maneuvering here, butterfly.”

  “Ever since the first time we made love I’ve wanted to get you tied up.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  She swished her skirt out of her way, lifted her leg over him and sank onto his lap. She lifted her gaze and her breath caught. “I love that I can see your eyes. I wish . . . .” Gaia, she just wished she could see him, not the glamour of his old self. She’d grown used to the scars, to his unusual left eye.

  “What do you wish?”

  She shook her head.

  “It’ll all work out, butterfly. Before you know it, I’ll be home making you crazy.” His lips quirked on one side. “Yep, I’ll make you nuts, replace all your long skirts with short ones.”

  She shook her head. Something was very wrong. His light tone sounded forced. His grin didn’t reach his eyes.

  “Hide all your bras and panties to keep you naked under your clothes.”