That Old Black Magic

NINE

The moment the woman pulled the knife, flames rippled down Darrak’s right arm and covered his hand. All archdemons had an element to call, and his happened to be fire. He didn’t have a ton of power left in reserve — plus, he was feeling strangely weakened ever since the curse removal attempt — but he had enough to reduce this woman to a pile of ash if he was properly motivated. And seeing her press a knife against Eden’s throat was more than enough to properly motivate him.

He didn’t want Eden to tap into her black magic, but he knew it was only a matter of time. By the shade of her amulet, she couldn’t delve too deeply. Unfortunately, life or death situations like this called for a bit of delving.

“Who are you?” Brenda’s gaze shot toward him.

The guard stood up from behind the security desk. “What are you doing?”

“Mind your own business,” she hissed.

“Okay.” The guard’s eyes glazed over and he sat back down to begin fiddling with his computer.

“You’ve got some tricks up your sleeve,” Eden managed.

“A few. Now in case you didn’t hear me before, who the hell are you and what do you want with me?” The blade pressed closer, and Darrak was afraid to move too quickly or he might spook her. Black witches, even reluctant ones like Eden, were as easy to kill as a regular human. He wasn’t willing to risk her life.

Eden met Darrak’s gaze and concern tore through his gut. He hadn’t expected this, although he should have. If this chick was someone Lucifer wanted, that meant she was extremely dangerous.

“I’m Darrak.” He forced his tone down to one much calmer than he felt. “That’s Eden. A pleasure to meet you. Now, let go of her right now or I’m going to introduce you to Mr. Third-Degree Burn. He’s not so friendly.”

“Why are you looking for me?” she demanded. “And don’t tell me I just won the lottery.”

“Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes,” Darrak corrected. “Much cooler than any boring lottery. Did I mention there was going to be cake? Then you had to go and ruin all the fun.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Start talking or I’m going to slit her throat.”

The heat of his fire increased along with his temper. “You really don’t want to do that.”

“Maybe I’m feeling like I don’t have many choices here.”

“You’re right, you only have one choice and that’s to let Eden go. Not to quote from old TV shows, but you really don’t want to see me when I’m angry.”

People continued to walk steadily through the lobby, but were completely ignoring their standoff. This Brenda woman was able to work some sort of cloaking magic — much as she’d done to hide herself from Lucifer, he was sure, but on a smaller scale — and also she had the power of verbal influence over humans. Handy tricks, actually.

Suddenly, Darrak’s fire energy flickered and nearly went out.

Damn it, not now.

He was having difficulty maintaining what little power he had left. He wasn’t sure why he felt so off today. Demons didn’t suffer from ailments or illnesses. If they were injured, they healed quickly. But this didn’t seem as if it was from any specific injury.

The pain began in the center of his chest when they’d first arrived here and had slowly radiated outward. He barely noticed it until it now made it difficult to concentrate. Then it accelerated and felt as if something was attempting to claw itself out of his chest, tearing him in two pieces from the inside out.

Another wave of agony followed the first in rapid succession and was equal to what he’d felt that morning when he’d lost form. It knocked him right to his knees, and he braced his hands against the smooth marble floor. He gritted his teeth and tried to see past the white-hot flash before his eyes.

“Darrak!” Eden shrieked.

The other woman screamed as a wave of Eden’s black magic hit her and she flew backward across the lobby. A pain-filled glance up showed more dark veins spreading across Eden’s amulet.

Not good.

Also not good was the sensation that he was going to turn to smoke again at any moment. It took a lot of energy to maintain his corporeal form during the day, even with Eden’s celestial help. But he felt he had nothing in reserve. The well was dry.

He looked down at his hand, previously covered in fire from fingertip to elbow, as it turned to smoke before his eyes. This time, however, the smoke wasn’t only black. It was black and bright white — swirling together like a tornado.

What the hell?

A moment later the tearing pain eased off completely and his hand reformed.

The woman’s eyes widened as she took in the sight of him. “What the hell are the two of you?”

“Complicated,” Darrak replied wearily.

“Darrak, are you okay?” Eden stood between him and the woman, her fists clenched at her sides. He could see the static charge of her magic running down the length of her arms like small lightning storms.

“Never better,” he lied.

“You’re a witch.” Brenda eyed Eden from her position crouched on the floor and looked ready to spring if anyone came close to her. “But I sense something else… I sense — angel?”

Eden glared at her. “How do you know that?”

“I know lots of things whether I want to or not. Who sent you to grab me?”

Eden held her gaze steadily. “Lucifer. Ever heard of him?”

Brenda gasped, then swore under her breath. “I knew it.”

“He wants to have a little chat with you. I’d been feeling a bit guilty about helping him facilitate that chat, but you know what? I’m over it now.”

“I don’t want to talk to him. I don’t want anything to do with him.”

“Oh?” Darrak couldn’t help but be intrigued. “Do you know what he wants with you?”

“I think he wants to make me a job offer.”

His brows went up. “Excuse me? You?”

She exhaled shakily. “It was prophesied since I was a child that I was meant to be involved somehow with Lucifer.”

“Let me guess, you’re Toronto’s answer to the Antichrist.”

“Something like that. And it’s something I’ve been trying to avoid my entire life. Just because I’ve got a lousy prophecy attached to me doesn’t mean I’m willing to fulfill it. I work for a children’s charity and have for ten years. What more do I have to do to prove that I’m a good person?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe for starters, stop pulling knives on people in office lobbies?” he snarled.

“It’s called self-defense. And come near me again and I’ll destroy the both of you.”

He took a couple of steps closer to her. “Maybe you’re bluffing.”

“Maybe I’m not.”

“You couldn’t take both of us on. Trust me on that.”

She clutched her knife tightly, and he saw a shadow of fear finally slide behind her eyes. “I don’t even know how something like you can exist. It’s unnatural.”

“Gee, you sure know how to compliment a guy. I appreciate it.”

“Wait,” Eden said warily. “You could see what I am. Can you see what Darrak is, too?”

“Yes.” Brenda didn’t tear her gaze from him for a moment. She seemed confused. “I thought you were a demon.”

“Good guess,” he said. “But you still don’t get any cake.”

“But… I sense angel, too. A lot of it. I don’t understand how that’s possible.”

“I’ve been drinking some angel juice for about a month. It’s a temporary infusion of sparkle to my regular diet.”

“No, it’s not only that,” she whispered, staring at him with shock. “You’re half-demon and half-angel… all at once. It’s the most incredible thing I’ve seen in my entire life. You shouldn’t exist, not like this. How do the two opposites exist in the same form without destroying each other?”

Darrak felt himself pale. “You’re wrong. It’s just some energy I need to burn off.”

“No, it’s not. You must feel it. How can you not? You’re filled with light — and it’s equal to the darkness. Your pain before… the different parts are tearing you in two.”

“You’re crazy.” His gaze flicked to Eden to share a moment of “this chick is wacko,” but the look on her face was enough to steal his breath.

Pure shock and an edge of fear.

“Eden…” he began.

She shook her head. “I’m so sorry. I–I didn’t want you to find out like this. Not from someone else.”

“What are you talking about?”

“She’s telling you the truth.”

His brain had stopped processing information. “It can’t be true. I’m a demon, I’m not a… a…”

Her face had paled. “Half. You’re half-demon and half-angel now. The celestial energy — it’s not a temporary thing. It changed you… permanently.”

He wanted to make a joke and laugh it off, but nothing came out. Just the stunned realization that he couldn’t deny this, because on some level he’d already known the truth.

The angel juice he’d been absorbing from Eden from day one, the same stuff that gave him the ability to take form during the day after hundreds of years of being nothing more than black smoke trapped inside a succession of human hosts…

It hadn’t only tainted him by enhancing his already messed-up humanity-tainted archdemon form. It had literally changed part of him to angel.

Holy shit.

“You already knew,” he bit out. “And you never told me?”

Eden looked distraught. “I should have. I didn’t want you to freak out. Please don’t freak out.”

Freak out? That was the shallow end of reactions he could have to this revelation, actually.

In one single sentence, his entire existence had just taken a swan dive directly into the Void. That was the only place he could end up now. He knew without a single doubt he’d never be accepted in Hell again. Not like this.

And Heaven? As if he’d want to stroll through those pearly gates even if he had the opportunity. Not a chance in… well, wherever.

It was over. It was all over.

And, no, he wasn’t overreacting. He’d witnessed much worse than the Void as a result of way less. For a time he’d even been one of those responsible for doling out punishments to those Netherworld beings deemed unworthy or flawed or… tainted.

Talk about karma.

Eden pulled the silver chain out of her coat pocket. “Okay, Brenda, enough stalling. I don’t know your real story, but I was sent here to do a job and I’m going to do it. Lucas… Lucifer wants to talk to you and you need to have that talk. Say no if he offers you a job downstairs, but you have to see him. I’m sorry, really, but I have no choice.”

“Me neither,” Brenda replied.

She turned and ran out of the lobby.

Eden immediately chased after her.

“Eden!” Darrak began to pursue them, but another wave of pain crashed over him, halting him in his tracks. This time it was accompanied with dizziness. His entire world devolved into a Tilt-A-Whirl from Hell.

Eden wouldn’t get too far without him. Their hundred-foot tether would stop her the moment she reached it.

Or maybe not. He raised his hand before his face, again disturbed to see it shift to the white and black swirling smoke.

Pure light and pitch-black.

Now he knew why it had shifted to that color combo. It was pure evil with a side order of sparkle dust.

It was… him.

Quite honestly, if this didn’t mean the beginning of the end of everything he’d ever known, he’d think it was freaking hilarious.

“Please stop!” Eden grabbed the woman’s arm before she reached the exit. She felt a twinge of pain here — she was at the farthest point she could be from Darrak. Another few steps and she would have had to give up the chase completely.

Brenda’s muscles were tense. “Did you just say ‘please’?”

“I can’t help that I’m polite.” Eden glanced at the knife the woman still clutched, and with a mere thought it rocketed out of her hand and imbedded itself into the wall next to them.

The woman didn’t seem particularly strong, despite her other gifts. Eden was able to hold her in place without too much effort.

“Let go of me,” she snapped.

“Can’t do that.” Eden pulled the silver chain out of her coat pocket. “You tried to kill me.”

“I wouldn’t have killed you.”

“Sorry if I don’t automatically believe that. That’s quite a knife to carry around during the workday.”

“I’m too busy to learn kung fu. A girl’s got to protect herself somehow.”

“You think that would help you against Lucas?”

“Who?”

Eden gritted her teeth. Damn it. “Lucifer.”

“I’m cloaked from him in the human world — totally. He can’t find me without help.” Brenda gave her a dirty look.

“Maybe you should think of it as an honor. Any job he wants to offer you might be a good one for somebody like you.”

Brenda stared at her incredulously. “I don’t want anything to do with him.”

Everything this woman said was confusing Eden. She’d been so focused when she’d arrived here, but now she was distracted and doubting herself. Plus, having the truth about Darrak come out so unexpectedly had thrown her completely off guard.

Darrak.

What was wrong with him? He hadn’t followed after them, which meant he might be in trouble. She had to get this over with so she could check on him.

“Enough,” she gritted out. “Lucifer wants to talk to you and I’m going to—”

“No, Eden. Please listen to me.” Brenda shook her head. “You can’t do this, and you know it. You’re a good person.”

Her throat tightened. “I’m a black witch. Take a good look at my amulet. Does that seem like a good person to you?”

“You’re a good person who’s had a few hard knocks. Like me. You do what it takes to survive, to get through day to day. Don’t do this. If you put that thing on my wrist you’re going to be going against your better judgment. You know this is wrong.”

Eden hissed out a breath. “Stop it.”

“See?” Brenda brightened as Eden’s grip on her loosened a fraction. “We’re in the same situation, you and me. I have a prophecy telling me my destiny is set. But I know I can fight it. I choose what I want to be and, let me tell you, it’s got nothing to do with Lucifer or Hell. I want better than that for myself. And whatever I have to do to keep myself away from him is exactly what I’ll do. He can give that job that’s up for grabs to somebody else.”

“How can you see the truth? How did you know what Darrak is so easily?”

“I don’t know. I just can. He needs you, Eden.” Her brows drew together. “He needs you, more than ever, to make the right decisions — for both of you. And there’s more at stake now than the two of you, you just don’t know it yet.”

“What are you talking about?”

Brenda’s gaze clouded over as if she was focused on something a long way from here. “Some things I can’t tell you. Some things are just whispers in my head, but I know you’re going to have to be strong. You’re going to have to do the right thing in the darkest situation. You have to prepare for a journey that will change everything.”

Eden hissed out a breath of frustration. “You sound like a fortune cookie.”

Brenda’s eyes cleared and she laughed, but it sounded a bit bitter. “I know.”

Eden couldn’t help but ask. “This journey, this dark situation… will everything work out okay in the end?”

Brenda shook her head. “I don’t know that.”

“Lot of good you are.”

“Sorry.”

“Lucifer wants to talk to you, and I don’t think he’s willing to negotiate about that.” Eden’s grip on the chain grew tighter.

“Talk? You really think anything to do with him is that simple?” Brenda looked stressed. “Please, Eden, look into your heart. Do the right thing for you, for Darrak, for… for everyone. Let me go.”

Where was Darrak? Why hadn’t he followed her out here yet?

This woman had nearly killed her, Eden had no doubt about it. When it came to self-protection, if Brenda was that dead set against ever having this “talk” with Lucas, then she might have been willing to do anything to avoid it.

Eden didn’t know the whole story. All she had was a request from Lucas on one side and this woman begging her to let her go on the other.

In the end, all she really had was her gut instinct.

“Fine.” She let go of Brenda’s arm. Magic still sparked off her fingers, charged and ready to be used, but she wouldn’t need any more of it today. Today was proof that the more she used it, the more control she had over it. It was only when she tried to ignore it that it began to control her. “Get out of here before I change my mind.”

Brenda’s eyes widened with surprise. “Really?”

“Why are you still standing here?”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” Brenda N. Franks then pushed through the glass doors and ran down the sidewalk until Eden couldn’t see her anymore.

It was the flu that made her do it. It was obviously messing with her brain as well as her stomach this week.

Lucas wasn’t going to be happy with her. Not at all.