Dark Angel: Halo Effect, #3

Dark Angel

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By

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Stephanie Bedwell-Grime

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Copyright © 2014 Stephanie Bedwell-Grime

All rights reserved.

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Published by Feral Martian Publishing

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Dedication

For the angels we lost: Mom, Susan, Mary.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

About the Author

Previous Publication

Dark Angel © 2014 by Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, originally published by Ellora’s Cave, July 2014.

Chapter One

It’s never a good thing to find someone following you down a dark alley, especially on Valentine’s Day.

I cast a quick glance over my shoulder at the extremely tall figure in the black cloak. The shadow of its voluminous hood hid its facial features, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out it stood far too tall to be human. Its long strides practically ate up the ground beneath it. I hurried my pace as much as I could without breaking into a flat-out run. Up ahead, the laneway branched into another alley. When I turned that corner, I’d have a split second’s advantage. If I made it that far.

The crunch of its boots against the snow-covered pavement echoed off the nearby brick walls. Puffs of its hot breath lingered in the air like ghosts. I thumbed the sample button on my locator. Sure enough, its signature wasn’t human. In dismay, I looked at the red blip on the locator’s screen. That blinking red light had almost overtaken my green one.

Giving up all pretense, I broke into a run. Footfalls like rapid gunfire followed me. I’d almost reached the corner where the laneway branched out. I groped for my discourager, ready to draw and send a bolt of energy into whatever followed me around that bend.

A bony hand gripped my shoulder, yanking me backward.

Twisting, I broke its grasp and darted away. The ground beneath us was icy and I decided to use that to my advantage. I kicked out, catching my would-be captor behind the knees. I heard a grunt of pain as it fell hard.

I pulled my discourager from its holster and took aim. Don’t move. Bracing my feet against the slippery pavement, I prepared to shoot at point-blank range.

Please don’t shoot. His low, scratchy voice held a note of panic. Still lying on the frozen ground, he raised both hands. As the long sleeves of his robe slid back far enough to expose his bony wrists, a white parchment envelope slid from one hand.

I looked down into a skeletal bone-white face. Dark eyes gleamed at me in the alley’s wan light. Ferryman. One of my dad’s colleagues, but not anyone I knew.

I lowered the discourager, but didn’t put it away. Why were you following me?

His dark eyes fastened on the weapon. I shoved it back into its holster. After all, I didn’t want to be shooting one of Dad’s coworkers by accident. And I could draw it again fast enough if he actually meant me harm.

He lowered one of his hands and slid the envelope toward me. I wanted to give you this.

Surprised, I bent and reached for the envelope. I couldn’t make out what was written on the front in the dimness of the alleyway, but it looked suspiciously like the envelope was covered in little pink hearts.

His package delivered and after deciding I wasn’t going to shoot him, the ferryman climbed awkwardly to his feet and limped away, muttering something unflattering about angels.

And here I’d thought it was going to be a slow shift.

I tilted the envelope up to the light. The return address read Charon the Ferryman. My dad. But why would Dad be sending me a letter?

I glanced around the alley. Nothing moved. Snow-covered recycling bins took up one side of a nearby wall. They formed enough of a barrier to hide my activities. I’d come here to take a quick locator jaunt back up to Alex’s penthouse on the waterfront without anyone watching me become incorporeal. Who knew a ferryman would follow me into the shadows?

The alley’s chill told me the sun had long dipped below the horizon. Night came early in the dead of winter in the northern hemisphere. I decided to call it a day.

I input coordinates for Alex’s apartment and became corporeal in his front hall. Glancing down, I realized I was standing on a bunch of envelopes and flyers the letter carrier had deposited through the mail slot.

I reached down and picked them up. On the top of the pile lay an orange-and-black flyer that promised that Armageddon would be arriving on March twelfth. I shook my head. A bit late for that. The Apocalypse had almost made an appearance last summer.

Taking the letters into Alex’s kitchen, I set them on the counter and turned the envelope the ferryman had given me over in my hands. It did have little pink hearts all over it. With a shrug I slid a fingernail under the fold in the parchment envelope. The blood-red invitation tumbled into my hands. That’s when the bottom of the world fell out.

The words engagement party danced before my eyes.

My first thought? I didn’t know anyone getting engaged. Most of Alex’s friends had already married. Most of mine were determinedly single. My second thought—I had nothing to wear.

And then I looked closer...

Armageddon wasn’t coming on March twelfth. Instead it had arrived on Valentine’s Day.

You are cordially invited to attend an engagement party in honor of Lilitu and Charon, the invitation read. I didn’t even look at the date. The thought My dad is getting married rang over and over in my head like a gong. Followed by Who in hell is Lilitu? I didn’t even know he’d been dating anyone.

Until now, I’d been looking forward to my first Valentine’s Day on Earth. In Heaven, all departments usually got pressed into service helping Cupid. As head of the cherubim, it was a busy day for him as he paired up millions of would-be lovers. The rest of us tried to help the more clueless ones from making mistakes of a lifetime.

I’d been looking forward to dinner with Alex and perhaps even some wilting flowers and a paper card...among other things. But news of Dad’s engagement to a complete stranger put a bit of a damper on my mood.

I glanced at the clock. I had a few minutes before Alex was due home. Even though he was working the late shift, he’d gone to the twenty-four-hour market for dinner fixings. It was Valentine’s Day, he’d said. He intended to make me a gourmet meal, which was probably a good thing since my cooking was a health hazard. I debated putting a locator call through to Hades to ask my dad what was going on, but there was one person who really ought to have the inside scoop. Cupid.

Most of the proposals would have been accepted or rejected by now. Hearts would be lifted or broken. Cupid would be off duty. I had to know whether he’d had anything to do with Lilitu and my dad. And if he had...

I stormed down the hall and into the bedroom. Flinging open the closet doors, I snatched my flight suit from the hanger and quickly changed into it. My spare locator lay where I’d left it, hidden in my sweater drawer. I dialed the coordinates for Cupid’s place.

My stomach protested at the sudden change in planes of existence. I should have left Alex a note. The thought faded as I crashed into Cupid’s red-velvet living room.

I ducked just in time to avoid banging my head on the low ceiling. Over the years I’d spent enough time there—I really ought to know by now. Still, it had been a while since Cupid and I had hung out together at his place. Adjusting to a whole apartment scaled down to suit Cupid’s diminutive size took some doing.

I glanced around the room in horror. It looked as if someone had tossed the entire pink-and-red apartment. An empty bottle of champagne lay on its side on the floor by the red velvet loveseat. A fluffy red robe had been thrown on the couch. One of his white heart-shaped pillows had tumbled to the floor. I could see chocolate smears on the fuchsia shag carpet. Those stains had likely come from a box of chocolates shaped like a giant heart. I noted most of them had been eaten.

A loud moan drew my attention back to the loveseat. A head of blond curls poked out from beneath the fluffy robe.

Porsche? He slurred my name.

I knelt by the couch and helped him sit up. His bow tumbled from his hand to land on the carpet. I pulled a golden arrow out from beneath the loveseat’s cushions.

Oh no, Cupid. You promised me you wouldn’t drink and shoot.

He gazed up at me, a stupid smile on his cherubic face. But that’s when I get my best ideas.

Like my dad and Lilitu? I just blurted it out. I couldn’t help it. Nor could I stop the ice from leaking into my tone.

His blue eyes narrowed. Oh no, you can’t pin that one on me. I had nothing to do with that. Suddenly he seemed a lot more sober.

Hold that thought...

I winked back to Alex’s apartment long enough to make coffee. By the time I returned with a mug of the steaming brew, Cupid was sitting upright.

Did you know about it? I demanded before he could make any more excuses.

I only recently found out.

And you didn’t tell me?

I was trying to figure out a way.

A way? I reached over and snagged myself a couple of chocolates from the box. Regrettably the champagne bottle was empty. What’s wrong with ‘Hey Porsche, by the way, your dad’s been getting some serious action down in Hell while you’ve been busy here on Earth’?

I stopped, feeling suddenly guilty. I had been busy. A huge amount of my attention had been stolen by preventing the Apocalypse. I hadn’t had much time to spend with my dad. It had been a while since I’d dropped by to see him. Now that I was living on Earth, it was difficult for him to visit me.

Didn’t think you’d like it much if I said it that way. Cupid motioned for me to hand him the box of chocolates. I snagged another one for myself as I passed it over.

I sat down on the floor and leaned back against the loveseat. Cupid put the box down on the cushions and perched on the side. A long sigh racked his small frame. I don’t mean to be harsh, Porsche, but you have your own life on Earth. It’s only fair that your dad has a life too.

I’m supposed to be a part of his life. I sounded whiny even to my own ears. I haven’t even met Lilitu. I don’t want a-a, I could barely choke out the word, stepmother.

So go visit your dad in Hades. Meet the new... Apparently he couldn’t say it either. Or else he didn’t want to upset me further. Person in your dad’s life.

I reached over him and plucked another chocolate from the box. If I ate any more I’d ruin my dinner. The dinner Alex was likely already cooking for me and wondering where I was. Well, I can’t go tonight.

Cupid choked on the chocolate he was chewing. He reached for a half-full champagne glass on the red-heart-shaped end table and swallowed the rest of its contents. No, tonight’s probably not a good idea.

I groaned, realizing what I’d just said. The last thing I wanted was to meet my dad’s new...whatever when they were getting cozy on Valentine’s Day. I’d better get back. Alex is making me dinner.

To his credit, Cupid didn’t say anything sarcastic to that. He and Alex had never gotten along. Cupid called him A Very Bad Idea. But lately, for my sake, they’d called a truce. I didn’t want to ruin the tentative peace.

I stood and pulled my locator off its belt clip. We’ll have to finish this conversation another time.

Cupid busied himself selecting yet another chocolate. If we must.

I dialed coordinates for Alex’s apartment into the locator. My finger hovered above the button. My mom’s not seeing anyone, is she?

That brought his head up sharply. He froze, the chocolate halfway to his mouth. Not that I know of.

My finger hit the button. As I became incorporeal, I realized he hadn’t quite answered the question. Cupid might not know, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t assigned the case to another of the cherubim. A more disturbing thought occurred to me. Is that what he’d done with my dad and Lilitu?

* * * * *

Alex jumped as I materialized in the kitchen, nearly knocking a pot from the stove. I’ll never get used to you doing that.

The smell of garlic and tomato sauce permeated the kitchen. My stomach rumbled. I clipped my locator back on my belt and leaned against the counter. Sorry. I should have left you a note.

That would have been nice. Alex poured pasta from the colander onto a couple of plates.

I held up the bottle of champagne Cupid had found under his loveseat. I brought champagne.

Alex’s eyes brightened at the peace offering. He reached for the sauce. It smelled divine. I reached out a finger for a taste.

He grabbed the tip of my finger and turned it away. Watch it, it’s hot. And no sampling before dinner.

I put the champagne on the counter and gave him my best pout. It didn’t garner any sympathy. He covered the pasta with that wonderful-smelling sauce and took the plates into the dining room. I followed him. Candles glowed on either side of a vase of red roses. A bottle of red wine stood beside two crystal glasses. The Valentine’s Day I’d looked forward to. I should have stayed at home. I should have left my information-gathering mission for tomorrow.

Alex put the plates on the table and turned to face me, hands on his hips. What was so important that you had to go rushing out tonight? His dark brows drew together with worry. Not— He