By late afternoon I deserved a break. Besides, staring at the computer screen was melting my eyeballs. After making substantial progress on the design job, I needed a snack and a stretch.
I grabbed an apple from the counter. I wanted to run down to the lobby and check the mail, so I searched for my keys.
Rowen had called a while ago to let me know Arrow was a free man. No charges had been filed. Since both he and the guy he’d attacked were battered and refusing to talk, they’d been tossed in the drunk tank for the night and released, although Arrow had been told another arrest would result in charges. Rowen had changed the distributor thingy on my car and headed to Arrow’s where Molly’s Chamber was working on their version of “Love Song For An Angel.”
Jett had only snide remarks when she’d texted me to say she was bored and wanted me to come out and party. I’d countered by asking if she wanted to come along for my first recovery job. Cinder should be coming by any time now with details.
With my mail key in hand, I left the apartment and padded down the hall to the elevator. The lobby was empty when the doors slid open, but right away something didn’t feel right. I stepped out with wary scrutiny, scanning every inch of the entryway.
“Weird,” I muttered, sticking the key in my mailbox.
I pulled out the two envelopes inside, bills of course, not noticing the photo until it fluttered to the floor at my feet. It took me a moment to realize what I was seeing. I snatched it up and stared in horror at the picture of Rubi and her grandmother. The two of them stood outside the nursing home where her grandmother lived. The photo itself stank of sulfur.
The sudden sensation of being watched had me turning in a slow circle, but I was still alone. The sun set early this time of year, so when I glanced out the front door, all I saw was my own reflection.
Dash had wasted no time in taking his threat to the next level. Though it was simply a photo, it said so much more. It shook me to my core. Dash was sending a very clear and powerful message. Not only could he threaten my friends, he could threaten those they loved dearly. Innocent, defenseless people.
In the tech age Dash could’ve easily sent such an image to my phone. As a shiver crept up my spine, I knew that he’d done it this way to make me question the safety of my own building, and it had worked.
I sprinted up the stairs, forgoing the elevator completely. When I burst into my apartment and slammed the door, my heart was pounding in my ears. Being safe behind the wards protecting my apartment didn’t stop me from shrieking when Cinder poked his head out of the kitchen.
“Ember? Is everything ok?”
“Yes,” I said automatically, not wanting to worry him. Rethinking the lie, my shoulders slumped, and my breath came out in a rush of air. “No. Not really.” I set the photo on the counter so he could see it. “It’s Rubi and her grandmother. Dash issuing a threat.”
Cinder appraised the photo, picking it up to turn it over in his hands. “Dash can’t follow through on every threat he makes. There will always be opposing forces in his way. Guardian angels don’t stand aside when someone seeks to bring harm to their charge. It’s just another facet of the battle we’re all part of. He seeks to get inside your mind. He doesn’t have to hurt anyone; he just has to make you believe he will. Don’t let him manipulate you, Ember.”
I wanted to believe him. Having an angel stand there and tell me to my face that it was a trick to get in my head should have brought me a semblance of comfort. “But what if he does hurt them? I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to either of them because of me. Rowen wouldn’t want that either.”
Cinder waved a hand, and the photo vanished. “Never start a thought with ‘what if.’ You’re doing his job for him. You can’t make it this easy. Throw him a challenge. Stand firm.”
“Ok.” I nodded too vigorously and shoved both hands through my hair. “Ok. You’re right, I know. I’m just still figuring this all out. It’s hard.”
He nodded, sympathy shining in his eyes. “I know it is.”
In an effort to shift my focus, I asked, “So what do you have for me? Crystal skulls? Keys that open doors to other worlds? Something badass, right?”
His laughter warmed me, chasing away the chills created by Dash. “Let’s start with something a little less detrimental, shall we? There’s a demon here who runs a weapons trade. His name is Nova. He has a throwing star created by demons to weaken angels in battle. I want you to find him, get the star, and bring it to me.”
Huh. I mulled it over, finding that I was both excited and frightened by such a task. Having a car with the same name as a demon didn’t sit well with me. “You make it sound so simple.”
“It could be. Of course it may also be difficult. That’s why you can’t go alone. I want you to take Jett and Rowen. Arrow too if he’s willing to be part of such a thing.”
“I see what you did there, Cinder,” I laughed. “I’m not sure why you want so badly for us to work as a team, but I can’t see Arrow being much help. He’s a mess.”
Cinder shrugged, his lips quirking into a hint of a grin. “He has more to offer than either you or he yet realizes.”
“Well, the guys are working on a recording tonight, but I’ll call Rowen. Jett’s already on her way over.”
“Splendid.” He produced a deep-blue stone that glowed in his palm. “Take this. It will help you locate Nova. He and several others can often be found conducting business in an abandoned church on the edge of town. Be careful.”
I held my hand out to accept the stone. It was warm, causing my skin to prickle where it touched. “I will. Thank you, Cinder, for trusting that I can do this. I want to help, to do more.”
“You’d be surprised what one can accomplish when the heart is willing.” He pulled me in for a hug that seemed to sweep my thoughts free of negative debris. “You have a place among us, Ember. Believe in yourself.”
I nodded, unable to speak as emotion gripped me. Dash wanted me to fail. He wanted me to think I didn’t have what it took to stand and fight with my father’s kind. He was wrong.
“Now I must be off,” Cinder said, planting a brief kiss on my temple. “A dear friend’s time left on earth is running short, and she is in need of strength. I’ll see you soon.” With a wink and a smile, he disappeared.
I marveled at his parting words. Cinder was off to spread love and courage to those who needed it most, a task that couldn’t be without challenge. And here I was worrying about whether or not I could handle a couple of nephilim and a demon with an attitude problem. The lesson was in the doing. Cinder was taking action, doing all he could without stressing the outcome. I had to do the same.
My phone call to Rowen went unanswered. He was probably in Arrow’s basement, the music too loud to hear his phone. I left a message detailing what I was doing and where I was heading if they cared to join me later.
A knock on the door caused me to all but jump out of my skin, and I swore.
“Hey, lady,” Jett crowed when I opened the door. “What’s got your panties in a twist? You look like you’re about to crap yourself.”
After a quick peek into the empty hallway, I closed and locked the door. “Dash was here, in the lobby. He left a photo in my mailbox.” I told her about the photo and Cinder’s response to it as I got ready to head out.
She listened attentively, popping a chocolate she’d found in the kitchen into her mouth. As the holiday season approached, it was impossible to resist the many goodies out on the store shelves. I was a sucker for a melt in your mouth chocolate anything with hazelnut.
“Cinder’s right,” she said around another mouthful of chocolate. “Let Dash do Dash, and you do you. Rubi will be fine. Personally I think it’s smart of Cinder to get you involved in other ways. This whole ‘leading the nephilim out of the darkness’ shit is changing you, Spike. And not in a good way.”
“Rude,” I quipped, gathering my hair together so I could pull it over my shoulder and braid it. “Can you really blame me? How would you feel if you were told that saving someone like Arrow was in your hands?”
Jett considered this as she watched me wrestle my black locks into a braid. “I’d feel like throwing myself off an overpass. Good thing it’s you and not me. Seriously though, there’s more to your existence than that.”
“I know. That’s why I volunteered for this recovery job. Are you sure you’re cool with coming along? It could be dangerous.”
“It fucking better be,” she cackled. “Do you have any idea how boring it gets being a werewolf in this damn city? Your kind is far more exciting.”
A spritz of strawberry perfume and I was ready. Too lazy to bother applying makeup to hunt down a demon, I changed into jeans and a t-shirt, pulling my favorite Black Veil Brides hoodie on to combat the chill of the late November night.
“Cinder would be happy to hear you say that. He was hopeful we would tackle this as a group.” I gathered my things, including the Midnight Star, which sat against my back in the sheath slung over one shoulder and tight across my chest. Excitement flickered through me, causing my pulse to race. “Ready?”
* * * *
Finding the church was easy enough. However, it was nothing like I’d imagined. We rolled up in Jett’s Mustang, the engine growling like the warning from an angry cat. Staring at the ramshackle building, I swallowed hard.
It was in a sad state of disrepair. Crumbling stone walls kept it standing, but for how much longer was up for debate. A battered and rusty iron fence with bent bars and missing sections surrounded the property. Headstones littered what I could see of the rear. And demons. Several demons.
“Oh boy,” I said, my throat dry. “This is a little darker than I expected.”
“Really?” Jett studied the silhouettes moving beyond the stained glass windows of the building. It appeared to be heavily occupied. “It’s pretty much exactly what I was expecting.”
I began to question both Cinder and myself. Were we crazy for thinking I could just walk into a demon black market and walk out with an item Cinder wanted, unscathed?
Jett turned off the car and pocketed the key. Reaching under the seat, she produced a sai. Turning it over she grinned. “Silver coated. I came prepared. Claws, fangs, and this baby. I’m ready. Let’s do this.”
Seeing as the werewolf who rarely dealt with demons was bubbling over with her readiness, I had to pull myself together. Jett was an excitement seeker, always looking for a rush. Performing was her favorite way to achieve that, but seeing the sparkle in her eyes made me envious. She seemed so much more prepared for this than I felt.
Reminding myself that Jett was a predator by nature, I sucked in a deep breath and got out of the car. With the Midnight Star secure on my back, I flexed my fingers until my palms tingled, ready to throw fire in the face of any demon who messed with me.
The front doors of the church stood open despite the frigid night air since demons remained unaffected by extreme temperatures. My breath puffed out as I shivered. Packed snow crunched under foot as we ascended the few crumbling stone steps.
Noise spilled out of the desecrated church. Voices mingled together as demons shouted, laughed, and snarled at one another. A golden statue of a half-man, half-beast stood in the lobby. It was surrounded by incense sticks that gave off a rotten scent.
I expected everyone to turn and stare at us when we stepped inside. They didn’t. Most of them took no notice of us at all. Okay then.
The church was bigger inside than it appeared from outside. The pews had been removed, replaced with rows of tables where demons had laid their wares. From gemstones to weaponry and even animals, demons were buying and selling all sorts of items.
“It’s like a black magic farmer’s market in here,” Jett observed, her dark gaze roving over the many tables of so-called goods.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the blue stone Cinder had given me. It glowed faintly. Nova must be here. Uncertain of where to start, I slowly made my way through the building, lurking near tables, watching the stone as I went.
Two demons argued over the price of a ring that sparkled even in the dim yellow lighting. They spoke another language, but it was obvious that the buyer thought his offer of a small pouch of green sand-like powder was more than enough. The seller poured a small amount of powder into his palm and studied it. Then he muttered something that infuriated the buyer demon, who snatched his bag of powder back. With a snarled remark, he stormed away, leaving the other demon snickering after him.
Spying our gazes upon him, the demon motioned us over with a hand. “Don’t be shy, ladies. Come see what Mallie has for you. Isn’t it lovely?”
He held the ring up for us to see. It was hard to focus on when my gaze was continuously drawn to his inhuman appearance. With the head of a fox, body of a man, and cloven feet, Mallie wasn’t the most frightening demon I’d seen, but he certainly wasn’t setting my mind at ease.
Black eyes glinted with intrigue as he looked us over. “Come now, white lighter. Surely you have use for such a trinket.”
So much for my identity going unnoticed. As Jett kept a watchful eye on those around us, I approached the demon’s table, keeping out of reach.
“What does it do?” I asked, merely curious.
Mallie extended the ring to me, but I shook my head, refusing to touch it. I might be a newbie still, but I wasn’t an idiot. When I wouldn’t take it, he shrugged and laid it in his palm where it sparkled as if lit from within by its very own light.
“It allows you to cross between worlds,” he said, turning it over as if that would seduce me into a purchase. “The wearer is able to step from the physical realm into the spiritual and back again as they wish. No limitations.”
Step to the other side? Where all demonkind dwelled when not on the earthly plane? No, thank you.
“Sorry.” I shook my head. “Not interested.”
Unwilling to take a swift rejection, Mallie dropped the ring into a box and reached for what appeared to be a rabbit’s foot. “How about this? It brings endless good luck. Money, fame, fortune. Anything you want.”
Jett’s head snapped toward him. “Anything? And what kind of price does such an item demand in exchange for all of those goodies?”
Nothing good could come from the objects these demons were trading. There was always a price for the kind of power they offered.
Mallie smiled. “Smart wolf. The foot gives you what it takes from someone else. As long as you don’t have a guilty conscience, it’s of little bother.”
“Thanks anyway,” I broke in before the curiosity on Jett’s face could manifest. “We’re just here to talk to someone. Nova. Is he here?”
Furry brows drawn together, Mallie dropped the rabbit foot and leaned forward, hands planted firmly on the table. “He is. But let me warn you, violence is prohibited within these walls. It’s a place for all to barter peacefully. Any white lighter business you might have with Nova will have to be taken outside.”
So that was why nobody had threatened me the moment I walked in the door. Made sense. Insulting what remained of the church by turning it into a den of thieves wouldn’t go as smoothly if they were all fighting amongst themselves.
“Understood,” I said, noting the way his gaze had drifted to the hilt of the Midnight Star.
“I’ll give you everything I have for your sword.” Mallie spread his hands wide, indicating the various trinkets he had laid out.
“Not a chance.” My body stiffened, and my breath came faster as nerves gripped me.
Mallie stared hard, his black gaze boring into me until I began to feel violated. Then he blinked several times and pointed to a table toward the back of the church. “That’s Nova. Let me know if you change your mind.”
As we moved deeper into the throng of marketplace demons, we began to draw more attention. Several sets of black and red eyes followed us. Some of them spoke in that strange language as we passed while others chose English, wanting me to hear them.
“What business does a white lighter have here?” A question asked with aggression rather than curiosity.
“Cinder’s chosen one.” This followed by mocking laughter.
“Lovely young werewolf. I wonder if she’s for sale.” More laughter.
Jett and I exchanged a look. She had grown visibly tense, hands clenched into fists. Her sai was tucked into her belt within easy reach. I hoped her short wolf temper didn’t cause her to say or do something to piss off the wrong demon. Or demons, as it might be.
The stone in my hand glowed brighter as we approached the table Mallie had pointed out to us. Nova stood behind it, haggling with another demon. He had the appearance of a man, for the most part. Long black hair fell down his back, his pale skin so white and flawless he could’ve been chiseled from marble. Tall and well built, he had the physical presence of one who had seen his share of combat. Dressed all in black with a hooded robe, he seemed ready for battle. His inhuman features were two black horns adorning either side of his head, his black wings, and the serpentine tail that flicked around his legs.
“Is it wrong that I think he’s kind of hot?” Jett whispered.
Nova glanced our way, doing a double take. Red eyes met mine and my lungs froze. Red eyes meant that he was a mid-level demon. In the same league as Koda and Dash. A force to be reckoned with, as all demons were of course, though part of me had held out hope that he was one of the weaker black-eyed buggers.
We waited our turn while he finished his business. I watched the exchange closely, seeking any sign of the throwing star. There were many items on his table, but I didn’t see a throwing star among them.
After trading a small leather-bound book for what appeared to be an eyeball, Nova dismissed his customer and turned to us with a raised brow. His face was void of anything remotely friendly. He looked us over one at a time with arms crossed.
“Cinder sent you.” It wasn’t a question. “I suppose he wants the star. I told him what it would take for me to hand it over. So unless you came to meet my demand, you’re wasting your time.”
“Oh? And what exactly did you want for it?” Playing it cool was hard with my heart thrumming in my ears. With hands on my hips, I did my best to hold his chilly gaze.
A slow smile spread across Nova’s face, revealing two upper and lower fangs, much like a wild cat or wolf. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Cinder sent you without telling you what I demanded? What kind of game is he playing here?”
Refusing to be intimidated by that vicious smile, I shrugged. “So why don’t you tell me? Then we can haggle about it. I mean, that’s what you all do here, isn’t it?”
Nova’s smile faded as fast as it had appeared. “What I want in exchange for the star… is you.”