Allison Brennan - Original Sin

How could the Goddess be part of something that felt so … bad?

They’d threatened her. Watched her. Every minute since they’d fled the cliffs.

“If you talk, you’re dead.”

“Tell no one.”

But she couldn’t keep silent! She wasn’t bad, she didn’t want to hurt anyone; she had just wanted to go beyond conventional religion, to understand who she was, why she was here, how nature and humans shared a delicate balance. She needed to know her place, her calling.

They’ll kill you .

Now her boyfriend Chris was dead too. His parents were distraught. She went to the hospital as soon as she heard. The doctors thought it was a brain aneurysm.

Ari knew better. It wouldn’t have happened except for her . What she’d done. She didn’t know how but the coven must have killed him. They’d killed Chris because she’d told him what happened. It could be no coincidence that he’d died when Ari planned to expose Fiona’s coven.

If they thought killing her boyfriend was going to stop her, they were dead wrong. If anything, their brutal audacity emboldened her.

She dressed without showering, gathered up her supplies, and slipped out of the house before her parents noticed she was up and about. Her mother was still in bed, her father in the shower.

Ari knew she’d never have a moment of peace until she found and trapped the demons she’d helped release, and sent them back to where they belonged.

She could fix it. She had the power. It flowed through her … she’d controlled the elements, she’d made fire! She’d left her body, had flown over the earth and seen amazing things. She could find and trap the demons. She had to.

She couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t stop this insanity.

And if she failed? She didn’t deserve to live.

“Where’d she go?” Anthony asked Rafe.

Rafe hesitated. “Last night we made a plan to rescue Lily Ellis.”

“What were you thinking? We were waiting for backup!” Anthony clenched his fist but restrained himself from hitting the table. “I knew Moira was lying to me.”

“I agreed with her that it was the right thing to do. We can’t wait. She’s bringing Lily back here.”

“We don’t know what they did to you for ten weeks, and you wanted to waltz unprotected right into their territory?”

Anthony’s guilt over what Rafe had endured while in the hospital had unnerved him. He had thought he’d protected his friend, but he’d failed in a fundamental way. Rafe’s attackers were human, without the vulnerabilities of demons. He’d left Rafe in the hospital, but he’d been far from safe.

And Anthony didn’t know what had been done to him, or whether Rafe could even be trusted. Rafe wouldn’t consciously aid the magicians, but what if it was unconscious? Hypnosis was extremely dangerous and highly effective if administered properly.

Rafe slowly rose from the table. “Your hatred of Moira has clouded your judgment. Because I agree with her, now you don’t trust me?”

“This has nothing to do with my feelings about Moira. For now, we’re working together. With the Seven uncontrolled in the world, there is far more at stake. They are gathering strength as we sit here!”

“Exactly! They’re gaining strength and we can’t sit here and do nothing. Moira went for Lily. If the coven can’t use her to trap the Seven, that will buy us time.”

“That’s not it. You know it.” Anthony flashed back to the conversation with Skye late last night. “A guy came in after his dinner break, locked the doors, and killed three of his co-workers, a customer …

“You think I’m going to the darkside?” Rafe was trying to lighten the conversation, but Anthony barely noticed.

“No, it’s something else. Something Skye said last night about a mass murder. Something felt wrong about it, but I don’t know why.”

Skye entered just then, braiding her long, wet hair as she went. She was already in uniform. “Rod called. He wants both of us at the morgue ASAP.”

“Both of us?” Anthony questioned.

“Wants to show us an identical marking on two corpses that just came in. Thought you might know something about it because it resembles one on Abby Weatherby’s body.”

“I’ll get my shoes.”

Anthony left the room and Skye said to Rafe, “I put yours and Moira’s clothes in the washing machine, and Anthony put some of his things in the guest room for you. If the stains don’t come out, just toss the clothes. I don’t think Anthony will care.”

“Skye, thank you for everything. I know this is hard on you. You have doubts about me. I would, too, if I were in your position. But I have a favor to ask.”

She assessed Rafe. He was similar to Anthony in many ways-how he stood, how he spoke-but he was also very different. Anthony had a strong, dominant personality, a powerful confidence that she was very attracted to. Rafe was quieter, but in some ways seemed even more powerful. He didn’t wear his confidence on his sleeve, but it was there, just as strong, but humble. He had the same uncanny way of looking at her that Anthony did: as if he could read her mind.

She knew Anthony couldn’t, but perhaps Rafe Cooper had talents Anthony didn’t. She was still new to this whole St. Michael’s Order and what they did-and didn’t do. Maybe mind reading was part and parcel of being a warrior for God.

“You have well-formed instincts,” Rafe said to her. “You are extremely intuitive because you understand human behavior. Trust those instincts, no matter what.”

She didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing, but Rafe’s words were disconcerting.

Anthony returned from the bedroom. “I’m ready.” He said to Rafe, “Don’t leave the house. You’re safe as long as you stay put.”

Serena fell asleep in the library after unsuccessfully searching for Rafe Cooper. Using her psychic eye was hugely draining. She woke up feeling out of sorts and still exhausted.

“You slept here all night?” Fiona said as she walked in, fresh-faced and glowing. “It’s eight in the morning; we have plenty of work to do.”

Garrett brought in a tray of fruit and juice. He kissed Fiona lightly, then put the tray down.

“Thank you, darling.” Fiona traced a single dark-red-painted fingernail down his cheek and neck and smiled seductively. Serena resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Garrett knew Fiona didn’t care about him.

Serena helped herself to the fresh-squeezed orange juice. After two tall glasses she almost felt like herself.

“Can we look for Raphael Cooper now, or do you need more sleep?” Fiona’s saccharine tone was annoyingly sarcastic.

“I’m ready.” Serena said.

There was a knock at the door of the library. Fiona scowled, waved her hand, and the door opened. “I said no disturbances!”

“Elizabeth Ellis is here.”

Elizabeth walked in without waiting for an invitation. She looked atrocious, dressed in jeans and a misbuttoned shirt. She wore no bra, and her boobs sagged noticably. Without makeup, she looked older than her years.

“You left the arca?” Fiona snapped.

“Your daughter took her!”

Fiona said nothing for a long time. So long that Garrett and Serena exchanged glances, concerned over her building fury. The energy in the room heated, and a spark here and there told Serena that Fiona was beyond anger.

Elizabeth Ellis didn’t seem to notice. “Well? Aren’t you going to do something? This is unacceptable!”

Serena’s eyes widened and she stepped back, away from Elizabeth, expecting the woman to be struck down for talking to Fiona in such a tone. Serena was used to reading her mother’s moods. When there was bad news, you never pushed.