Mystery's Choice (Vengeance Of The Fallen Book 1) (31 page)

Cain howled in pain. He pulled it off and threw it to the ground. Flames sprung up in Cain’s hands and he flung the flames at Ryan. Ryan screamed as the flames ate at his skin. He forced himself to focus past the pain and slowly the flames went out.

“In the name of Jesus Christ I command you, Devil be gone!”  Ryan shouted it, pouring all of his faith into every syllable.

Flames sprung up between Cain and Ryan. Ryan watched in awe as the ground opened up and swallowed Cain.

“I’ll be back, holy man.”  Cain’s feral growl echoed through the still room and he was gone.

Ryan righted the chair and climbed back into the bed. It looked like round one had gone to him. He prayed Mystery was faring as well and closed his eyes. Sleep claimed him almost immediately.

Ancient and pure, the power flowed through Lilith as she offered down her morning prayers. A secret smile lit her face with an unholy light. The early sunlight sparkled in her flowing blond hair and shone on her naked skin bathing her in light. She said the primeval words and the fire burning at her feet subsided into glowing embers. Bending, she gathered her cloak and slipped it on. Wolves howled in the distance as she hurried back into the aerie.

She pulled open the drape covering her closet, and selected a tailored green suit and a purple silk blouse to wear, she smiled at herself, and she would have preferred to wear her robe or nothing. Somehow, she didn’t think the mortal cops would handle that too well. After dressing, she pulled her hair back into a braid. Lilith was not quite sure how to use all the cosmetics Raevanne had placed on her vanity table; so she opted for the natural look. She still had trouble walking in the uncomfortable high heels; so, she slipped her feet into the purple flats. Lilith checked her reflection in the antique beveled mirror and, deciding she looked like the typical female cop, went to tackle the unpleasant task of driving the sleek automobile Cain had provided.

She managed to drive to the station house without incident and was patting herself on the back, when she spotted Sam walking toward the door. He waved half-heartedly at his coworkers as he walked inside. For the first time in countless millennia she actually felt sympathy for a man. He was so completely alone, among all of these people. His pain was so strong it hung like a living thing in the air. She knew she wasn’t needed to make him give in to his own despair; time was all it would take.

She walked into the squad room and was amazed when all conversation came to a stop as she walked across the room. She nervously ran her hands over her head and straightened her jacket. Swallowing, she walked over to Sam’s desk and touched his shoulder. He flinched and sighing she went to sit down at the desk across from him.

“Sam, I know this is hard for you.”  She said in a gentle voice, she always made sure to tone down the sound of her siren’s voice when she was dealing with Sam. “I know what it’s like…”

“No. No you don’t.”  Sam growled, slamming his coffee mug on the table, “I am so sick of people telling me they understand!”  He roared. He looked around the squad room. “Stop staring at me!”

“My partner was dirty.”  Lilith said in a small, haunted voice. Sam looked back at her. “We were partners for ten years, through the academy, as uniforms, and we made detective at the same time so they left us partnered. I was her children’s godparent.”  Her eyes filled with tears, which sparkled like jewels before they spilled down her porcelain cheeks. “Her oldest daughter was diagnosed with cancer. It took all their savings, and went through the money from a second mortgage. I watched as they poured everything into Tammy’s care, watched as she became desperate for money. Out of the blue, she had the money for the revolutionary new treatment for Tammy’s rare form of cancer. I noticed undercover cops were turning up dead, but I wouldn’t let myself believe Lauren would sell her fellow officers out.”  She dabbed at her perfect nose. Sam reached for her hands, covering them with his work-roughened ones. “The Internal Affairs ghouls started circling around like buzzards after a dead animal, asking questions and following us everywhere.”  Her voice hitched, “Three days after her seventh birthday, Tammy died.”  Her dark eyes glowed with rage; “Those IA bastards came for Lauren at the grave site, waiting like vultures at a discreet distance for the funeral to end. When Lauren saw them, she mouthed goodbye to me, kissed her husband and her other daughter on their cheeks, took out her service revolver and blew her brains out.”  Her breathing quickened. “It all happened so fast, I couldn’t stop her.” She wiped at her tears with her hands. “So, Sam, believe me, I know what it’s like to watch your partner spiral out of control and not be able to forgive yourself for not stopping her.”  She stood slowly and walked to stand stiffly by him. “I got a witness to Shauna Clarkson’s abduction. I’ll be in the car.”  She walked across the squad room and out the double doors.

“Brilliant, Jefferies, just brilliant.”  Sam muttered to himself as he grabbed his keys and ran after her.

Sam climbed into the passenger’s seat of Lilith’s sleek, black BMW. He winced when he noticed dark, designer sunglasses covered her eyes and she was still sniffling.

“Nice car.”  She didn’t say anything; she just started the car and backed out of the parking space. “I’m not usually a jackass, Lilith. I’m not dealing with all of this very well.“

“No problem. Just call me Lily. And before you start to wonder if I’m on the take, my family’s wealthy so I can afford this car.”  Lilith made her voice slightly icy.

“I wouldn’t go there. Like I said I’m usually an okay guy. I just don’t have a blueprint to follow and there aren’t any manuals on how to cope with the death of your satanic partner.”

“What did you say?”  Lilith asked in disbelief.

“Naomi’s last words were ‘Satan loves me, to him I go.’” He smiled at the incredulous look on his new partner’s beautiful face. “She died with the same sappy smile on her face as all the dead girls have had.”

“You think whoever is committing these atrocities brainwashed her somehow?”

“Yeah. No. Pull over.”

She looked at him, but she pulled into a parking lot.

Sam reached over and pulled off her glasses. “I want to see your eyes. I think a cult is committing the murders, but I don’t think they brainwashed her. I think they… they…” he paused to search for the right words.

“They tapped into the part of her which already belonged to him, the part that was inherently evil and they made her embrace it.”  Her eyes grew and Sam could feel himself drowning in them. “After she did, she realized how stifled her old life was, how it felt good to serve Satan, how liberating. To keep the feeling she was willing to do anything for Satan, even kill her children.”  Lilith looked away and Sam blinked for the first time since she had begun talking. “I took a statement from one of those satanic freaks after he had killed his entire fraternity.”  She put her glasses on and started the car. As she pulled out onto the street she cleared her throat to get Sam’s attention. “The witness said he was afraid to come forward, afraid we’d think he had killed her. We would never believe the truth.”

“Who, who is he?”  Sam asked, still dazed.

“He’s a high school kid who lives across the street.”

“Peter Hawkley.”

“Yeah. How’d you know?”  Lilith glanced at Sam.

“We questioned him when she first disappeared. “  He sighed and looked out of the window. “He didn’t know anything. Naomi thought he was hiding something, but we couldn’t get anything out of him.”

“Well, whatever his reason, he’s ready to talk now.”

They pulled to the curb in front of a nice, well kept, three story home. Sam hurried around the car and opened the door for Lilith. She smiled at him and let him help her out. As they made their way up the driveway, a tall gangly boy, with an unfortunate complexion came striding out of the house. He pushed his glasses up his nose and swallowed convulsively, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.

“We need to talk out here, my mother told me not to do this.”  He squeaked.

“Okay.”  Sam stuck out his hand and grimaced as the boy’s clammy hand reached out to shake his. “I’m Detective Sergeant Jefferies, this is my partner Detective Sergeant Adamson.” Sam smothered a chuckle as the boy’s mouth fell open and all thought left his mind. Lilith was a looker.

Lilith was cool about it; she just nodded at him as though his mouth wasn’t hanging open. “You said you could give us a description of the people who took Shauna.”

“Yeah. I was watching for her to come home, she came home
alone
about eleven or eleven thirty. At about midnight a dark blue truck pulled up. There was a knockout redhead driving and she was also
alone.
I had been watching the house all evening; the parents were there
alone.
About five minutes after twelve, a tall dark-haired man materializes outside of the house carrying Shauna, he takes her to the truck, climbs in and they drive away.”

“What do you mean, materialized?”  Sam and Lilith said in unison.

“He didn’t open the door and walk out, he just appeared outside of the house, with Shauna asleep in his arms.”  He leaned in closer. “I was in a totally dark house, watching the Clarkson’s with binoculars from inside my totally dark room, and just as the guy puts Shauna in the truck, the redhead looks up at me and I knew she could see me.”

“Well…um…thank you, we have your statement. Sam took Lilith’s hand and propelled her down the driveway, “If we need anything, we’ll be in touch.”

“You don’t believe me. But police work and guns will not stop these guys!”  He followed them a few steps down the driveway. “Nothing will!  They’ll kill you because you are getting too close and because you don’t believe, you’ll never see it coming!”

Lilith put the car in gear and pulled away from the house. She glanced over at Sam. He was trying not to chuckle. Even with everything he had seen, he was still not able to buy the boy’s story, which protected Sam for now. However, the boy she would have to deal with tonight.

Seth yelped as he was thrown on the floor of the throne room, the stone beneath him was burning hot. He tried to stand up without touching his hands to the ground. After several attempts he finally made it to a standing position. The seven foot tall, sore-covered demon at his side knocked him down again.

“No human would dare to stand before the Master, you will kneel and bow your head and be thankful he deigned to see you.”  He growled at Seth’s insolence.

Fear like nothing Seth could ever remember feeling, filled him; it was so strong he almost choked on it. The demon pushed Seth’s head down, as someone passed him and took the throne.

“You may rise human.”  Satan said as he lounged across his throne, picking meat from his razor sharp teeth.

Seth fought his way to his feet again, Satan laughed at his effort not to burn his hands any further, and his demon guard laughed too.

“What is this plea, you have for me?  What could you possibly have that I would need?”

“Master Satan, I can give you the priest. My brother would gladly die for me.”  Seth was too afraid to look up into Satan’s face.

“How would you do this?”

“If you allow me to go back, I can tell him of how I suffered, how your soldiers meant to get him, and they didn’t realize they had the wrong man until they brought me back here and you punished them. I could tell him you will only let me stay if he promises to go in my place.”  Seth held his breath.

“Why should I give you this chance? You already promised me that you could without any memory of my kingdom or your time in it, keep my granddaughter safe and easily at hand for when I needed her. That you would nurture her leanings to the Dark Arts, if I just left you with your leanings.” Satan used a razor sharp claw to pick flesh from between his teeth, the hellhounds by his side, raised their massive heads at the smell, then turned their patient eyes to Seth. “You failed at that. Not only is my granddaughter a christian, you believed yourself to be until my son destroyed your faith. Now my beloved granddaughter may not live to fulfill her purpose if my son cannot turn her of her own free will.” He stood and got in Seth’s face. “It was a favor to my granddaughter should she ever know; that I offered you a room, instead of the dungeons again.” He caressed Seth’s hair mockingly. Then placed his hand on his lips as though considering.