Jude; The Fallen (The Fallen Series, Book 2) (18 page)

Avalon looked up from her notes with a glare. “You’re rushing off, and you don’t even know where, Cori. That won’t do you any good if you have no idea where you should be looking.” She walked over and pointed to a diagram in one of the open books. “Here. The tomb complex in Amarna. That’s where Akhenaten was found. There are three side chambers, and it is speculated that Meketaten was buried in one of them. It’s fact that remnants of her sarcophagus were found in the royal tomb.”

Coriander sighed, leaning over the book. “I don’t understand. It’s recorded fact. Why would he take Ash here? Somewhere so easy to find? Somewhere already discovered?”

Avalon placed a hand over her arm. “I don’t know. It is the most obvious. But what about the other side chambers? Is it possible that there’s another that isn’t recorded? We’ve been over all of this,” she said, gesturing a hand to the pile of books, “and this has to be where he means.” She shook her head. “The only possibility is another chamber. A secret chamber. That has to be it.”

Coriander straightened. “It’s about five hours to Amarna from Cairo. If we leave as soon as possible, that still gives us time. But what if we’re wrong, and he’s got her someplace else? What if he,” her voice cracked, “kills her before I can get there? Before I can even try to exchange her for the amulet?”

Avalon’s voice was gentle, but firm. “You don’t have a choice.”

“I’m scared, Lon. So fucking scared.”

“Language,” her sister huffed, sliding an arm around her. “We’re all scared, sweetie. For you and for Ash. So go, but promise me you will stop and think before rushing off on a tangent.” Avalon’s arm tightened, pulling her closer. “You can do this. This is who you are. You find things. You’ll find Ash. You’ll bring her home.”

Coriander wiped the tears that leaked from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. “Yeah,” she sniffed. “We’ll bring her home.”

Coriander paused from her packing to look up and find Jude resting against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest. “You packed?” she asked. “I’m just about ready to leave.”

“Yeah, I’m good.” He came inside and sat down at the foot of the bed, his expression quiet.

She kneeled down to reach underneath the bed, and pulled out a heavy lockbox, placing it next to her duffel. She fished the key out of the pocket of her cargo pants and unlocked the box, breathing out a heavy sigh as she picked up the amulet from its resting place.

“This is what he wants,” she said softly, fastening the chain around her neck. “This is what he’s willing to kill my baby for.”

“Yes.”

She sniffled, fighting back the tears that sprang to her eyes. “It’s a demon, isn’t it? This
man
, this thing—he’s a demon, right?”

“Yes.” Jude shifted back on the bed and crossed his ankles. “Not your garden variety, I’ll give you that, but yes, probably a higher-ranking demon.”

“Like the other one?” She couldn’t bring herself to mention the whore’s name. “The one who went after Seph?” Jude nodded. “Why?” she whispered. “Why is this happening?”

“I wish I knew,” Jude said softly, reaching for her.

She allowed him to pull her close, winding her arms around his shoulders, letting her fingers dig into his skin as if she could draw his strength out through her fingertips. The contact was warm and comforting. He rested his head beneath her breasts, pressing his cheek to her abdomen.

“I’ll give it up if I have to. If it means her life, I will.”

Jude sighed against her and squeezed harder. “Do you know what it does? The amulet?”

“No.” She pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “At this point, I don’t even care. Nothing matters to me more than Ash.”

He pulled back and stared up at her with a frown. “You can’t give it up. We can’t let them win. You said yourself you don’t know what it does. All we know is that it’s important to the Dark, important enough for them to use Ash as a bargaining chip. Have you given any thought as to why that is?

“I don’t care. I just want her home.”

His jaw tightened. “It must be powerful, ” he said roughly. “Think, Cori. First, it’s Persephone they want. Now, it’s something connected with you—her sister. There’s a bigger plan on the horizon and we have no idea what that is. We’re behind the eight ball,and right now that thing around your neck is upping the stakes on a game we don’t know the rules to.”

She shook her head. “I told you I don’t care about any of that.”

His hands dug into her hips. “All I’m saying is that if push comes to shove and Ash is the difference between keeping that thing or letting them have it for Christ only knows what—” He broke off, closing his eyes for a moment. He breathed out slowly and looked back at her. “You just need to be prepared. In any eventuality.”

Jude’s words burned in her chest with an agonizing truth she couldn’t bring herself to accept. Coriander let her hands fall from his neck and stepped back to glare at him. “He can’t have Ash,” she said through clenched teeth. “I don’t care if I have to give up every relic I’ve ever found. I don’t care if it wants to tear me limb from limb and roast me over open coals while jacking off over a Bible. I don’t care if I have to sacrifice the lot of you at the feet of Satan himself.” Her hands curled into fists. “My baby comes home.”

He reached out and snagged her hand. “And I’m going to do my best to see that you both come home safe and sound. I just don’t want you heading out into this without thinking about every possibility.” Jude brought her hand to his cheek and leaned into her palm. “I’ve dealt with my fair share of the Brimstone Brigade and have seen firsthand how nasty it can get. I—”

“So have I.”

His face twisted in confusion. “What?”

“Demons,” she affirmed. “I’ve seen one before.”

Jude pulled her down to sit beside him on the bed. “When?” he asked, taking her hands in his.

“A demon killed my parents.”

The big angel’s eyes went wide as his mouth fell open. “What?” he repeated. “Are—are you sure?”

“Sharp teeth, burning yellow eyes, out for blood? Ring a bell?” He nodded, dumbstruck. “I was little, three or four, out with my parents. It was dark and we were on our way home, just walking, when it came out of the shadows and tried to grab me.” Coriander heard her voice go hollow as the memory returned. She swallowed. “It was awful. I remember screaming and my mother, my real mother, trying to push me behind her. It grabbed her and ripped her throat out. It all happened so fast—it was so loud, her screams, and my father yelling to draw its attention. It had giant claws and smelled like death.” She paused and took a breath. “My father died screaming my name.”

Jude’s arm curled around her. “How did you survive?”

She lifted her face to crack a half-hearted smile. “Have you met Khemrhy?” Coriander’s smile grew as she watched the recognition fall into place on his face. “She’s one powerful lady.”

“She saved you, then what? Took you home?”

Coriander nodded and sighed. “Yep. Like a stray cat. She saved us all, you know. Me, Persephone, Teraslynn, and Avalon. We’re all orphans.” She shrugged. “Well, were, at any rate. We’re our own kind of family.”

He chuckled. “I’ve noticed.”

She stood up and zipped the duffel, shoving the lockbox back under the bed. “I can’t promise anything,” she said, looking him in the eye. “When it comes to Ashtiru, I’ll do anything I have to in order to get her back.”

Jude grabbed her face and pulled it down to his for a slow, tender kiss. When they broke apart, he rested his forehead on hers, breathing out softly over her parted lips. “I know. And I meant what I said. I’ll do whatever it takes so that you don’t have to.” He kissed her again, a loud smack of lips on lips, and headed for the door. “I’ll get my stuff. Meet you downstairs.”

She watched him go and reached for the strap of the duffel bag, swinging it over her shoulder. He danced around it, but she knew what he was thinking. That if there was an exchange to be made, it wouldn’t be a necklace for a live Ashtiru; it would be the other way around. Her hand curled over the amulet. If one hair was out of place on her little girl’s head, then God help them all, because nothing would hold her back. Not demons. Not angels. Not the Almighty himself. Nothing.

Jude stepped off the landing into the living room to find all eyes staring at him. He squared his shoulders and gripped his bag tighter as he made his way to the front door. Winston stood by the door, crisp with propriety, but the older man’s face was lined with sorrow.

“Your taxi is waiting, Master Jude.”

He nodded as the three sisters rushed past him to attack Coriander as she descended the stairs. The women threw arms around one another in a barrage of hugs and kisses, the sounds of feminine voices echoing through the room. He turned back around to give them their moment when Lucius stepped in front of him, flanked by Mordecai and Elijah.

“Are you sure about this?” his leader asked. “If you want us to go with you, all you have to do is ask. We’ll be there for you, you know that.”

“Thanks, but I think you all know this ball game is mine to lose,” Jude said. He cracked a wan smile. “And you know how I hate to lose.”

Lucius nodded. “Just putting it out there.”

“I know.”

“I have—
We
have faith in you, brother,” Lucius replied. “Just get back here in one piece, okay?”

“Yeah, about that. On the off chance I don’t make it back…well, we had a good run, didn’t we?”

“The best,” Mordecai offered as Elijah shot him a thumbs up.

Jude grinned at them. “Boss,” he said, turning to Lucius, “just so you know, if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’d follow you to the last, you know that, right?”

“Yeah,” Lucius said. “Yeah, I know. Now get the hell out of here.”

“Right,” he said, moving to the door as Coriander came up behind him. Coriander had soft words and hugs for Lucius, Mordecai, and Elijah, before shuffling to enfold Winston in a giant embrace.

“Coriander.” Alex’s voice trembled as he stood up from the sofa. She turned, but did not go to him. “Bring her back.” She gave him a stiff nod and went out through the open door.

Faint blue light pulsed over Alex’s head, and Jude found his feet steering him in the direction of the Anubis. He came face to face with Alex, and for the first time, felt no animosity toward the tall, dark-haired man. Alex looked him over, assessing him before speaking.

“Promise me you’ll bring them home,” Alex said, his voice catching on the last word.

Jude grinned. “Only if you promise you’ll never drop trou in front of me again.” He let out a mock shudder. “Because no one should be subjected to that. Ever.”

Alex chuckled as he offered his hand. “Deal.”

Jude took it, gritting his teeth against the flash of pain that went up his forearm. He gave Alex a quick nod and followed Coriander outside. In a few hours, they would be on the ground in Egypt and the search would be on. He refused to look back at the house as they drove away, instead reaching out to clasp Coriander’s hand. Jude brought it to his lips and kissed it, forcing the thought of everything but the feel of her skin out of his mind.

Chapter Ten

“This is not a hotel.”

Jude stepped out of the cab and peered up at the giant edifice, the setting sun reflecting off the large beige stones.