by Misty Evans
I reorganized the Institute’s soldiers into squads, set up a training schedule for the Fallen, and hired more help. An assistant for me, six housekeepers for Lainie and two dozen cooks for the kitchen. Within days, we had nearly two hundred supernaturals living, eating and working on the Institute’s grounds.
Cole brought in Brianna to help train our new soldiers and he took a couple of his best students and promoted them so we had enough lieutenants to handle the squads. When they weren’t training, the squads went into the surrounding neighborhoods and helped South Siders rebuild their houses and their futures.
Maddy wanted to be my assistant, but she was the least organized female I knew, so I hired my friend Neve instead. She ran a tight ship and never hesitated to call me on the carpet for screwing up. Her electric wheelchair buzzed in the hallways at all times of the day and night and everyone loved her motherly hen-pecking even though they groaned good-naturedly when they heard her coming.
Di held down the fort at Sweet Investigations and I trained Arman to take over some of my cases there with JR’s help. Maddy pitched in when needed and I’d spotted the two of them holding hands one day outside near the back dock.
Cole kept a close eye on our prisoners.
I missed Damon and my hope that he would show up dwindled. One day, I went to see the women in the prison below my feet.
I felt nothing when I looked in on Parker. She lay cold and naked in her cell and immediately began begging for her life. I spit on her and went to examine Maria.
Strung up by her favorite instrument of torture, I’d also placed various wards and spells, thanks to Amy’s friend Keisha, on the cell to keep her contained. Every few hours, one of the vitiums would behead her to keep her from gaining enough strength to break through our security measures.
Assured Maria was harmless and in great pain, I opened the door to Victoria’s cell and asked her a question. “What does it take to raise a demon from hell?”
She raised a hand to shield her eyes as the light from the hallway hit her face. Her red hair looked like she’d been electrocuted. Deep lines had formed around her mouth during her stay in solitary confinement. She hadn’t spoken in weeks and her voice came out a croak. “Fuck off.”
“If I offered you your freedom, could you do it?”
That got her attention. “What demon?”
“An archdemon.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Archdemon? Why would you want to raise such a thing? Don’t you have enough of them here already?”
“Can you do it?”
“Not for you.”
“Not even for your freedom?”
“You’ll kill me either way.”
True. “I haven’t killed you yet.”
She considered this. “Give me my freedom first. Then I’ll raise your demon.”
Like I was stupid. “I’ll think about it.”
And I did.
Amy dropped in every day at four o’clock. The sword sat on the desk where she’d placed it. I hated the blade but the gold wings had turned black after Lucifer’s success against Michael. That pleased me.
“Don’t you think you should hide that?” Amy said as she shimmered in unexpectedly early that afternoon.
I jumped and nearly fell out of my chair. I’d been Googling Rad.
Lucifer had convinced me Rad had done the deed of killing Death and Damon to save me grief, but grief ate at me night and day. Everything was upside down. Trust was dangling by a thread. I needed to talk to him, but for an innocent male, he wasn’t trying to exonerate himself.
Why didn’t he show up and see how I was doing?
I kept my grief locked up. Grief was an emotion I couldn’t afford. I had to be a strong powerhouse of leadership now, not some wimpy love-sick, grief-stricken female. I let work consume me and made sure I never had time or energy enough to go looking for the Chaos demon.
Maddy had mentioned that morning that he was totally off the grid, so I’d Googled him to see where and when his latest appearance had been. His name alone generated millions of links to blogs, forums, photos and more, but his last appearance had been at the People’s Choice Awards. The forums ran amok with speculation about why he’d disappeared.
Speculation, I was embarrassed to be caught reading.
I quickly clicked off the internet and sneered at Amy. The sneering I’d picked up from Lucifer. “Don’t you ever knock?”
She set down her latest ice cream concoction in front of me. “Sorry. This shimmering from place to place is all new to me, but I love doing it. And look.” She pointed at the ice cream. “I brought you a treat. You said you like cherries, so I want you to try this new blend of cherry chip with white and dark chocolate and tell me what you think.”
Every day she brought ice cream. My initial resistance to being her taste tester wore off after the first day. Yeah, yeah, shoot me for being weak in the face of ice cream. Sweets were a definite chink in my armor, and so was this witch.
I took a bite. Then another. Gave her a thumbs-up so I wouldn’t have to stop eating long enough to talk.
She settled into her favorite chair across from mine. “Doesn’t it make you nervous having the sword?”
She knew Lucifer had given it to me for her safety, not because of my grand gesture. Guilt oozed from her aura even though she kept up pretenses that it was a gift for my sacrifice.
I spoke around a mouthful of heavenliness. “I like having it within reach.”
Her eyes turned solemn. Rare for her. “You like to fight, don’t you?”
“Byproduct of being a vengeance demon.”
“What if Michael comes back?”
I shrugged. Why did she insist on talking? “I’ll handle him just like I’ve handled Lilith and the Horsemen.”
A knock on the door interrupted us. Lainie stuck her head in. “I brought you breakfast.”
Since I worked at night and slept most of the day, my breakfast was at dinner time. Lainie didn’t care. She carried in a tray loaded with an omelet, toast, hash browns and steaming coffee. Her attention landed on the empty ice cream bowl in front of me. “Did you already eat?”
“I’m still hungry, Lainie.” I took a sip of coffee and grabbed the tray. If not for Lainie and Amy, I would be starving. I hadn’t had much appetite anyway, and I rarely left the office. “Thank you.”
“What can I get for you, Ms. Atwood?”
Amy lifted a triangle of toast off my plate. “I’m good, thanks.”
I tasted the coffee again. “Is this a different brand? It’s much better than the stuff you brought me yesterday.”
“Your friend dropped it off. Said it was your favorite blend.”
The cup suddenly felt too heavy in my hand. “My friend?”
Lainie blushed. “He made me promise not to tell you he was here, but I don’t keep secrets from my employer.”
I swallowed hard. “I appreciate that. If he comes here again, let me know, will you?”
She nodded and left. Amy kicked back. “How long do you plan to make him pay?”
I didn’t want to discuss it. “He hasn’t even texted me.”
“Have you reached out to him in any way?”
So not her business. “I’m supposed to call him? Text him? He’s the one who screwed up. And I mean that literally. Screwed his ex right in front of me!” I didn’t add that he was under Death’s magic spell. I needed my anger. “No. He needs to reach out to me and say he’s sorry.”
“I get it. You miss him, you love him and you’re hurt, but you’re being an ass.”
Yes, I was. “And a bitchy ass at that, right?”
“He brought your favorite coffee.”
“You brought me ice cream. Doesn’t mean I forgive you either.”
“Me? What did I do?”
“You made me like you.”
She screwed up her face. “What’s wrong with liking me?”
“I don’t have friends. Too stressful.”
At that she laughed,
a nice sound in the big office. “You’re blessed with friends, Kali. Oodles of them. Now get over yourself and go make up with that hot rock star.”
She shimmered out and I pushed back the plate, no longer hungry.
A minute later, unable to concentrate on the files in front of me, I grabbed the cup of coffee and drank it. All of it.
And then I stood up and went to find the hot rock star and kick his ass.
Chapter Fifty-five
I opened the back door of the Institute, heading for my car, and came to an abrupt stop.
There, on the other side, was a sight for this demon’s sore eyes.
“Damon!” I threw my arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe to hug him. He hugged me back and my magic did a happy dance inside my chest.
After a thorough bear hug, I stepped back and looked him over. He looked good. Really good. His hair was a little longer, the corners of his eyes held a few more wrinkles. But he was dressed in Italian silk and smelled like good old wood smoke.
Hot damn.
“You’re back.” Relief laced my voice, lightened the heaviness in my chest. “Come in, come in.”
He smiled, stepped over the threshold and behind him came two females. Magic, weak but angelic, drifted from them.
Fallen. I’d been around enough of Amy’s group to recognize them on sight.
Damon stared at me like I was one of Amy’s ice cream concoctions. Good enough to eat. “It’s good to see you, Kali.”
To my embarrassment, I giggled. Hugged him again. Ran my hands and eyes over his frame to make sure he wasn’t a figment of my imagination and that he wasn’t hiding any injuries from his trip to the pit.
He stopped my roaming hands. “I’ve brought you guests.”
I’d already forgotten them. The females’ auras were battered and suppressed. In their eyes, mistrust and disheartenment were evident. Long ago, I’d seen the same look in the humans I tortured.
I nodded at each of the females. “You’re welcome here. No harm will come to you.”
A flicker of hope flared in one of them. She bowed her head slightly, not daring to believe me, but not willing to disbelieve either.
So broken.
“I hear you’re doing well as director.”
Like I wanted to discuss that. “I thought I’d lost you forever.”
“You can never lose what is truly yours.”
The air seemed charged between us. A spell over us. Was Damon causing it or was I?
Damon pulled me aside, his hand firm like always on my elbow. “I can’t stay, but I need to tell you something.”
I grabbed hold of his sleeve. “You can’t leave. You just got here.”
“Eden and Malo are from the City of Lost Angels. It’s a type of purgatory and they’ve endured more than you and I put together. They’ll need special care.”
“Damon…”
He shushed me. “I’m proud of you, Kali.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. “I’m only filling in until you get back. And I’m making a mess of everything, so you better come back soon.”
“My new job requires a great deal of time and energy.”
His seriousness was welcome for once, and yet, I couldn’t help lightening the tension. “Look at you, an archdemon rescuing angels.”
“There are more Fallen to rescue. It will be awhile before I can return.”
“How long?”
His forehead creased and he held my hand. Bad news coming. “It could be months. Maybe years.”
Damn. A small thread of panic, hot and mean, spread in my veins. “I’ll give you until the end of this year. Work fast.”
He gave me a patient smile. Squeezed my hand. “Yes, boss.”
Hearing the expression I’d used on him many times made me laugh. The sound was tense and rang oddly in my ears. I felt vulnerable.
Clearing my throat, I tried to return his smile. Miss Emotionless Powerhouse melted. “I miss you.”
Another squeeze. “I miss you every day. We’re both doing important work, but I wish we were together.”
My throat closed up. No tears, I warned myself. You will not cry, dammit.
I stood there, saying nothing for a few seconds, so just damn glad he was all right. Damon stayed quiet too. It was a comfortable quiet and I relaxed for the first time in days. Damon was all right. I was all right. He believed in me and I wasn’t going to let him down.
He leaned down, locked eyes with me. “Radison did the right thing. Stop torturing yourself and him. I should never have asked you to swing that sword. My bad, as Maddy would say.”
No tears. “I know. It’s okay. You can make it up to me when you get back.”
This time, he hugged me. “Watch your back for Valentina and Marco. They’ll be coming for you.”
Let them get in line. “I know. We’ll be ready when they come.”
We broke apart and I wiped moisture from the corner of my eyes. Damon pretended not to see, reassuring Eden and Malo that I would take good care of them.
With one last glance over his shoulder, he walked out the door.
I gave him a wave and my most confident smile.
The minute the door closed, I let out a huge sigh and hung my head.
“Are you okay?” Eden asked.
Pulling myself out of my pity party, I smiled at the fallen angels. “Of course. Let’s get you two upstairs.”
I took the two of them to Seraphina and Akimo, who would act as mentors for now. Together, we made sure they each had a meal, a hot shower and a bed.
Two hours later, I texted Rad.
Where r u?
His reply was slow in coming and by the time it reached me, I was tapping a foot.
Got my coffee, huh? There’s more, if you want it.
Not exactly remorseful, was he? Don’t make me hunt you down.
That’s exactly what I’m counting on.
Ugh. I nearly threw the phone across the room. Fine, he wanted to play games?
Game on.
Chapter Fifty-six
In the car, I commanded my phone to dial Maddy’s number. “Where is he?” I asked when she answered.
“At the church. Where else?”
The church, my home, was a burned out shell of a castle. “What’s he doing there?”
“Guess you’ll have to drop by and find out.”
Vampires. “I’m going to stake you one of these days.”
“You can try.”
I made the turn to take me west to my place. “Win-win for me. You won’t be around to steal my stuff or piss me off.”
“Nice. You’re such a good friend. Feeling better, I take it?”
“Damon came to see me.”
“Ahh. He’s okay, then.”
Sort of. “I don’t want his job but looks like I’m stuck with it for a while.”
She smacked her gum in my ear. “Wah, wah. You’re damn good at it. You’ll do fine.”
“Maddy?”
“What?”
“Thanks. For being there for me.”
There was a long pause. The smacking stopped. “Are you feeling all right?”
Not really. “Do you want to catch a movie in the media center tonight?”
“Be there with bells on, sweet thang. Let’s plan on two. I’ll invite Arman. If that’s okay with you.”
I said it was and we disconnected. My heart felt lighter.
My place came into view. The tall column on the front was gone. The stained glass windows, blown out. The stone walls had huge chunks missing, the roof had collapsed over the nave. One whole wing was nothing but ash.
The sun was setting behind the church, the cemetery more viewed now. As I drew closer, I noticed lights inside. Shadows moving. The smell of cut wood, tools and male sweat drifted on the air. The sound of power tools did as well.
The west side had been rebuilt with beautiful stones. Even from a distance, I could smell the mortar was fresh.
I picked my way across the
debris in the yard, stepped through a new, temporary doorway and found myself staring gaped-mouth at the inside.
The living room’s beams were back in place. Not the old ones that had splintered and burned during the fight, but new ones. The beams held up a nice, new ceiling as well. The wall between the living room and kitchen had been rebuilt, fresh drywall mud still visible.
The furniture had been removed, the floors sanded and stained. The worst of the interior walls had been patched and plastic hung here and there. Under the scents of new construction drifted the smell of a calm ocean.
I followed a trail of tools and the sound of two male voices talking and laughing in my kitchen. Rad sat on the kitchen counter, shirt unbottoned, a beer in hand. Dru sat at the kitchen table eating a half of a chocolate cream pie and drinking wine. They both startled when I entered. Rad jumped down from the counter. Dru stood up so fast, his chair tipped backwards.
Guilty, much?
“Kali,” the Master vamp wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I didn’t feel you come in.”
I hadn’t felt him in my blood either. Another benefit of my self-imposed emotional lockdown? My demon had been quiet, my magic unused for the past week. I hadn’t had a drop of Dru’s blood. Didn’t feel like I needed it. “You two are working together?”
Rad’s eyes drank me in. “Common purpose.”
“And what is that exactly?”
Dru waved a hand around. He was dressed in ripped jeans and a flannel shirt. I’d never seen him so casual. Sawdust dotted his hair. “Restoring your grand abode…and hopefully, your outlook on life.”
My outlook was just fine. Mostly. “Did you kill the lumberjack you stole that shirt from?”
The vampire flinched, brushed at his slumming clothes. “Maddy said it was awful.”
“She was right.” I glared at Rad. “Since when are you a carpenter?”
He shrugged, tapped the beer bottle against his leg. He also wore ripped jeans and a cotton button down, but on him it looked perfectly natural. Probably because it was unbuttoned, showing off his luscious chest and abs. “I’ve picked up a few skills in three hundred years.”
“Like being the False Prophet? A.k.a the Antichrist? The White Horseman?” He flinched and I snapped my fingers as an idea came to me. “You and Jesus, both carpenters. You two have more in common than I thought.”