Odysseus took a second cigar from his jacket and put it in his own mouth. He snapped his fingers and a flame appeared on the tip of his thumb, which he used to light his cigar. Odysseus then offered the flaming thumb to Cain, who accepted it and lit his own cigar.
“From Alfheim,” said Odysseus. “Makes a Cohiba taste like shit-covered dirt.”
“Who are you?” asked Cain. “And why would I be wasting my time?”
“Name’s Odysseus Black, I’m a sorcerer. One of the most powerful in the world,” he said. “As for why, it’s because you’ve got no one to go up against. Luther Cross is dead.”
“Is that true?” Cain looked back at Tessa, lowering his weapon.
She gave a nod. “Yes. He died trapping Asmodeus.”
“So almost everyone who went to Purgatory is now gone,” said Cain. “Just you and me left. Though there’s still the matter of the sorcerer who trapped me in here.”
“You’re free now,” said Odysseus. “And as for that sorcerer, his name’s Alistair Carraway. Feel free to blow his goddamn head off for all I care.”
“No!” Tessa objected.
Odysseus gave her a look of curiosity. “Thought you hated the old bastard. Why this newfound love for him?”
“I don’t hate him, I just think he’s misguided.” Tessa looked back at Cain. “Look, I need help, okay? My power’s been wonky ever since Purgatory and I need Odysseus to restore it. But the only way he’d help me was if—”
“If you freed me and convinced me to work for him.” Cain raised his gun once more. “So once more I’m treated as nothing more than a thing for you people to bargain with.”
“Death,” said Odysseus.
“What?” asked Cain.
“You want to die, correct? That’s the deal you made with Luther.”
Cain gave a slow nod, curious to see where this was going. He puffed on the cigar and lowered his weapon as Odysseus spoke.
“A curse was put on you, back when you murdered your brother. You’d be forced to wander the Earth forever, death remaining a stranger to you. When you tried to rebel, they put you in Purgatory, but even that couldn’t hold you,” said Odysseus.
“I know the story, wizard. Get to the point.”
“Point is that curse is forged from the most ancient of magicks. It can’t be broken,” said Odysseus. “At least, not by anything that came after. But there’s something older than that curse, older than this world, older even than Heaven itself. And that thing—”
“Is Death,” said Cain. “But there is no spell to summon him.”
“Well, I’m here to tell you that there is,” said Odysseus. “In my possession is a special kind of book, given to me by a friend. And it contains a ritual to summon the one being in all of creation with complete control over death. Not only that, but this ritual would keep Death bound to me for a period of time. He’d have no choice but to do as I said.”
“This book, give it to me,” said Cain.
“Not that simple, friend. It takes more than just knowing the spell, you need a sorcerer of considerable skill to execute it,” said Odysseus. “You see, I need you to do a little work for me first. You agree to help me, and then your reward would be oblivion. I’ll see to it that Death ends your existence, completely. Not simply kill you, but eradicate your very soul itself. And that’s all you want, isn’t it?”
Cain looked at his gun and then back at Tessa. He then moved his arm, aiming the weapon at Odysseus. “This isn’t the first time someone has lied to me in order to fulfill their own goals. Why should I believe you?”
“Come with us for a little ride. I’ll take you back to my place and show it to you myself,” said Odysseus.
Back to his place is the phrase that kept running through Tessa’s mind. She didn’t dare check her phone for an update from Alistair. Even if she did, what good would it really do? They agreed on radio silence until she made first contact. Couldn’t risk a message coming in from Alistair that Odysseus might see. Checking her phone was one thing, but if she tried to send him a message to let him know that Odysseus was coming back—with Cain no less—she’d be blowing her own cover.
But maybe it’d be fine. Maybe Cain would be too suspicious to trust Odysseus even enough to get into a car with him. That was her saving grace right now—
“I accept.” Cain holstered his gun and looked at Odysseus. “Show me the book and then we’ll discuss an arrangement.”
Fuck me sideways! she thought to herself. The only thing she could do now was hope that Alistair had managed to get the book and escape. Then she would have to find a way to get away from the two of them herself.
26
Zadkiel’s wings lifted him off the ground so he was level with Gabriel. Behind Gabriel’s eyes, I noticed Zadkiel didn’t get rid of the soulfire blade. He kept it by his side, clearly thinking something wasn’t right here.
“You wanted to talk?” asked Zadkiel.
“I did,” said Gabriel, folding his arms over his chest. “Could we go somewhere a bit more private?”
Zadkiel glanced around the forested area. “Seems pretty private right here.”
“It’s a sensitive matter, I’d prefer somewhere with four walls.”
Zadkiel narrowed his eyes. “All due respect, but I don’t see the need. This seems as good a place as any. As usual in Elysium, it’s a beautiful day. Why shouldn’t we enjoy it?”
“I think you know why I’m here.”
This was taking too damn long. We didn’t have time to waste, not with Dakota still out there and being hunted by Pyriel’s forces. We needed to get Raziel back, but in order to accomplish that, we had to find out where Pyriel had stashed him. And it looked like Zadkiel was too smart to say anything or to throw the first punch.
Gabriel was an archangel after all, whereas Zadkiel wasn’t. That meant I had to give Zadkiel a reason to attack first. It was a risk, but I had to manifest.
“What are you doing, Luther?”
It was Gabriel’s voice inside our shared head.
“I can feel you trying to assert control. We had a deal,” he said.
“If I sit back and wait, we won’t get anything done. I’m sorry, Gabe, but we gotta take a chance here.”
It wasn’t much—not enough to trigger any alarms, or so I hoped. But I knew it would give Zadkiel enough of an incentive to attack. Just a small manifestation, asserting myself over Gabriel’s form just enough so that his bright, blue eyes changed to my own red ones.
And it worked.
“Cross…!” hissed Zadkiel.
He raised his sword and lunged for Gabriel. The archangel was quick on his feet—or wings, I guess you’d say. He easily evaded Zadkiel’s strike and held out his arm. I could feel a sensation running through our shared body, very similar to how I felt whenever I used hellfire. Except this time, it was soulfire—that’s what the angels called their power.
Azure sparks flowed down Gabriel’s arm, coalescing into the palm of his open hand and then bursting into flame. The fire expanded, forming itself into a sword. Gabriel gripped the hilt and parried Zadkiel’s next attack.
“There’s no need for us to fight, brother,” said Gabriel.
“Traitor!” screamed Zadkiel. “You’ve brought a Hell Lord into Heaven! Worse, into Elysium! You’ve forever tainted these grounds!”
“Oh shut the fuck up, you elitist dick,” I said, briefly commandeering Gabriel’s body to speak my mind.
That pissed him off even more. He swung his sword, going for Gabriel’s neck. Gabriel dropped from the sky, landing on the ground below. Zadkiel charged from his perch in the air, his flaming sword aimed straight down.
Gabriel leapt at the last moment and Zadkiel struck the ground, his sword embedded in the soil. The soulfire sword retreated into his arm. Gabriel rushed him, ready to attack from above.
But just as the sword had retreated into Zadkiel’s right arm, he held up his left. Soulfire extended from both sides of his clenched hand, formin
g into a staff that he used to deflect Gabriel’s attack.
Zadkiel was back on his feet. He rammed the staff into Gabriel’s chest, then used it to strike his cheek. Zadkiel finished up his attack by sweeping Gabriel’s legs.
The archangel was about to fall on his back, but his wings stopped him, keeping him hovering parallel to the ground. I could see Zadkiel through Gabriel’s eyes, raising the staff, which now changed back into a sword. He raised it above Gabriel and was about to bring it down.
Gabriel’s wings rocketed him out of range of the attack and straightened him back up. I could sense Gabriel’s own sense of surprise at Zadkiel’s skill. He wasn’t an archangel, there was no way Zadkiel should be able to hold his own this long against Gabriel.
“The hell’s going on, Gabe?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” said Gabriel. “I think it might have something to do with you. Your presence is inhibiting my power.”
“How about we try playing a little dirty then?” I asked.
“What did you have in mind?”
Watching Zadkiel form different weapons from his soulfire gave me an idea, one I conveyed to Gabriel. He seemed surprised by it—it was something he’d never done before, but he decided to give it a shot.
Gabriel held his right arm at his side and concentrated. The soulfire flowed down, forming in his palm and then extending outwards. This time, though, it wasn’t a sword or a staff or any other close-quarters weapon. This time, it was a shotgun.
Zadkiel seemed as surprised as Gabriel had been when I suggested it, and that moment of surprise gave us an opening. Gabriel raised the shotgun and pulled the trigger. A soulfire shell exploded from the end of the barrel, cutting across the field and tagging one of Zadkiel’s wings.
“By the Presence!” Zadkiel screamed, looking at his injured wing.
Gabriel fired again, hitting Zadkiel’s other wing. He was grounded now, and that would make things easier. Gabriel crossed the distance and when he came down, he slammed the butt of the shotgun against Zadkiel’s head. Zadkiel looked up, his blue eyes burning with anger. Gabriel struck him again and that time, he went down.
I sensed Gabriel’s disgust at himself and at me. “You okay?” I asked.
“No, I most definitely am not,” he said out loud.
“You angels aren’t the most imaginative bunch. Felt we had to get a bit creative.”
“Let’s just get him away from here. Before anyone else realizes what’s happened.”
Gabriel cradled Zadkiel’s unconscious form in his arms and leapt into the air. His wings took over from there, flying up to the clouds and into the cosmos, leaving Elysium behind.
And I could sense in Gabriel’s mind that he was wondering if this was the last time he’d be able to enter Elysium. He was wondering whether or not this meant he’d just fallen himself.
I didn’t know if I had an answer or even any words of comfort, so I kept quiet.
Staying in Heaven would have been far too dangerous, so we had to find somewhere else to go. We left Heaven behind and returned to Earth. As soon as we got back, I separated from Gabriel.
Gabriel took us to a body shop. The place was closed, so it was empty. Gabriel put sigils on all the walls in order to prevent any angels from seeing inside. We were invisible to anyone from Heaven, which meant we could spend as much time with Zadkiel as needed.
Gabriel began to draw an Enochian sigil on the ground and left Zadkiel inside it, chained to a chair. Once Gabriel stepped outside the sigil, he finished the work. Celeste had told me about a similar seal Odysseus Black used to trap Raziel. It would leave Zadkiel powerless, unable to use his soulfire or to escape.
Once all the preparations were complete, we waited until Zadkiel finally woke. Upon seeing my ghostly manifestation standing next to Gabriel, he snarled and tried to lunge for me. But as soon as he came to the edge of the sigil, it was like he’d struck an invisible wall. He looked down at the markings on the floor and glared with anger at Gabriel.
“You’ve fallen so far, brother,” he said. “Betrayed one of your own kind in order to help this mongrel son of a whore.”
“That’s my mom you’re talking about, so I’m only gonna say this once—watch your fucking mouth,” I said.
Zadkiel grinned at my reaction. “What would you call someone who spreads her legs for a demon?”
I moved at him, but Gabriel held up his hand and I hit an invisible barrier. I took a few steps back and Gabriel came close to me so he could whisper in my ear.
“He’s trying to get under your skin and you can’t let him.”
“Fine,” I said. “We do it your way. For now.”
Gabriel nodded and turned to the prisoner. “I know everything, Zadkiel. I know that Pyriel is violating the ceasefire by breeding nephilim, and I know that the first of what he hopes will be an army has already been born.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Zadkiel.
“Yes, you do.” Gabriel stepped up to the edge of the sigil. “I also know he removed Raziel from the board. What I don’t know is where he’s keeping him. But I have a feeling you do.”
“Where are you hearing all this from, Gabriel? The cambion? You know he’s always been an enemy to our kind.”
“I’ve been helping Raziel out for years, you smug sonnuva bitch,” I said.
“All you’ve done is poison Raziel’s mind. He never should have disgraced himself by allying with one such as you. You’re worse than a demon,” said Zadkiel.
“We’re not here to talk about Luther. We’re here to talk about Raziel,” said Gabriel. “Please, brother. You know what Pyriel’s trying to do will only lead to war.”
“Maybe war is what we need,” said Zadkiel.
“Okay, I’ve had enough.” I reached behind my back and concentrated, using my abilities to materialize a dagger.
“What are you doing?” asked Gabriel.
“He’s not gonna talk. Not willingly. And while he’s trapped in that sigil, he’s basically human.”
“I hope you’re not suggesting what I think you are,” said Gabriel.
“It’s the only way.” I concentrated to make myself corporeal. I didn’t know how long I could hold this form, but hopefully it could be long enough to get the information we needed. I stepped inside the sigil and waved the dagger in front of Zadkiel’s face, the light flashing off the metal.
“Luther, come here.”
Gabriel’s tone was stern. I knew he didn’t like this, knew he was going to keep objecting. But I didn’t care. There wasn’t much choice in the matter. Still, I decided to play nice.
“What?” I asked when I approached him.
“Let me ask you something—would you take this course of action with a human?”
“The hell’s that got to do with anything?”
“Just answer the question. Would you go down this path if we had a human in this position instead of an angel?”
I hadn’t thought about it. With the exception of Raziel—and now Gabriel—I’d never been a big fan of angels. Azrael tried to kill me, Pyriel and Zadkiel were trying to start a war, and all the other angels I’d ever met were stuck-up little shits.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “He’s got information we need. And unless you know another way for us to get it…”
“I understand the situation,” said Gabriel. “I’m just wondering how much of this is necessity and how much of it is revenge. I understand what Pyriel has done to you. The past year of your life has been extremely difficult because of him. But you can’t let your anger cloud your judgment.”
“I’m not, I’m doing what needs to be done,” I said. “Now let’s get this over with. I’m not sure how long I can stay corporeal, so I have to act quickly and get as much info out of him as possible.”
Gabriel nodded and stepped aside. I moved into the sigil and raised the dagger. Zadkiel watched me with rage, but I could also sense the fear. Being in my presence must have caused the tempe
rature to drop, because now I could see his breath.
“You’re going to tell us where Raziel is. Though if I’m being honest, I hope you hold back just a little,” I said as I rubbed the flat end of the dagger. “Because I want to enjoy this.”
“Do your worst, half-breed,” said Zadkiel.
“Oh, I will. You’re about to experience what kind of things I learned in Hell.”
Zadkiel held out at first. I had to hand it to him, he was good at keeping his cool, at withstanding what I could put him through. But soon enough, everybody breaks. And it didn’t take me very long before Zadkiel’s screams filled the room.
27
Tessa was nervous the entire ride from the medical center back to Odysseus’ bar in Englewood. She was worried they’d walk in as Alistair was leaving with the Book of Metatron, and then it’d be over for both of them. She also worried about what would happen if Alistair had already gotten away with the book. He said he’d cast a glamour spell to make it seem like the book was still there, but how powerful was that spell? Would the book be corporeal? Would it be a copy of everything in the real book? Or was it just an illusion and as soon as Odysseus went to pick it up, his hand would just pass right through it?
More importantly, what would he do then? Odysseus wasn’t an idiot by any stretch of the imagination. Tessa coming to him for help on the same night that someone stole his prized possession would be too much of a coincidence. He’d see right through any excuse she came up with.
She had to start looking for a way out. Before they’d gotten to the medical center, she’d held out some hope that if things went south, Cain could give her a hand. But after the way he looked at her when she pulled him out of that spell, the way he drew his weapon on her…saying she had her doubts would be an understatement.
The town car pulled up in front of the bar and Tessa was the last to climb out of the back seat. She looked around the street to see if there was any sign of Alistair. There wasn’t, of course, but some little hope that she could get out of this was all she needed.
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