Allison Brennan - Carnal Sin

“Pastor Moreno’s house is across the parking lot.”

“This is Jackson Moreno’s church?” the cop asked, recognizing the name.

“Officer?”

Nina Hardwick strode purposefully across the portico until she stood in front of the cop. She was a mess, just like all of them. There was blood on her white blouse and two buttons had popped off, revealing a very white stomach. The cop stared at her, as if trying to place her.

“Yes?”

“Nina Hardwick, staff counsel for Supervisor Vochek. I was here for this unfortunate tragedy, and I’m happy to answer any questions. Have you spoken with detectives Nelson and Johnston?”

The officer looked at the two men sitting on the ground. A paramedic was looking each one over. Grant pushed the EMT aside. “Help me up,” he told the cop.

“Sir-”

“Detective Grant Nelson.” Grant held out his hand. The cop took it. Aided, Grant rose to his feet, his body beaten and pale. “Pacific Division. You remember Kent Galion died last week? I was investigating his death, and my partner and I uncovered a drug ring operating out of Velocity. It spiraled out of control today. We were caught unawares. Ambushed. The two dead women inside were high on something. The coroner has been looking into designer drugs, but-” Grant shook his head.

“Is Pastor Moreno under investigation?” the cop asked.

“Of course not,” Grant said. “He had some information for us. I wish I could share with you all the details, but right now it’s still an ongoing undercover operation and you’ll have to talk to my boss.”

He glanced at Nina. Rafe watched the unspoken communication, and Nina excused herself.

Rafe didn’t know whether Grant’s quick talking would get him out of trouble, but for now it had saved his and Moira’s hides.

It was time for him to take Moira someplace to rest. They both needed sleep.

Forty-Eight Hours Later

Anthony landed in Missoula, Montana, after traveling for more than sixteen hours. A thick blanket of snow covered the ground, eerily beautiful in the stunning moonlight. He watched out the window of the taxi that wound carefully through the mountains to Olivet.

He was exhausted. More than anything, he wanted to hold Skye. If he’d gone straight to San Francisco, it would have been a short five-hour drive to Santa Louisa. He’d have been walking into Skye’s arms now, instead of facing Rico Cortese’s grim face.

“Thank you for coming,” Rico said, taking Anthony’s coat and escorting him to a fire in the library.

“I didn’t have a choice.” Anthony stood in front of the grand stone fireplace, the heat unable to melt the ice in his veins.

“The cardinal said you found answers in Dr. Lieber’s papers.”

Anthony turned and faced the hunter. “Don’t you find it suspicious that Dr. Lieber is dead?”

Rico sat down slowly, indicating that Anthony do the same. Anthony remained standing. Rico said, “He was elderly and infirm. The trip could have worn him out.” Then he looked pointedly at Anthony. “Yes, I find it highly suspicious. But no one has been able to prove it. We must keep our information close.”

Believing that someone had breached St. Michael’s fortress-or worse, that someone inside was responsible-deeply disturbed Anthony.

“What did you find?” Rico asked quietly.

Anthony looked back toward the fire. “Father Philip believed that Moira was the only one who could destroy the Conoscenza.”

“Yes. The Book of the Unknown Martyr clearly states that only a repentant magician with the proper lineage can forever destroy the evil book, through ‘blood and fire.’”

Rico continued. “I tested Moira’s blood. It is poison to demons. We know this is a sign.”

Anthony slowly turned and sat across from Rico. “How do you know for certain?” he asked. “Could it be a trick?”

“It is no trick. It was Moira’s blood that weakened the demon Envy in Santa Louisa. And you heard what happened in Los Angeles.”

“In part. I spoke with Rafe right before I left St. Michael’s.”

“When Moira’s blood touches the demon, it weakens the creature. Gives us time to trap or kill it. When I tested it on a demon-”

“What?”

“A possessed man. We confirmed it was a demonic possession. I injected Moira’s blood into him. The demon was instantly exorcised.”

“Impossible.”

Rico raised an eyebrow as if to say You doubt me?

“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“Humanity was formed in blood. Sacrifice. Jesus was tortured and crucified, a sacrifice of blood and His human life to save the world.”

“Moira is no Christ!”

“No. But there is history. And Moira’s blood is from the proper lineage. She’s of Fiona, who is of the line of witches that dates back to the dawn of mankind, when the first humans forged an unholy alliance with fallen angels. And Moira is repentant-she has not used magic in seven years.”

“How can you be sure?”

Rico stared at him. “I am.”

The truth was hard for Anthony to accept. “You mean we must kill her.”

“No.” Rico stared him in the eye. “She must martyr herself.”

Anthony closed his eyes. “Yes. That is what Dr. Lieber’s notes say.”

Anthony handed Rico a copy of the key page. He already knew it by heart.

The Book of Knowledge, known by most as the Conoscenza, was written in demon blood by the first magicians. It can be destroyed only by the blood of a repentant magician. Martyrdom is the only guarantee that the book will be destroyed, but if not possible, the blood must still flow, followed by fire. The blood will wash away the stain on the pages; the fire will destroy the paper made of human skin. Only then will humanity be safe from the spells therein .

“You agree,” Rico said.

“I don’t know. But-” He hesitated, handing Rico another page. “It seems destroying the Conoscenza is the only way to send the Seven Deadly Sins back to Hell.”

Rico read the papers. “We don’t need to trap every demon to succeed. Destroy the book and they’ll be pulled back to the underworld.”

“It should be easier to retrieve the book than to capture the Seven.”

“I have many leads. In fact, I’ll be returning to Santa Louisa in ten days to bring Moira back to Olivet for additional training.” Rico looked pained, and turned away from Anthony. “She needs to be prepared for her fate,” he said softly.

Anthony didn’t know what would happen, but he said, “I have a difficult time putting my life in the hands of a witch.”

“Forgiveness, Anthony. You need to work on that.”

Moira bolted upright in bed, her heart racing. She looked around the room, frantically searching for something familiar, something that told her where she was.

“Moira.”

Rafe took her hand and pulled her back down, kissing her. Rafe was familiar. They were back in Santa Louisa, but not at Skye’s. Lily was still there, and there wasn’t room for everyone at Skye’s house, so Moira and Rafe had checked into a hotel. They needed the time alone after what they’d faced in Los Angeles. They needed the time to just be together.

Rafe held her close. “You had a nightmare.”

“No, you did.”

He held her face in his hands. “I wasn’t having a nightmare.”

“I heard you cry out in your sleep.”

Or had she? Had she dreamed Rafe was suffering? Dying? She touched him, hardly able to believe he was alive. She didn’t want to do this five more times, chasing after the sins that remained at large. She just wanted peace. She just wanted to live quietly. Alone, with Rafe.