Authors: Dylan Quinn
I’d called Lucci to break the bad news, but she was adamant I come see her, probably to change my mind.
If only I had a choice.
Cade and Raz were clear that whatever free will I had left was wiped out when the Fallen dagger pierced my skin.
My mortal existence was officially terminated.
There was some demonic pus growing inside me that would either kill me or turn me as evil as Lilith, eliminating any chance of ever reuniting with Cade.
Today was a very bad day.
Cade and Remie walked us inside, but I insisted they wait in the foyer of the music building while Phoebe and I went upstairs. This whole thing was a hard enough pill to swallow, I didn’t need Cade hovering, reminding me how much I was sacrificing for him.
The hallways were empty except for a couple guys who walked past the elevator when the doors opened.
Labor Day weekend was a strange time to visit Northwestern, there was nobody here. Not quite sure why Lucci was. We could have just met her at Starbucks.
We got to Lucci’s office. Her door was locked, and she wasn’t there.
“She said two-thirty, right?” Phoebe asked.
I nodded, which sent a shooting pan through my shoulder. The longer this went on, the more it hurt.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, just sore.” I rotated my arm, which only made it worse.
This sucks.
We waited for a few minutes. I sent Lucci a text but didn’t get a response. I peeked into the window to spy through the blinds, but the lights were off. I grabbed my phone to call, when Lucci rushed up behind me.
"Sorry I'm late, holiday traffic is awful." She unlocked the door, and ushered us inside. "Where’s your boyfriend?”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Good. I don't think he's a good influence on you."
"Cade’s just—overprotective. He didn't want me making a decision without thinking about it first."
"So who is this guy, then?" She eyed me curiously. "He seemed like an overbearing boyfriend to me."
"Well, he's not." He wasn't technically. I wasn't sure what to call him to a human. She wouldn't understand anyway. "We're just—” I looked to Phoebe for answers, but she shrugged. "I guess we're talking. Getting to know each other."
Lucci nodded and squinted her eyes like she was trying to judge my answer.
"There's no room for boyfriends at this stage. Love can come later. You’ll have plenty of time for that nonsense once you’ve launched your career." She moved forward and narrowed her eyes. "You want this, yes? This recording contract?"
I stared blankly.
"Don't do something stupid you'll regret. Take this opportunity. You start next week."
Pain rushed through my shoulder as I jerked at next week. The realization that this was never going to happen sunk in, and I fought back the tears welling in my eyes.
"I was trying to tell you on the phone. My—I need to leave town for a while. Something came up. I can't really explain."
She glared, and Phoebe grabbed my hand to give me courage.
"What could possibly have come up to change your mind about this?”
I guess I had to make up some excuse that would satisfy her. "I'm—uh, sick. I need to go home to see a specialist."
She tilted her head, and her eyebrows drew together. "What do you mean, sick? Don't lie to me."
"I have this weird infection, and I need to see a specialist in New York. I won't be back this semester.”
"Well." She shifted in her chair, put her hands on her desk, and tapped her fingers in a weird thumping cadence. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm not sure Sam or Chase will wait around for you. You need to be very clear this is your decision. Opportunities like this don't come around every day."
I meant to tell her I would stay—that this is what I wanted, but I couldn't, and the throbbing in my shoulder reminded me why.
"I understand. And it kills me this happened, but it’s this or I—or I'll not get to come back to Chicago." I squeezed Phoebe's hand and pulled myself up off the chair. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Lucci stood and circled around her desk. "You know I'm just looking out for you, right? I’d hate to see you throw away this opportunity. Especially over some crush. I saw how he handled you at the lounge, Zoe. That’s not healthy."
I tilted my head up to the ceiling and blew out a breath.
"It's not a crush, and he's not the reason. I really have this weird infection. Wanna see? It needs to be cleared before I can exert myself."
She didn’t believe me.
It was written all over her face, but there was nothing else I could say. And really, none of this mattered anyway.
I twisted my ring, curious what it would take to get me out of this as it warmed the skin surrounding my finger.
"Okay, well you go take care of yourself and call me as soon as you return. I'll see what I can do about getting Sam to wait for you to get back."
Phoebe and I got up to leave. "I'll call you when I get home."
Lucci shook her head and closed the door behind her.
We headed down the dim hallway to the elevator. While we waited for the door to open, my phone buzzed.
Cade: Is everything all right? There’s a storm coming.
Me:Be right there.
The elevator door opened, and we got in.
The door started to close, then Phoebe grabbed my arm and tightened her grip like a vice.
A large hand stuck into the elevator, pulling open the door.
"Hello princess."
Oh. Shit.
Phoebe's eyes went wide, and her mouth popped open as all the blood drained from her cheeks. She stumbled back into the wall and pulled me with her.
I steadied my feet, then whipped around at the familiar voice.
“Afternoon, ladies.” Azriel beamed.
Another guy stood beside him. Fangs popped through his gums. Black eyes. Dirty aura.
Demon.
“Zoe.” Phoebe screamed as the demon made to grab her.
I pushed her back and stood between them, knowing she’d never survive a Fallen dagger.
The demon shoved me out of the way, and cornered Phoebe, then plunged a knife toward her.
Phoebe let out a whimper, then crumbled to the floor.
“Phoebe.” I cried out.
In a second, Azriel threw me over his shoulder, opened some wind portal and pulled us through as my best friend faded from view.
Cade
It had been nearly ten minutes since Zoe messaged me.
She should have arrived by now.
Remie and I waited in the foyer of the music building.
It was deserted, so quiet, we could hear our anxious hearts thumping within our chests.
I paced the tiled floors and checked my watch every few minutes, waiting for Zoe and Phoebe to exit the elevator.
Clicks from the clocks above our heads grew deafening, and my patience dissipated.
"Something's wrong." Remie rushed to the elevator, frantically pushing the buttons.
Julian and Nate rushed in the front door and caught up to us.
"Been a breach, boss. Where are the girls?" Julian asked.
"Fourth floor," Remie said.
I couldn’t manage words.
Zoe’s gone.
I felt her absence immediately.
"Nate, stay here with Cade. I'll take Remie, and we'll fetch the girls."
I began to protest, but Julian interrupted me. "Cade, you're vulnerable."
"I don't care," I growled. "I'm coming."
We all ran up the stairs to the fourth floor. The elevator was there, and the doors stood open.
Blood covered the floor beneath Phoebe, and she lay still and unconscious.
"Phoebe!" Remie rushed to her side.
She’d been stabbed in the abdomen, her shirt saturated and stained crimson.
Remie dropped to his knees and gathered Phoebe into his arms. "No, no, no. Please baby, wake up." He cried, held her close, and rocked back and forth.
Julian checked down both sides of the floors.
"Julian?” My hands shook. My heart was in my stomach.
"I can't sense her either. Call Raz, he’ll need to heal Phoebe.” Julian set his hands on my shoulder. “I'll bring back our girl. I swear." He nodded, opened up a bridge, then he and Nate shimmied through it, disappearing into the air.
Minutes later, Raz arrived through a portal of his own. He kneeled beside Remie and Phoebe.
"May I?"
Remie nodded.
Raz lifted Phoebe's shirt to see her wound. It was a clean cut to her side, and thankfully, no Fallen residue. He held his hands over her stomach as his healing light overtook the wound.
Once she began to heal, Raz moved his hands to her forehead, closed his eyes, and chanted beneath his breath.
A moment later, his eyes sprung open, and a strange expression crossed his face. One I was unfamiliar with.
"She’ll be all right, son. Let's take her back to Cade's. We’ll watch over her there until she’s ready to travel home.”
I couldn’t leave. I had to find Zoe, but there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t protect her in my near-human state, and now she’d likely been taken back to the dark realm with a Fallen infection—one that could consume her soul any day now.
Nobody could sense Zoe now. Not me. Not Julian. Not even Raz, and I was left to bear the burden of my error in solitude.
Despite my better judgment, I allowed the girls to go alone. Now Phoebe was injured, and Zoe had vanished.
And I couldn’t save her.
Cade
Weeks had passed, but Zoe was still missing.
Phoebe had healed, and Remie accompanied her home to New York, where she would stay indefinitely.
Nate’s Gemini was sent along to keep watch over Phoebe, which made Remie feel a little better leaving her to return to Chicago and assist us in finding Zoe.
We needed all the forces we could get.
Eternals and Angels all over the world searched for Chayah, following leads, chasing demon and Fallen breaches, but in the weeks that had passed, nothing led to anything solid.
Despite all our connections, for the first time in history, we’d lost our upper hand against the darkness.
And I was a disaster.
Human. My strength waned, my immortality dissipated with every day that passed, and I couldn’t even accompany the Eternals on missions any longer.
There was nothing I could do to save my Gemini.
It was in the Eternals’ hands now.
Julian and Nate were expected back at any time. Raz sent them with Micah and Rainah on a mission to retrieve information from our latest lead—our last hope in finding Zoe before taking drastic measures.
So far, every lead turned into a dead end.
No Angel or demon knew where Zoe was.
Remie and Raz sat on the couch, talking quietly about Phoebe. Raz had discovered something about her when he healed her, though he would never reveal it. Another of Raz's gifts was seeing into those he touched. His omniscience was used in the book he gave me thousands of years ago to help Eve and I survive outside Eden. The funny thing was he knew everything, but he would seldom share his secrets.
Even the Angel of Wisdom couldn’t find my Gemini.
I sat at the piano to distract myself while I waited for word from the Eternals.
Pressing the keys, I tried recalling Zoe’s song. The one she’d written for me when she first received the instrument so many years ago. I closed my eyes and played it from memory. It had been ages since I played, but Zoe’s love tugged the song from my soul.
I needed my Gemini.
Raz and Remie exchanged hugs, then Remie returned to the spare room, and Raz came over and sat on the bench beside me.
"None of this makes sense anymore. Where’s Zoe, and why can’t we sense her?"
"I don't have the answer to that, Cade. We should be hearing from Julian soon, find out what they know."
"Why did I allow her to go alone? I should have anticipated she could be attacked. She’s even more vulnerable now with the Fallen wound. What will happen if we can’t get to her in time? Or if we can’t heal her? If this was Lilith's doing, so help me—"
“Of course it’s Lilith. That much, I know for certain.”
Lilith.
Her name alone now brought rage to every bone in my weakened body.
She was so arrogant and self-serving. Refused to follow laws if they didn’t suit her agenda.
And there was never a rule that suited her.
Over the years, she took to seeking revenge. For what, I was never sure. Lilith’s hunger for power compelled her to seek control, and when she couldn’t have it with me, she sought it elsewhere. Yet she always returned. Once the Gemini Doctrine was initiated, it became a game.
A game I would never allow her to win.
Until now.
From the beginning, I knew Lilith and I would never be more than cohabitants. I merely tolerated her out of duty, but I never loved her.
Never loved at all before Eve.
Then one day I fell asleep, alone and empty, and I woke beside Chayah. Complete.
She was beautiful and innocent. I loved her instantly. And her love for me was faithful. Loyal, and it flowed through every bone and nerve within us both. She would always be the best part of me—of my past as Adam and my metamorphosis into Cade.
Eve was the love of Adam’s life.
Zoe is the love of mine.
Just then the door sprung open, and Julian and Nate came in, with Micah and Rainah in tow.
I stood and stepped toward them.
The look on Julian’s face said it all.
“I’m sorry, boss. We got nothing.”
I closed my eyes, blew out a breath then looked to Raz.
My choice was clear.
A sacrifice would be made—to save Chayah's life and recompense for all she had surrendered for mine.
Raz nodded, understanding my intentions before I made them known.
I looked to Julian. “You know how to find Lilith? Azriel?”
Julian’s expression fell, but he closed his eyes and nodded.
“Yeah, boss. I know how to find her.”