She felt sick to her stomach. Making it worse was the fact that she just now understood that this was about more than her and her mother. Eidolon’s knowledge of her situation could get him put to death.
“Have there been any more angel sightings?”
He inclined his head. “Bane confronted one in the parking lot this morning. I just got done healing his broken jaw.”
Ah, gods. “I’m so sorry, Eidolon. I’ve put your hospital and clinic at risk,” she said. “I’ll go as soon as I can pack my desk up —”
“The hell you will. We need you.”
“But my presence is causing trouble, and it’s only going to get worse.”
He laughed. “It’s almost like you haven’t worked here for decades. This place is practically fueled by trouble. Or have you never met my siblings? And mate. And in-laws. I could go on.” He shoved the sandwich aside and rested his forearms on the desk, clasping his hands as he leaned toward her. “Look, Blaspheme, we take care of our own here. If I truly think the hospital or clinic is at risk, we’ll make other arrangements. But one thing we don’t do is abandon our own. You’re family, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”
For all of Blaspheme’s life, her mother had stressed that the two of them were the only family each other had. Blas had believed it. But at some point, the staff at Underworld General had become her family as well, and hearing Eidolon say that made the outside world seem a little less scary.
“But what about Reaver?” she asked, speaking of scary. “He’s your family, too, and if he finds out what I am, he’ll kill me.”
“We don’t know that. He has a tendency to not follow the herd when it comes to protocol. But when and if he learns what you are, let me worry about that. I’ll handle Reaver. Now,” he said, “how long until your enchantment wears off?”
“Could be any day,” she said miserably. “My mother said that once my vyrm powers start appearing, my False Angel aura will disappear completely, and my true identity will be visible to every angel and fallen angel who sees me.” She looked up at him. “You’re aware that if you turn me in, you will be awarded more riches than you can count.”
“I know.”
“And if you don’t turn me in and it can be proven that you were harboring a known vyrm, you will face more tortures than you can count before your own species Council kills you.”
“Are you trying to talk me out of helping you? Because it won’t work.”
“I’m just making sure you understand the risks.”
“I was a Justice Dealer before I became a physician. I’m well aware of the consequences of my actions. So let’s not talk about it again, shall we?” At her reluctant nod, he continued. “So what have you got planned to renew your cover? Another Fallen Angel sacrifice?”
Ugh. The very idea made her want to scream. “My mother is planning on it, but I won’t do it.”
“Why not?” He gestured to the fruit, but she shook her head.
“I won’t sacrifice an innocent.”
He plucked a grape from the container of fruit. “There’s no such thing as an innocent False Angel.”
“So you’re saying you think I should do it?” she asked, incredulous.
“No.” He popped the grape into his mouth and chewed slowly before continuing. “I’m saying I’d understand if you did. Do you have another plan?”
She blew out a long breath. “I’ve spent decades researching an alternative, but haven’t found anything.”
“I’ve done a little research myself,” he said, stunning her. He’d been trying to help already? “I haven’t found much information on vyrm, probably because they’re usually killed before they reach adulthood. But I did find this.” He slid a piece of paper at her.
She frowned as she studied the writing. “It’s a ritual of permanent alteration.”
“It supposedly works only on fallen angels, but maybe since you’re half fallen angel, it’ll work for you, too. Apparently, the spell will turn a fallen angel into any species of demon as long as they have the right ingredients.”
She kept reading, her hope growing… and then crashing. “What it requires… it doesn’t make sense. The essence of death? What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t know.” He ran a frustrated hand through his short hair, leaving unruly tufts behind. If there was anything Eidolon hated more than not knowing something, she couldn’t say what. “But I don’t think what I found was the complete ritual.”
“Where did you find this? The hospital’s library? One of your Justice Dealer contacts?” She lowered her voice, realizing the ridiculousness of doing so, given they were in a private office. But better safe than sorry. “An evil sorcerer?”
He shrugged. “Demonic Spells dot com.”
She stared. “Seriously?”
“Yep.” He popped another grape, and she heard the seeds crack as he chewed. “But it’s just an excerpt from a larger tome. I couldn’t find the title, but it appears to be a necromancer spellbook. I have Wraith working on it. He can locate almost anything, but until he knows what, exactly, he’s looking for, he’s sort of chasing ghosts.”
Necromancer magic wasn’t something to be trifled with, but at this point, she was running out of options. And actually, she knew a certain Seminus demon doctor whose background in necromancy and fetish for False Angels might pay off. Bane, buddy, you might just become my best friend today. She made a mental note to give him a call as soon as she was finished here.
“Have there been any more angel sightings?”
He inclined his head. “Bane confronted one in the parking lot this morning. I just got done healing his broken jaw.”
Ah, gods. “I’m so sorry, Eidolon. I’ve put your hospital and clinic at risk,” she said. “I’ll go as soon as I can pack my desk up —”
“The hell you will. We need you.”
“But my presence is causing trouble, and it’s only going to get worse.”
He laughed. “It’s almost like you haven’t worked here for decades. This place is practically fueled by trouble. Or have you never met my siblings? And mate. And in-laws. I could go on.” He shoved the sandwich aside and rested his forearms on the desk, clasping his hands as he leaned toward her. “Look, Blaspheme, we take care of our own here. If I truly think the hospital or clinic is at risk, we’ll make other arrangements. But one thing we don’t do is abandon our own. You’re family, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”
For all of Blaspheme’s life, her mother had stressed that the two of them were the only family each other had. Blas had believed it. But at some point, the staff at Underworld General had become her family as well, and hearing Eidolon say that made the outside world seem a little less scary.
“But what about Reaver?” she asked, speaking of scary. “He’s your family, too, and if he finds out what I am, he’ll kill me.”
“We don’t know that. He has a tendency to not follow the herd when it comes to protocol. But when and if he learns what you are, let me worry about that. I’ll handle Reaver. Now,” he said, “how long until your enchantment wears off?”
“Could be any day,” she said miserably. “My mother said that once my vyrm powers start appearing, my False Angel aura will disappear completely, and my true identity will be visible to every angel and fallen angel who sees me.” She looked up at him. “You’re aware that if you turn me in, you will be awarded more riches than you can count.”
“I know.”
“And if you don’t turn me in and it can be proven that you were harboring a known vyrm, you will face more tortures than you can count before your own species Council kills you.”
“Are you trying to talk me out of helping you? Because it won’t work.”
“I’m just making sure you understand the risks.”
“I was a Justice Dealer before I became a physician. I’m well aware of the consequences of my actions. So let’s not talk about it again, shall we?” At her reluctant nod, he continued. “So what have you got planned to renew your cover? Another Fallen Angel sacrifice?”
Ugh. The very idea made her want to scream. “My mother is planning on it, but I won’t do it.”
“Why not?” He gestured to the fruit, but she shook her head.
“I won’t sacrifice an innocent.”
He plucked a grape from the container of fruit. “There’s no such thing as an innocent False Angel.”
“So you’re saying you think I should do it?” she asked, incredulous.
“No.” He popped the grape into his mouth and chewed slowly before continuing. “I’m saying I’d understand if you did. Do you have another plan?”
She blew out a long breath. “I’ve spent decades researching an alternative, but haven’t found anything.”
“I’ve done a little research myself,” he said, stunning her. He’d been trying to help already? “I haven’t found much information on vyrm, probably because they’re usually killed before they reach adulthood. But I did find this.” He slid a piece of paper at her.
She frowned as she studied the writing. “It’s a ritual of permanent alteration.”
“It supposedly works only on fallen angels, but maybe since you’re half fallen angel, it’ll work for you, too. Apparently, the spell will turn a fallen angel into any species of demon as long as they have the right ingredients.”
She kept reading, her hope growing… and then crashing. “What it requires… it doesn’t make sense. The essence of death? What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t know.” He ran a frustrated hand through his short hair, leaving unruly tufts behind. If there was anything Eidolon hated more than not knowing something, she couldn’t say what. “But I don’t think what I found was the complete ritual.”
“Where did you find this? The hospital’s library? One of your Justice Dealer contacts?” She lowered her voice, realizing the ridiculousness of doing so, given they were in a private office. But better safe than sorry. “An evil sorcerer?”
He shrugged. “Demonic Spells dot com.”
She stared. “Seriously?”
“Yep.” He popped another grape, and she heard the seeds crack as he chewed. “But it’s just an excerpt from a larger tome. I couldn’t find the title, but it appears to be a necromancer spellbook. I have Wraith working on it. He can locate almost anything, but until he knows what, exactly, he’s looking for, he’s sort of chasing ghosts.”
Necromancer magic wasn’t something to be trifled with, but at this point, she was running out of options. And actually, she knew a certain Seminus demon doctor whose background in necromancy and fetish for False Angels might pay off. Bane, buddy, you might just become my best friend today. She made a mental note to give him a call as soon as she was finished here.
