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  “What’s happening?”

  “Lilith’s army is still going after the Gate. I have one more Hail Mary, but if that doesn’t work, things are gonna get real bloody. You have to be prepared.”

  “To fight an army? Girl, are you crazy? I’m not a soldier.”

  “Valerie’s not, but Uriel’s one of God’s finest. Ask this one,” she said, gesturing toward Lucifer. “He can tell you stories.”

  Lucifer nodded in agreement.

  “Fine, but how are the four of us supposed to go up against an army?”

  A sneaky smile crept across Gabriel’s face as she took a sip of water before answering, “We’ll have backup.”

  Phindi watched from a distance as her soldiers trained under the night sky. Finding a Krav Maga instructor who was also a vampire had proven impossible, so she’d created one, with her Queen’s permission, of course. He was still fairly nervous being around so many of them, but she’d assured him that as long as he did his job, no harm would come to him. Still, training nearly three thousand vampires at once in a field upstate would have been difficult for anyone, let alone a fledgling vampire who hadn’t quite gotten the hang of things. He was always hungry and had a hard time controlling his urges, but Phindi kept him and the others in line. As the general in her Queen’s army, she had a responsibility to train and protect her subordinates. It was a duty she’d been born for, her father having been a great warrior in the Ndwandwe-Zulu War. She was honored to serve her Queen in such an important role, even if she didn’t fully understand who, or what, her soldiers would be fighting against.

  Chapter 14

  Wendy silently made her way through the natural burial ground, having cloaked herself before entering the cemetery. It had been years since she was last here, or in the quiet town that surrounded it. Not since her grandmother had died. It was as peaceful as ever, the soothing sound of the Pocantico River the only thing she could hear. She loved the city, but the longer she walked, the more she realized how much she’d missed the town, the quiet…the nature.

  She trekked through the soft grass, admiring the greenery all around her. The trees whispered in the breeze as she strolled, so at ease in this idyllic location, she’d almost forgotten why she was there. A deer moseyed past, unable to see her thanks to her spell. Good, she thought, sure now that the coven, too, would be unaware of her presence.

  She made her way through the trees and finally came to the clearing where the funeral was being held. Mourners gathered in a crescent shape a good distance from the altar as one after another shuffled to it, kneeling down and whispering their final goodbyes to the body lying there. The shroud wrapped around her great-aunt’s corpse was sheer enough that she could just make out the woman’s face as she stood over her. Her skin was almost as gray as her hair, her cheeks sunken. But, she looked to be at peace. Wendy smiled, tears forming in her eyes. Grace looked so much like her grandmother and seeing her like this brought back all the pain she’d felt when she’d lost her. She’d hated that she hadn’t reconciled with her sister before she died, but she’d understood.

  “Why did you do it?” a young woman whispered into the dead witch’s ear. Wendy had been so lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed her approach. She stepped back but listened intently. “Your magic should have passed to us. Why did you hide it? Without it, we--”

  “Julia,” another woman warned.

  “I’m sorry, but we’re all thinking it.”

  “This is not the place.”

  “I know.” She stepped toward the group and stared them down, daring them with her eyes to try to silence her. “But we are flailing. Leaderless. This was Grace’s coven and it never occurred to anyone to demand she name a successor.”

  A few of the witches laughed. “Demand? Who would dare demand anything of Grace?” one of them scoffed.

  “She would have you shunned for even suggesting someone question her,” another said.

  “Yes, probably,” Julia huffed, throwing her long, red hair over her shoulder. “But she’s no longer with us and we are desperate. Without the Tituban magic, we’re weak.”

  “We’re witches,” one of them sneered. “We’re anything but weak.”

  “Compared to what?” she griped. “The other covens? Once they hear of Grace’s death, the Dyer’s will be coming to pilfer our members and the Gowdies will move to eradicate us completely.”

  “The other covens fear us,” Poe chimed in. Wendy hadn’t spotted her until now. She looked small; timid compared to the rest.

  “They feared Grace,” Julia corrected. “Without her power, we are sitting ducks.”

  “You’re paranoid,” the first woman told her. “It’s been three generations since our coven has been attacked.”

  “Yes, three generations. Since just after Grace put us together. Others tried to dismantle and destroy us and it was Grace that shielded us. It was Grace that protected and defended us. It was Grace that all other covens feared and respected. Without her and her power, we are nothing.”

  “Enough,” an older witch commanded. “You will not disrespect our founder with your dramatics. We will stand in reverence as she moves on to the Summerlands. We will return her body to the ground and you will show some respect.”

  Julia huffed. “Very well. But we will have this discussion.”

  The group quieted themselves, bowing their heads as another witch knelt before their fallen leader. When everyone had had a turn, a few of them told stories, reminiscing about the many ways Grace had impacted their lives. Healing sick children, delivering justice to men that had wronged them, aiding them financially when they were in need. Wendy was fascinated. She’d never known any of this. Her heart warmed at the knowledge that her great-aunt had lived such a full and happy life, even if without her sister.

  Poe stepped forward, addressing the crowd as it was her turn to speak. “As you all know, I was in pretty bad shape when Grace found me. My parents kicked me out. I had nowhere to go. I was living on the streets, sleeping in shelters. One day, I was panhandling, starving, and she told me she knew what I was. I didn’t know what she meant at first. She said I could stay with her and she’d teach me. She saved me that day.” She wiped away a stray tear, her eye makeup smearing across her cheek. “She showed me how to access and control my magic, do spells. She fed me and bought me clothes. She even left me her house here in town.” She choked back her sobs before finishing. “Nothing I could do would ever be enough to repay her for her kindness. I owe her my life.”

  Another woman wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulders and rubbed her arm. “She’ll be greatly missed.”

  Poe nodded. “I just need a minute.” She walked off alone into the woods, unable to stifle the tears that streamed down her face, grief mixed with eyeliner staining her flushed cheeks. Wendy couldn’t help but feel sorry for her, the urge to hug her too strong to fight. Poe jumped at her touch. “Who’s there?”

  “It’s me, Wendy,” she whispered. “Are you okay?”

  Poe looked around wildly. “Shh. If anyone catches you here--”

  “I’m leaving. I just wanted to say I’m sorry and I’m glad my aunt had someone that cared about her as much as you. Thanks for being there for her.”

  Tears again formed in Poe’s eyes. She rested her head on Wendy’s invisible shoulder, grateful for the comfort. “She was like a mother to me. Way more than my real mom was.” She wiped her face with her sleeve and gave Wendy a final squeeze. “All right.” She backed away, clearing her throat and pulling herself together. “You have to go.”

  “I’d tell you to call if you ever need to talk, but--”

  “I know. Too dangerous.”

  “Take care of yourself.”

  “I always do.”

  “Bye, Poe.”

  “Bye.”

  Before leaving Tarrytown, Wendy stopped at a Thai place for dinner and admired a statue off Old Broadway that had been deemed a landmark. She really had missed this place. It’s history and lo
re. It felt old, like stepping back in time. There was a gentleness in the air that swept through her, drawing her in and making her wish she could stay. She promised herself she’d return sometime soon. Maybe, if things worked out with Gabriel, she’d bring her along, show her where she grew up. Please work out, she thought as she began the fifty-minute drive back to the city, her thoughts drifting again to the amazing time they’d spent together.

  Hours later, she lay awake in bed, her thoughts bouncing between Gabriel and the witches at the funeral. The coven had relied so heavily on Grace’s magic. She almost felt guilty for keeping it from them. She knew, though, that it was given to her for a reason. Grace clearly didn’t trust her fellow witches with it once she was gone. They didn’t seem particularly menacing to Wendy; typical witches, as far as she could tell. Maybe it was as simple as Grace having a change of heart. Maybe she knew, like her grandmother had, that the average witch couldn’t handle Tituban magic and instead of allowing her power to turn her coven into monsters, she chose to bind it, protected by cat’s eye, accessible only by shared blood. But had Grace even known there were descendants left? That Wendy existed? She had to. Unless she was so worried about her magic getting into her coven’s hands that she’d rather see it locked away forever than risk them using it. Poe had certainly seemed rattled when she had brought the necklace to her. Perhaps they were more dangerous than she knew. “My responsibility.”

  She pushed the worry away as memories of Gabriel crept into her mind. She smiled in the dark as she remembered her lips on her skin and her hands on her body. She smelled like chamomile and tasted like strawberries and Wendy couldn’t wait to see her again. She ached to feel her on top of her, in her and around her. She didn’t know where things were going with her. If it was just for fun or something that could turn serious. A fling or the beginning of a relationship. They’d exchanged information when they’d gotten back from Pennsylvania. Maybe she’d surprise her for a late-night booty call later. Right now, though, she was too aroused to get out of bed, the visions of Gabriel’s body floating in her mind. She slipped her hand underneath the covers and into her pajama bottoms, closing her eyes and taking in a sharp breath. Yes, she’d definitely have to stop by Gabriel’s place later.

  Chapter 15

  “So, what’s on the agenda?” Lucifer asked as he and Gabriel took their seats on the plane. “Please say unrelenting torture.”

  “I’m putting a tracker on his phone so I know where he is and I’m hacking his computer to find out exactly how many troops he has and the details of his plan. I know he’s still going after the Gate, I just don’t know when or how. You’re coming with because my powers don’t work on him. I need you to keep watch so I can book it if need be.”

  “Well, this should be painfully boring.”

  “I hope so, bro. I am not trying to get shot tonight.”

  “Shot?”

  “Yeah, dude. Spade’s office is on his pseudo-military base. Base of operations? You know what I mean. We’ll be going in when most of the contractors are sleeping, but that place will still be crawling with people, all armed.”

  Lucifer smiled. “This may be more fun than I thought.”

  “Don’t get excited. This is a recon mission. We can’t touch Spade, which means we can’t kill him. But, if I know where he’s gonna be, I can call in some favors. Get him tied up in so much red tape, he’ll maybe decide it’s not worth it. Better yet, get him arrested the minute he steps foot in Iraq. So, best behavior. This trip is strictly to get intel. You hear me?”

  He groaned.

  “Lucifer.”

  “Fine.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair, struggling to get comfortable. “You know, we’d be there by now if you’d let me fly us.”

  “Stop complaining. It’s a private jet. Have some champagne. Take a nap. Enjoy your life.”

  “Speaking of enjoying life, do you think Barachiel will ever get better, or is his current state of melancholy a permanent affliction?”

  “I don’t know, man,” she confessed. “Dia’s with him now, so at least he’s not alone. She doesn’t really know how to handle stuff like this, though.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “As I was leaving, she saw him sitting on the couch all depressive and shit and I heard her think to herself, ‘I just want to fuck him until he’s not sad anymore’.”

  Lucifer chuckled. “You don’t know. A distraction might be just the thing he needs. If memory serves, she’s quite skilled in that department.”

  “Oh, shit,” Gabriel giggled. “Don’t let him hear you say that unless you want him to strangle you again.”

  “You’re still here?” Wyatt grunted as he emerged from his bedroom after a long nap.

  Allydia’s leather-clad legs hung over the arm of the chair she’d draped herself across. She watched him shuffle to the couch and drop into it, his eyes still barely open. “I will always be here.”

  “I’m all right. You can go.”

  “I think we both know neither of those things is true. I would offer you a drink, but your sister warned me against it. Something about a familial predisposition.”

  “She’s probably right, as always.”

  “She cares for you,” she told him, detecting the disdain in his tone.

  “I know.”

  “Then why do you sound angry with her?”

  “It’s not her I’m mad at.” He sat up to look her in the eye. “I hate this thing in me. I hate him. ‘Protector of Humanity’,” he sneered, trembling with rage. “I say, ‘him’, but he’s me. The real me, inside. Lucifer was right. I’ll always do what’s in the best interest of everyone else, no matter what it costs me. The greater good will always come first. That’s who I am.” Tears welled in his eyes as his voice broke. “What does that mean for me? Should I give up hope of ever being happy? Am I just not built for it? Will I ever have anything that’s just mine?”

  She left the chair and knelt on the floor in front of him, cupping his face in her hands. “You will have me.”

  His features softened as tears spilled onto his cheeks. “I thought I’d pushed you away.”

  She smiled. “It would take a lot more than an attitude to get rid of me.”

  A quiet laugh escaped his lips as he took her hands in his.

  “Do you need to talk?”

  He shook his head, breathing in her pheromones and letting them work their magic.

  “Would you like me to comfort you?” she asked, tugging at his pajama pants.

  He nodded, his mind too hazy now to form words.

  She smiled again. “Good thing I’m already on my knees.”

  “Are you nearly finished?” Lucifer complained as Gabriel downloaded the relevant files to a flash drive.

  “Just stay there,” she ordered.

  “This is absurd. We’ve snuck into the enemies lair. We should take offensive action now to prevent--”

  “The people here haven’t done anything, yet. We can’t just preemptively slaughter thousands of people.”

  “Of course we can.”

  “Okay, I’ll rephrase. We shouldn’t slaughter thousands of people. There’s a chance they might reconsider. Disobey orders. Bail on the mission.”

  “They’re soldiers. It goes against who they are to be defiant.”

  “I didn’t say it was a good chance.” She started hiding cameras while Lucifer waited outside the door, keeping watch like a burglar too incompetent to be part of the actual crime. He peeked his head in, saw that his sister was thoroughly distracted, and left his post.

  He headed to the mess hall, conveniently located at the center of the compound. Directly surrounding that were the barracks where more than one hundred thousand military contractors slept. “It’s almost too easy,” he smirked. He punched through the walls behind the ovens in the kitchen, tearing out and snapping apart the down gas lines that fed them as he quietly sang ‘Devil in Disguise’. He picked up a few forks and threw them in a microwave, settin
g the timer for five minutes. He smiled to himself as he hurried back to the office, knowing that he’d get a stern talking-to from his sister, but delighting in the forthcoming carnage all the same.

  As Lucifer approached the office door, shots rang out and an alarm sounded. He raced inside to find Gabriel on the floor, unconscious and bleeding out, three bullet holes gaping in her chest.

  “Spade, I presume,” Lucifer seethed, his gaze shifting to the man with the gun.

  “Who are you people?” he barked, pointing the revolver at the intruder.

  “Did Lilith not tell you? Of course, she didn’t. Always with the secrecy, that one. No matter. I’m her brother and this is our sister. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine in a few minutes.”

  “What…what have you done with Lilith? I was told she was ‘taken out’, but--”

  “Oh, she’s back where she belongs, in a cage, locked away as to prevent her corrupting any more unsuspecting souls. You’ll soon be in your own prison of sorts. Tell me, Mitchell, are you a religious man?”

  “That’s enough,” Spade said, shooting Lucifer in the chest.

  “Well, that’s inconsiderate. Do you treat all of your guests so brutally?”

  “How--”

  “I’m much stronger than my sister,” he explained. “Her body is a part of her, whereas I’m only visiting mine.”

  Spade fell back, barely catching himself on his desk. Lucifer moved toward him, holding his hand out in front of him. It was repelled by an invisible force; the warding his twin had put in place.

  “Pity,” he grumbled, gathering Gabriel in his arms. “Ah, well. We’ll meet again, very soon, I imagine. I’d tell you to pray for your safety, but, unfortunately for you, God’s not on your side in this war.” The room shook, a loud explosion booming in the not so far off distance. Lucifer grinned.

  “What have you done?” Spade spat.