“Forget it.” I stood from the table and carried my cup into the kitchen. After rinsing it out quickly, I set it on the top rack of the dishwasher. I could sense Tessa standing in the doorway behind me.
“How come you never talk about that case?” she asked.
“Because there’s nothing to talk about. I just slipped up. I forgot that even though Dakota didn’t pay me, someone else did.” I turned around and leaned against the kitchen counter, taking my cigarette case and lighter from my pocket. I lit a cigarette and puffed a few times before finishing my response. “Dakota Reed was just a case. I did my job, that’s it.”
“And then you let Raziel take her who-knows-where.”
“He was the client—what was I supposed to do?”
“Is that why you don’t talk about it?” asked Tessa. “Because you think you shouldn’t have let him take her?”
I scoffed. “Listen to yourself, Tess. You sound delusional.”
“Right, I’m the delusional one.” Tessa sighed. “Y’know, you’ve got this whole character you’ve built up. Ruthless Luther Cross, doesn’t give a damn about anyone except himself and will only stick his neck out for you if you can afford it.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Am I?” Tessa stepped closer. “Then let me ask you this. What would you have done if Raziel had refused to pay you? Would you have let Dakota figure things out on her own, or would you have helped her regardless?”
I shook my head and walked past Tessa. I strolled from the kitchen to the recliner in the living room and settled in the chair. Just as I was about to pick up the remote from the side table, it floated away from me. I stood, trying to grab it, but my hand passed right through.
I sighed and glared at Tessa. “Stop that.”
“You wanna have a real conversation, or should I leave?” she asked.
“Do I have a choice in the matter?”
“No.”
I rolled my eyes and took another draw on my cigarette, tapping it against the edge of the astray on the side table. Tessa waved her hand and the remote floated back down to the table. She walked up to me.
“Underneath all that swagger, you’re a good guy,” she said. “When Dakota got possessed and beat the crap out of me, you could’ve just left me there to fend for myself. But you healed me, then sat by my side for hours until I woke up.”
I sat back down in the chair. “What’s your point?”
“My point is you’re beating yourself up for letting Raziel take Dakota, and now you’re scared something bad might happen to her.”
“She’s carrying a nephilim, she’s part of a conspiracy to start a war between Heaven and Hell. So, yeah, I think that’s a pretty solid worry.”
“Then maybe you should find out just what Raziel’s done with her. Why are you even sitting here taking on poltergeists when you know there’s something bigger out there in the shadows?”
“Because whatever’s out there doesn’t concern me,” I said. “And need I remind you that you’re the one who brought Hallie to me.”
“Yeah, because I figured the only way you’d return my calls is if I brought you a case.” Tessa sighed. “You’re sitting on the sidelines when what you should be doing is getting ready.”
“There’s nothing to be done about it,” I said. “Even if I were interested in stopping this angel, nobody knows who he is.”
“Fine, then just sit here and do nothing until the end of the world.” Tessa shook her head and walked to the door. “I’ll see you around. Call me once you’ve found your balls.”
I sat in silence after I heard the door close, smoking my cigarette. Tessa got a few things right—I did feel guilty about turning Dakota over to Raziel. But what other choice did I have? I was beat to shit, and if I tried to say no, Raziel could’ve broken every bone in my body. Not to mention that he was the only one standing between me and the wrath of the Angel of Death.
But something else about that whole case scared me. The nephilim Dakota carried—it stirred something inside me. Normally, I could keep the demon part of me under control. It had taken years of training, but I’d managed to do it. Yet whenever I was around Dakota, the demon rose up. I was frightened—almost to the point of violence—by that nephilim. I had given in to the demon in order to save Dakota, but I dreaded to think of what might happen if I continued down that path.
4
One of my favorite places in the entire city was the Signature Lounge. Located on the ninety-sixth floor of the John Hancock Center, it was one of the most exclusive clubs in all of Chicago. You might accuse me of being a bar snob, but that’s not quite the truth. Fact is, I can get comfortable in the most exclusive, elite lounges or in a local dive.
’Course, sometimes class has its privileges. And one of the privileges of the Signature Lounge—aside from the delicious Glenlivet I was nursing—was the view of the city. I sat back at my table, enjoying my drink. Only thing missing was a cigarette, but thanks to Chicago’s indoor clean air ordinance, I’d have to hold off on that.
I did my best to put the encounter with Tessa out of my mind. She was a good kid, but sometimes she got a little too passionate about this line of work. And the situation wasn’t as simple as me being too much of a coward to get involved any deeper in the war between angels and demons. Sometimes, a man just needs his space.
But unfortunately, it looked like that wasn’t in the cards. Because I could sense that something powerful had just entered. I looked away from the window, glancing over my shoulder to the front entrance. That’s when I saw both Raziel and Asmodeus enter the Signature Lounge. And they were making a beeline right for me.
I sighed and looked back out the window, raising the glass to my lips and taking a sip. They were behind me now; I could feel it, and they knew that, too. I set the drink on the coaster.
“An angel and a demon walk into a bar…” I said, and chuckled. “Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke.”
Raziel circled around the table and sat down in the empty chair across from me. “I’ve been leaving you messages.”
“I’ve been ignoring them.”
“Would have come to your condominium, but it’s too strongly warded.”
“Can you blame me? Lots of undesirables out on the streets these days.”
Asmodeus pulled up a chair from a nearby table and sat down beside Raziel. I stared at the two of them. Their shoulders were stiff, their lips tight; it was clear something had them both anxious. And I had a pretty good idea of what it was. Though I wanted no part of it.
I scoffed. “Y’know, the two of you should consider getting your own buddy cop show. I can just hear the theme song now. ‘He’s Raz and he’s Az. One’s from Hea-ven, the other’s from Hell. They may not get along, but they work together well.’”
No response came from either the angel or the demon. They maintained their stone-faced expressions. I shook my head and took another sip.
“No appreciation for good comedy, I see.”
“We’ve got a serious problem, Cross,” said Asmodeus. “There’s a rogue angel looking to jumpstart a war between both sides, and you’re sitting here drinking.”
“And I suppose you’ve closed down Lust?” I asked, referring to Asmodeus’ own little nightclub on Rush Street.
“I’ve been doing my part,” he replied. “The demons in my charge have been rattling the cages, trying to find out who Luxton was working for. But so far, they haven’t turned up anything.”
“What about you, Wings?” I asked, glancing at Raziel. “What’s the word on angel radio?”
“I’ve been conducting an investigation myself, though it’s proven difficult,” said Raziel. “I cannot risk making too much noise, lest the Divine Choir learn what I’m doing.”
“If you’ve got a rogue angel, shouldn’t you be telling them anyway? Seems kinda silly to keep the big boys out of the loop,” I said.
“Not if I don’t know who can be trusted,” said Raziel.
“Right now, it looks like Luxton is the only one who knows this angel’s identity, and that means we have to get to him,” said Asmodeus. “And that means someone’s gotta go into Purgatory and get him out.”
“Which is why you’re here.” I shook my head. “Get an expendable cambion to do your dirty work for you. If I die in the process, big deal. If I get caught, you’ve got deniability. Pretty convenient little scam you’ve got going. But I’m no sucker.”
“That’s not what the plan is, Luther,” said Raziel. “After all this time, do you really think—?”
“Oh, don’t even try to pretend you’re offended,” I shot back. “You made your opinions of me pretty clear the last time I visited Eden. Or did you think I would just forget your hand around my throat, dangling me over the city?”
“You did that?” asked Asmodeus, looking at Raziel. “Respect.”
Raziel cleared his throat and looked down. “I admit, that wasn’t my…finest moment.”
“Beg to differ,” said Asmodeus.
Raziel shot Asmodeus a glare that told him to shut up. The demon chuckled and looked away, a smirk still present on his face. I just rolled my eyes and finished the rest of my drink, then held up the empty glass as a signal to the waiter. He came by and looked down at me, then at my two uninvited guests.
“Another Glenlivet,” I said.
“And for your friends?”
“‘Friends’ is stretching it,” I replied. “I don’t think they’re thirsty.”
“I wouldn’t mind a brandy myself,” said Asmodeus.
“Then you’re putting it on your own tab,” I said.
“And after I bought you a drink at my club…” He shook his head while clicking his tongue.
“Sir…?” The waiter looked at Raziel.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
The waiter nodded, took my empty, and excused himself. I took my lighter from my pocket and flipped it open, then closed it again, repeating it a few times. For Raziel and Asmodeus to work together and come to me for help did a lot to show just how scared they were of the situation. Of course, neither of them would admit it, but having that bit of knowledge did give me a tingle of happiness.
The waiter returned with the drinks. I picked up my Scotch and took a sip while Asmodeus did the same with his brandy. Raziel just stared at me, his blue eyes glowing. I kept flipping the lighter open and shut, meeting his gaze with my own.
“Hope you’re not trying to hypnotize me or anything, Raz,” I said.
“I have no intention of doing any such thing,” said Raziel. “But you have to understand that we are in a dire situation, Luther. You know that yourself; it’s why you came to me when Dakota wound up on your doorstep in the first place.”
“What exactly do you expect me to do?” I asked.
“It should be obvious,” said Raziel. “We need to interrogate Luxton, and the only way to do that is to go into Purgatory.”
I scoffed. “You’re crazy. Purgatory is a lawless wasteland. I go in there, chances are good I’m not coming out again. And what do you need me for anyway? You’re two of the most powerful of your kind.”
“True, but it’s not as simple as just getting into and surviving Purgatory,” said Asmodeus. “There’s still the matter of finding Luxton. Purgatory is endless; trying to find one soul out of the countless trapped there would be impossible.”
“And how am I supposed to be able to find him when an angel and a demon working together can’t? Other than my good looks and firm abs, what exactly am I bringing to the table?”
“A connection to Luxton,” said Raziel.
“You must be high if you think I’ve got any sort of connection to him.”
“But you do,” said Raziel. “You fought him. Your minds touched in the Dreamscape. That has attuned you to him in certain respects. Now, true, it’s not the same as if you had known him for years, but we don’t have any other options.”
“Think about it, Luther. Who else has any sort of connection with him and has a chance of surviving Purgatory?” asked Asmodeus.
“We have to keep Dakota hidden for her own protection, and the other girls Luxton had under his control are still comatose,” said Raziel. “There is no one else.”
“And even if we could use them, do you really want them walking into Purgatory?”
I sighed, sipping my drink. Dammit all to hell, they had a point. Only thing I hated more than the idea of doing this myself was the idea of Dakota going in my place. That girl had already been through more than enough to last several lifetimes.
“No,” I said.
“You’re unbelievable,” said Asmodeus. “You do realize that you’re forcing me to be the voice of conscience here, don’t you? It’s not a good look for me, Cross.”
“There’s gotta be another way,” I said. “You could try and contact Luxton through a spell.”
“What spell have you ever heard of capable of piercing the barriers of Purgatory and reaching a soul trapped inside?” asked Raziel. “Purgatory is a prison.”
“And it’s one where neither phone calls nor visitations are permitted,” said Asmodeus.
I finished a long sip and set the glass down. “Listen, I helped you out with Dakota. Even let you take her away for safekeeping, whatever the fuck that means. But if you think I’m walking into Purgatory, alone, to find a guy who nearly killed me, then you’re insane.”
“Who said anything about going in alone?” asked Asmodeus.
“What do you mean?”
“You wouldn’t be alone, Luther. Asmodeus and I would accompany you,” said Raziel. “And, I should add, at great personal risk to ourselves and our cause. Should either the Divine Choir or the Infernal Court learn that we not only had knowledge of someone piercing the gates of Purgatory, but actively did so ourselves, not only would it likely result in our deaths, but could also result in greater consequences. Not to mention Dakota’s safety.”
“Then why take that risk?” I asked.
“Because you can’t do this alone, and neither can we,” said Asmodeus. “We need each other in this.”
“Your background, your skills, your connection to Luxton all make you a valuable member of this party,” said Raziel. “And, of course, there would be payment.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You’re offering to hire me to go on this little suicide mission?”
“Of course. I hired you to find out who was behind Dakota’s pregnancy, and, as I recall, you were well-compensated.”
Raziel wasn’t lying. I had gotten a nice little kickback from that job. Allowed me to even take a month off and just relax, allow my body to heal after Luxton and Azrael had nearly killed me. But still…I had a bad feeling about this whole arrangement.
“So just the three of us?” I asked.
“Not quite,” said Asmodeus. “You see, we do have one other problem. Your connection to Luxton will make it easier for us to find him, but we still need a guide. Raw power would breach the gates, that’s true, but it wouldn’t go unnoticed.”
“Could say that again,” I said. “Would be like driving a truck loaded with dynamite into a fireworks factory.”
“To say the least,” added Asmodeus. “So, we need someone who can get us past the gates undetected.”
“Who could do that?” I asked.
“Someone who’s escaped,” said Raziel.
I chuckled and took another sip. “Now I know you’re crazy. When in history has anyone ever successfully escaped from Purgatory?”
“There is one,” said Raziel. “Long ago. He found a way out, and he could show us the way back inside. But convincing him would be even more difficult than convincing you.”
“So we’re talking an angel, a demon, a Purgatory escapee, and me?” I asked.
“That’s the party,” said Asmodeus. “Between the four of us, we’ll have enough firepower to take care of anyone—or anything—that gets in our way.”
“Yeah, except there’s one problem with t
hat arrangement.” I leaned forward and pointed at each of them. “I don’t trust either of you, nor do I trust this ex-prisoner.”
“So what do you propose?” asked Raziel.
“If I’m doing this, I’m bringing along someone who I can trust to watch my back,” I said.
“Who’s that, your vampire whore?” asked Asmodeus with a chuckle.
That drew a hard stare from me. I could feel the demon’s rage boiling up, no doubt causing my eyes to burn bright red. Asmodeus seemed unfazed by the display of power, and his smirk remained on his face.
“Don’t get me wrong, Celeste is a wonderful woman,” he said. “But Purgatory is a place where creatures roam free. There’s an energy there. It could easily corrupt her and turn her against us. So you can’t bring back-up.”
“What of the witch?” asked Raziel.
“Who, Tessa?” I asked. “Tessa’s not built for this kind of thing.”
“She has potential,” said Raziel. “And you trust her. Plus, as a human, she would be immune to the influences of Purgatory in a way Celeste would not.”
That was a tough call. Tessa had already gone through the wringer when she’d helped me out with Dakota. To ask her to do something like this…it was a lot. But I couldn’t do this without someone I trusted, and Tessa was the only option on the table.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll ask her. But if she says no, then we’re both out, got it?”
5
The conversation with Asmodeus and Raziel weighed on my mind after I left the Signature Lounge. Going into Purgatory was no small feat, even with someone like Tessa watching my back. And that, of course, was assuming she would even agree to join. After our little dust-up, I wasn’t so sure.
I needed some guidance. A sense that I was making the right decision by agreeing to this. Now, I could do a lot of things, but unfortunately, clairvoyance wasn’t in my repertoire. So I needed to go to someone who had the sight, and that’s why I was pulling into a small, deserted strip mall in Albany Park at midnight.
The shops and restaurants here were closed—some of them for good. One of the storefronts that looked abandoned was actually anything but. Heavy blackout drapes were drawn across the windows. There was a neon sign in the window that read TAROT, though the OPEN sign wasn’t lit. It usually was, because what else did she have to do? I’d come here at four in the morning before, and she was open for business.
Devil's Descent (Luther Cross Book 2) Page 3