The Devil Is a Gentleman (9 page)

“How could you know that?” I said.

He smiled. “It’s quite obvious. Tell me, why do the disappearances bother you so much?”

“I don’t know,” I said. I turned the glass of whiskey in front of me, watching the liquid catch the light. “I just think about people that I love. I think about how I would feel if they just stopped existing. Gone without a trace. And no one having any idea what happened to them. It’s a horrible feeling just thinking about it. I wouldn’t want to put them through that.” I took a slow drink.

“Your empathy is admirable,” he said.

“Didn’t stop me from killing them.”

“And tell me,” said Sam, “how did they look before they died? Were they monsters?”

“No,” I said, shifting nervously. Their faces flashed in my mind. “No, they were boys. Just kids with big guns.”

“Anything else?” he said.

I hesitated. “For a second,” I said, “I saw that boy. That janitor who died when we took the Dark. The one I killed. I saw his face for a second.”

“The janitor,” said Sam. He was looking at me, I could feel his eyes on my face. Slowly, I looked up and held them. “But you still killed them,” he said in a low voice, almost a whisper. “You did what needed to be done even though it hurt.” I felt I couldn’t look away from those eyes. There was something that held me there.

“Yes,” I said. “I couldn’t let them do what they were doing. It wasn’t right.”

“There’s something in you, Niki,” he said, his face as close as the first night I met him. “Something noble, but also primal. Sometimes I think you could fix everything if I let you.”

“What are you talking about?” I said.

“This world, this city, you could take them if you wanted,” he said, his face so close to mine we were almost touching. His voice was hardly more than a whisper. “You always could. You’re a Slobodian. You could have anything you wanted. People would come to you, follow you, you could live like a queen. Why don’t you?”

“I don’t want any of those things,” I said. “Not the way my father got them.” It was hard to breathe. As though if Sam kept staring into me I would get sucked up into those dark, endless eyes. Finally he blinked and looked away. I felt slightly breathless, but almost disappointed he let me go. I took a swig from my glass.

“Niki, I don’t want to add to your worries, but I do need to warn you.” He looked toward Gage at the bar, drinking a beer and chatting with Janis. “Eli may not come back. I hope you will be willing to accept that if that time comes.”

“Why wouldn’t he come back?” I said.

“This world is a complex place, and so is Hell. Things happen between point A and point B.”

“What do you mean things happen?” I said. “Have you seen him lately?”

“Not as such,” he said. “I have been preoccupied.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why did you help him?” I said. “He meant nothing to you. Why did you help him get to Hell?”

He smiled. “You think I was trying to get rid of him?” he said.

“The thought did occur to me.”

“I have a soft spot for outsiders, that’s all.”

“I wouldn’t call Eli an outsider,” I said.

“He is a half-demon trying to live in a human world. What would you call it?”

“I guess I didn’t look at it like that. It was always me that was the outsider. I was the Abnormal. I keep forgetting.”

“Anyway,” said Sam, gesturing dismissively, “I wasn’t talking about him. I was talking about you. He means something to you, even if you’re not sure what that is. So I helped him.”

“Me?” I said. “Why would you do that? I mean, really, you hardly know me.”

“You’re wrong,” he said. “
You
hardly know
me.
I know more about you than anyone else will ever know. I’ve seen inside of you, Niki. I know you. You’re different.”

“Different than what?” I said. I could feel him looking at me again, but I was afraid to meet his eyes.

“Everything,” he said.

I cleared my throat. “What’s going on? The ghosts, they’re not crossing over. They’re everywhere. And they mob me when they know I’m there. Just me. To have dead things inside you, it’s not something I look forward to. Is it connected to your trouble? With the war?”

Sam sighed. I met his eyes again. I saw the darkness shifting there, like a cloud in the night sky. The more I looked at him, the easier it was to withstand his gaze. “I try to keep things from you, Niki. But you make it damn difficult.”

“What things?”

“I’m trying to keep you safe. It’s not an easy job.” He started to smile, but his face turned quickly solemn. “I’m worried that if I tell you too much, it could put you in danger.”

“I’m always in danger,” I said lightly. “You know me.” It came off as false and hollow. I grimaced.

“This is different,” he said. He ran a hand through his hair. “The war is not a sure thing. Publicly, of course, it is not even a possibility. But I can feel it. It feels like last time.”

“The One War,” I said.

“You know it?” he said, impressed.

“What are you?” I said.

“I think you already know.”

“Angel?” I said.

He looked at me, frowning slightly. “Does it scare you?”

“A little,” I said. “Eliza, too?”

“Yes. I’m sorry about my reaction to the news of her arrival. I was caught off guard. She is quite powerful where we come from. The Creed is in charge of justice where we come from.”

“The Creed?” I said.

He sighed. “The Creed is judge, jury and executioner, as they say here. Or, rather, what she deems justice. It is cruel, more often than not. Hers is a harsh morality.”

“Why would she come for you?” I said. “What have you done wrong?”

“Nothing wrong,” he said. “Just different. You delivered the message yourself.”

“You have to pick a side.”

Sam nodded. “I’m afraid it’s not that easy, though. If I do pick a side, the side I don’t pick will take it as a slight. Ultimately, me picking a side
starts
the damn war.” He shook his head. “It’s all such a mess.”

“Why does your opinion matter so much?” I said. “Why do they care what you think?”

“It’s not the
why
that’s important,” he said. “The spirits won’t be able to cross over until the matter is settled.”

“They’re stopping them from crossing over?” I said. “Who?”

“Angels mostly,” he said. “Michaelites
—
followers of Michael. Loyalists. There are a few opportunistic Hellions thrown in there, though. Heaven has gotten very political lately. And they’ve stuck me right in the middle.”

“Sounds as bad as my world,” I said.

“Worse,” said Sam. “My kind have a superiority complex most of the time. And the multiple universes are common knowledge so we’re always trying to stay in control of things. I say we, but I am rarely part of the scheming unless Michael decides it could better his cause.”

“What about, you know, God?”

“What about Him?” said Sam. “You know as much about Him as I do.”

“Doesn’t He live in Heaven?”

“That’s what they say,” he said. “They are often wrong. He’s as mysterious to me as He is to your lot. I’ve been alive for a very long time, I’ve met several gods, but He was not one of them.”

I sipped my nearly-gone drink and took that in. “Why do the ghosts know me?” I said. “How do they know who I am?”

“I don’t have all the answers,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

“What about The Blood?” I said. “What do you know about them?”

He didn’t speak for a moment, but I felt him, or rather sensed him, tense up next to me. “I know a little,” he said. “What do you know?”

“Some,” I said. “I know Sasha worked for them, and Naz. I know they set up the Abaddon summoning and had my dad arrested. I know they’re dangerous. And I know they have angelwine.”

“It would appear,” said Sam, “that they are something of a loose end.”

“What does that mean?” I said.

“No matter,” said Sam. “From what I know about The Blood, they are dangerous and unpredictable. It concerns me that you are going after them on your own.”

“I won’t be alone,” I said. “Gage is helping me. You said it yourself, Sam. They’ll kill me if I don’t get to them. And they know about you somehow. Naz called you the Death-Man.”

Sam smiled. “Death-Man?” he said. “It’s not very original. Don’t worry yourself, Niki. They can’t get to me.”

“Don’t be so sure,” I said. “There was also something about The Morrigan. Ring a bell?”

“No,” he said. “But judging by her name, it can’t be good for you. Would it do any good to ask you to lay low?”

“Congressman Bradley is dead and his body burned almost beyond recognition. Naz is dead, after he warned me that they can find anyone, anywhere, anytime. I’m on their list, and they are drinking angel blood to turn them into unstoppable monsters. And you’re asking me to lie down and just wait for them to find me?”

“Have it your way,” said Sam. “But I can’t get involved. You won’t be able to use the badges. This is not Department of Order and Chaos business, you understand? I need to be clear about this.”

“Okay,” I said. “Calm down. We won’t use the badges.”

“I’m sorry, Niki. But if Michael gets wind that I’ve been so involved here, he might have an excuse to start a war. You recall that everything we’ve done has been to suppress Hellions? He doesn’t need much, and there is some talk that I am politically motivated. Just please, be careful.” He grasped my hand in his, the heat of it seeming impossibly warm. “We may yet need each other in the future.”

“I’ll be careful,” I said. “I promise.”

“Good,” he said, letting go of my hand. I felt slightly chilled when his hand left mine. He turned to hop down from the bench.

“Sam?” I said, stopping him. He looked at me. “Did you do this? My arm, I mean.”

“Yes,” he said.

“Thank you.”

“You are most welcome.”

I gathered up my blood-stiff coat, holding it away from my body, and followed him over to the bar. Janis ignored us, smoking a cigarette and filling out her crossword. Gage turned. “So what’s the story?” he said. “Am I taking you home, sis?”

“Of course not,” I said. “We have a cabin to check out.”

Gage grinned at Sam. “You believe this?”

Sam smiled wanly. “Take care of her, Robert,” he said.

My arm still ached and I rubbed it, feeling the hard scar under my fingers. I asked Gage to stop at my apartment so I could change my clothes.

“So what was all that about?” said Gage.

“What do you mean?” I said.

“Sam. How do you rate?”

“How do I rate what?”

“You’re his favorite,” said Gage. “How did that happen? He pays you more, takes you aside to talk to you alone, somehow manages to pop up just when you need help. Something going on with you two?”

“What?” I said. “No. Of course not. We were talking about Eli.”

“Sure you were,” said Gage.

“You got something you want to say to me?” I said. “Come on, out with it.”

Gage glanced from the road to me and back again. “You know what Sam is, don’t you?”

“I thought you told me it was better not to ask,” I said.

“Asking’s one thing,” he said. “Putting the pieces together is another.”

“I know what Sam is,” I said. “He’s an angel.”

Gage snorted. “Sam’s no ordinary angel, sis. You gotta remember that. I like you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m not going to get hurt,” I said, holding up my arm. “I’m already maimed.”

“I’m serious, Niki,” said Gage, his voice taut. I looked at him. Gage stared furiously at the road, as if he were intent on his driving. “Just promise you won’t get, you know,
involved
with him.”

“What’s this all about, Bobby?” I said. “I thought you liked Sam.”

“I like him well enough,” he said, glancing at me. “Don’t want to see him when I’m not working for him, though.”

“Why?”

“He’s dangerous. Can we just leave it at that?” Gage rubbed his face, his whiskers scratching against his hand. “Just keep it professional, okay, sis?” His voice was quiet now.

“Why is he dangerous?” I said.

“Goddamn it, Niki. Can you just stop asking questions?
Just listen to me
,” Gage yelled. I jumped. I’d never seen Gage angry before. Usually he took things in stride with a shrug. I’d never seen him like this.

We pulled in front of my apartment and Gage turned off the ignition and turned to look at me. “Angels are bad news in general, and I usually make an exception for Sam, but not with you. I want you to stay alive, you understand me? Stay alive so we can keep doing this. I don’t want to lose this gig. It’s all I got,” he said. “And I like you, Niki. You’re good people. Saved my ass a few times.”

I nodded. “Okay, Bobby,” I said. “Nothing’s going on, by the way.”