September Moon (36 page)

“Sorry,” I said with a giggle after I tripped over his foot for the third time. “It’s the whiskey, I swear.”

Coby laughed along with me, but his chuckle was cut short when someone grabbed my hand and spun me away. The spin was a tad disorienting, especially when I found myself facing Falon.

“What the—”

“Pick up your paws, you clumsy wolf,” Falon said, forcing me to follow his lead as he pulled me around to the music. “For such a stealthy creature you sure can’t dance worth shit.”

He was dressed for a wedding in a dark grey suit with a black shirt. His silver wings were absent from sight. The fallen angel was a good dancer, though that wasn’t so surprising based on how long he’d existed for.

“Why are you here?” I struggled to match his rhythm, which made me realize how easy Coby had been taking it on me. I tried to stop, but Falon held tight to both of my hands, dragging me along.

“You actually clean up rather well, Hound. Who would have thought it possible?”

Falon danced as if it was completely normal for us to talk this way. Coby had backed off at the interruption, but he stood stiffly nearby, watching Falon with suspicion. I caught a glimpse of Arys. He didn’t look happy.

“Did you just give me a compliment? Ok, now I’m scared. What’s going on?”

“Don’t get carried away. It’s not much of a compliment. Even a pig would look better with some lipstick and a pretty dress.”

I wasn’t sure what to make of that, so I flashed him a mischievous grin and said, “You think my dress is pretty?”

“Of course I’d have to show up when you’re drunk. You stink of whiskey. Are you even going to remember this tomorrow?”

The music changed to a slow song, and I groaned. “Trust me, I’m sure I won’t forget even if I desperately want to. You have a lasting presence. And not in a good way.”

Again I tried to stop dancing, finding that Aerosmith’s
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
made this situation a thousand times more awkward than it needed to be. Falon pulled me closer, slung my arms around his neck, and put his hands on my hips.

“Just dance. I need to talk to you, and I don’t have a lot of time. Judging by the way your vampire is staring at me, he’s going to come to your rescue soon.”

I tried to put some space between us, but it was difficult. After what I’d done to Falon at Shya’s, this was extremely uncomfortable.

“Talk fast then because I’m about due for another drink,” I muttered, hoping I didn’t do something to embarrass myself.

“You’re lucky I even came tonight after what you did to me at Shya’s, but this is bigger than how I feel about that.” Falon slid a glance to each side of us, making sure nobody lingered too close. “Do not freak out about what I’m going to tell you.”

He paused, waiting for me to agree. I was quickly running out of patience with Falon. “Stop dicking me around and spit it out. You’re kind of crashing the party.”

“I have the scroll.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

I was dumbfounded. Then I was skeptical. “Are you fucking with me?”

“I wish. Saber was telling the truth. It’s no longer corporeal. What he didn’t say, because he doesn’t know, is that I’m the one who has it.”

I studied Falon, searching for a lie in his silver eyes. Thankfully we were only swaying to the music, or I would have certainly lost my footing. It was tough to wrap my mind around his claim.

“How is that even possible?”

For the first time since we met, I saw a glimmer of doubt in Falon. I wouldn’t go so far as to say there was fear there, but it was pretty damn close.

“Is there somewhere we can go to talk?” he asked, dropping the pretense of dancing. “I have a feeling you’re going to ask a lot of questions.”

“Yeah, there’s a place. I don’t think Arys will wait here though.” I put several feet between Falon and me, glad to be done with the dancing. Stopping by the makeshift bar, I poured myself a glass of whiskey before leading the way across the yard to the cemetery next door.

As I’d expected, Arys trailed along behind us. Coby and Shaz remained behind at his command, but neither of them appeared to be happy with that. They meant well, I knew that, but neither of them could do anything against Falon anyway. If he was here with ill will, I was pretty much screwed.

We crossed the large backyard and broke through the trees into the graveyard. The music and voices carried to us, but somehow didn’t manage to ruin the peaceful effect of the place. The cemetery was comforting to me. The energy was calm and peaceful. Traces of sadness flavored the atmosphere from mourners who came to visit, though that wasn’t very often. For the most part the energy of the graveyard felt simple and final. As if those whose remains occupied the ground were very far from this place. I liked that.

I perched on a headstone belonging to a William White and waited for Falon to continue. Rushing to believe anything he said would be stupid, and he was right, I definitely had a lot of questions already.

He leaned against a tall monument-like headstone across from me. “Listen up, Hound. I’m only going to say all of this once. If you’re too drunk to remember this tomorrow, it’s all on you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, taking a large swallow of whiskey just to annoy him. “Start talking. Tell me why you have the key to Lilah’s kingdom. If you do indeed have it, that is.” Irritation furrowed his brow. I enjoyed picking at him if only because he loved doing it to me so much.

“Lilah secured her throne when she learned of Salem’s intent to cage her. She made it impossible for another to claim her kingdom, unless they completed the ritual that was recorded on the scroll. The scroll was a physical object though the magic it invokes is pure demon magic. Veryl discovered it and hid it, using it as a way to control her. She found it after his death.”

“I knew it,” I interrupted with a self-satisfied whoop. So I had been on the right track after all by searching Veryl’s office.

“Anyway,” Falon continued with a glare. “She destroyed the physical scroll, containing the words upon it in nothing more than an unseen orb. A psi ball, if you will. She gave it to me before your sister sent her back to the angel’s prison, and I want to give it to you.”

“You’ve had it this whole time?” I scoffed. “Sounds like bullshit to me. Is that why you were banging her?”

He frowned and ignored the urge I’m sure he had to tell me off. “Demons don’t half-ass anything. The power contained on that scroll is the only way to access Lilah’s vacant throne. It was bound with twin flame power because she is a twin. Her kingdom is inaccessible to any other than her without the scroll. And only if all of the puzzle pieces are in play.”

“And just what does that mean exactly?” I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of this. The twin flame reference made my skin prickle.

Arys stepped through the trees, a silent shadow in the moonlight. He came to stand next to the headstone I sat on and motioned for Falon to answer my question.

“The twin flame power is the key. Created by twin flame blood, it can be destroyed the same way.” Falon glanced from me to Arys and back, waiting for a reaction. “Of course, Lilah and Salem are immortals. Which is why it requires more than merely your weak mortal blood. Are you putting this together yet, Hound?”

“It requires my life.” It hit me with a sudden earth shattering realization. It was Lilah and her damn twin flame that tied Arys and me to this. “Because I’m a twin flame Shya can use me to open it. That’s his goal in keeping me alive while he looks for it, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. See you’re not so stupid after all. And if you accept it from me, you can destroy it. It will die with you.” Falon’s silver gaze was intent upon me.

I swallowed hard, savoring the whiskey burn. Staring into the glass, I was suddenly certain that this was the last night I would ever drink it.

“And what happens to Lilah’s throne then?” I dared to ask.

“It remains in limbo, indefinitely. At least until the bitch escapes again and blows it wide open. Of course this only works if you die before Shya takes the orb from you. He’ll try. Once he knows you possess it, he’ll stop at nothing to keep you alive until he can take it from you. And then he’ll kill you and use it to claim all that nasty power for himself.”

“
Can’t he just kill me anyway?”

“He needs the ritual, the words. First the scroll has to be manifested as physical once again, an easy enough task for a demon of his caliber. He’ll tear it out of you and make you suffer every second until he sacrifices you.”

“And I don’t need to know the words to destroy it?” This was giving me a headache. It all sounded very complicated. Or perhaps I was overcomplicating it.

“You just have to die and take it with you.” Falon was so flippant, like it was just that easy.

“How do you know it will work?”

“I don’t. There’s only one way to find out.”

I stared at him, seeking a sign that he was misleading me. It just didn’t make sense. What could Falon possibly have to gain from lying about having the damn thing?

“Why are you doing this? Aren’t you on Team Shya?”

“I’m on Team Falon, nothing more, nothing less. Now are you going to accept this thing or not?”

“And if I don’t?” I challenged, feeling backed into a corner. He wasn’t leaving me much choice with that explanation.

“Then I give it to Shya and let him use you as a sacrifice and take my place at his right hand. You die either way. Don’t let your foolish pride make this choice. I’m offering you the chance to prevent some seriously bad shit. Like hell on earth kind of shit.”

Falon crossed his arms and regarded me with open hostility. His motives were questionable, but I didn’t have the ability to detect a lie on an angel.

“Why does that matter to you? Seems like something you’d like.” Arys spoke up for the first time. His expression was stone cold and hard to read.

“You have no idea what I like.” Falon smirked, enjoying the mind fuck he was pulling on us. “I enjoy my share of chaos, but I don’t share Shya’s big apocalyptic dreams.”

I sighed and gripped the headstone with one hand so I wouldn’t drunkenly fall over the other side of it. “I really hate you right now.”

“The feeling is mutual. Now, can we do this already?”

“Of all of the times for you to do this, you had to do it on the night of my best friend’s wedding,” I accused, detecting a slight slur to my words.

Falon regarded me with judgmental haughtiness. “I had to wait for the right time. It’s not about you, really, so get over yourself. Shya has reached a point of power-crazed madness that made waiting any longer too risky. It’s only a matter of time until he figures out that I have what he’s looking for.”

“How are we supposed to be able to trust you? This could all be a manipulation ordered by Shya, and we would never know,” Arys said. He seemed much calmer than I felt, but he was shut down, making it difficult to know for sure.

“It could be.” Falon shrugged and did his best to look bored with us.

“What about Gabriel?” I asked, trying to cover all bases. “How do you know he hasn’t somehow seen this?”

“You really think I’d be stupid enough to let that kid touch me? Not a snowball’s chance in hell. Which is what you’ll have if Shya gets this damn scroll.”

Falon was insulted by my question, but it was valid. “He’s touched me, Falon. He saw things that he didn’t even want to repeat. There’s no way of knowing what he’s seen or if he’s told Shya.”

“Fuck Gabriel,” Falon hissed with enough vehemence to indicate how he really felt about Shya’s prodigy. “That little shit is going to be a problem. Can’t you control him somehow? Isn’t that a vampire thing?”

Arys paced a few steps away and paused to read a headstone. He was thinking hard. I knew that without being inside his head.

“It is, depending,” Arys said slowly. “He’s of a strong bloodline with power of his own. That makes it unlikely that he can easily be manipulated. One like him never should have been made.”

This wasn’t the right time to shout an, “I told you so,” so I bit my lip and kept my mouth shut. An owl hooted overhead, and I looked up to find wide, round eyes blinking at us from a nearby tree. It was so easy to forget that we were never really alone. The chances of something or someone lurking were always great.

“Better bring your witch friend then,” Falon suggested. “You might need her to work some counter spells to block whatever he throws at you. Gabriel is dangerous, which is why Shya likes him so much.”

“Do I detect some jealousy?” I taunted, snickering to myself.

I lost my balance and almost fell backwards. With my free hand I dug claws into the stone to hold on while I slammed back the rest of the whiskey. I definitely needed to be drunk to do this.

“You know, maybe I change my mind,” Falon snapped. “Maybe I’ll just give this damn thing to Shya.”

Arys and I shared a look. I needed his input on this. So much passed between us. Words were not needed. He nodded, and my heart sunk. This was it, our purpose together. I felt it in every part of me. Even the whiskey couldn’t drown that out. It was raw and real, demanding that I take Falon seriously.

It took great effort to say, “Tell me what I have to do.”

Relief flooded Falon’s sharp features. His shoulders slumped as if I’d just lifted a weight from him.

“I’ll give it to you. And then tomorrow night you will go to the Charles Camsell Hospital property and destroy it.”

“Why there? That’s FPA headquarters.”

“An unfortunate pain in the ass,” Falon said with a nod. “It has to be destroyed where it was made. Though it’s unseen, the door to Lilah’s kingdom lies there.”

That answered several questions. It definitely explained why the building pulsed with such evil that went far beyond that of the ghosts that dwelled within.

“We don’t have to go inside the building?” Arys questioned, a dark brow raised in scrutiny.

“No. The building is just a man-made structure. The portal to Lilah’s kingdom is in the earth itself.” Shoving away from the statue he leaned on, Falon took slow steps toward me. “I must warn you. Shya will know the moment you step foot on the hospital property with the scroll inside you. He’s gone to great lengths to monitor activity near Lilah’s doorway. His response will be swift. Be prepared.”