The Demon Trappers: Foretold (34 page)

‘In that you are wrong,’ he said patiently. ‘The moment you gave me your soul, you lost your choice in the matter.’

The night’s sleep trashed by recurring nightmares of murderous Mezmers, Riley knew she had to talk to someone or lose it entirely. She didn’t dare tell Beck about
what she and the angel were up to, at least not yet, and confiding to the masters would lead to repercussions with Rome for both her and Stewart.

That left her friend Ayden: The witch had always given her sound advice and Riley desperately needed more of the same.

It took time to score a parking spot near Centennial Park as she’d never have Peter’s talent in that regard. She docked her car in the lot across from the ruins of the Tabernacle and
surveyed the scene. It had changed since the last time she’d been in the area. Giant monoliths sat at irregular intervals, testimony to a bulldozer’s industrious efforts. It seemed
sacrilegious to clear away the building, but the land was probably worth something to somebody.

They better not build anything dumb.

Once she’d locked the car and hefted her backpack on her shoulders, she was drawn across the street into the ruins. The ground was uneven, so she moved carefully. Trying to find landmarks
in the rubble was impossible, so she wandered around aimlessly, recalling the night, the demons and the men who’d died. Someone had laid flowers at the base of one of the brick mounds, a
shrine of sorts. She knelt and touched the bouquet. A card attached said it was for Ethan, one of the apprentices who’d been lost in the fire and it was signed
Love, Janine
. Probably
his fancée.

Nearly overwhelmed by the enormity of the loss, Riley rose, eager to get away from this place. As she turned away, the toe of her tennis shoe caught on a piece of wood, shifting some of the
debris. Riley stared at a piece of leather cord that snaked from underneath the rubble. She knew what it was even before she unearthed it and though scorched, Simon’s initials were still
visible on the back of his cross. Somehow the symbol of his faith had survived the disaster.

Riley dusted it off, her hand coming away black with soot. If she returned it to him now, he might not take it, still shaken by all he’d endured. Instead, she tucked it into her pack for
safekeeping, hopeful that someday Simon Adler would find solace in his faith again and he’d welcome the cross’s return.

The
Bell, Book and Broomstick
bustled with customers checking out the ample supplies of incense, crystals and various potions. Ayden was assisting a woman who kept
insisting she wanted a love charm. The witch patiently cautioned her how such magic often had unintended consequences, but the customer wasn’t listening.

‘I don’t see why this is a problem,’ the woman said. ‘I just want him to fall in love with me.’

‘And then what?’ Ayden asked, an eyebrow raised in irritation. ‘What happens when you decide you don’t love him any more? You’ve bound his will to yours.’

‘I’ll tell him it’s over. No big deal.’

Fortunately, the woman took off a short time later, minus anything resembling a love potion. She’d claimed she knew somewhere else she could buy one.

‘That one’s about to learn a nasty lesson,’ the witch replied. Her curly auburn hair was up in a loose bun, displaying her neck and the chest tattoo that extended into her
bodice. Before it’d been a line of solemn fairies marching into battle but now it had reverted to the full dragon tattoo.

‘Do you change your tattoo or does it do itself?’ Riley asked, intrigued.

‘Once I set the magic it alters as it sees fit. Usually it picks up what’s going on around it.’ She glanced down. ‘Hmm . . . I wonder what that means.’

‘Nothing good.’ Riley gave a quick look around. ‘I need to talk. Any way you can get free?’

‘Sure. I need a break anyway. Let me get my cloak.’

As they walked to the tent that served hot cider, Ayden brought her up to speed on the witch/necromancer politics and what Riley had missed when she’d been in South Georgia.

‘We have a truce in place. Ozymandias laid down the law to a few of the hot-headed necros, and they backed down.’

‘Ozy? The Dark Lord himself? Why is he involved?’

‘Mort thinks the guy’s trying to atone for the disaster he unleashed upon us. Ozymandias has let it be known that he will personally toast any summoner who calls up
demons.’

‘That’s harsh.’

‘It did the trick,’ the witch admitted. ‘It took my people longer to cool down, but right now everybody’s playing nice. I’m hoping it will last.’

Her friend led her to the same tent they’d visited a while back and bought two mugs of steaming cider. They settled at the back on oversized pillows.

‘I saw the news reports about what happened in the swamp,’ Ayden said. ‘That had to be rough going.’

‘Pretty much. But not everything sucks. Beck and I went to the prom the other night and it was
totally
awesome.’

‘That’s news I can live with,’ the witch replied, smiling.

Riley adjusted the cup in her fingers. ‘I made a mistake with Ori, you know . . . sleeping with him. If Den and I . . . What if it’s all wrong?’

‘Does your love for Beck seem the same as you had for the angel?’

Riley shook her head before Ayden finished the question. ‘This feels . . . real, you know? We’ve been through so much and yet when I’m with him I’m complete. It’s
as if he holds all the pieces of me I’ve lost along the way. Ori was cool, but what we had was too surreal. Too perfect.’

‘Sounds like you’ve got your head on straight this time. So what’s the problem?’

‘I don’t want to screw this up.’

‘Love without risk?’ Ayden said. ‘It doesn’t exist. There are no sure outcomes. You do your best and hope not to get hurt too badly, and if you survive unscathed
you’re doing really well.’

‘Been there, done that?’ Riley asked, studying her friend anew.

‘You could say that.’

It was time to come clean. ‘I’ve got another problem.’ Riley let her gaze wander to the tent’s red silk as she explained exactly what was going on with her and Ori. How
the angel was alive, how her new boyfriend wasn’t aware of her latest occupation: demon slayer’s apprentice.

Ayden was frowning now. ‘You have to tell Beck everything. You can’t hide this from him. He has to know.’

‘But what if he can’t deal? He’s jealous of Ori and if he finds out I’m spending almost every night killing demons with the angel—’

‘He should know that now, before you commit more than your heart to this union.’

It was sound advice, though it wasn’t what Riley wanted to hear.

She’s right.
Riley had expected Beck to lay out all his secrets; she had to do the same or their relationship would never survive.

‘Tell the masters as well, especially Stewart,’ Ayden advised. ‘You can’t handle this on your own.’

‘I’ve done pretty good so far,’ Riley replied, irritated.

‘You have, but now it’s time for back-up. Perhaps Stewart will know why the angel is doing this to you. He always sees the bigger picture.’

Riley reluctantly nodded. ‘I’ll tell Beck tonight. Then . . .’ If he truly loved her, he’d be there for her. If he couldn’t deal . . .

Hell might as well claim me now.

That afternoon’s class was uneventful, an anti-climax to the whole Alan/Ori drama. Her ex was AWOL and the word was that he’d called in sick. Riley suspected his
class transfer was already in the works.

She actually felt bad for him. He’d never said his dad beat him, he just demanded the world bend to his will, probably because it wasn’t that way at home. Maybe Ori’s tour of
Hell would do her ex some good. If not, at least they’d tried.

I can’t save everyone.
So far she hadn’t even figured out to save herself.

When Riley left class she found a voicemail from Harper waiting for her on her cellphone. The news wasn’t good: Both his new apprentices were history. Lambert was gone
because he’d smart-mouthed Harper one too many times and Fleming had been tossed out because he’d been the ‘mole’ planted by the television producer. The other message was
Beck, inviting Riley to his place for the night. Though that invitation should have been greeted with considerable enthusiasm and seriously steamy daydreams, Riley went directly into a bad case of
nerves.

I have to tell him, but what if he loses it?

Unfortunately, there was only one way to find out.

Once Riley arrived at Beck’s house, she found her courage flagging even though she’d given herself a pep talk on the way over. After trading a kiss, they settled at
the kitchen table. Riley tried to do her homework while Beck sat across from her working on his reading and writing exercises. He wore a clean shirt and she caught the faint scent of aftershave,
evidence he’d been looking forward to an evening she was about to ruin.

Just tell him.
She opened her mouth than closed it, fearful of losing everything that mattered in her life.

He caught her looking at him. ‘Yer too quiet,’ he said. ‘What’s goin’ on?’

‘Just doing my homework,’ she replied, hoping he’d accept that lie.

‘No, it’s not that.’ Brows furrowed, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. ‘Tell what’s botherin’ you. That’s part of this whole
goin’ together thing.’

‘Guys don’t talk stuff out,’ she replied, waving him off.

‘It’s the angel, isn’t it?’

Riley slammed down her pen, upset that he could read her so easily.

‘Why does everything have to revolve around Ori?’

‘Because it does as long as he’s yer demi-lord,’ he replied, his jaw tensing.

‘I can’t undo that, Beck,’ she said. ‘It’s not a “Gee, I made a mistake, can I have my soul back now?” situation.’

‘I know that,’ he said, testily. ‘But I refuse to let that Fallen come between us.’

‘I’m not cheating on you.’

‘I never said that,’ he said, his voice equally sharp. ‘Somethin’s got you spooked. I trusted you with my problems – you have to trust me. It’s not just one
way.’

Riley rubbed her face in profound weariness.

‘Please let me help you,’ he said.

His tone was gentler now, not as confrontational. He really cared.

‘I killed a Four last night. It was the one who almost took your soul.’

‘What?’ Beck blurted. ‘You shouldn’t have been anywhere near that thing. If it got into yer mind . . .’

‘And do what? My soul’s gone, Beck. The worst it could do was kill me.’

‘Why were you after the thing?’

‘I was hunting with Ori.’

Beck took a long and deliberate inhalation, no doubt to short-circuit his anger. It wasn’t working as his fists were clenched now.

‘So what’s really goin’ on?’

‘He’s teaching me how to slay demons. I don’t have a choice in the matter.’

‘Why?’

‘He said it’s because he owns my soul. He says I have to learn how to kill them to stay alive.’

‘Oh, sweet Jesus,’ Beck muttered.

Now that the truth was out, Riley wanted to tell him everything.

‘He calls me out at night. One minute I’m sleeping and then I wake up somewhere else. My hand . . .’ She stared down at the offending palm. ‘That fiery sword he used at
the cemetery? I have one like it, except it’s more . . . mesized. He said it’s an extension of his angelic power.’

Beck’s mouth dropped open in shock.

‘Usually he’s right there bitching at me about how I’m not doing anything right, but last night he didn’t show up until after I’d killed the first Mezmer. He took
out the weaker one.’

‘Yer sure yer not dreamin’ all this?’ he asked, sceptical.

‘It’s real, Beck.’
Too real.

‘Did he do this kind of crap with Paul?’

‘No, it’s just me.’

‘Damn that bastard!’ Beck stormed, slamming a fist down on the table, nearly knocking over his cup of coffee.

Riley knew he’d never hurt her, but she still put some space between them, retreating to the picture window. The street was dark now, only marked by the occasional streetlight. Someone was
rolling a trash can to the kerb.

Behind her she heard Beck swear under his breath. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this was happenin’?’ he demanded.

‘I . . .’ She choked back a sob. ‘I was . . . scared I’d lose you just when . . . we . . .’

There was a long silence, then a chair slid back and footsteps came towards her.

Was he going to open the front door and tell her to leave? Tell her never to come back like he had the last time, but this time it would be for keeps?

She tensed as Beck’s strong arms curved round her waist possessively and drew her back against him. His comforting warmth flowed into her, strengthening her.

‘Ah, girl, I’m not goin’ anywhere without you. No way some damned angel’s gonna break us up. No one in Heaven or Hell has that kind of power.’

Beck was drawing her closer, not pushing her away. She’d been a fool to think otherwise.

‘No matter what happens, I love you,’ he whispered.

He’d never used the ‘l’ word before.

She wasn’t in Hell yet. She still had time to live.

Riley turned in his arms and gazed into his rich brown eyes. All she wanted was for him to kiss her, touch her, make love to her.