Payable On Death: A Jax Rhodes Novel, Book One (The Jax Rhodes Series 1) (12 page)

The next few
days progressed much the same way, with Joseph teaching me a new move and beating the hell out of my body with repetition until I mastered it. I'd managed to complete his training course once with passing marks since we began, a pace that had my drill sergeant less than pleased. Thomas continued to offer support and encouragement, reassuring me I was up to the task while Joseph reminded me the fate of the world rested in my weak little hands and based on my performance, everyone was pretty much doomed.

"Thomas, may I have a word?" Joseph held the door leading to the rooftop open, asking his brother to join him for a private conversation. No doubt about me. "I don't believe I said you could take a break, Jax." Joseph pointed to the balancing blocks of varying heights. "From the beginning."

"Did you run the rest of the Elioud through this course, because I could see why they'd switch to the other side. It probably felt like a vacation."

"Jax." Joseph tried to make it sound like a warning, but my smart mouth and sarcasm was beginning to grow on him.

I'd been holding my tongue less and less since the first day. In a weird way, Joseph and I were starting to understand each other. Neither of us were overly impressed with the other. At least we’d found a common ground.

Thomas.

While he'd reluctantly acquiesced training me to his older brother, Thomas remained the driving force that held us together. Joseph and I might have killed each other if not for our mutual feelings for Thomas and his unwavering faith in both of us.

The two angels went up to the rooftop to talk once I stepped onto the first block. Before my foot hit the second, my internal demon alarm went off. Silent for so long I almost failed to recognize it. Pivoting on the two blocks, I turned from the door my angelic keepers left through to the opposite side of the gym where a monster waited to pounce. A misshapen man, with muscles too big for its short frame, brow and jaw bone too big for the rest of its face, the demon continued to morph from its human disguise to its true beastly form.

Razor sharp talons dug into the floor as it fought for purchase on the slick wooden surface. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room, triggering my gag reflex as human flesh burned away, leaving a blackened reptilian skin behind. With a mouth full of teeth designed for tearing through muscle and two large tusks protruding from its upper jaw, it snapped and snarled.

I screamed for Thomas and then for Joseph, certain if one demon found the location of our training facility more would pour through the doorway any second. No one answered.

Except the demon.

It let loose a deafening roar before lunging at me.

Without thinking, I moved, my mind switching into survival mode. I pushed off of the blocks, reaching out for the rope hanging from the ceiling and climbed quickly to the top. I surveyed the obstacle course, laying out my next move as the demon attempted to shake me loose. I kicked out a leg, hoping to hook one of the rings, and just grazed it with my toes. I watched it swing gently away and then back, trying one more time. Relief flooded me as my foot slipped inside the ring. The rope had been a mistake, leaving only one option for escape and I couldn't stay hanging from the rings forever. Still hanging upside down, I reached for the other ring, thankful Joseph made me do all those sit-ups, strengthening my core. Otherwise, I'd never have managed to right myself enough to reach it.

The demon followed, jumping up repeatedly, clawing at air, but coming close more than once. My grip weakened, palms slick with sweat, it wouldn't be long before I'd fall to the floor, incapacitating myself on impact. I started to swing sideways, like schoolyard monkey bars, before releasing one ring and then the other. I dropped in the direction of the uneven bars as planned. Overshooting the target and catching the high bar with my stomach instead of my hands was not. I hooked my elbows on the bar before all the air expelled from my lungs and I fell like a sack of potatoes.

The bars were supposed to put me closer to the door leading up to the rooftop and Thomas and Joseph. And if not them, at least a fire escape. Based on its size and smell, I wasn't up against some measly lesser demon. This one was the nastiest I'd ever gone up against. Given the choice between fight and flight, every bone in my body said flight.

The demon scurried under me, reaching up easily and snagging a tooth on one of my laces. I kicked wildly with my other foot, screaming the Lord's Prayer when my breath returned. I landed a solid blow in its throat, backing it up a step, but before I could celebrate, I felt the tug on my foot. My shoelace still stuck in its mouth, it pulled me down when it moved backward. Seizing the opportunity, it pounced again. I rolled to the side, ripping my lace and pulling a tooth free of its gums. It howled in pain, giving me enough time to scurry away.

I scrambled to the door, trying the knob. Locked. Son of a bitch.

I'd become too dependent on my angels, too wrapped up in pleasing them during my training to be some holy hunter. I'd forgotten what had kept me alive before I'd met them—good old fashioned street smarts. I ran to the rack of fighting sticks hanging from the wall. I hadn't gotten that far in my training. Not that it mattered. I wasn't planning on using the martial arts stick fighting technique anyway. I smashed the stick hard against the wall, shattering the end into a jagged spear tip. It wasn't pretty, but it was all I had to work with.

We circled each other, the demon stepping forward with one foot, me jabbing forward with my makeshift spear. Finally, I felt like I was back on familiar ground. We weren't in the ring but the dance was the same. Feigning right, bobbing and weaving, feeling out your opponent, waiting until he gives up all of his tells. And when you can finally read his moves like a book, you attack and his guard slips, capitalizing on his weaknesses.

The demon came at me and that time I was ready. When the beast coiled back, preparing to jump, it left the soft spot of its neck exposed. With an upward thrust, I struck– the spear burying into the flesh. I kicked down on the part of the spear still exposed, breaking off a smaller, dagger-like piece and drove it into its skull. An acrid smell seeped from the monstrous creature laying on the floor along with a black caustic substance I assumed was its blood. It appeared to be dead, nevertheless I sent up a prayer and condemned the demon back to Hell before finally collapsing on one of the tumbling mats.

Slow and steady applause broke the blissful silence. Someone had watched the entire fight.

"Don't even think about correcting or criticizing my technique, Joseph, or so help me God...."

"On the contrary, Jax. I wanted to congratulate you. I think you do much better when left to your own devices."

I didn't recognize the sound of his footsteps or his voice. Rolling over onto my side, I propped myself up on one elbow so I could get a better look at the stranger. The newcomer, dressed in a black three-piece suit with a grey paisley tie that matched his eyes and his salt and pepper hair had the same unearthly feel about him I'd come to associate with angels. He didn't so much as set off a blip on my demon radar but that didn't automatically make him a friend either.

"Who are you? Where's Thomas?" I suspected Joseph had something to do with the demon's arrival so he could stay wherever he was hiding.

"Ah, how rude of me. Let me introduce myself. I am Tobias." He looked away from me across the room at something else that caught his interest. "Joseph. I think you drastically underestimated your pupil. Stop contaminating her raw talent with parkour and the rest of your fanciful fighting techniques. She's a scrapper. A street kid. She fights best with whatever is at her disposal."

"Tobias." Thomas stood next to Joseph, stepping forward to clasp arms with his friend.

I never heard the door unlock or the brothers enter the room. Recalling the night Thomas vanished from my apartment and the way all three suddenly appeared once I slayed the demon, I made a mental note to ask Thomas if angels had some sort of teleporting ability.

"So, she passed?" Joseph sounded surprised.

"Passed what? That was a frigging test? Nobody said anything about a test. Thomas, you never said anything about a test." I jumped to my feet. Okay, that may have been an exaggeration. I just battled a bad ass demon. I hurt everywhere. I stood up slow and determined and totally pissed off that I'd been kept in the dark.

Again. Except this time they threw a demon in to keep me company.

"I didn't know until Joseph got me up on the roof."

I turned, ready to call him a liar when I got a good look at his appearance. And Joseph's for that matter. They'd both seen better days, clothes torn, faces battered. They'd been in a fight. With each other. Over the demon Tobias sent to play with me. I won't lie and say realizing they'd beaten the shit out of each other up on the roof didn't make me feel better. They healed almost as fast as the injury was sustained. The fact that any evidence remained meant they'd both taken a serious ass beating.

"She passed. No thanks to the two of you. Her banishment recitation is poor. You might as well leave her verbally armed with the mumbo jumbo she made up on her own. At least she said that with conviction. We have to stop trying to change her, it's obviously too late for that. She's been on her own fumbling around in between worlds for too long. We'll just have to work with what we have."

"Would someone please explain what the hell is going on here?" I grabbed a bottle of water from my bag, chugging it down despite its lukewarm temperature.

"Hell indeed. You just bested a fifth level demon. They're terribly difficult to catch and even harder to dispel." Tobias held out a folded piece of parchment sealed with red wax and a calligraphy letter
A
pressed in the center.

"Alpha?" I asked, uncertain of what else the letter could possibly stand for.

"Adonai." He explained further when it was clear I still didn't understand. "It means ‘my Lord’. It's your contract. Signed, sealed, and delivered."

"Thanks. Now I'm going to have that song stuck in my head all day." I took the contract, careful not to break the delicate wax. "I thought the tattoo was the contract?"

Thomas cleared his throat.

"You mean I got a tattoo on my arm and it wasn't official yet?"

Thomas and I needed to have a little chat about what
telling me everything
actually entailed once we got back to the apartment.

"It's the terms you agreed to, the ones Thomas laid out for you. The tattoo marks you as the chosen hunter, but the added bonus of your quasi-immortality required special documentation. This is your copy."

"And if I failed your little test? What then? Would the demon have killed me?"

"It wouldn't have come to that. Right, Tobias?" Thomas pleaded to one of his winged brethren to reassure me.

As expected, he said nothing.

"Nice to know we're on the same side."

"We are." They all rushed to reply in unison.

"Yeah, now." I grabbed my bag off the floor and walked out with Thomas hot on my heels.

I didn't speak to him on the ride home. He tried several times to strike up a conversation on the short drive before giving up and switching on the radio. I switched it from the local pop station to 98 Rock, settling back in my seat when Footsteps by Pop Evil blared through the speakers.

We'd barely stepped foot inside the apartment before Thomas insisted on making me dinner. Seemed like my silent treatment worked better than lashing out. I left him fussing in the kitchen while I went to take shower. A moment of deja vu hit me as I turned on the water, checking the temperature before stepping inside. The memory of Dane cooking me breakfast played through my mind as the hot water sluiced over my skin, washing away the sweat, blood, and grime from fighting the demon. I yearned for the simpler times when I was only running from my deal with the Devil and his demons and trying to avoid falling for what I thought was just another hot guy. Had it really only been a couple weeks before? Now I had the Devil, more demons, three angels, two contracts, a Sin Eater, and a partridge in a pear tree.

I finished showering, changed into a pair of boy shorts and my anarchy t-shirt, feeling a little more like my old self having gotten the smell of brimstone out of my hair. I pulled back the covers and crawled across my bed. I planned to rest my eyes for a few minutes before lunch—or dinner I supposed since it'd gotten so late—was ready. I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

A bowl of
freshly cut fruit and a plate of assorted breakfast breads waited for me on the kitchen counter with a note beside it. The note that read
push start
taped to the coffee pot got priority. In desperate need of caffeine, I did the unthinkable: interrupted the brew cycle to pour a cup. I've heard people say it doesn't affect the taste. I've also heard people say global warming is a myth. They're both liars. Once the coffee got the synapses firing, I pulled out a bar stool at the counter and sat down to read the note.

Jax,

You're on your own for today. Have a meeting with the Principalities. Be back as soon as I can. Study the books Tobias sent over. And please, try to stay out of trouble.

~Thomas

Telling me to stay out of trouble was the equivalent of inviting it over for dinner. My life was a case study for Murphy's Law. At least I wouldn't be bored.

I broke off a chunk of the banana nut bread, shoving it in my mouth before grabbing one of Tobias's massive tomes on the desk Thomas insisted on having delivered because a dining table was for eating not for working. He'd made himself right at home in
my
apartment, bringing in more of his stuff, although the heavy walnut desk with its intricate carvings was pretty awesome.

I set the enormous book on the counter next to my breakfast; coffee wasn't allowed on the desk and research wasn't happening without it. Flipping through the index, I came across references to a fourth or fifth century book
On the Celestial Hierarchy
and two passages from the Bible. I chose the latter first, having at least some familiarity with the good book.

Basically, both Ephesians and Colossians said that three spheres or triads of angels existed, each with three orders or choirs. Nothing specific to Principalities. So I searched the other text and found exactly what I was looking for.

Archangels.

Thomas answered to them. And they answered to Him. Two degrees of separation between me and the man upstairs. So close and still so far away.

Curious about Thomas's official role, I looked up the second sphere and the Powers. My angel just kept getting more and more interesting. He'd told me the truth when he'd said they were the conscience and aptly named for the task of overseeing mankind's power. It was what he failed to mention that was so intriguing. According to some beliefs, no Power has ever fallen, but – and it's an awfully big
but
– there are some who believed the Devil was the Chief of Powers before he fell, which made things somewhat personal for Thomas.

At least I wasn't the only one.

The morning passed uneventfully, with my face buried in my required reading list according to Tobias. Each passage contained important information on the many ranks and types of demons. A setup disturbingly similar to the one they'd revolted from. The distinctive smells were still the best indicator to determine the level of demon. As for abilities, there was a laundry list of things they could do, with no way to really tell until you were already in the fight.

Rule number one in demon hunting: adapting is the key to survival.

The sun sank lower in the sky and I'd seen neither hide nor hair of Thomas all day. His meeting with the Archangels must not have gone as he'd hoped. Or maybe time passed differently for them. Either way, I couldn't help feeling concerned. As much as I missed the silence and the solitude I'd found in between visits from Lazarus when I was on my own, I had gotten used to having the angel around. As infuriating as his hovering was, I had to admit it was nice having someone to talk to who didn't think you were crazy or cursed. Someone who knew what you were and stayed anyway.

Damn, all this companionship was making me soft. And being soft on the streets got you killed. The same thing applied to demons. I reminded myself Thomas had his own motives for hanging around and shook off the sentimentality. Or tried to anyway. It was pretty clear how he felt about me. So was the fact that it was forbidden. Why did that make me so sad?

I paced the apartment, uncomfortable with the direction my thoughts were headed and in need of a distraction. Anxiety crept in, trying to take hold. My mind raced and my feet kept up. Images of the last few weeks flashed through my mind. So much had happened in such a short time. The last five years all led up to this, my birth led up to this.

Everyone had been making moves on the board and I was just the pawn whose choices had been taken away. Dane, Thomas, Heaven, Hell, the only mother I'd ever known, all of them, manipulating me. Trying to push me in the direction they wanted. And I just kept moving, backing myself into a corner with only one option. Fight my way out.

Story of my life.

Working out and studying kept my mind clear. My thoughts hadn't detoured into self-doubt and self-pity since I moved out of my old place. The change of scenery and nonstop pace of my training did wonders for my state of mind. Left alone and stationary for too long and the inner demons came back. Words whispered in my mind, wearing me down. I needed to get out of the apartment, go to the gym, and beat those useless thoughts back into submission.

The car was still parked out on the street but the keys were nowhere to be found. I got the impression Thomas thought I'd take off or something. Talk about trust issues. With no wheels, going outside of the neutral zone wouldn't be a smart move. Thomas's car was like some kind of mobile holy ground—they couldn't pop inside. Way better than the bus. Since I'd taken the plunge and become a hunter, the demons most likely had new orders. To kill me. They'd been able to hurt me before, mentally and physically, but never anything serious. The Devil had plans and they all involved me. Now I bore the mark of a hunter and all bets were off.

The only place in walking distance worth going to was Mount Royal Tavern. Outside of the apartment and training complex, it was the safest place to go and a drink sounded pretty damn good. Thomas kept the apartment liquor free. I tried arguing that even monasteries had alcohol, that monks were thought to be the masterminds behind fermenting ale, wine is in the holy sacrament, so God must want us to have it. To which he just laughed and told me it would only slow down my training, I needed to keep my diet and my body pure. I didn't bother arguing it was too late for that.

I checked the windows, peeking out of the curtains to see if Dane kept watch across the street in his usual spot. All clear, no sign of him. I grabbed my bag and headed out for the bar. I wasn't overly concerned about the Devil making another appearance. Not that I thought Dane would swoop in and save my ass again. Unless his minions acquired the Spear of Destiny, he couldn't kill me. And I had a sneaking suspicion finding that spear was on the top of his to-do list. So unless it was stored behind the bar, there wouldn't be any trouble.

Of course trouble comes in all shapes and sizes. Not just the demon variety.

The walk to the bar felt like old times, when I could come and go as I pleased. Working shifts at the shelter and Bad Decisions, with nothing to worry about except saving my soul. Now I had to worry about everyone else's. I tried not to think about that, shoving my hands in my pockets and trudging along the last block to Mount Royal.

I felt more than one demon on my way, a denser concentration the closer I got to my destination. Thankfully none of them approached. I got the feeling everyone was just out for a little libation and no one wanted to fight. I'm sure deals would be made, it was par for the course in a place like this, but no one was looking for a fight. Not here and not on the border of the neutral zone.

A different bartender stood behind the counter lining up shots. I breathed a sigh of relief and sidled up to the bar. I guess I was a little worried about the Devil showing up after all. Seeing someone else pouring drinks helped calm the fear that this was actually a bad idea. I ordered a shot of Fireball and a cider chaser, ordering another round before I'd finished the first.

Three immortals, angels, I assumed, since my demon alarm wasn't blaring at their close proximity, looked over when I slammed the second shot. Two of them found me uninteresting and went back to their drinks, the third recognized me. I had no idea who he was, but I could see it in his eyes—he knew me. He gestured to his companions, the others leaning in as he no doubt told them the hunter flew the coop and was in the process of getting hammered. The one who recognized me pulled out a cell phone, calling in my location. I chuckled at the mundane means of communication. I don't know what I expected. It wasn't a cell phone.

I figured Thomas was already on his way to pick me up. The Archangels wouldn't be pleased with my behavior or the interruption of their meeting. Not even drunk and already busted for sneaking out of the house. I ordered another round and waited for my ride.

"May I have a word?"

I jumped at the unexpected voice from the stool behind me. I turned slowly, partly because I hadn't heard anyone approach and wanted to appear casual, mostly because I was starting to feel the three shots I'd had in quick secession.

"As if I could stop you, Tobias." I tried to sound cool and aloof, like finding Tobias sitting at the bar next to me wasn't a big deal.

"I like you, Jax. You're this little spitfire that everyone underestimates."

"But not you."

He probably did like me. His smile seemed genuine and, despite his unleashing a demon on me as a test, I'd pretty much gotten that same impression back at the training facility. But we both knew he wasn't there to share a pint.

"No, I do not. I know that even an ember can burn a forest down and I feel the inferno inside you. You will lay waste to your enemies because you are well suited for this task. Just be sure you don't make ashes of the ones who love you in your wake." Tobias took my cider, gulping it down.

"I'm not following, who are we talking about?" I lied. I knew exactly who he was talking about.

Thomas.

"I suppose his feelings for you were inevitable even if they were unexpected. It's a test, Jax, and he's failing. No Power has fallen. Don't let Thomas be the first."

"I thought there was one who fell."

"Don't make light of the situation, Jax. I've read the texts. I gave you those books to study, remember? Yes, I've heard mumblings of the first to fall being from our sphere. Unfortunately, all records of his time before the darkness have been erased. There hasn't been another. Don't let Thomas walk into darkness. Spending so much time here, with you, has made him long for his humanity. He cannot go back. None of us can. Happiness isn't what awaits him with you."

"I haven't done anything to encourage his feelings for me. I didn't ask him to feel anything."

"This isn't just about him. I can see you've come to care for him. As you care for the Sin Eater. One seems like the obvious choice, the right choice. Safe. I assure you, the opposite is true."

Tobias shot me a telling look before settling my tab and suggesting I go back to the apartment. The angel seemed convinced I'd get into trouble if I stayed on my own. I tried to reassure him, explaining I'd spent the last couple years behind a bar, even pointing out the street smarts he liked so much during my training exercise.

His look said it all. No. He really knew how to be a buzz kill. I excused myself to the ladies room with a promise to go straight home after.

The bathroom hid in a little alcove in the back of the bar. Thomas leaned against the wall, arms folded against his chest, waiting for me to come out. The darkness of the cramped hallway did nothing to hide his disappointment. I didn't need or want another lecture. Not from him. Not after my little chat with Tobias.

"Don't, Thomas. I've been stuck in that apartment for too long. I don't go anywhere except the gym. I just needed to get out. To do something normal."

"What part of this bar is normal? It's full of demons." Thomas uncrossed his arms and pointed in the direction of the crowded tables.

"And angels."

"That just further proves my point, Jax. You could have been attacked. Or worse." He pushed off the wall and stepped in front of me. "Tobias called to tell me you were here. I had to leave my meeting. The Principalities were less than pleased."

"You didn't need to leave. I'm fine. It's neutral ground, right? It's not like I went back to Fells Point or something."

"You could have been taken. We would have had to prove you didn't go willing to the powers above in order to take action. It is a lengthy process and we have lost others this way."

"Thomas, I'm going out there, on the streets, to fight demons. The chances I'll be hurt at some point are pretty high. You're going to have to trust me. I can handle myself. I was doing it before I knew you weren't just some kid from down the block."

Still, the idea that kidnapping was such a questionable offense gave me pause.

"I know that. I do." He raised a hand to my face, stroking his thumb along my cheek. "That knowledge won’t stop me from worrying about you. I want to protect you, to keep you safe."

He moved in, angling his head to kiss me. I pulled back, Tobias's words still ringing in my ears.
Don't let him walk into darkness
. Thomas thought he wanted me, this world, because he'd been here too long. This brush with humanity made him feel and experience things he hadn't for centuries. He was confused and I couldn't do anything to encourage it.