The Awakening (25 page)

My heart pounded as I followed Boss to the car. The tough part of my task was about to begin. I had to convince him to overlook his investigation for the council, and persuade the Senator to withdraw from the next presidential election. I took a deep breath. How hard could it be?

Chapter 25

Boss drove with the accelerator pressed almost to the floor. He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white and the blue veins ever so clear. I knew he was upset with me for agreeing to Sal's deal. Keeping mute, I sat in the front seat and waited for him to say something first.

Cars and trucks were scarce on the interstate. No one followed us from Sal’s house. In fact, the police car was gone before we left the driveway. Sal had kept his word, so far.

“I don’t like this one bit,” Boss said, staring straight out the window. “Sal is hiding something.”

I agreed with Boss. Something had to be missing.

I looked at him. “He wants a councilman position, and Galluzzi to remain a Senator. Why?”

“As councilman, he has more power,” Boss replied with a quick glimpse my way.

“Power over Galluzzi.”

“Yes.”

“Why do you think he wants a position over her?”

“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “All demons want more power.”

“Could it be because she is a woman?”

“From a demon’s point of view, gender would not matter.” He glanced at me. “Only power matters.”

I had a difficult time believing the gender role didn’t bother Sal. Men had always thought of themselves on a higher level over women. Maybe sex didn't play a major role in Sal's logic, but it probably was a contributing factor.

“Okay, let’s assume he wants the position for more power. He obviously thinks he can’t get the job because Galluzzi has powerful connections. Who could she be connected with?” I asked.

Boss loosened his grip on the wheel and leaned into his seat, stretching out his arms. “I would have guessed the demon councilman.”

“And he’s dead.”

“Most likely.”

“There has to be someone else. Sal said she knows people in and out of the council.”

One hand on the wheel, he raked his fingers through his hair while he stared at the road. “I don’t know who else. She is a politician. She would have many connections. I would need time to do research and contact a few sources of my own.”

Once again, we were at a dead end. Trying to figure out Sal’s motives was just as difficult as trying to figure out how I came to be. Which brought another question to mind.

“Do you think Sal was telling the truth about not knowing who created me?” I asked.

“Yes, I do. And I believe he has no idea you are part vampire or angel. If he did, I am certain he would have found a way to get rid of me and keep you locked up somewhere.”

“Do you think Galluzzi would know who created me?” I asked. “Since she knew I would be at the meeting.”

“I don’t know,” he replied in a flat voice.

I let out a frustrated sigh, then turned to face the road.

“The vampire who created you,” began Boss, “had to be one of the old ones. I’m certain of it. Your ability to heal is much quicker than mine is. As for your demon side, we don’t know enough about you yet to have an idea who would have created you. Though I am certain it would've been a full-blooded demon. Your blood levels compared to a true demon matched better than compared to a half-breed.”

Boss's logic made sense. Both my fast healing and the flashback after having sex with Boss supported his claim. As for my demon side, I didn’t know what to think. Unless Galluzzi knew something, I might not learn the identity of my parents for months, possibly years.

Exhaling, I thought about the demon watch. How did I get it?

“Is it possible I got the demon watch from the person who created me?” I asked.

“It’s too difficult to say. You could have stolen it for all we know. This much I can tell you: demon watches showing the time in Hell and on Earth that create portals to Hell are rare. From the research I conducted, there are thirteen in existence.”

Great. So if I had stolen it from a demon, they were probably pissed and looking for me. Like I needed more problems or enemies.

“We know whoever bought it had to be a demon,” Boss said.

“Sal said his leader didn’t buy the watch. Any ideas who would have bought it? What about the councilman?”

“Possibly. If not the councilman, someone with equal or greater power since they were able to mask their identity.”

Meaning someone important and influential, the kind of person Sal didn’t trust.

“It sounded to me as if Sal knew who bought it, but he didn’t want to tell us,” I said.

“From what Sal told us, I am inclined to believe his leader, the councilman, and you were involved in something. It’s his duty to protect his leader, even past his death. I believe he would treat the councilman with the same respect. If the councilman purchased the watch, he probably would not tell us. As for you, I don’t understand your involvement.”

“And we still don’t know what vampire altered the memory of the watch in the owner's mind.” While I had an unknown vampire lover lurking in my subconscious, I doubted he had been the one with me when I sold the watch. A lover wouldn't have taken me to a dump and erased my memories, assuming the same creature who had altered the owner's mind had also toyed with mine. By such reasoning, I guessed another vampire had to be involved. Super. I didn't need any more unknown powerful creatures in my life.

“No, we don’t know who took the memory,” Boss replied. His voice hinted at his frustration. “Sal may know.”

“He didn’t seem to know about my memory loss.”

“No, but he knew enough about the watch.”

True, he did, which further supported my belief that Sal was keeping something hidden up his sleeve. Damn Sal.

“So we are back to square one. Sal doesn’t want Galluzzi to run for president. We don’t know why, other than he wants power over her. We don’t know the Senator’s involvement in anything, but she knew about the meeting, she knew Sal’s leader would be there, and she knew I would be there.”

I thought back to something Boss had said to Sal. He had hinted Galluzzi might be involved with the deaths. With so many high-ranking people at the meeting, I wondered if he was right.

“Is it possible she knew what was going to happen at the dump?” I asked.

“Anything is possible.”

Could a Senator have arranged to kill everyone at the dump? Considering she was half-demon, I had to wager she could. And this woman wanted to be president. Good Lord almighty.

“Do you think she would’ve ordered the deaths?”

He hesitated before he glimpsed my way. “I don’t know why, but if she did, she would know the consequences if someone proved she did.”

“If she knows powerful people, then she wouldn’t fear repercussions,” I pointed out. “So the next question would be why would she want to get rid of the councilman, the leader, and myself. Why take so many other lives? She had to know about the other breeds being there.”

“Those are all good questions you need to ask her.”

Speaking of other breeds, what about the werewolves? “Jackson’s Alpha was probably at the dump too with four of his pack brothers. Why would he have been there?”

Boss frowned and his eyes tightened. “That is strange. Werewolves generally protect themselves and the Earth. They despise demons or gargoyles and they stay away from most other creatures.”

I was confused. If werewolves avoided contact with other breeds, what business would they have meeting with other breeds at the dump?

“Jonas said he saw five werewolves at the dump in their wolf form. Jackson told us they would’ve died in wolf form if they were protecting someone or something.”

“They could have been protecting the Alpha,” Boss said.

“That’s what I thought too, but it still doesn’t explain why they were there.”

“Again, maybe the Senator has the answer, if you can get it.”

“Well, let’s consider what we know,” I said, not wanting to wait until I met the woman. “I think it’s safe to say she would not be interested in the councilman position if she were seeking to become president.”

“That is a fair statement.”

“So, if it’s not rank, what would she be interested in gaining from everyone? You said only power matters.”

“They all had power,” Boss said. “They all came together for a reason and you were involved.”

I snapped my fingers. “They all knew something. Knowledge is power.”

Boss exited the highway. “Then we need to find out what they all knew.”

I agreed with a nod.

“Galluzzi expects me to be dead. She’s going to have a rude awakening.”

Boss grinned. “I believe she will.”

I stared out the window. The downtown streets appeared lonely, free from traffic. Many of the stoplights flashed red and tall buildings were dark. The city had an eerie feeling as if something darker lurked around the corners or underneath the streets. I couldn’t place the disturbance, but I knew it was there.

As we passed in front of the illuminated Statehouse, a shiver ran through me. Although I couldn’t remember being in it, something told me I had.

Boss turned into a parking garage. He stopped the car near a box and flashed Sal’s card over it. A green light illuminated and the security arm rose.

“Have you been here before?” I asked.

He drove forward. “A long time ago. I doubt much has changed.”

Boss drove two levels down and pulled into a spot in the middle of the garage, away from the parked cars near the door. Leaving the car, we headed for the tunnel entrance, walking side by side with my shoes clicking on the concrete floor. The stench of exhaust fumes and cigarettes permeated the air. At the door, I chuckled when I saw a no-smoking sign.

Boss swiped the keycard in the security reader. After an internal click, he opened the door for me. “I’m not going to give up my investigation.”

I passed him into a room full of elevators, and waited for him.

“If Sal becomes a councilmember, can he force you to drop it?”

We walked by a set of stairs and reached a set of doors leading to a tunnel. Mounted on the wall was another security reader. Boss swiped the card again.

“He would have to convince other members first,” he said as he opened the door for me.

I stepped into a carpeted tunnel with off white walls and florescent lighting. The long tunnel slanted up, and I didn’t see an end in sight. Boss walked at my side as we ascended.

“How important is this investigation to you?” I asked.

He glared at me. “It’s worth thirty lives and your memories. There could be corruption in the clan and in the council we have yet to uncover.”

The way things appeared at our current point, corruption was a high probability. Too many powerful and influential creatures were missing, probably dead. Yet, not a word had filtered through the pipeline. Someone had to know something.

“So there’s nothing I can say to change your mind? Nothing that will persuade you to back off?”

We reached an open area connecting to other tunnels. Elevators were off to the side and set of escalators rose up in the middle. Boss grabbed my arm and brought me to a halt in front of a stalled escalator. “I’ve been thinking it over. If you manage to convince Galluzzi to withdraw her bid, Sal’s appointment to the council will come fast. My investigation will be ongoing until I get all the proof I need to confront the council.”

“In other words, I shouldn’t worry because your inquiry could take months.”

The corner of his lips hinted at a smile. “That is one way of looking at it.”

Relief flowed through me and I almost hugged him. He wouldn't give up the investigation, but he could stall it. I liked his way of thinking. Clever, very clever.

Truthfully, I wanted the investigation to continue. Too many people were dead and nobody questioned it except for Boss. Someone needed to put an end to the senseless killing.

We continued along the tunnel, rounded a corner, and kept going. In this part of the hallway, large pictures hung on the walls showing the benefits of government programs. One of the pictures advertised the Attorney General.

Thoughts of Alison popped in my head. I felt certain Galluzzi had tempted the half-breed angel to advance her career. Sadly, Alison had yielded to temptation, and it ended up costing her heaven. What could Galluzzi have offered her?

“Benny came to see me when I was with Tabby,” I said.

“Oh?”

“He said he found Alison in their records. He found her death date also. She didn’t go upstairs.”

“I suppose she wouldn’t have if she helped Galluzzi.”

“I’d like to know why Alison did it.”

“Temptation is a form of power,” Boss said.

The tunnel declined. “But Alison had a choice.”

“Everyone has a choice. You had a choice to stay at the hospital with Tabby. You decided to meet with Sal and make a deal with him.”

“Because if I hadn’t, my picture would’ve remained on the website and every demon would be searching for me.”

“If you would have given me more time, we could have resolved the problem.”

“When it concerned lives, yours, Tabby’s, and Jonas’s, I didn’t want to waste time.”

“Again, your choice.”

We reached a set of wood doors with a metal bar in the middle. Boss held his card over a reader on the wall. The doors unlocked with a loud click, and we pushed forward.

“You are bringing up the past,” Boss said as we climbed four steps. “Why does this half-breed angel matter to you?”

We turned a corner and walked up a bigger slant.

“I don’t know.” I threw up my hands. “Maybe because there aren’t many of us around. Maybe I don’t want to follow the same fate.”

We reached a larger set of doors.

Boss went to the security reader again. “I think you are forgetting you are one of a kind. There is no one like you. Your circumstances are much different from what Alison’s were.”

He flashed his card over the reader. The double doors unlocked and opened automatically. An overweight security man with a red ring around his pupils waited on the other side of the entrance.