Hades (34 page)

never have brought her into the Third Circle.”

“She’s young,” I heard Jake growl defensively. I felt a little

guilty for leaving him to face the music alone. His own kind

was turning on him because of me. “She’s new to this life.

She needs more time to adjust.”

“How much time? She’s upsetting the balance here,”

someone countered. “You wanted a kitten to play with—

someone countered. “You wanted a kitten to play with—

now teach it the house rules.”

“She isn’t some animal I can train to do tricks.” Jake was

seething now.

“What do you want with her anyway?” someone else

chimed in. “Is it worth jeopardizing our reputation for a little

private amusement? The other Circles are laughing at us.”

“I do not answer to you.” Jake’s voice was low and

throaty.

“Perhaps not, but you are not the highest authority here.”

“You real y want to disturb him? Over
this
?”

“No, but I wil if you can’t keep your little bitch under

control.”

The room seemed to go deathly stil . I watched Hanna hit

the button for our floor in rapid succession as the elevator

stal ed.

“What did you just say?”

“You heard me.”

“You might want to consider retracting that comment,”

Jake said. It was hard to miss the underlying threat in his

voice.

“Bring it on, big shot. Let’s see what you got.”

TUCKER was already waiting for us when Hanna let us into

the room. He immediately flipped on the chrome security

lock even though we al knew it wouldn’t be much use in

keeping demons out.

I sat cross-legged on my bed, hugging a pil ow for

comfort. “What do you think is happening down there?”

“You mustn’t worry, miss,” Hanna replied dutiful y. “Mr.

“You mustn’t worry, miss,” Hanna replied dutiful y. “Mr.

Thorn wil talk them round. He always does.”

“I hope you’re right,” I said. “I didn’t realize they’d get so

worked up.”

“They’re demons, they always overreact.” Tucker

shrugged, trying to make me feel better.

JAKE stayed down in the lobby deliberating for what

seemed like hours. In the end, just after midnight, both

Tucker and Hanna went to bed. I was getting sleepy and

about to change out of the velvet gown when I heard Jake

outside my door, cal ing my name. It was the first time he’d

knocked rather than just let himself in.

“I’m glad you’re stil up,” he said as soon as I let him in.

“We’ve got to go.”

He sounded apologetic rather than commanding, and a

garment was bundled under his arm. There was a strange

look in his eyes and if I didn’t know better, I’d have said it

was fear. He hadn’t looked like that even when Gabriel had

wrapped him in tongues of fire and commanded the earth

to swal ow him alive. He’d only looked defiant in defeat.

What could have happened to rattle him so badly?

“Where are we going?”

Jake pressed his lips together and tried to repress his

mounting anxiety. “They’ve cal ed a hearing.”

“What? Why?” I was ful y awake now.

“I didn’t expect it to go this far,” Jake said. “I’l explain on

the way.”

“Can I change first?”

“No time.”

Outside the lobby, Jake’s motorcycle waited for us,

purring with a life of its own.

“Why the bike?” I asked.

“I want to avoid drawing too much attention,” he said.

“Here, put this on.” He tossed me the brown cloak he’d

been carrying.

“I thought attention was just what you wanted,” I said,

recal ing the humiliating parade of only hours before.

“Not this time.”

“Why should I listen to anything you say?” I said.

“Beth.” Jake sighed as if he were in pain. “Hate me as

much as you like but trust me … tonight I’m on your side.”

For some reason I believed him. I slipped on the cloak

and pul ed the hood over my head. Jake helped me onto

the bike and we sped soundlessly through the tunnels that

unspooled and interweaved before us, as intricate as a

spiderweb. I pressed my face into his back to hide from

whatever horrors lurked in the dark.

Before long Jake pul ed up abruptly in front of what

appeared to be a derelict warehouse at the end of a narrow

al ey. We dismounted and stood facing the ruins of a

building that was several stories high despite the fact that it

was underground. Vandals had smashed most of the

windows and they’d been boarded up with cardboard.

Graffiti was scrawled across the external wal s. Jake

hesitated for just a fraction before moving forward. The look

on his face suggested he was trying to come up with a

game plan.

“This is it,” he said looking at me with uncharacteristic

seriousness. “You get an audience with Big Daddy himself.

There aren’t many dead or alive that can claim that honor.”

“Whoa, what?” I cried. “You’ve taken me to Lucifer? Are

you crazy? I’m not going in there!”

“We have no choice,” Jake breathed. “We’ve been

summoned.”

“Why? Is this about the butterfly?” I asked desperately. “I

won’t do it again, I swear.” Whatever confidence I’d

regained by the end of the parade deserted me then.

“You’re not the one they’re angry with,” Jake said. “They

have assembled to judge me and decide my punishment

for bringing you here.”

“Wel , good,” I snapped. “You
were
wrong in bringing me

here. It’l serve you right when they send me back.”

“I hope it’s that simple,” Jake murmured, his eyes distant.

“But we’d be getting off lightly.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, let’s go inside.” Jake drew himself up. “We’ve

kept him waiting long enough. Remember, don’t speak

unless spoken to. Got it? This isn’t the time to get fresh.”

Jake had barely got the words out when a black-suited

bouncer much like the others I’d seen in the underground

clubs pul ed open the heavy doors. There was the grinding

sound of metal sliding on metal as he motioned for us to

step inside.

“C’mon in,” a voice that reminded me of smooth, rich

whiskey cal ed from inside. “I don’t bite.”

Inside, the warehouse had been set up to look like an

improvised courtroom. Seven dark, shadowy figures were

seated in a semicircle on what appeared to be upturned

crates. Some had their arms crossed like they’d been kept

waiting too long. I knew instinctively that they were the

Originals and Jake’s equals. As I scanned the faces I saw

Diego, Nash, Yeats, and Asia lurking in the dim light. I

assumed that they too had been summoned—perhaps as

witnesses.

When my eyes adjusted to the dim light I saw that

presiding at the head of the group was a significantly tal er

figure. He was seated in a high-backed Tudor-style chair

that had seen better days. He wore a white linen suit with a

red silk tie and his feet were encased in white cowboy

boots. Although his face was stil in shadow, I was sure he

was the rousing speaker I’d overheard in the boardroom.

He held an ivory-topped cane that he tapped softly on the

cement floor, as if he were already bored. When Jake and I

entered al conversation died on the spot and for some

minutes no one spoke. It gave me a brief opportunity to

assess the derelict space and those who occupied it.

Apart from the shattered panes of glass there were

cobwebs hanging in sheaths from dust-coated machinery.

The rustling of wings overhead suggested that bats had

made their home in the timber rafters. Like Jake, the fal en

angels surrounding me were images of faded beauty. The

gender of some was indeterminate, but they shared the

same chiseled features; fine lips the color of peaches,

slightly aquiline noses, and strong jaws. They had the

wasted, vacant look of those who had devoted their lives to

idle pursuits. They were incapable of feeling surprise yet I

knew my presence surprised them. There was something

about the way they held themselves and the air of

superiority they radiated that distinguished them as the

Originals. They were the equivalent to royalty in this world.

Only now they regarded Jake cool y, as though he were no

longer one of them but an outcast who had wandered from

the pack.

When the face of the white-clad man came into view, I

saw he was older than others and more weather-beaten.

His skin was tanned and leathery and his eyes were a

pel ucid blue but devoid of any expression. He was

immaculately groomed and wore his silver hair tied back

loosely with a gilded clasp. Even I had to admit, he was

extremely beautiful. Angels were not supposed to age, but I

guessed that the constant propagation of evil was bound to

take its tol . Despite having aged some, Lucifer’s face was

radiant, his eyes sharp and every angle perfectly sculpted.

His brow was broad and his eyes held such electricity it

made the hairs on my arms stand on end. I knew that in

Heaven, he had once been among the most revered of our

kind, elite in beauty and intel igence. When he spoke, his

voice rang out, slow and musical.

“Wel , hel o there, little angel,” he said. “How’s this for a

family reunion?” Some of the Originals tittered in response.

“Father.” Jake stepped forward in a business-like way.

“This is al a misunderstanding. If you would grant me the

opportunity to explain …”

“Oh, Arakiel, my dear boy,” Lucifer crooned in a paternal

tone. “You have much to answer for.”

It took me a moment to realize that he was addressing

Jake by his angelic name. As always, I found myself

startled by the reminder of Jake’s former life. It was so

strange to think that long ago, before I’d ever come into

existence, they had al dwel ed in Heaven. Gabriel would

remember it with clarity and in his mind it wouldn’t feel like

so much time had passed. I knew he’d witnessed the

uprising of the rebel angels and their ultimate expulsion

from the Kingdom. I knew the evil they had perpetrated

since, yet one word kept ringing in my mind:
brothers
. And

look what had become of them now. For a moment al my

fear and anger dissolved and I felt only a deep sense of

sadness. Lucifer’s voice drew me back to the proceedings

at hand.

“You owe this court an explanation, Arakiel,” he said.

“This little escapade of yours has caused much dissension

among our ranks. Some fear it may undermine al we have

worked to achieve. We must, at al costs, preserve what is

ours.”

“Father.” Jake bowed his head. “I mean no disrespect,

but it was you who sanctioned this assignment to begin

with.”

“Indeed,” Lucifer agreed. “I applauded your boldness in

bringing her here, but it seems your emotions have since

gotten the better of you. I fear this is no longer strictly

business for you.” His eyes narrowed mischievously. “In

fact, I suspect it never was.”

“Excuse me, I have a question …” I stepped forward and

the glowing eyes of the demons flashed in unison as they

fixed their gazes on me. I dug my nails into my wrist to keep

from trembling and continued. I was in way over my head,

but at the same time I needed answers and ironical y, I had

a feeling Lucifer would tel me the truth. “I’m a little

confused. I understand it was you who wanted me here, but

what I don’t understand is why.”

Lucifer’s lip curled up in a smile. “It’s true,” he said. “It

was with my consent that Arakiel brought you to us.”

“But I’m no one important. Why me?”

Lucifer leisurely drummed his fingers together over the

top of his cane. “You’re a pawn, my dear,” he said. “As you

know, Heaven has launched another one of its pathetic little

healthe-world schemes.” Lucifer rol ed his eyes. “The whole

thing is incredibly tedious—we make a mess, they clean it

up and so on and so forth. And we’re bored of the whole

thing, which is where you come into it.” His pale eyes

watched me lazily. “I used you to send out a message.”

“What message?”

The swarthy Diego suddenly stood up, taking it upon

himself to clarify. “That it’s game on.”

“What does that mean?” I asked weakly, struggling

against the rising panic in my chest.

“Wel , I guess it’s safe to let you in on the secret now that