Corruption

by Jennifer Blackstream

  “If she didn’t want the exorcism, she could have refused!” Thomas insisted.

  “I’m not sure that’s true,” I argued. “Paul said he saw some of Laurie’s letters. She told the ministry to make sure her request for an exorcism stood, no matter what she might say in the future. He claimed that was evidence Laurie knew if she remained demon-bound for too long, she would be—”

  “Corrupted.” Horror blanched the color from Thomas’ face. “You think Laurie didn’t want the exorcism. You think…” He stared at Father Salvatore, still gripping his shoulder. “And you knew. She asked you to go to the twins, convince them not to go through with it. Didn’t she?”

  “I’m guessing they showed you her letters,” I spoke up. “The letters telling them to go through with the exorcism even if she claimed she didn’t want it.”

  Father Salvatore said nothing, but the expression on his face was enough. I groped for the pew beside me, holding on as the full brunt of the information hit me.

  “No,” Thomas whispered. He shook his head, but the pain in his eyes shone clear. “No, I can’t… She couldn’t…”

  I turned to Andy. “We need to get back to Laurie’s. Now.”

  Chapter 19

  “It was Laurie. It was Laurie the whole time.”

  I ran to the SUV, remembered Andy’s condition, and turned to make sure he was following. He must have been feeling better, because he was only a step or two behind me.

  “Laurie, not Lorelei?” Andy asked.

  “Right.” I slammed the door closed behind me. Peasblossom leapt off my shoulder, already punching the address into the GPS. “I should have seen it earlier. The signs were all there.”

  “Explain,” Andy said, fastening his seatbelt and bracing a hand on the door.

  “Laurie knew Patrick because Lorelei had left pictures of him lying around all over the place, pictures of them having sex.” I punched the gas harder than I meant to, losing the ability to speak as the SUV shot forward. I almost hit a truck parked in the space next to the exit of the parking lot. Swallowing hard, I avoided Andy’s gaze and eased the car into reverse, then inched onto the road.

  “Patrick had a crush on Lorelei. What if Laurie pretended to be Lorelei? What if she told Patrick she didn’t want the exorcism, what if she told him she didn’t want to lose him?”

  “Wouldn’t have taken much to convince Patrick to kill the twins to save her,” Andy agreed, his voice grim.

  “Not to mention the Acolytes said he’s desperate to join them,” I pointed out. “Laurie might have dangled that carrot too. Stacey said Laurie used to hang out with them, and they used to debate theology and philosophy.”

  “So Laurie tries to convince the Acolytes to give up hedonism and join the church, but they end up convincing her to leave the church for hedonism,” Andy suggested. I flew around a corner and he tightened his grip on the door handle. “Maybe I should drive.”

  “No time.” I kept my foot on the gas, but resisted the urge to go even faster. My belated epiphany wouldn’t do anyone any good if I killed us on the way there. “I’m not saying she converted. It could be as simple as convincing Laurie divine immortality isn’t better than physical immortality. Laurie wanted to die because she saw that as the only way to save her soul, to die with a clean slate so she could be with God, the deity she’d dedicated her life to. What if they convinced her it was okay to live life for pleasure instead of duty?”

  “You say that like it’s a big deal, convincing someone it’s okay to live their life for themselves instead of dedicating every second to God.”

  Peasblossom scoffed. “That’s because it’s hard for you to imagine the faith of a paladin.”

  “Just because I’m not religious doesn’t mean I can’t understand religion,” Andy argued.

  “She’s not trying to be insulting,” I said, “but she’s right. Let me put it this way. You probably know someone who’s very religious—religious in a way that makes them a good person, not a way that makes them shove religion down someone else’s throat.”

  Andy nodded. “My great aunt.”

  “All right. Did she have magic?”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Not unless you count her Christmas cookies.”

  “No. But now think of her faith, think of how good she was. And she had no magic. Paladins dedicate themselves so fully to their faith that they gain real magical ability. It’s a gift from God. It doesn’t come from really, really, really believing in God, or being a really, really good person. It comes from putting God above yourself, from dedicating yourself to him so completely that—”

  “That you’d rather die, and stay in his good graces, than live with the reduced capability to serve him,” Andy finished.

  “Yes. Lorelei and Laurie affected one another through the bond. Lorelei isn’t pure evil, but neither is Laurie pure good.”

  “You think she killed Corban and Christophe? Killed them instead of rejecting the exorcism?”

  “That’s just it, she couldn’t reject the exorcism. Her file at the ministry stated that if she ever refused an exorcism, they were to interpret that as a sign the demon had corrupted her and she needed the exorcism more than ever. Thus the genius part of her plan. Laurie told Father Salvatore that she didn’t want the exorcism—in confession. He’d go to the twins and ask them not to go through with it, and if they agreed to abandon the idea, good. If not, Laurie could pretend she’d wanted the exorcism all along.”

  “So they wouldn’t expect her to fight it.”

  “Exactly.”

  “But all of this evidence also applies to Lorelei,” Andy pointed out. “She knew the time and location of the exorcism, she knew Patrick, she could have manipulated Patrick. Laurie might have decided she didn’t want to die, but isn’t it just as likely that Lorelei changed her mind and decided she wanted to stay with her cult?”

  “You’re right,” I agreed. “That evidence would work with Laurie or Lorelei.”

  “But?”

  “But I saw a condom at Patrick’s.” I glanced at Andy, then back at the road. “Infernal demons never use condoms.”

  “Never?”

  “Ever,” Peasblossom said firmly. “Not infernal demons, not ever. Their power increases if they can have children, it’s like building an empire.” She wrinkled her nose. “If they spread disease, even better.”

  Something occurred to me, and I thumped the steering wheel in frustration. “Peasblossom, call the Vanguard and have them send guards to Laurie’s house.”

  “We should let the guards take her in,” Peasblossom suggested. “I’m tired, and I want to go home.”

  “The guards will take her in, but I took this job. And if I’m not there to finish it, I’ll lose standing the next time I want to take a ministry-related case. They’ll be right behind us.”

  Peasblossom gave a put upon sigh. “Fine.”

  “I should have seen this earlier. Laurie used Lorelei’s gifts when we fought the kelpie. I assumed Flint’s power had gone to healing her instead of bolstering her magic, but that wasn’t it at all.” I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. “She lost her power because she committed a double homicide.”

  “God took them away?” Andy asked.

  “Like I said, a paladin’s power comes from dedication. A violation of her faith, a crime against her god as heinous as what she did… It’s worse than being forsworn. She’ll have lost them all.” I gritted my teeth. “That’s why she wants to undergo the Atonement ritual. She has to if she wants to get her power back.”

  “She can get her power back after killing two people?”

  “Say what you want about Christianity, but when they offer redemption, they mean it. She could have killed a thousand people, but if she has true regret, if she comes to God honestly and begs forgiveness, she’ll get it. Now, whether Laurie truly regrets it is another thing. Regret means you would have done things differently if you could go back, not just a ‘I regret that was necessary’ or ‘I’m s
orry I had to do that.’”

  “If Laurie isn’t completely corrupted, then it’s possible all of this has made her realize how far she’s fallen,” Peasblossom pointed out. “She could truly regret it.”

  Andy slumped in his seat, then caught himself and sat up straighter. Exhaustion lined his face, and he kept blinking as if fighting the urge to sleep. I wanted to tell him he didn’t have to do this with me. I was more than a match for Laurie, especially now that I knew she didn’t have her paladin abilities, only the gifts the demon granted her—gifts that came with a price. I didn’t need help. He spoke before I got the words out.

  “What if the Acolytes are still there?” Andy asked.

  I followed the GPS’ instructions to merge onto the highway. “I won’t hurt them. In all probability, I’ll be able to convince them to leave. And if I can’t, I can handle them.”

  “All of them?”

  I nodded. “They’re new to their powers. Magic is like a sword, it’s only helpful if you know how to use it.”

  Majesty made a weird kitten-sound in the backseat and I frowned. “Majesty’s back? What’s he doing?”

  Andy twisted in his seat, grunting with the effort—and froze. He cleared his throat. “He’s playing with the black cat’s tail.”

  I squeezed the steering wheel. “The black cat?”

  “Yes.”

  “But the cat came back, the very next day,” Peasblossom sang.

  “Stop it.” I tried to relax my grip on the wheel despite the adrenaline racing through my system. The cat was appearing more frequently. It had helped me, more than once, and I had no reason to think it meant me any harm. But nothing in the fey world was that simple, and I had the unsettling feeling I was being adopted. Or claimed. Either way, it was time I made more of an effort to identify my feline patron.

  As soon as I dealt with the fallen paladin.

  The drive didn’t take long, and soon I was weaving through Laurie’s neighborhood. There were still cars in the driveway, and it wasn’t until I saw them I remembered what Laurie had said about giving Lorelei control for the evening.

  I was less certain I was a match for the demon.

  I parked on the road ahead of the driveway so there was no one blocking me in if I needed to make a quick getaway. “Holy water didn’t work so well last time,” I muttered, unzipping my pouch. “I need salt.” I glanced at Andy as I felt around for what I needed. “Do me a favor?”

  His jaw tightened and he gripped the door handle. “I’m not staying in the car.”

  “That’s your choice,” I said. “But hear me out. I don’t expect any trouble. I’ll try and get the Acolytes out, then I’ll confront Laurie. The Vanguard will be here any minute, so even if there is trouble, they’ll be the ones handling it.”

  Andy didn’t look convinced. “If there won’t be trouble, why do you want me to stay out here?”

  “I need you to text me if any of the Acolytes pretend to leave, but then circle back. I don’t want to be caught off guard.” I took a deep breath. “I also need you to text me when the Vanguard arrives. Preferably before they get out of their vehicles.”

  Andy narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  I handed the bag of salt I’d found to Peasblossom. “Turning someone in to the Vanguard is sort of like calling Homeland Security on someone.” I met Andy’s eyes, willing him to listen. “I need to confront Laurie before they get here. I need to confirm I’m right, that she’s the one that did this.”

  “You plan to help her escape the Vanguard if you’re wrong? That sounds like a bad idea.”

  “I’ve learned that the only bad ideas are the ones that make it hard to live with myself afterward,” I said quietly.

  He still didn’t seem convinced, but after a long minute of silence, he nodded. “I’ll text what I see.”

  “Thank you.” I got out of the car before he changed his mind. Now that I was about to confront Laurie—or Lorelei—my nerves had caught on. Adrenaline sped up my pulse, and my magic crackled inside me. I turned to let the black cat out. Never hurt to have a scary beast at your side to keep things civil.

  Unsurprisingly, the animal didn’t need my help. I found it standing behind me. Majesty sat on its back, looking as if he belonged there and was anticipating a nice visit with the paladin. I sighed. “Please don’t make it rain again.”

  The kitten tilted its head, but offered no such reassurances.

  I marched up to the front porch and knocked on the door. Sounds of talking and laughing drifted out, faint but loud enough to confirm my belief that the Acolytes were still here enjoying an impromptu welcome home party. The door opened to reveal one of the Acolytes I’d met earlier, the man in his early forties with the curly brown hair.

  “Hello…Jack?” I guessed.

  He smiled. “Yep. And you’re Shade, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “How can I help you?”

  “I was hoping to talk to Laurie?” I peered over his shoulder and saw one of the other Acolytes sitting on the couch holding a beer. The woman with the straight brown hair and bright green eyes. Nina.

  “Laurie isn’t around,” Jack said apologetically. “We’re hanging with Lorelei.”

  “Could I speak with her?” I asked.

  Jack’s expression grew wary, and he braced his hand on the doorframe as if he’d bar me from entering. “We’re having a nice evening, we don’t want a fight. Or a lecture.”

  “I’m not here for either,” I promised. “But I need to speak with her.”

  He hesitated. Then he indicated the cats beside me with his chin. “Are they really cats?”

  I glanced behind me at the large black panther and the grey kitten. “Honestly? I’m not sure.”

  Jack’s eyebrows lifted in surprise and he chuckled. “Fair enough. Come on in.”

  I followed him into the living room where two more Acolytes were lounging around. Grant, the twenty-something with black curly hair and the smooth-shaven face, sat on the floor by the armchair. Jerome, the twenty-something with the faint mustache and beard, sat on the couch with Nina.

  Lorelei sprawled in the armchair, with one leg hanging over the side. She’d changed her clothes, opting for a black slinky tank top and black jeans. Silver chains dangled from each wrist, and her hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail.

  “Well, well, well, if it isn’t my savior,” Lorelei said. She raised her cup in a toast. “To the dead bounty hunter. May his afterlife be full of people he’s hunted.”

  The Acolytes all laughed and raised their glasses. “Cheers!”

  Lorelei watched me over the rim of her cup. Her hazel eyes held no hint of red, but there was something in that stare that made me reach into my pocket to touch the ice potion. “To what do I owe the honor of this visit?”

  I paused when my fingers touched the glass bottle, rethinking my strategy. I abandoned the potion, instead drawing power and letting it soak into my voice. “Unfortunately, I’m going to be a bit of a wet blanket.”

  Jack tensed, and I held up a hand. “I’m not here for a lecture. This is my attempt at being helpful, and apologizing for the trouble earlier.” I pulled more power into my voice. “I know you’re all celebrating, but I’m here to tell you, you need to scram—quickly.”

  Lorelei stiffened. “Excuse me?”

  I focused on the Acolytes. They were human, corrupted, but not possessed. A simple charm should work fine on them.

  “The Vanguard is coming to do a sweep of the premises. This whole situation with the failed exorcism has brought undue attention on Laurie, and they want to make sure the situation is still,” I made air quotes, “acceptable.” I gave Lorelei an apologetic look. “I told them I’d do it myself, but I don’t think they trust me. Not everyone is full to the brim with faith in me, being Baba Yaga’s apprentice and all.”

  Nina’s eyes widened. “Baba Yaga?”

  Even humans recognized that name. “Yeah. They’re sending someone else to go through the house with
me, search through Laurie’s things, make sure she’s not corrupted.” I avoided Lorelei’s gaze and leaned closer to the Acolytes. “You didn’t hear this from me, but it would be better if they didn’t find out about you guys and the whole ‘cult’ thing.”

  “We aren’t a cult,” Jerome groaned. “Stop calling us that.”

  “I know that and you know that, but the Vanguard aren’t as…open-minded.”

  Lorelei’s stare bored into me like a mother lamb who’d caught sight of a lupine tale under her visitor’s wool. She glanced at the large black cat and its fluffy kitten rider, then back at me.

  I met her eyes, willing her to let the Acolytes go. I’d only been half-lying. The Vanguard wouldn’t be happy about the cult, and if they stayed here, they’d be detained.

  “The Vanguard can be…closed-minded.” She lifted her chin. “But I think they can stay. There’s no reason to hide, we have done nothing wrong.”

  “That’s not Lorelei,” Peasblossom whispered against my neck.

  I fought to keep the realization from showing on my face. Peasblossom was right. Lorelei, for all her faults, would have sent the Acolytes away. They were hers, and she would have hidden them from the Vanguard if only to avoid the chance it would cause her trouble. But Laurie… Laurie would want them here. She’d want leverage in case the Vanguard tried to take her.

  Cannon fodder.

  “They’re welcome to stay.” I smiled. “As long as they’re not breaking any laws, they’re not in any danger of being arrested.”

  “Arrested?” Nina shifted nervously. “They’re not interested in mundane laws. Right?”

  I suspected her concern had a lot to do with the marijuana I smelled in the air. “Unfortunately, they’re so prejudiced against Lorelei, they’re probably looking for any tiny reason to make her life difficult. If they can find a reason to arrest her, or any of you, they’ll take it, mundane or not.”

  Now Grant seemed nervous too. “Any reason?”

  “No matter how small,” I said.

  Jerome rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m out of here. Can’t imagine these cops will be any different from the others, and I don’t want to be arrested for sitting while black.”