Falling (The Falling Angels Saga) (13 page)

“Ah. I’m glad you didn’t have any trouble finding the place,” Monsieur Perez said, trying to be cordial. Since the incident, his shield of arrogance had fallen away like a cocoon. I wasn’t fooled. There was no beautiful butterfly on the inside.

“We found it all right,” Aunt Jaz replied, continuing with the flat tone she’d struck when we visited his home earlier.

“Hello, Guy. It’s good to see you again,” Monsieur Perez said, turning on the charm. He made a point of coming over and shaking Guy’s hand. He had no idea the Guy he was speaking with was not the Guy he’d argued vehemently with last summer.

“Nice to see you,” Guy replied. He shot me a quick, puzzled glance. “I hear you had a spy in your midst.”

Monsieur Perez’s eyes once again found Aunt Jaz, his face cloaked in apology. “I’m so sorry,” he said softly.

When Aunt Jaz and Monsieur Perez had entered his kitchen earlier, they discovered that Gita had fled, leaving behind the screaming tea kettle and a large, inverted pentagram scrawled on the wall in red paint. There was a message printed in neat block handwriting inside the pentagram. It said simply: “Come play with us.”

“I told you you were a fool,” Aunt Jaz said in a low tone.

Monsieur Perez looked at Guy, his eyes beseeching. “I only wanted to impress her. So I called a service where I hired a servant for a few hours. I wanted her to think highly of me.” He turned back to Aunt Jaz. “I thought if you believed I was a man of means…”

Monsieur Perez was trying to win Aunt Jaz back with the pretense of having money. If only he’d realized money couldn’t win her back. He lost her because he was a jerk. Most jerks can’t turn off their jerkiness, whether they have money or not. That’s just the way they are.

“Now the Satanists know we’re planning to crash their little party,” Aunt Jaz said, looking at him with chastising eyes. “So much for the element of surprise.”

Just then Maudrina walked in. I called her on the way over and filled her in as much as I could. She scanned the room until her eyes found Aunt Jaz. She stared daggers at her.

“Afternoon, Maudie,” Aunt Jaz said, looking as guilty as kid with chocolate around her mouth.

“Should I go for some cookies?” was Maudrina’s sarcastic reply.

“I’m sorry about the subterfuge, Maudie.” Aunt Jaz moved across the room to her.

“I’m not a child, Aunt Jaz. You don’t have to keep things from me.” She was highly insulted.

“I know you’re not. I made a mistake, deary.” She reached Maudrina and pulled her into a gentle hug. “I’ll never treat you like a child again.”

“Since we’re in the mood for forgiveness…” Monsieur Perez said, allowing the rest of his sentiment to go unstated.

Aunt Jaz released Maudrina and fixed him with an acid-washed stare. “I didn’t want Maudrina to come along because I knew how she felt about you, and I didn’t want you two to get into anything. What you did was driven by pride.
Pride goeth before the fall
,” she stated, sounding every bit a storefront preacher.

Harrison strode through the door next, his brilliant hazel eyes scanning the room. He was a striking figure in blood red jeans and a blue blazer. “Am I late?” he called. He couldn’t have chosen a better time. We needed something to diffuse the tension that had built up in the room.

“No,” I said smiling. “You’re right on time.” I went over and gave him a hug. “Thanks for coming,” I said, feeling safe with both Guy and Harrison on my team.

“Don’t mention it.”

A few moments later, Orthon arrived. We all took seats around the long table and got down to business. Aunt Jaz sat at the head of the table, with Monsieur Perez to her right. Orthon sat at the long end opposite Aunt Jaz. He slid back the hoodie and removed his dark glasses, revealing his hideousness. A trace of cinnamon hung in the air around him.

Aunt Jaz explained that we’d visited Monsieur Perez hoping he could shed some light on what the Satanists wanted with me. However, the Satanists had placed a spy in our midst who heard every word we said.

“Well, then” said Maudrina, “We obviously can’t crash the conclave. They’re expecting us.” There was silence around the table. It was a gloomy silence because no one agreed with her.

“Someone has to go. They’re going to be discussing me or Erin. I won’t be able to sleep at night until I know what they’re planning,” I said. I looked into her eyes expecting to find pity eyes. Fear stared back at me. She was afraid for me.

“Oh … all right, then,” she said with a trace of hopelessness, and sat back in her chair.

“They’re Satanists,” Orthon broke in. “They are not demons or divine creatures. They’re mere mortals.”

“What are you getting at?” asked Guy with impatience.

“We can trick them,” Orthon replied, not allowing Guy’s attitude to stymie him. “I am a shape shifter.”

“So I’ve heard,” interrupted Harrison with a hint of dark irony.

Orthon transfixed him with a long, hard stare before continuing. “What I meant was, I can become anyone—a man, a woman. I can blend into the crowd.”

“That’s an admirable quality, but it still won’t get you past the door,” said Monsieur Perez. “Dagenhart is a man of powerful magic. The castle will most definitely be cloaked in dark magic to detect the presence of angels or demons. They won’t carry out their business in your presence.”

“Then…maybe I should go,” said Maudrina haltingly.

What a friend
, I thought. It was clear from her hesitancy she wasn’t relishing the idea, yet she was willing to sacrifice herself for me—again.

All eyes moved to Aunt Jaz who everyone knew adored Maudrina. She didn’t object. Instead, she sat staring at her hands, as if the answer to our troubles would materialize there.

“Thank you, Maudrina,” I said, breaking the silence. “But this is about me. I should—”

“You’re the
last
person we should send,” Guy interrupted, raising his voice. It was heart-warming to hear him trying to protect me.

“I agree,” said Orthon. It’s too dangerous.” His crimson eyes were on me, filled with love, and I again wondered if Guy noticed.

“The girl’s right,” Monsieur Perez broke in. “Megan should go.”

“Of course you’d say that,” raged Orthon. “It would certainly help your power grab, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s not why I said it,” replied Monsieur Perez, back-peddling. He stared across the table at Orthon, trying to figure out how a demon had become a member of our team. “Megan is mortal, so she can get in. We’ll put her in a proper disguise. And if for some reason she should be discovered, she can take care of herself. She’s the logical choice.”

“I should go as well, then,” said Harrison. “I will escape detection by the cloak of magic since I am neither angel nor demon. And if Megan is discovered, I can protect her.” He got up and drew his light sword. It shined brightly, illuminating the room like a firework. He bowed down to me, then he moved around the table where he stood at my back. “I let her down once already by allowing a demon in her midst.” He placed a hand on my shoulder giving it a firm squeeze. “I owe you,” he said softly.

“No, you don’t—” I started to say.

“That’s a splendid idea.” Contempt-filled eyes moved to Monsieur Perez, who had cut me off. He was now standing as well, entreating us with a paternal smile. “And I’m not saying it as a grab for power; although I’m sure many of you will think that is my reasoning. But as I said before, Megan is the best choice. She just is! She can get in and she can get out without being harmed. Having the Nephilim guarantee her safety is a bonus.” He peered across the table, turning his smile on me. “Although I’m sure you need no guarantee, my dear.”

The smile was both smarmy and creepy. I again felt as though insects were walking all over me. “Thank you,” I replied, trying not to shudder.

It was decided that Harrison and I would attend the conclave. The decision came after a lot of arguing. Once the decision was made, however, things calmed down, and we spent the rest of the afternoon talking strategy.

Monsieur Perez suggested I wear the disguise I wore last summer.

“The same disguise? She’ll most definitely be discovered. Especially since you’ve blabbed our intentions all over the place,” said Orthon. He never liked Monsieur Perez and was not shy about showing it.

“Unless, of course, you
want
her to be discovered,” said Guy. “Megan being discovered would serve you best, wouldn’t it?” There was fire in his eyes.

“I am not trying to get her noticed.” Monsieur Perez looked at me with a tender expression. “Although I’m quite sure she can hold her own.”

“I should go as a man.”

All eyes moved to me.

“A man, deary?” Aunt Jaz was looking at me with a puzzled expression.

“Dagenhart and his people will be expecting me to show up at the conclave.
Me,
a young woman. Even in disguise they’ll be expecting a woman. If a man arrives with Harrison and is able to get past the cloak of magic, he’ll have a much better chance of not being detected than a woman would.”

My suggestion was greeted by resounding silence, although I did detect a proud yet suppressed grin attempting to push its way onto Harrison’s lips.

“You’re not a woman. You’re sixteen.” Guy’s eyes blazed at me as he spoke. “Besides, no disrespect, Megan, but no one is going to accept
you
as a man.” He was staring at me as though I’d lost my mind.

A flicker of rage fired in my belly. I quelled it quickly before it could turn into anything dangerous, tamping it down with the thought that Guy was only trying to protect me.

“I have to agree with Guy,” Orthon seconded, his eyes welling with concern.

“Guy, you love me, and so it’s hard for you to see me as a man. But there are incredibly talented makeup artists out there who can put me in a disguise that would make even you doubt your eyes.” I didn’t address Orthon directly, although I stole a glance in his direction and spied him bristling at the mention of Guy loving me without including him in the love triangle.

“I think it’s worth a shot,” said Maudrina, gratefully pulling my attention away from Guy and Orthon. We hadn’t heard from her in quite a while. “If she has to go, going as a man may be the only way she gets in and out safely.” I was surprised to hear her defend my proposal. When I looked over at her, the fear was still in her eyes, but she knew if I didn’t confront this thing head on I’d never get past it.

I pushed a grateful smile onto my lips and mouthed the words “thank you.”

Maudrina’s statement prompted another long silence, yet this time I could tell the others were seriously considering my proposal.

“I agree with Maudrina,” Aunt Jaz said, breaking the silence. “Going as a male is a good idea.”

“I’ll take good care of her… ah,
him
,” said Harrison, eliciting a few chuckles around the table that somewhat lightened the mood.

Harrison knew of an old Nephilim makeup artist who used to work in Hollywood. He now lived in the Phoenix area, spending his time creating costumes and makeup for all sorts of parties and Halloween. With Halloween more than a month away, he’d have plenty of time to work on me. Good thing. He was going to need it.

*

For the past month, Friday evenings at my house were dominated by Suze and Tony strategizing their weekend assault on garage and estate sales. This Friday night was very similar, except instead of looking for merchandise to purchase, they were discussing art dealers and potential customers for their inventory. It was time to get more aggressive about cashing in on some of the…
ahem!
antiques they’d stockpiled.

We ordered in. Chinese takeout. Lettuce cups and spring rolls. Tony added the barbecue rib appetizer. The dinner conversation centered on their weekend plans. I couldn’t talk about my weekend plan—not that I wanted to. I wanted it to be Monday already. I wanted the weekend to be behind me, to be a story laughed about with Maudrina at lunch on the quad.

“Sorry we’re so boring tonight,” said Suze.

“It’s cool. I can’t wait to hear how tomorrow goes.”

“If these buyers are serious, we could earn around three thousand dollars tomorrow,” she said with a prideful smile.

Pride goeth before the fall.
Where did that come from? Aunt Jaz had said it to Monsieur Perez this afternoon. I don’t know how my mind linked it to my mother.

“They’re serious, all right. I think we can make more than three thousand,” said Tony, who had done the research and run the numbers. “That old Kinetoscope in the garage is worth a thousand dollars alone. The mahogany cabinet is worth five hundred by itself.”

“That sounds great,” I said, having no idea what he was talking about, but still happy that they were so excited about tomorrow. At least some of us were excited about tomorrow.

Shortly after, I excused myself for the evening. I knew that Guy was in my bedroom waiting for me, there to shield my dreams from Satan. Spending the rest of the evening with Guy would be the perfect distraction.

He was lying on the floor, on his back, holding Amanda aloft as if she were a precious thing. They both seemed to be laughing, looking into each other’s’ eyes, enjoying one another. I could hear soft purrs of delight clear across the room.

Guy looked over at me as I entered. “Mommy’s home,” he announced.

My eyes instinctively moved to his lips, caressing the shape of them, how his upper lip bowed ever so gently. I felt a sudden flush of warmth. “Should I be jealous of this new relationship between you two?” I said, hoping my teasing tone would take the attention away from my flushing cheeks.

“Yes,” he replied. “We’re planning on running off together. Aren’t we, Amanda?”

I shut the door. “Where will you go? Doesn’t matter. I’ll track you to the ends of the earth.”

He set Amanda down and rolled onto his side. “The earth?
Pshaw!
You’ll have to go further than that to find us.” I could feel myself getting sucked into the gravitational pull of his dreamy eyes.

“I’ll go wherever I have to,” I said, my voice turning low and husky.

“Really? And what, pray tell, will you do when you find us?”

I slid down onto the floor beside him. “Trust me. You don’t want to know.” I leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on the bow of his upper lip.