Mercy for the Fallen (17 page)

“I never will, that I can promise you.”  Blinking back tears, I tried for a smile, not wanting Eve to clue in to my distress.  Adam stood out of the way, his expression unreadable.  Parker sat on the opposite side of the couch as I gently shook her awake. 

“Hey, wake up for a minute, sleepyhead,” I said softly.

Eve rubbed the sleep from her eyes, perking up almost immediately.  “Is it time to go?”

“Yes, it is.”  I injected a note of false cheer into my voice.  “Listen, Daddy needs to stay here, but he’s going to join us as soon as he can.  Did Uncle Adam explain where we’re going?”

“Yes, he said we’re playing hide and go seek.”

“And I am the best at hiding!” Nelo piped up.

“Oh, well, Nelo…”  I wasn’t sure how to explain to him that he’d be staying behind as well.  “You see…”

“You’re riding with me, buddy,” Adam said briskly, holding out his arms.  Nelo accepted that with a happy bounce, climbing into them.  “We need him to play watchdog, and he’s right.  Nobody hides like he can.”

I began to see the genius of that plan.  In the event we were found, Nelo could hide Eve in the shadows where even Lucifer couldn’t find her.  Parker accepted the news with resigned dignity, not offering a word of protest.  It twisted my heart to think about him being left alone with only Mimsy for company, but hopefully it wouldn’t be for long. 

“Bye, Daddy.”

Parker gathered her into his arms, and I could see he was still a smidge unnerved with how big she’d grown in such a short period of time.  But the awkwardness passed quickly, and then I couldn’t look at them any longer as they said their goodbyes. 

“
I love you, honey.”

“I love you bunches, Daddy.  I’m glad we’re going to all live together again.  I missed you lots when I was away before.  Isobel doesn’t do the billy goats like you do.”

“Me too, honey.  Me too,” he whispered into her hair.  “I’ve been working on a pretty good Smaug the dragon too.  It seems like you’re maybe old enough for that one too.”

“Oh, I already read that one,” she replied enthusiastically.  “Isobel let me call her Precious whenever I wanted,” she giggled.

“You’ve already read
The Hobbit?
” I blinked.  Did anyone else find that odd for a girl her age?

“They didn’t have TV like we have here,” she replied matter of factly.  “Will we have TV at our new place?”

All I could do was look at Adam, having no idea if we were headed for a remote cabin in the Alps or the presidential suite at Caesar’s Palace. 

“We’ll figure something out, squirt,” Adam promised with a wink.  “We really should be heading out though.”

“
Are we going to fly again, Momma?”

“Yes, actually.”  I didn’t see any point in hiding the fact. 

“Can I see if I have wings now?”

I looked to Adam again, wondering if there was a downside to letting her try.  Even if she managed it, I’d never let her fly solo for a trip like this.  Adam shrugged, apparently fine with the idea.  “You can’t stop it from happening, Mercy.  I say let her have a go at it.”

“Okay then, knock your socks off, sweetie.”

She let go of Parker, moving into the center of the living room.  Her shoulders wiggled, rising up and down, arms pumping as she tried various poses out, but no wings emerged.  Thank God.  I wasn’t ready for a five year old with wings. 

“How do you make them come out?” she scowled, brows pinched together with concentration.  I decided to take some pity on her and distract her before she hurt herself.

“Maybe you’ll have more luck when you’re older.  We need to get going though.”

Eve tried another few shrugs before coming to my arms.  I held her there comfortably, adjusting the knit cap on her head before we headed for the back door. 

“I guess this is goodbye then,” Parker sighed, following after us.

“Only for now, I promise you’ll hear from me soon.” 

Parker nodded, hands on his hips.  “I’ll get started on the club today.  Maybe Walter can take care of some of my duties until I figure out the best way to automate the payroll or even put it on the market if we’re thinking about making a clean break.”

“My man Finch can help with that,” Adam offered, but Parker shut him down quick.

“I don’t need your help.”

“I’m sure Parker can handle it just fine,” I said with confidence.  “You, don’t forget to hide yourself this time. I’d rather not have my neighbors talk any more than they’re going to once they discover we’re gone.”  I had another reason for asking, I didn’t want Parker to have to watch me take Adam’s hand as we flew away. 

“I know what I’m doing,” Adam bristled.  “Sorry about this, buddy.  I know you don’t like the sunlight,” he cautioned Nelo as they stepped out into the rapidly lightening sky. 

“I’d better go, the sooner we can get someplace dark, the more comfortable Nelo will be.”  I could tell that Parker had objections to my sacrificing his comfort for Nelo’s, but there wasn’t anything to be done about it.  Delaying would only bring trouble to our door.  “I love you, Parker.  I’ll see you soon.”

“Bye, Daddy.  I love you too,” Eve echoed, waving cheerily.

Parker managed a smile for our daughter, but before he turned around, I saw what that smile masked.  He didn’t have to say it out loud.  He had a bad feeling about this.  As I stepped out onto the deck and took Adam’s hand, I hoped like hell that wherever he was taking us, it wasn’t a mistake. 

Chapter Seventeen

“Well, lookee what the cat dragged in,” Remiel drawled, making no move to rise from his lazy slouch on the porch swing.  His dark blonde hair fell over his forehead, but it was shorter in the back than the last time I’d seen it.  He looked a little sweaty, but without the air of debauchery that clung to him like a second skin the first time I’d met him. 
The five o’clock shadow was still in place, and the ash coated end of a cigarette glowed dully from between his lips.  Faded blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt (not so white anymore) were both liberally coated with the dust of the day, but it seemed more honest than lazy for once. 

His ranch house sprawled in the center of the fifty acre property, surrounded by scrubby paddocks, mostly empty of livestock.  The corral closest to the house had a few horses huddled together by the water trough.  An outsized barn, the timbers weathered to a silvery gray, looked as forlorn as the rest of the empty compound. 

“It’s like the Goddamn Partridge Family all up in here.”

“We only brought one kid,” Adam retorted, regarding Remiel warily, and that’s when I understood that Remy had no idea we were coming at all.  It made a kind of sense, ours being a secret mission, after all.  But seeing as how Adam had to have known this was our final destination all along, it might’ve been nice to give Remy a heads up to expect
some
kind of company soon. 

“What do ya call that thing in your arms?”

“I am Nelo,” the little demon volunteered, slinking to the ground as Adam set him down.

“I remember you…” Remy peered at him closer.  “Ain’t you the butler guy?”

“And you are the angel that went through the Mistress’ underclothings,” Nelo beamed in recognition.

“I’m sorry, what?” I butted into the conversation, even as Adam’s expression darkened. 

“You did what?”

Remiel stubbed out the cigarette, his dimples in evidence as he sat up straight.  “So, what brings you out to these parts?” he asked, changing the subject. 

“You said I could look you up in Texas whenever I wanted to,” I reminded him, still holding Eve close.  I wasn’t about to put her down until we were sure this was where we were staying, at least for the night.

“I meant that as more of a personal invite, darlin’,” he winked at me. 

Adam bristled at the sound of that, trying to decide in what context the offer had been made.  “Maybe this was a mistake,” he grumbled, drawing a low chuckle from the other fallen angel.

“Relax, Hoss. 
Mi casa es su casa
.”  Remy heaved himself up to his feet, peering at Eve with interest.  “This your girl?”

“Yep.  Remy, this is Eve,” I replied and Remy nodded back.

“Howdy do.”

Suddenly shy, Eve offered him a faint smile, her head lying against my shoulder. 

“She don’t talk much, do she?” Remy considered after a moment.  “I like that in a gal.”

Adam snorted at that.  “Wait until morning, she’ll talk your ears off.  Takes after her mother.”

“You can just shut your yap.”  I gave Adam the evil eye, and he fell silent. 

“You got big fast, sweet pea,” Remy added, studying her more closely.

“There’s a reason for that.”  Adam smiled tightly.  “So, are you going to invite us in or do we have to shack up in your barn with the other vermin?”

“Oh, so you’re bunkin’ here tonight, are ya?” Remy’s brows rose a fraction before he gave a wide smile for Eve’s benefit.  “You look plum tuckered out, little lady.  How’s about you let your Uncle Remy show you where you can get some shut eye?”  He held his arms out and after a moment’s hesitation, she went to him, studying him with interest. 

“You’re my uncle too?”

“In a roundabout way,” he winked. 

“Thanks, Remy.  I appreciate it.” I smiled my thanks.  “Nelo, you go with them, remember what we talked about.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“I have got to get me one of them.  You ever think about livin’ on a ranch, Jeeves?” Remy asked as they headed down the hall.  

“My name is Nelo…”

“I’ll get us some drinks so we can talk,” Adam volunteered and I followed him into the old fashioned kitchen, decorated in pitted Formica and knotty pine cabinets. 

“You’re not seriously going on a beer run right now, are you?”

“Just to the kitchen.”  Adam fixed me with his best
duh
look. 

It had taken us the better part of the day to get to Remiel’s ranch in Texas.  Adam had insisted on taking a circuitous route.  Stopping off at his apartment in Chicago for a change of clothes first, then down to a remote cabin somewhere in the Appalachian mountains to pick up a mysterious black bag before heading to Texas.

Nelo spent most of the trip swathed in a royal blue Snuggie that Adam refused to explain ownership of.  Eve had been far too interested in the scenery to sleep during any of it, and I saw her head start to nod off before Remy got halfway across the room with her.  Even though I knew she was in good hands, my palms started to sweat as soon as she slipped out of sight. 

“Actually, I’m going to go make sure Evie gets settled down for the night before we get into it.”

“She’s down the hall, Mercy, with both an angel and a demon for protection.  I’m sure she’s fine.” 

“I still want to see her, okay?”

“Alright, but then we need to talk.”

“I know.”

I followed the hallway to where Remy had led Eve and Nelo to a small bedroom with bucking broncos on the faded wallpaper and matching curtains.  Remy frowned over the twin sized bed pushed up against one wall, the thin blanket old and tattered. 

“House came like this.  Don’t never use this room much, so the beddin’ ain’t likely to be too fresh.  Hold up a sec…” He disappeared down the hall and came back with an armload of fabric, spreading the comforter atop the old mattress and a tiger striped throw blanket on top.  “Here ya go, sweet pea. I’ll give ya my lucky pillow too, how’s that?”

“I don’t want to know what it’s lucky for,” I muttered, but Eve smoothed her fingers over the soft, striped, throw with delight. 

“Thank you, Uncle Remy.”  She leaned up to kiss his raspy cheek as he set the pillow at the head of the bed, and I saw his face soften with genuine pleasure. 

“Thanks, Uncle Remy,” I repeated, kissing his other cheek when he straightened.  “We really appreciate this.”

“Ain’t no big thang,” he grinned. “Lemme go make sure there’s a place for Adam and you to bed down in for the night.”

“He and I aren’t…” I broke off, not wanting to confuse Evie overmuch. 

“Still, I don’t reckon he’ll let ya share my bed, will he?”  Remiel’s dimples reappeared as he slipped out of the room.  If I’d been a free woman, I definitely would have considered sharing it.   

“You can sleep in my bed, Momma,” Evie offered.  “It’s plenty big.”

“Maybe I will, but for now, you need to get some rest.  Nelo, you go ahead and climb in there with her, but no falling asleep.”  He obeyed without question, and I pulled the tiger blanket up to their chins, placing a kiss to each of their foreheads. 

“Will you tell us a story?” Eve asked and Nelo was quick to join the cry, his hands clapping together in anticipation.

“Oh yes, a story please.”

I had to get back to the guys, but I couldn’t resist the chance to reconnect with her after such a long absence (from her perspective anyway).  “Sure, what kind of a story do you want to hear?”

“Tell me about who the shining man is and why he took me away.”

Boy, did she pick a doozie.  “That one’s liable to give you nightmares.  How about something more cheerful?”