Sweet Peril (37 page)

“They’re all up there, crying,” Astaroth said about the women. “Sweet regrets. Good thinking about the island, Melchom.”

“Yes,” Melchom agreed. Blake’s father looked small compared to the other three Dukes. “I just wish we could ditch them now. This’ll be one hell of a ride back to the mainland.”

“Sad women are so boring,” Pharzuph said. “At least you have something fun to look forward to after this.” He elbowed Melchom who nodded.

“I can’t wait to be rid of this old body. Should be a lot of
good ones to choose from in China.”

We all looked to Blake who raised one eyebrow as he listened.

“You bringing your Neph boy with you?” Astaroth asked.

“Eh.” Melchom shrugged. “He’s got a great setup out here.”

“Well, don’t let him get too comfortable,” Astaroth warned. “This generation of Neph are lazy. They’ve no clue how good they’ve got it.”

Flynn stiffened but didn’t move.

“That’s the truth,” Pharzuph said. “Especially after the New York summit. I still say we should’ve killed that daughter of Belial.” My stomach turned into a block of ice and Kaidan’s grip tightened around my waist. “Belial was too quick to defend her, don’t you think?” The others nodded immediately. “She left a nasty taste in my mouth, that one. A bad influence on the others. I swear my son’s been off his game since then. Lacking the focus he once had. I should keep a better eye on him. Seeing those bloody angels might’ve screwed with his head.”

“Made us look weak.” Astaroth spit into the water. “I can’t bleeding wait to destroy them.”

“You know . . .” Pharzuph began, almost hesitant, lowering his voice even further. “Rahab thinks the daughter of Belial is
the one
.”

My heart rate, which had slowed severely, now spiked hard in my chest.

Flynn looked like he wasn’t even breathing. The other Dukes were quiet, processing this.

“Ah,” Mammon said. His gold jewelry glittered with reflected moonlight at his neck and wrists. “You mean that
old prophecy nonsense?”

My heart spiked again, a shooting pain.

“I thought that was a farce,” Astaroth said.

Pharzuph shrugged. “Rahab doesn’t think so. He started an investigation of Belial after that summit, but so far he’s clean.”

“If he thinks this girl is the one, he should be investigating
her
,” Melchom said.

“She’s a bit daft.” I bristled at Pharzuph’s words. “Hard to believe she’d be a threat, but that badge of hers is not right. I say we have her killed . . . just in case.”

Oh, crap.

I needed to talk to Dad right away. Kaidan’s grip around me tightened so hard I could barely take a breath. I had to pinch his forearm with my weak hand to make him ease up.

Flynn shifted his stance, carefully keeping his eyes out at sea as if to appear uninterested.

“Too many strange coincidences recently,” Pharzuph said. “Perhaps Rahab was right when he said the Neph race should be extinct for good.”

Mammon took a curious glance toward his son, who wasn’t looking, and then back to the other Dukes.

“I’m sick to death of mine,” Astaroth said of the twins. “They argue over the simplest commands. Neph don’t provide the help they once did.”

“And they’re putting their noses where they don’t belong,” Mammon said. He cracked his knuckles and his eyes shone red. “Isn’t that right, son?”

No . . .
God, no
.

All the Dukes turned their attention to Flynn. He blinked at them. “Pardon me, sir?”

“Did ya hear about the strange guy lurking around the prison where Sonellion’s daughter was being held?”

Bile rose from my stomach.

Flynn shook his head at his father and cleared his throat. His forehead crinkled. “No, sir.”

“They say when the guy got in a fight and his head covering fell back, he was a redhead.” Mammon stepped closer to his son.

Again Flynn shook his head. “What are you saying, father?”

Sensing the tension, the dark spirits roamed in a circle around Flynn and the Dukes.

“I’m saying it’s quite the coincidence, don’t you think? Coincidental that you were in Europe when I called you and not our homeland?”

“I felt like traveling is all,” Flynn said. “I’ve never even met this daughter of Sonellion.”

Eerie childish laughter sounded from the boat. I moved closer to the hole to see. Flynn and the Dukes looked up at a young girl perched on the edge of the boat with her feet dangling, no more than twelve years old. Her black hair was slicked into a bun and a small black badge rested at her midsection. A Neph girl!

Where had she come from? Was she hiding on the boat this whole time?

“He’s lying,” she said in a little singsong voice. “Except that last bit. He’s never met her.”

All the Dukes except Mammon smiled wickedly, eyes
shining like blood. Mammon stared at his son with furious disbelief. The dark spirits moved closer to listen.

“Son of Mammon,” Pharzuph said to Flynn, “have you met Caterina, the young daughter of Jezebet? She’s quite helpful to have around when one is seeking the truth.”

Jezebet . . . Duke of Lies.

This could not be happening. Flynn looked as if he were thinking the same thing.

“What you didn’t know, son,” Mammon whispered, “is that Duke Sonellion borrowed one of Duke Thamuz’s sons to keep watch over the transaction of the girl while he was away.” Kope and Kai cast surprised glances at each other and my stomach plummeted. “He swore he followed a Nephilim with your description fighting and fleeing the area, but I didn’t believe it was you. I defended you. And you’ve never met her?” His voice raised to a shout now. “What were you doing out there? You distracted Thamuz’s son and he didn’t even get to see the transaction take place! Who sent you to Syria?”

Flynn stood his ground and didn’t speak a word. Cool tears burned behind my eyes.

Mammon grabbed Flynn by the throat. His eyes were bright red as he screamed, “Tell me!”

In one swift move Flynn laid him out with a strike to the temple. Mammon fell to his knees, dazed. The whisperers shrieked.

“Wrong move, Neph,” Pharzuph said. He pulled a gun with a silencer from the back of his pants and pointed it.

No!

Kaidan held me close, so close. He touched fingers to my lips in a gesture begging me not to speak. Silent tears rolled down my cheeks—my own salt water lost amid the ocean. I could not save Flynn. I was in no shape to fight, and I would get each of the Neph killed. My power of persuasion would never work on a Duke. All I could do was beg for a miracle.

“Wait.” Astaroth held out a hand to Pharzuph and nudged Mammon with his foot. Flynn’s father grabbed his temple and got to his feet. “Let Mammon do the honors.”

Pharzuph handed over the gun with reluctance. Mammon pointed it at his son with one hand while the other hand held the side of his head.

“Who are you working with?” Mammon demanded.

When Flynn grinned it was a frightening, powerful sight. Mammon moved to step closer and thought better of it. He kept himself out of arm’s reach.

“I gave you everything! I made you who you are! And this is how you repay me? Tell me who you’re working with!”

“I will tell you nothing, old man.”

“Truth!” said the daughter of Jezebet from the boat.

Mammon pointed at her. “Shut up, girl!”

And in a horrifying moment of crazed anger, Mammon let out a primal shout and shot his son in the chest. I pressed my lips together as Flynn grabbed the wound and staggered before collapsing. He crouched on the dock, sucking hard for air. The dark spirits danced and glided above the scene with wicked glee. Kaidan held me tight.

“Last chance.” Mammon stood over his son with the gun pointed to his head.

Flynn raised his blood-drained face and said, “I’ll see you in hell.”

Mammon pulled the trigger again, and Flynn jolted before becoming still. I would never forget the sight of our friend, our ally, a strong and vibrant life, crumpled on the edge of that dock.

Shaking breaths racked my body, as if my system wanted to hyperventilate but couldn’t quite manage it in this frozen state.

The Dukes and whisperers watched Flynn’s body with silent expectancy. I watched, too, in awe, as Flynn’s spirit slowly pulled from its shell. He wasn’t as glorious and bright as Sister Ruth had been, but neither was his spirit dark or weak. He lifted himself to his full height above the abandoned body and faced the Dukes head-on.

“Cheeky one, isn’t he?” Pharzuph said to Mammon, who could only stare at his son’s spirit with something like regret. Pharzuph nodded to the two whisperers hovering above. “Get him, boys.”

In a darting movement the dark spirits seized him. Flynn’s soul was a blur as he fought against them. Through it all I held out hope. I waited for a bright light to break through the night and an angel to save the day, but nothing came to Flynn’s rescue. I choked on a sob as the whisperers dragged his spirit down until he was gone.

“Damn,” Astaroth muttered. “You killed him too soon. We didn’t get any information from him.”

Mammon was breathing hard, a frenzied look still in his eyes. “He ticked me off.”

“At least we know for certain there’s a traitor in our midst,” Astaroth said. “Now we have to find out who.”

Mammon’s arms were limp at his sides as he stared down at his son’s once-strong body.

“Come on,” Pharzuph said. “Let’s get those human toerags back to the mainland. We’ll drag the Neph’s body out to sea by rope and let him loose. He’ll never be found. And you—” He pointed up at the Neph girl. “Get back into hiding.”

She scrambled from the ledge and disappeared.

“I’ll go get the women while you tie up the body,” Melchom said.

The Dukes got busy with their tasks, grumbling about how they should have brought along another Neph to do the dirty work. Pharzuph complained of blood on his shoe.

I thought I’d be ill when they tugged Flynn’s body from the dock and he landed in the water with a splash. They tied him up and pushed him under the dock so he’d be hidden from the women. The body floated a mere ten feet away. I squeezed my eyes shut and fought the urge to gag.

A few minutes later the women boarded and water swooshed around us as the boat began to move, dragging the body behind it. Kai helped lift me higher just in time to avoid water in my mouth.

Again we waited, encompassed in the icy sea, giving the Dukes ample time to be out of hearing range. It seemed like forever. And then Blake moved to the edge of the overhanging walkway inside the boathouse, grabbing it and pulling himself up. He grimaced, but managed to climb with stiff motions. Next he stuck out an arm to help Kopano, who gave a mild wince. Together the two of them pulled up Zania. Kai swam us over and lifted me by the waist. The guys were there to grab my arms and pull me from the water. It hurt to lift my arms,
but it wasn’t a normal surface pain. It was deep within the muscles.

I couldn’t feel my body and it was a struggle not to collapse. Zania cried out in pain as she reached for me and we lay side by side in the night air. Kaidan splashed his way onto the platform with a curse as Blake tugged his arm.

“We g-gotta g-get the boat,” Blake said through his teeth.

“I will go w-with you.” Kope’s voice was a hoarse whisper.

With jerky movements, Kaidan sat on the dock next me and pulled me to his lap, then helped Zania settle against me. Together she and I battled violent tremors. I couldn’t keep my eyes open or make out what Kaidan was saying. Something about hypothermia. My heart and body were broken.

At some point Zania left my lap and I was lifted in the air. Kaidan’s breath warmed my temple as he whispered over and over, “You’ll b-be all right now.” I wanted to tell him he was shaking, too, but I couldn’t talk.

I found myself in a chair next to Zania in the boat while the others rushed around, hollering to one another in shaky voices about blankets and heaters and wet clothes. With much effort I raised my arm across Zania’s lap and took her hand, damp and cold like a dead fish. My head fell back and my eyes closed. Multiple footsteps banged overhead on the boat’s deck as someone started the engine and a blast of heated air rushed through the room.

“We must remove our wet clothing,” said a soothing deep voice in front of us.

I tried. I really did. When it didn’t work I felt my shoes being removed. They hit the floor with a squishy thud. Next my socks were peeled off, but the hilt stayed around my ankle.
Kope murmured something to Zania in Arabic, but she was unresponsive, asleep.

“Can you do the rest?” he asked me. I reached for the button of my shorts, fumbling with tingly fingers while Kope undid Z’s sandals. With great effort I got the zipper down and lifted my hips, pushing. The wet fabric stuck to my skin and I was too weak to push the shorts all the way down.

“I can’t,” I whispered. Had I been in my right mind, I would have told him to focus on Zania while I waited for Kaidan or Blake to come down. But I wasn’t thinking clearly, and under the circumstances the entire scenario of undressing was a necessity. Nothing more.

Kopano grabbed a blanket from the bed. “Here,” he said, laying it across my midsection. “I will not look. Try again.” He stared down at the floor next to me.

I whimpered and pushed my shorts farther. When they were at my knees Kope grabbed the bottoms and tugged down my calves, keeping his eyes averted. A growl of fury sounded from the doorway and my heart stopped.

“Get. Your. Bloody hands. Off her.”

Kope shut his eyes and gritted his teeth before moving away from me. My eyes flickered to the middle of the room where Kaidan and Kopano faced off in their dripping clothes. I sensed Zania awaken next to me at the sound of raised voices.

“She is in the worst condition. The wet clothing must be removed—”

“Not by you!” Kaidan yelled. “I can’t believe you’d take advantage of this situation.”

Kope’s eyes flew wide with a flash of anger and he stepped closer. “You go too far, brother!” He shook, and I knew it was
from more than the cold. He wasn’t stable enough to control his wrath. His hands clenched into tight fists.

“You will never touch her again,” Kaidan said in that deadly low voice.