Mercy for the Wicked (24 page)

“I don’t think I can afford an orgy, but I might be able to manage a threesome until my bonus check comes.”

“That’s the spirit!”  With that, we got on the road, deciding to take Daphne’s car since it was more reliable than mine.  I was a serious bargain hunter myself, and hoping to find some good deals to help stretch my tight budget as well.  I already knew what I wanted to get for Matty, but I was still saving up for that.  Mom’s gift I always bought online so I could have it shipped directly to her.  That left plenty of gifts to be bought for Daphne, Parker, and everyone at work. 

I’d planned to look for something for Ben too, but that would have to wait until I had a better idea of whether or not he was still on speaking terms with me after our conversation.  The question also begged, what did you buy a fallen angel for Christmas?  I had two of them to shop for, their tastes as different as night and day. 

I had to give myself a mental boot to the head for dwelling on what to buy Adam for Christmas when I hadn’t even broken up with Ben yet.  What kind of a person was I?

“You’re awfully quiet today,” Daphne observed after she got on the freeway and I gave her a distracted smile.

“Sorry, I guess I was lost in my own little world there for a bit.  Hey, remind me later to look for a leather repair kit for the couch.  It’s starting to rip by one of the seams on the arm.”

“Your couch isn’t made of leather.”

“Glue is glue,” I shrugged, looking out the window as something caught the edge of my attention, but was gone too quick for me to process what it was.

“Hello… Earth to Mercy… what is up with you today?  You missed a perfectly good insult.”  Daphne seemed offended by my lack of offense.  

“What?  Sorry, I’ve been trying to decide what to do about Ben and Adam.  I mean I hate that Ben’s in the dark about what’s going on, and it’s not something I can really talk to him about over the phone.”  If I could even get him on the phone. 

“I thought you told Ben all about the angel stuff?”

“I did, I meant about what’s going on since then.” 

“Sam told me a little about what happened to you with the demons, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m alright.  It wasn’t exactly the most fun I’ve ever had, but I survived it, that’s all I can ask for, I guess.”  Knowing Sam only had part of the story, I filled her in on the most salient points of what had happened in Midian.  To her credit, Daphne didn’t interrupt me once, listening with rapt attention.  Though I did question whether or not I should have waited until she wasn’t driving before telling her, when she almost rear ended the car in front of us after traffic stopped suddenly. 

“And Ben doesn’t know about that part yet?”

“No, he knows about it.  He sorta flipped out when I told him last night and he walked out.”

“Ooh, that’s rough.  Maybe you guys can sort things out after he cools off a little bit?”

“That was my plan, but now… I don’t think things are salvageable, not anymore.”  It was getting easier to deal with the more I said it out loud, but I still wasn’t looking forward to the conversation.  I didn’t want him to hate me, and if I was him, I was pretty sure I’d hate me.

“Because of Adam?”

That’s why I love Daphne, she always sees to the heart of the matter.  “Adam is a big part of it, but not entirely.”  Things had started to self destruct with Ben before I gave myself to Adam, partly because I’d waited too long to bring Ben up to speed on what was going on. 

“Do you love him?”

“You know it’s crazy, but I do.  One minute he’s driving me insane with his obnoxious behavior and leaving me in a nest of demons and the next he’s telling me no man will ever love me the way he loves me.  It’s enough to turn my brain into oatmeal.  It’s… it’s almost demeaning for someone to have that much power over me.  But what can I do?  I’ve never felt like this about anyone before, Daphne, this goes way beyond puppy love.  What I feel for Adam is the real deal.”

“Actually, I meant Ben…”

“Oh.”  That brought me up short.

“There you go then, that must make things easier.  If you’re in love with Adam you can’t be with Ben anymore.”

I loved how simple that made it for her, and in a way I could agree it was.  But that didn’t mean I wasn’t in for a world of heartache with Adam if I let him become my whole life.  I did not want to sit around waiting for the time when he could come to me, living for my dreams.  It sounded inherently weak, and I hate any weakness within myself.  “Yeah, but he’s not here, he’s never here for me.  What kind of future is that?  Am I setting myself up for a great big letdown in pinning my hopes on a life with Adam?”

“You can’t help who you love, Mercy.”  Daphne gave a romantic sigh and I knew she wasn’t quite catching what my objections were all about.  I could easily picture her waiting forever and a day if that’s what it took to be with her true love.  Maybe she
was
the perfect match for Sam? 

The sound caught my attention again, louder that time and my head came up, looking for the source.  “Do you hear that?  Is your car making a weird noise?” 

“Hear what?”

I turned off the radio, listening carefully, but it didn’t sound like the kind of noise a car would make.  It sounded almost like…horns.  Rolling down the window the sound grew louder and I stuck my head outside like a dog on a trip to the park.  It was a long, steady note, like the call to a hunt rather than the melody of a song.  “There, do you hear it?  It’s like a horn blowing in the distance.”

“I don’t hear anything but the wind.”

“Seriously?  How can you not…” The note stopped and I scowled, my eyes starting to tear from the sting of the wind whipping past.  “It stopped.  Can you tell it stopped at least?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but you’re letting all the heat out, roll up the window.”  I did as she asked, but couldn’t help but feel a little… strange - as if I expected to hear the horns start up again any second.  “Are you going to talk to him then?”

“Talk to who?” I blinked, realizing I had no idea who she meant.

“Seriously, what is going on with you?  Are you sure they didn’t do something to you in the demon world?  Or maybe Azazael found a way to get into your brain and…”

“Shut up a minute…” My hand came up as the sound started up again, stronger that time.

“Nice!” Daphne’s cheeks turned pink with indignation but I was too busy trying to track the source of the sound. 

“Can you take the next exit?  That one?  Quick, quick, quick!”  I all but grabbed the wheel and Daphne wrenched it to the side, almost losing control of the car when she overcorrected and ended up on the shoulder. 

“What the hell?” she demanded but I was still focused on the sound.  And yes, I fully realize now that Adam’s behavior was starting to rub off on me.  My only defense is… okay, I have no defense, bond or no bond, I shouldn’t have been so rude to her.  All I knew was, I had to find the source of that horn.  It felt like it was calling directly to me.

“Turn right at the light, I think it’s coming from that direction.”  I pointed towards a copse of trees in the distance, beyond the city. 

“You want us to go to the park?”

“Um, yeah, to start with.”  My toes tapping with impatience, I just hoped we’d find it before the sound stopped again.

“What about shopping?”

“Will you forget about the stupid shopping?  This is important!” 

“Okay, okay, hold your horses, I can’t move any faster in this traffic,” she retorted and I realized I was acting like an asshat. 

“I’m sorry, I can’t explain it, I just
need
to get there.”  Once we were headed in the right direction, some of my agitation eased and I shot Daphne an apologetic look.

“I still have no idea what you’re hearing.  Maybe it’s like a sound only dogs can hear?”

Or angels.  Was I hearing something meant for angelic ears only?  “Keep going Daph, it feels like it’s coming from that park up ahead.”  Obediently she turned into the long driveway that led to the park nestled among the trees.  There was a small playground area with walking trails and a playing field that was mostly empty at that time of year.  A boat launch lay at the end of the road next to the lake.  “Down there, by the water.”  We were getting closer, I could feel it. 

As soon as she stopped the car, I threw open my door, freezing when the sound cut off abruptly.  “Damn it!”  I could still feel the pull even without the call of the horn.  It came from a small island in the center of the lake, about a hundred yards across the water.  Obscured by trees, I couldn’t see if there was anyone on the island itself or who was making all the racket.

“What’s the matter?” Daphne asked, getting out of the car.

“The horn stopped.”

“I don’t see anyone around.  Maybe whoever it was went home?”

“No… they’re out here somewhere.  I just have to find them.”

Chapter Sixteen

“Mercy, there’s nothing out here and it’s kinda cold,” Daphne hugged her arms close to her body.

“I have to get to that island.   I’m sure that’s where it came from.”  Only I had no idea how to get out there.  There were no boats around.  In fact, that entire area of the park was completely deserted.  I started down towards the water’s edge with no real plan in mind and Daphne chased after me.

“Mercy, you can’t… hey!”  Something in her voice made me turn back to look at her despite the pull to the island, and I saw her standing there frozen in place, a look of comical surprise on her face.

“What’s the matter?”

“I can’t… something is keeping me from going forward,” she frowned, backing up a step and trying again a foot over to the side.  “It’s like there’s an invisible wall.”

“Weird.”  I hurried back to her, crossing back and forth through the unseen barrier with no problems.  “Here, try taking my hand.”  I held my hand out but she shrank away from it.  “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t want to.  I feel a little strange, like… maybe we should get out of here.”

I looked between Daphne and the lure of the island, my feet already backing towards the water.  “I can’t, Daph.  I have to go and check it out.  Wait here for me and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“How are you going to get there?”

That was the million dollar question.  I didn’t fancy a swim in the cold November water but there didn’t seem to be another way to get over there.  It was a cinch any angels in the area would be using their wings, and I spared a moment to check the sky but it was too overcast to see much.  “Wait here and maybe have the heater going, okay?”  I sidled closer to the water.

“Are you crazy?  You’ll freeze to death if you go in the water!”

I didn’t know what else to do, so I ignored her, my foot squishing in the muddy rocks as I got right up to the water’s edge.  Preparing myself for the rush of cold water, it took me a few steps to realize I wasn’t sinking into the lake.  I stood on top of it.  With a gasp I froze, raising one foot and stomping it to see if it would splash, but nothing happened.  Chalk up another of my nearly useless party tricks, I could walk on water. 

Daphne didn’t start to notice until I was several feet out and I could hear her trying to get my attention from the shore.  Instead I forged on, not sure if it would last the entire time. I wanted to get as close to the island as possible before I accidentally plunged into the water.  With that thought in mind, I sprinted the last several yards until my feet were on solid ground again, digging the toes of my shoes into the dirt to satisfy that I was actually on the ground instead of hovering over it.

With a little wave to Daphne to let her know I’d arrived safely, I started into the trees, the call even stronger on that side of the water, even though I couldn’t hear the actual horn anymore. The island itself wasn’t huge, and I didn’t see any structures on it or a dock for boats to tie up there.  The trees were dense though, and I had to pick my way carefully through the underbrush as there were no trails to follow.

A rush of air was my only warning as Sam landed beside me.  “What are you doing here?”  I asked automatically, though I could guess he’d heard the same call as I did. 

“I could ask you the same question,” he replied, his voice hushed as he looked around carefully.

“I heard that sound, like a horn calling me, so I came to check it out.  It’s an angel thing, isn’t it?”

“You heard that?” he blinked.  “Nevermind.  Go home, Mercy.  You don’t belong here.”  Sam strode away from me at a brisk pace. 

Like I was gonna turn around and head for home.  He should have known me much better than that.  I chased after him, knowing instinctively he was headed in the right direction.  “What is it?  A meeting of the Fallen Angels Club and I can’t come?”

“Not fallen angels,” he said shortly and I could understand why he was so tense.  It was a meeting of the big boys, and I was strictly persona non grata with them. 

“What are you doing here then?”  He didn’t seem like the type to flaunt the rules.

“I am not joining them. I am merely trying to…”

“You’re spying!” I hissed back at him, tickled beyond belief to find he wasn’t above something petty like that, and a flush of color stole up the side of his cheeks. 

“I only want to know if their plans will affect those I care about.”

Me.  I could read that on his face plainly enough.  He wanted to know if they were holding a pow wow about my situation.  “Okay then, I’m coming too.”

“They will see you.”

“Not if I’m real sneaky like,” I grinned, slowing instinctively as the trees started to thin out. 

And then I spotted them.  Angels.  Gobs of ‘em.

A dozen or so angels stood alone or in pairs, chatting amiably like it was a church social.  Their auras gleamed against the gray, overcast day, casting the clearing in a halo of golden light almost as if it were a sunny day.  “Wow, what are they all doing here?” I whispered, ducking behind a tree.

“They came in response to Gabriel’s horn, as you and I did.”

That begged the question, “which one is Gabriel?”