Allison Brennan - Carnal Sin

“We’re nearly out of time. The cop on the case has a demon mark. Jackson has the chalice in his vault, and we need to know what to do. If we destroy the chalice, will that free the demon, or will it force the demon back where it came from?”

When Rafe was done explaining their situation, Anthony was so quiet that he wondered whether the international cell phone call had been dropped.

When at last he spoke, his voice was tentative. “This is just a theory based on what I know of how demons are summoned and sent back. Occult rituals are in balance-meaning they need to come full circle or there’s the potential for chaos. So a demon summoned through a physical vessel-such as a human body or an inanimate object like the chalice-must return the same way. That is their doorway.”

Rafe frowned. “But when the Seven Deadly Sins were released, they came through Abby Weatherby. She’s dead. They can’t return through her.”

“Correct. Because Fiona aims to change the balance of power. But she had Lily there. Lily is the other piece of the puzzle, the balancing arca , and thus would have given Fiona control over the Seven, and the ability to return them when she got what she wanted.”

“Is that what Dr. Lieber told you? But won’t it kill her?”

Anthony said, “The theory of balance isn’t new, and I believe we can send them back through the portal opened on the cliffs in Santa Louisa. But it’s not going to be easy, and we still have a lot to learn. Dr. Lieber’s papers are a mess, and-”

“Ask him. He can tell us right now if he knows.”

“Dr. Lieber is dead. He died in his sleep before I arrived.”

“In his sleep? He has information for you, but suddenly he drops dead?”

“Rafe, we’ll talk about Dr. Lieber’s death and what it means when I return to Santa Louisa.” He paused, and Rafe wondered if Anthony didn’t feel he could speak freely. The idea that someone at St. Michael’s couldn’t be trusted sent dark chills down Rafe’s spine. St. Michael’s had always been their sanctuary.

“First things first,” Anthony continued. “Dr. Lieber has both facts and theories and examples, but his organization is lacking. I’m trying to put everything in order, and obviously I wish he were here to explain it. That’s probably why he wanted to see me in person, because his writings are all over the place. He has documents and journals in four different languages, and putting them together is cumbersome. I can do it; it’s just going to take time.”

Rafe was skeptical, and he didn’t know if he could trust the information Anthony now had. It made anything that came from Dr. Lieber’s papers suspect. “Are you bringing everything back to Santa Louisa?”

“Yes. I’m hoping to leave Italy tomorrow.”

Moira walked down the steps with the attorney, Nina Hardwick. Rafe caught her eye. She pointed to a Starbucks on the corner, across from the police station, and he nodded and pointed to his phone. He watched the two women cross the street, Moira discreetly surveying the people on the street, analyzing potential threats. She never stopped, he realized. She was always on alert, always tense, watchful, in motion. The only time he’d felt her relax noticeably was after they made love last night and she fell asleep in his arms. She practically melted into him, showing complete trust.

His heart quickened at the thought of losing her. Their lives were a balancing act, and it wouldn’t take much to knock either one of them out. He wasn’t going to let it happen to Moira.

“Rafe? Hello?” Anthony said. “I asked if you can trust this witch who came to you this morning.”

“I’m a pretty good judge of people, Anthony. Years of psychology. She’s scared, and she doesn’t want her boyfriend to die. And she didn’t fake any remorse for the other deaths-I don’t think she’d really considered the consequences of what she’s done until now. And Julie wasn’t casting any spells with Moira in the room.” Anthony didn’t say anything, and Rafe’s hand tightened on his phone. This cold war between Anthony and Moira was putting a wedge in Rafe’s lifelong friendship with Anthony. “We’re stuck, Anthony. The demon has possessed another woman, and Detective Nelson is going to lose his soul if we can’t find it.”

“Well, you know one thing-you know the demon is going after the cop. Do you know where the cop is now?”

“Yes.”

“Follow him. When the demon comes for him, you’ll have to trap it.”

“That’s why I called. How? Another tabernacle?”

“Possibly, but it would have to be special, like the one we used in Santa Louisa. I’ll research the matter and get back to you.”

“Research?” Rafe lost his temper, even though he knew Anthony was doing what he could. “We don’t have time!”

“Don’t you think I know that? I’m halfway around the world, Raphael! I’ll contact everyone I know who might have an idea, but we’re playing with the unknown here and I don’t have all the answers! I wish I did. Dear God,” he added quietly, “I wish I did.”

They were all under pressure. “I’m sorry,” Rafe said. “I know you’re doing everything you can.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I know anything. I can tell you one thing: before sunset, you need to get that cop into a strong spirit trap. In a church or another sacred area. The building itself should weaken the demon some. Keeping the victim in a double trap will buy you some time.”

“Should we destroy the chalice now, since the demon isn’t going back that way?”

“No-destroying the chalice now will sever the demon’s obligation to the coven, and it will be freed. You’ll have to wait until it’s trapped. Then do it quickly.”

“You want me to use the cop as bait.”

“I can’t think of any other options. You didn’t create this situation, Rafe. This is your best chance to stop the demon before it hurts anyone else.”

“Will Jackson’s church work?”

“It should. Grace Harvest used to be a Catholic church, and I believe that Jackson kept the relics under the altar. Create a reverse spirit trap and put Grant inside.”

“He’s not going to come willingly.”

“You’ll think of something.”

He might have to resort to kidnapping, Rafe realized.

“I hope to have more answers before sunset,” Anthony said.

Hope. We need a lot more than hope .

“Be careful, Rafe. Godspeed.”

Anthony put aside the papers he had been reading. He had to search for the answers Rafe needed to stop this particular demon.

But what he had been learning from Dr. Lieber’s research was far more frightening than he had let on to anyone here at St. Michael’s, or to Rafe. His brothers would learn the truth in time, but until Anthony understood what it all meant, until he had all the pieces of the puzzle, he couldn’t tell anyone what he was discovering.

Only Rico had given a hint of what Anthony might find. But even Rico didn’t realize what they would be required to do to save mankind.

Many of them would die. It might be, in fact, the end of days for St. Michael’s Order and all they represented, whether they successfully sent the Seven Deadly Sins back to Hell or not.

Moira and Nina Hardwick settled down with their coffee at a table in the far corner of the Starbucks closest to the police station. Several cops were on break, and Moira supposed that most people would feel safe surrounded by law enforcement-but cops made people like her, who often crossed the legal lines in the fight against supernatural evil, nervous. Moira had her back to the wall so that she could see the entire room, including the door. She and Skye had had several arguments when they were out together about who got that seat-cops, it seemed, also hated having their backs to a door. Moira always won, but she played hardball-she either got the seat or she didn’t sit.