Lightbringer (19 page)

Dave cast him a sidelong glance. “I can do whatever needs to be done. What about you?”

Dave had field-dressed Jared’s wound, but Jared knew from the burning pain in his side he was still bleeding internally. It didn’t matter. “I’ll last long enough to get the job done.”

The other man gave a disgusted snort, but didn’t pursue the matter, much to Jared’s relief. “You saved my life, so I’ve done what you asked, but I’d really like to know the rest of the plan now.”

Jared pointed at the Tyvek barrier above them. “That symbol I drew will bind Aelziroth once he steps on the bridge.”

“And what will make him do that?”

“Let me make a call first. Then I’ll explain.” Jared flipped open his cell and hit speed dial for Cassie’s phone.

CHAPTER 17

TOM NUZZLED CASSIE’S hair while her cell phone rang again and again in the other room. He couldn’t rub her shoulder or give her a post-coital hug—his arms and legs were tied to the spindles of the old four-poster bed. Her vision was coming true, and there was nothing Cassie could do to stop it.

“That’s the third call you’ve received in the last three minutes. Maybe you should answer it,” Tom said.

“I don’t like to be interrupted.” Aelziroth traced a finger over Tom’s chest and he shivered.

“I don’t either, but maybe it’s an emergency.”

Aelziroth crawled across Tom’s body to straddle him. “What could be more important than this?”

Tom groaned his pleasure as Aelziroth settled her heat over his groin. “Somebody seems to want to get in touch with you pretty bad. It’s not a worried boyfriend, is it?”

Aelziroth flicked his nipples with her nails. “No.”

Tom half moaned, half laughed. “Babe, I’ve never met anyone like you. But it’s my turn now. Untie me.”

“I’m not done yet.”

Tom frowned. “But
I
am. Untie me.”

Aelziroth shrugged and got off. “Let’s not argue.” The demon bent over and gave Tom a deep, wet kiss. Then he picked up a sock and stuck it in Tom’s mouth. “That’s better.”

*No! Don’t do this!*
Cassie raged against the demon and her impotence to stop him.

The demon raked Cassie’s fingernails over Tom’s chest like a claw, leaving a trail of red welts rising in their wake. Tom made a muffled sound of outrage and strained against the ropes, but the knots held.

Cassie winced in sympathy. No one deserved to be abused this way, and Tom seemed like a nice enough guy, even if he did have sex with a woman he thought was too drunk to drive.

The phone stopped ringing.

Aelziroth left the bedroom and went to the kitchen. He pulled a steak knife from the block on the counter, testing its sharpness with a finger. “This will do.”

Cassie’s vision flooded back in vivid detail.
*No!*

*It’s time for a new game,*
Aelziroth told her as he walked back to the bedroom
. *I like your body. Four orgasms to a man’s one. And they call women the weaker sex.*
Aelziroth giggled. The sound was chilling, especially since it came from her own throat.
*But even incredible sex gets old after a while. Time for something different.*

Cold horror froze her.
*NO! NO! You can’t!*

*Oh, but I can.*

The phone began ringing again.

She had to stop him somehow, but what could she do? She’d had very little success in opposing Aelziroth.

*Answer the phone!*
Cassie commanded.

The demon ignored her.

The only time she’d managed to stop him, she’d been thinking of the music Jared had given her.

Cassie pulled on the music and it rose quickly, filling her, swelling like a symphony. It was achingly beautiful, and made her feel strong and competent. Like a warrior. She summoned every shred of strength and put it into a command,
*ANSWER THE PHONE!*

And Aelziroth turned to find the cell.

Jared sagged with relief when Aelziroth finally picked up the call. Then he switched the phone to speaker and put a finger to his lips.

“What do you want, Jaradiel? I’m busy.” Aelziroth answered.

Jared winced. It was Cassie’s voice, but it wasn’t. Dave raised his eyebrows, but remained silent.

“Let Cassie go,” Jared said.

“Now why would I do that? She’s Progeny, descended from two bloodlines. Her body will last a long time. I can have lots of fun with it before it wears out. In fact, I’ve been
having
lots of fun with it already. I can see why you bedded her. She has honey to spare, this one. Why would I give her back to you?”

Murderous rage threatened to choke Jared. Dave gripped his arm. Jared swallowed hard and strove to speak in a normal tone. “Because I have something you’d like even better.”

“Better than a Progeny? That doesn’t seem likely.”

“Better even than becoming an
u’dahmi.
”

The Apostate remained silent. Jared held his breath. Aelziroth had to be tempted by the chance to thumb his nose at the faction of Apostates that kept their blood rituals of immortality a closely guarded secret.

Finally the demon spoke. “And what would that be?”

“Me.”

Beside him, Dave leaned forward, shaking his head sharply, mouthing,
No!
Jared avoided meeting his eye.

“You? You’d give me your body?” Aelziroth asked.

“Yes.”
If you can take it
. Jared knew it was too good an offer for Aelziroth to refuse. A body made of Celestial soul would last indefinitely. Toss in the bonus of getting to torture Jared along with it, and it was more than Aelziroth could have hoped for.

“And you won’t fight me?”

Jared answered carefully. “My body will be yours if you give her up.”

“You must have it bad for this human,” Aelziroth said. “It makes you weak.”

“Lucky for you.”

“Hmmm. I wonder. I suspect you’ll be a troublesome host.”

“I will not oppose you, once you take up residence.”

“Could you do that? Sit back quietly as I enjoy myself with a little rape? A little torture? Maybe play with some children?”

Jared clenched and unclenched his jaw. Aelziroth didn’t make empty threats. The demon would do anything and everything to make his life a misery. He forced himself to speak. “You have my oath.” A ripple of Power spread outward, subtly changing the fabric of the world, as Jared made the promise. “If you leave Cassie freely without harming her.”

Aelziroth was silent for a moment as the Apostate felt the power of his vow. “Alas, that pretender Crandall laid a
geas
upon me. I am compelled to neutralize the woman—one way or another.”

“There are spells that can break that bond.”

“And you would do that? You would dabble in the Dark Arts to save her pitiful life?”

Michael wouldn’t approve, not even to save Cassie. “Yes.”

Aelziroth laughed. “And so even you have your price, Jaradiel. I never thought to see the day.”

“You won’t if you don’t act fast. This offer expires in half an hour. After that, I will hunt you down and destroy you. There will be nothing left of you to return to Beelzebub.”

“You’d have to kill Cassie to do that.”

“If you don’t relinquish her, she’s dead anyway. At least killing you will free her from her torture.”

Aelziroth was silent for a moment. “Very well. I accept your offer.”

“Do I have your word?”

There was a pause. “You think it worth asking for? You honor me.” Another pause. “Very well, you have my oath.”

Yes!
Jared closed his eyes in relief as he felt the world subtly changed again. Aelziroth’s word, even as an Apostate, still had the power to bind him.

“Where shall this exchange take place?” The Apostate asked.

“Meet me at the bridge in Woodland Park.”

Cassie listened in horror as Aelziroth accepted Jared’s bargain. Jared was going to sacrifice himself for her. He was going to throw himself away for nothing. Did he really think he could trust Aelziroth to keep his end of the bargain?

The demon hung up and unleashed his fury upon her. “You dare to oppose me?” Aelziroth screamed aloud. “I warned you what would happen.”

Waves of blinding pain, scalding like boiling water, washed over and through her. Cassie would have screamed but she had no voice. She tried to make herself a smaller target, but Aelziroth pursued her, shouting aloud with her throat.

“Never raise your will against me again! Never speak!
I
am in control, and you will obey me! You will see what I look at, you will feel what I feel, and you will not resist! I am your master! Do you think that because Jaradiel has offered himself in your place you will soon be free? I’ll let you have your life back. But you won’t want it.”

Aelziroth picked up the knife again. He softened her voice to a sinuously evil tone. “It will be you they arrest for Tom’s bloody murder. Such a shame. A horrible crime. It will make all the papers.” Aelziroth chortled and headed for the bedroom. “Your body will be your own again, but you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison. You’ll never be free.”

Cassie felt sick. Tom was going to die just so Aelziroth could destroy her life. But worse than being in prison or, if she was lucky, a mental institution, would be knowing Aelziroth had Jared and was making him suffer—all because of her.

Aelziroth stepped into the bedroom.

The bed was empty. The four bedposts lay in a neat row on the mattress, the ropes on top.

Yes!
Mentally Cassie pumped her fists in the air.

“Where is he?” Aelziroth’s rage rose like flames around Cassie, but she hardly felt it. Tom had escaped! Aelziroth couldn’t kill him! She wanted to dance. The demon ran to the open window. Cold mountain air wafted in, raising goose bumps on her naked flesh. Tom was nowhere in sight.

*Does he think he can hide from me? I’ll find him. He will suffer for this defiance!*

*Tick-tock,*
Cassie reminded the demon.
*You have less than half an hour.*

Aelziroth lashed out at her, and her screams would have shredded her throat if she still controlled her body. But the demon stalked into the living room and began to dress.

Jared flipped the phone shut.

Dave stared at him. “
That’s
your plan? You’re going to turn yourself over to Aelziroth?”

“No. Not if I can help it.” Jared pointed at the white paper-thin barrier stapled to the bottom of the bridge above them. “That symbol will bind Aelziroth while I exorcize him from Cassie. He only gets me if that doesn’t work. If that happens, I’ll need you to be ready with the rifle so you can kill him.”

“Kill him.” Dave drew out the words. “That means killing you too.”

Jared shrugged. “We can’t let Aelziroth roam the earth in an immortal body, doing whatever he wants.”

Dave was silent.

“I don’t know what he did while he was in you—”

“No, you don’t,” Dave said angrily. “And I’m not going to tell you. I’ve done a lot of things in my life, but he—” He looked away, the muscles in his jaw jumping.

When the mercenary turned back he was calmer, but his voice was still tight. “Let’s just say, I know what he’s capable of. I’ll shoot you if I have to. But I’m not an expert marksman. I’m a good shot, but I’m no sniper.”

“Just do your best. Hopefully you won’t have to.” Jared stood, giving a hand up to Dave. “Let’s get that stuff into the car.” He grunted as he stood, pressing his palm against his bandaged side.

Their wounds and weakness made them move like old men, but they got the job done.

“Take the car to one of those residential streets, then come back and position yourself so you can watch the other side of the path there.” Jared pointed as they stood next to the Benz. “Keep an eye out in case he uses a decoy like he did before.”

“You want to do something about that light?” Dave nodded at the pole beside the parking lot.

Jared shook his head. “You may need it to take the shot. Besides, it’s better if everything looks as normal as possible, just in case someone drives by.”

“Lord save us from civilians,” Dave said. Then he got in the car and drove away without turning on the lights.

Jared sagged against the side of the covered bridge and bowed his head. This had to work. He didn’t know what he’d do if Aelziroth killed Cassie.

He loved her. Her strength and compassion astonished him. He couldn’t stand thinking about what the Apostate had done in the past few hours. Dave was right; she might never recover.

She’s resilient
. But fear for her threatened to choke him. He tried to focus on what he had to do next, but he couldn’t.

*Help me,*
he begged Michael. Raphael, as leader of the Guardians, was the logical choice to petition, but Michael, if he chose to act, would give no quarter. Jared didn’t hope for Michael to manifest with his flaming sword, but he could do no better than to have Michael’s influence in the coming battle.
If
Michael would hear him.
*I don’t ask for myself. Help Cassie. Please.*

A stillness settled into Jared’s bones. He didn’t know if Michael had heard him, or if he’d help, but his mind and heart were clear. It was time to finish his preparations.

Jared used a large piece of chalk to draw the symbol he needed on the floorboards of the bridge. He’d remove the compulsion Crandall had laid on Aelziroth. Jared didn’t doubt the demon might kill Cassie just for fun, but at least he wouldn’t be bound to Crandall’s will to “neutralize” her.

And when Aelziroth stepped into the symbol he expected to see, the one hidden underneath would bind him while Jared forced him out of Cassie’s body.

If
all went according to plan.

Tires crunched on the gravel of the parking lot and headlights swung across the bridge. The motor turned off, and the soft sounds of the night resumed.

Cassie got out of the vehicle. She wore a combat vest and carried a gun. Her face was cold and hard.

Jared’s heart twisted, seeing her like that.
It’s show time
.