Angel Tormented (The Louisiangel Series Book 3) (24 page)

She smiled knowingly. “I need to get back
in there, and get him to help me come up with some menus for the rest of the
week,” she said, winking at me as she returned to the kitchen.

I started to head to my bedroom when I
realized I needed to tell Cupid that the dinner guests had increased in number.
He wasn’t in the office like I expected. I was about to call out for him,
psychically, but I spotted him outside.

He was busy with his bow, burying arrows
into the half dozen targets at the other end of the garden, the thwump of the
arrow hitting its mark echoing back at a rhythmic speed. There was a large
amount of them in the targets, but given the speed in which Cupid could load
his bow, aim, and fire, I didn’t know if he’d been out there for ten minutes or
an hour. “I haven’t seen you do that for a while,” I told him as I joined him.

Cupid didn’t acknowledge me until the
arrow which was nocked in his bow was planted firmly in the ball hanging from
one of the trees. When he’d first started teaching me archery we had used the
traditional target – a circular face with a bulls-eye mounted on foam. When I’d
started to get more confident and all of the arrows I had shot hit the mark,
he’d upgraded to a giant dartboard, calling out the numbers until I was hitting
them too. Recently they had been replaced entirely with foam balls, hanging all
over the garden. Some were set up on pulleys, but a lot were just hanging
there, utilizing the wind to make them more difficult. These, I found much more
challenging. Cupid, however, could hit any of them – he could probably do it
with his eyes closed too.

“I needed to get outside,” Cupid said,
lowering his bow.

“No one expects you to sit in that office
all day,” I told him.

“Michael did,” Cupid shrugged. “I spent
most of my day doing what Pascal does.”

“But you’re not Michael.” I stepped in
front of him. “And no one expected Michael to sit in his office all day either.”

“I guess,” Cupid said, although he didn’t
sound convinced.

I gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m
sorry: I should be spending more time helping, instead of leaving it all to
you.”

“Are you joking?” Cupid asked, eyes wide
in surprise. “You have been helping the angels organize and complete their
chores, and you have a charge. On top of that, you’ve made progress in
defeating Asmodeus.”

I pulled a face. “I don’t know about
defeating him. Certainly in confirming that he’s up to no good and we might be
able to work out what it is and stop it, but defeating him – we’re not there.
Yet,” I added.

Cupid grinned. “It’s still further than
what the rest of us have managed. I think we can defeat him, especially if we
can get Ronnie on board. Hey, you want to grab your bow and join me?”

“That depends,” I said, rubbing the back of
my neck.

Cupid’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“Depends on what?”

“How you feel about Garret joining us?”

“We figured that Garret would end up
returning to the convent with Veronica anyway,” Cupid pointed out.

“When I say Garret, what I really mean is
Garret and the rest of the cherubim,” I said. Then I gave him my cheesiest grin
and two thumbs up.

Cupid frowned, rubbing at his chin. “Well,
I have no objection to any of them visiting, but why would they all come?”

“Veronica said that she runs the day to day
stuff, but when it comes to the big decisions, they vote and take the
majority’s choice,” I explained. “I figured it would be easier to tell them all
at once than to wait for Veronica and Garret to head home, argue, and repeat
everything to the remaining cherubs.”

“She was always set on trying to get a
democracy amongst the angels,” Cupid mused. “But we can’t do that. Not for
this, anyway. The angels will not be involved.”

“I’m not suggesting we change anything,” I
hurriedly told him.

Cupid nodded. “I know. We should move us
out of the dining room though. I think all the angels and the cherubim eating
together will be painfully awkward.”

“I’ll get Nyle to help me set up the
conservatory. That will fit twenty of us, won’t it?”

Cupid nodded. “The long table is still in
there. It extends, though I’m not sure where the additional chairs live.”

“That’s fine,” I told him. “I’ll hunt them
out.”

“You want help?”

I shook my head. “You enjoy the archery
for a while longer. I can handle setting the table.” I started to head back
inside, but paused. “Neither of us are Michael, but we’re not doing too bad a
job, right?”

Cupid glanced back over his shoulder. “Any
day in which we don’t burn the convent down is a winner in my eyes.”

I gave him a grin and hurried inside. I
had no idea where those chairs were, but I doubted anyone else did either.

I eventually found the chairs and set the
table, without conscripting Nyle’s help. Sarah had recruited him first and I
was not about to do anything which would jeopardize my meal. I had left myself
enough time to shower and change, but on the way up to my bedroom, I passed the
bottom of the attic stairs and instead found myself in Michael’s room.

I stood in the doorway for a long time,
looking around. It hadn’t even been two weeks since Michael had been killed.
Nothing had changed, but the room still looked different and I couldn’t work
out what it was. I inhaled, puffing out my cheeks, then released the breath in
short bursts. It looked like Michael should be in here – like he was going to
come out of his bedroom and ask what I needed. For a moment, I allowed myself
to believe he would. When he didn’t, I couldn’t stop the tears from welling up
in my eyes.

I didn’t know what had brought me up
there, so I paced the room, examining the few mementoes on the shelves, and the,
even fewer, pictures hanging on the wall. There was nothing really personal
about this room. Anything decorative looked generic enough that you could pick
up a standard home style magazine and it would not look out of place. I bet he
hadn’t even chosen the style or color of the two couches.

I continued meandering around, finding
myself in his bedroom. There were even fewer items in this room. The bedding
matched the curtains, like my own. The only thing in his rooms that stood out
was his bed. It was a beautiful ornate sleigh bed covered with a hand carved
design. It was also enormous – two people could spread out in that thing and be
comfortable.

I sat down on it, running my hands over
the bedding and realized the lingering smell that I could only describe as
Michael was fading. That was what was different up here. He was starting to
fade.

It wasn’t until the tears splattered on my
thigh that I realized I had been crying. I wiped them away, wondering when this
was supposed to stop hurting, wondering how someone I barely knew could get me this
upset. I would never know – there was no answer to something like this.

“
Joshua and Leon are here,
” Cupid’s
voice broke my thoughts.

I told him I would be right down and
washed my face in Michael’s bathroom. I had wanted to shower and change before
dinner, but it looked like I didn’t have time. The cherubim were due imminently
and there were more important things than my outfit. I left Michael’s domain
and went downstairs.

Cupid, Joshua and Leon were chatting
amicably in the entryway when I joined them. I barely had time to say hello
before the area was packed full of cherubim. The atmosphere went from relaxed
to uncomfortably charged in nanoseconds. We were rewarded with the same eerie
silence, of not a single teen cherub speaking, that I had encountered at the Plaza
Tower. This had Leon and Joshua sharing a look.

I shared my own with Cupid. “I’m glad
everyone could make it,” I said, meaning it until I spotted Garret and Dion at
the back of the crowd.

“We’re serving dinner in the conservatory
if you want to start making your way there?” Cupid said.

“Don’t want us mixing with the angels,”
someone – I couldn’t see who – retorted.

“
This is going to be a fun evening,
”
Cupid sighed in my head. Both myself and Cupid managed to keep our expressions
neutral, as though we hadn’t heard what was said, but I caught Leon and Joshua
sharing another look.

“Shall we?” I asked. The room was further
down the corridor. I took a couple of steps and was aware of a brisk draft.
When I turned, the cherubim had vanished.

Cupid let out an audible sigh this time.
“I’d best go with them,” he said apologetically.

I waved him on and he disappeared, leaving
Leon, Joshua and myself alone. Leon, who had managed to keep his jaw from
dropping open, was blinking rapidly. “Have I missed something?” he asked me.
“They’re just kids.”

“They would be cherubim,” I told him.
“They look like kids and with the attitude, I’m sure they’d easily be accepted
into a high school, but they are angelic, and they put my fighting skills to
shame.”

“But they barely look old enough to
drive!” Leon blurted out.

“Maybe we should take our time walking to
the conservatory?” I suggested. “They get offended easily.”

I slowly led the way to the conservatory,
happily following my nose. The chili chicken had a sweet aroma to it which was
positively mouthwatering. Hopefully no one would want to discuss business until
after we had eaten because the last meal I’d had – breakfast – seemed so long
ago.

“There is more than one group of angels in
New Orleans?” Leon asked.

I glanced back at him and found the
bewildered expression had been replaced with a look of concentration. “They
used to live here. I don’t know what you remember about being possessed?”

Leon shook his head. “Little. Snippets
here and there, but it doesn’t equate to much. I thought Joshua had filled me
in on everything else?” he asked, looking to Joshua.

“The cherubim arrived after Raphael and
Joshua took you to hospital,” I started to explain.

“Raphael?” Leon repeated, coming to stop.
“As in, the Archangel?”

I paused, turning back to him. We probably
should have had this conversation sooner. There was a chance that this evening
was going to turn into a disaster and it would be my fault. My stomach, only
moments ago empty, now felt full – of dread. “Yep,” I confirmed, forcing myself
not to let my nerves show. “He was there with his partner, St. Patrick –
Paddy.”

“Saints are real too?” When I gave him a
smile, he gave me a resolute nod. “Okay, saints: check.”

“The cherubim used to live here in the
convent, but they had a disagreement with Michael and left. There’s a bit of
animosity, but it’s mostly coming from their direction,” I pulled at my top.
“Okay, I’ll be honest, this is likely to be an uncomfortable meal. When I sent
that text earlier, it was only going to be Veronica and Garret, but I ended up
inviting everyone.” I gave them both the most optimistic smile I could. “The
food will be good though.”

“You said this was important. I wouldn’t
be anywhere else,” Leon reassured me.

Joshua stepped up to me and rested his
hands on my shoulders. “I’m here because you said it was about Asmodeus. If you
need me for moral support, I can give you that too, but I’m certain that’s the
last thing you need.” When I looked up in to his blue eyes, he leaned forward,
his lips millimeters from my ear. “That and I’ll take any opportunity to look
at that ass,” he whispered.

I suddenly had other reasons to not want
to go into that room, and it was only Leon clearing his throat that I realized
that wasn’t an option.

Resolutely, I stepped back and opened the
door. In addition to Cupid and the cherubim, Paddy was joining us for dinner.
“We thought you got lost,” she said loudly as the three of us entered. Judging
from the silence in the room she was the only one to think that, not that I
could blame her.

“Sorry, I had to take a call,” Leon said.
I flashed him a grateful look.

Whether it was the cherubim’s doing, or
what Cupid had requested, I wasn’t sure, but the five non-cherubs were at one
end of the table together. I took one of the spare seats well aware that
seventeen pairs of eyes were watching our every move.

Cupid had made arrangements for food to be
left on the table so we could help ourselves, rather than have the angels
waiting on the cherubim. Once, the cherubim would have been the ones serving
us, but we had agreed it wasn’t fair on the angels. Judging from the way they
were eyeing everything with suspicion, it was the right decision. “Shall we dig
in?” I suggested, allowing my stomach to make the next move.

I reached for the nearest silver chafer.
Half was full of fried rice, the other held sweet chili chicken.
Yes!
I
piled the food on my plate, ignoring Joshua’s amused smile. I liked my food –
sue me.

My movements did encourage the table
(slowly) to start adding food to their own plates. I tucked in. The food was as
delicious as I was hoping it would be. The chilies I’d never heard of added a
nice kick to the dish and complimented the honey. I’d devoured half of my
portion before anyone had spoken – partly because it was so moreish, but mainly
because focusing on eating was a lot easier than trying to combat the awkward
silence.

“This is delicious,” said Veronica. Her
expression told me the silence was making her feel as uncomfortable, and I
caught Cupid shoot her an appreciative smile.

“Eugene is really good in the kitchen.
He’s got talent,” I said, giving credit where credit was due.

My words made someone snort derisively and
I wasn’t surprised to track its owner to Dion. “You mean he looked pretty while
you got caterers doing the work,” he scoffed. “Angels don’t have talent.”

I wasn’t looking to start an argument, but
Eugene had done a phenomenal job – it tasted amazing and he’d had no notice to
up the recipe. Okay, he’d had help from Sarah, but that comment was uncalled
for. “This was made in-house. If the thought of an angel being able to cook
better than you is causing you such an issue, I suggest you don’t eat the meal.
Otherwise, take the stick out of your damn ass and shut up.”

Unbelievably, my words didn’t cause an
argument. Instead, for some reason the table stared at me in a stunned silence.
All except Joshua, who was just grinning at me.

It was Veronica who once again broke the
silence. “The food is good,” she said, firmly, shooting glares at her fellow
cherubs.

I set my fork down on the table, the rest
of my meal abandoned. My appetite was gone. Even though most of the people sat
around the table were still eating, I decided now was as good a time as any to
get started, and hopefully the chewing would keep them quiet while I was
talking.

I took a sip of my drink and then cleared
my throat. “We should probably talk,” I said.

I looked to Cupid, but he shook his head.
“This is your plan.”

“I think we’re all up to date on
everything, but I’ll just recap,” I said, getting to my feet. “Currently there
are at least two Princes of Darkness in New Orleans,” I said.

“Tell us something we don’t know,” Garret
muttered, not making the effort to keep his voice low.

“I know where the rest of the Princes
are,” I shot back at him.

“Yeah, right,” Garret scoffed.

“You do?” Cupid asked at the same time.

I nodded. “I happen to know that the
Princes have not long since returned from their annual away day, which this
year was hosted by Mammon in Las Vegas.”

“Where did you get this information from?”
Paddy asked.

“The same place I got the rest of my
information from,” I responded. “But I’m not going to give up my sources.” I
looked over to Garret and found him glaring at me. He wasn’t bothering to hide
his dislike of me, nor that he was clearly doubting what I was saying, but I
caught him share a look with Dion that told me they both were considering that
I was telling the truth.

“We’re getting sidetracked,” Cupid said. “
And
we need to have another conversation later about the other Princes.
”

I gave him a small nod as acknowledgement.
“Asmodeus and Beelzebub: they’re the two Princes in the city,” I continued.
“Right now, our focus needs to be on Asmodeus. Michael and I were at the Port
because I’d received information that Asmodeus was up to no good there.”

“And look where that got Michael.”

I didn’t need to look at Garret to know he
was glowering at me. “And that, Garret, is why I’m telling everybody, so the
same mistake isn’t made twice. If you can’t shut up, get the hell out. You’re
making this take much longer than it needs to.”

“Questions and comments can wait until
we’re done,” Veronica said firmly. “If any of you feel you are unable to do
that, then you can take Angel’s advice and leave.”

I didn’t wait to give anybody the chance
to comment. “When we found Valac there, at first I thought it was a trap, that
my source was deliberately trying to set us up, but Asmodeus seemed genuinely
surprised.” If they’d have been expecting me, that sword would have been
waiting for me, not put there as I was leaving.

“It’s not normal for the lieutenant to
turn up to a crime scene unless the victim is high-profile,” Leon confirmed.

“He’s up to something and he’s trying to
do it in secret. I spoke to my source again and he’s not certain what, but he
did say it has something to do with children. That area of the Port belongs to
a shipping company called A. R. International, owned by Alexander Ramsey
Senior, also known as Valac. Additionally, Valac’s son was murdered this
morning. The only other thing to add is that whatever is happening, is
happening this weekend,” I concluded.

“So what’s the plan?” Paddy asked.

“We need to do some reconnaissance first,”
I said, firmly. “We can’t just go in there, swords blazing. We need to take the
time to see what we’re up against.”