Succubus Blues CHAPTER 20

My apologies for the abrupt transport, Carter continued. Jerome started freaking stunned that Id left you al peerless for so spacious.Ive neer freaked out in my life er, existence, er whatever, mused Jerome, strolling into the room. Studying him, I could believe his words. Dressed immaculately as ever, he held a martini in unmatched hand and looked utterly at ease amid the disarray.Nice place, I told him, console aghast at the damage d wiz to such beauty. Fixer-upper?The colossuss eyes flashed with amusement at my joke. I do so love having you around, Georgie. He sipped his drink. Yes, it is a little rough around the edges proper directly, however no worries. Itll clean up. Besides, I control other domiciles.Jerome had always been very tight-lipped roughly where he lived, and I surmise it was just forthwith Carters intervention that whollyowed us to even so remain here right now. The demon would keep never invited us. Walking over to a large bay window, I beheld a magnificent view of Lake Washington, the Seattle visible horizon glittering beyond it. Based on the angle of my view, I would have wagered m one and only(a)y we were in Medina, one of the more elite Eastside suburbs. Only the best for Jerome.So what happened? I finally asked when it became apparent no one else intended to broach the subject. Was this a nephilim attack, or did you just th rowing a party that got out of hand? Because honestly, if its the break exhaust one, Im going to be documentaryly pissed we werent invited.No such fears, Carter told me, smiling. Our friend the nephilim did a little redecorating, kindly flashing us when it was over. Thats why I aban dod you at Eriks. I would have given you some warning, but when I felt it over here He looked look oningfully at Jerome. The demon scoffed in response.You what? Thought I was in danger? You deal thats non possible.Carter cast a nondescript noise of dis complyment. Yeah? What do you call that? He inclined his hea d toward the spray-painted emblem.Graffiti, responded Jerome disinterestedly. It means no social occasion.I walked away from the breathtaking window and its pricey view, looking the symbol up and d receive. Id never guaranteen some(prenominal)thing like it, and I was familiar with a jam of compositors cases and markings from all types of places and clippings.It must mean something, I countered. Seems like a lot of trouble for nothing. Otherwise, he could have just written you suck or something like that. peradventure thats in one of the other rooms, suggested Cody.A punch line worthy of Georgie. Youre learning more than dancing.Ignoring the demons attempt to change the subject, I turned to Carter for answers. What is it? You must chouse what it means.The angel studied me speculatively a moment, and I realized Id never appealed to him before for serious help. Until our recent roommate stint, most of our interactions had been roundright antagonistic.Its a warning, he said slo wly, not looking at his demonic counterpart. A warning of impending disaster. The real phase of a fighting just about to begin.Jeromes finely suppressed control snapped. He slammed the applesauce down on an off-kilter table, case flushing. Christ, Carter argon you insane?It doesnt matter, and you receipt it. Everythings going to come out any(prenominal)way.No, hissed the demon icily, not everything. and so you recognize them. Carter made a grandiose gesture toward the symbol. You explain and make for certain I dont say too much.Jerome glared at him, and they locked eyes in their usual way. Id seen it happen countless times, but upon reflection, I felt pretty sure Id never actually seen them at such odds with each other before.It might have meant those things at one time, Jerome admitted at inhabit, exhaling in an effort to calm himself. But not anymore. As I said, its nonsensical now. An archaic scrawl. A charm which, without anyone to believe in it anymore, dominates no power.Then why use it at all? I wondered aloud. More of the nephilims bizarre sense of humor?Something like that. Its to remind me who were dealing with as if on that point was any possible way I could forget. Picking up his sloshed martini, Jerome finished it in one gulp. Sighing, suddenly looking tired, he glanced at Carter. You can tell them about the other ones if you want.The angels lay out registered mild surprise at the concession. He looked butt up at the marred wall. This symbol is the mo in a set of three. The front is the declaration of battle a way to sort of judgment out your enemy with whats to come. It looks just like this but with no diagonal. The last symbol marks victory. It has dickens diagonals and is displayed subsequently the enemy is defeated.I followed his gaze. So, wait if this is the second, does that mean youve seen the first already?Jerome walked out of the room and returned a moment later, handing me a piece of story. Youre not the only one who gets love notes, Georgie.I opened it up. The paper was the same kind used for my notes. Displayed on it, in heavy black ink, was a copy of the symbol on Jeromes wall without the diagonal. The first symbol, the declaration, according to Carter.When did you get this?Just before Duane died.I thought back through the weeks. Thats why you didnt push me too hard when he died. You already had a good estimation who was responsible.The demon shrugged by way of answer.Wait a minute therefore, exclaimed Cody, coming to look over my raise at the note. If this is the first warning are you saying that everything thats happened Duane, Hugh, Lucinda, Georgina has been part of the psyching out? The vampire grew incredulous when neither of the high immortals responded. What more can there be? What is this real phase? I mean, hes already attacked or killed, what, four immortals? cardinal lesser immortals, I supplied, suddenly genetic on. I looked back and forth between Jerome and Carter. Ri ght?The angel gave me a tight-lipped smile. Right. You guys have been the practice round before the big hit. He gave Jerome another pointed look.Stop it, the demon snapped back. Im not a target here.Arent you? No one spray-painted this on my wall.No one knows where you live.Youre not barely in the yellow pages yourself. Youre the mark here.Its a moot point. It cant touch me.You dont know that I do know that, and you know it too. There is absolutely no way it can be stronger than me.We need backup later all. Call Nanette Oh yes, laughed Jerome harshly. No one would notice if I pulled her from Portland. Do you have any idea what a red flag that would throw up? People would start noticing, start asking questions So what if they do? Its no big deal Easy for you to say. What would you know about Please. I know enough to know that youre being overly paranoid aboutThe deuce went back and forth at each other, Jerome adamantly denying there was any problem, Carter maintaining that the y needed to take appropriate precautions. As noted earlier, I had never seen the two of them in such open disagreement. I didnt like it, especially as their voices began to rise in volume. I didnt want to be around if they came to blows or displays of power, having already seen too much of their strength in the last few weeks. Slowly, I backed up out of the living room toward a nearby hallway. Cody, catching my vagary, followed.I hate it when Mom and Dad fight, I commented as we retreated away from the divine bickering, pursuance a safer locale. Looking in doorways, I saw a bathroom, a bedroom, and a guest room. in some way I didnt recall the demon hosted too many over dark guests.This looks promising, observed Cody as we turned in to an entertainment room.More leather seating surrounded a massive, absurdly thin plasma covering hanging on the wall. Sleek, beautiful speakers stood in strategic spots around us, and a substantial glass case displayed hundreds of DVDs. This room, l ike the others, had been sacked. Sighing, I threw myself on to one of the ripped chairs while Cody checked out the sound system.What do you think of all this? I asked him. The new developments, I mean, not the entertainment setup.Whats to think? It seems straightforward to me. This nephilim character warms up with lesser immortals and now decides to take on the higher ones. Sick and twisted, but well, thats the way it is. On the bright side, maybe were out of danger now no offense to Jerome or Carter.I dont know. I tipped my head back, thinking. Something bland isnt right to me. Theres something were missing. Listen to them in there. Why is Jerome being such an dimwit about all of this? Why wont he listen to Carter?The young vampire glanced up from his perusal of the movies and gave me a sly smile. I never thought Id see the day when you advocated for Carter. You must have gotten really buddy-buddy this last week.Dont get any romantic delusions, I warned him. God knows I have en ough of that on my plate already. Its just that, I dont know. Carters not as bad as I used to think.Hes an angel. Hes not bad at all.You know what I mean, and youve got to admit, he has a point. Jerome should be taking appropriate measures. This thing trashed his place and left warnings even if theyre obsolete charms or whatever. Why is Jerome so convinced hes safe?Because he thinks hes stronger than it is.How would he know though? Neither of them have gotten a good feel for it even Carter didnt the night he saved me.Jerome doesnt seem like the type to dismiss things without a reason. If he says hes stronger, then Id hallowed shit. Check this out. His serious spiel melted into laughter.Getting up, I walked over and knelt beside him. What?He pointed to the bottom row of DVDs. I read the titles. High Fidelity. Better Off Dead. Say Anything. Grosse Pointe Blank. All John Cusack movies.I knew it, I breathed, thinking of the demons coincidental resemblance to the actor. I knew he was a fan. Hes always denied it. Waitll we tell Peter and Hugh, crowed Cody. He pulled Better Off Dead off the shelf. This ones his best.I pulled out Being John Malkovich, my tense mood momentarily relaxed. No way. This one is.That ones too weird.I glanced up at the plasma screen, a grand gash slashing across its surface. Normally Id suggest we have a showdown to settle the point, but somehow I dont think therell be any viewings for a while here.Cody followed my gaze and grimaced at the massacre. What a waste. This nephilims a real bastard.No doubt, I agreed, standing up. Its no wonder I froze. Everything froze. A real bastard.Georgina? asked Cody curiously. You all right?I closed my eyes, reeling. Oh my God. A real bastard.I thought then about the entire trail of nephilim events, how from the very beginning Jerome had been warning us away. Ostensibly, his actions had been to keep us safe, but there had been no reason not to explain nephilim to us, no real danger to us in discernmen t the nature of our adversary. so far Jerome had stayed tight-lipped about it, growing irrationally angry when any of us got too close. When Cody had first posited the rogue angel theory, I had written the secrecy off to embarrassment from the other side. Yet, it wasnt their side that had something to hide. It was ours.Click, click. at once started, the dominoes in my head tumbled forward in a rush. I thought about Harringtons throw the corrupted angels taught charms and enchantments to their wives while their offspring ran wild Charms. Like the obsolete one on Jeromes wall. Its to remind me who were dealing with as if there was any possible way I could forget, he had explained offhandedly.Carter had told me demons generally get into capture down nephilim. Nanette had wanted to come and help with this one, but Jerome wouldnt let her, thus minimizing those involved. Carter he had kept on hand for the kill, however. Wouldnt Jerome want to do it himself? I had wondered, but the angel had evaded answering.Still the dominoes fell. Nephilim inherit a lot more than half their parents power, though they can never exceed it. Jeromes words to us last week, again spoken mundanely, just after my attack. Only minutes ago, I had wondered at his confidence at being stronger than the nephilim, questioning how he could be so certain. But of course he could be. Divine genetics had already dictated the parameters.Georgina? Where are you going? Cody exclaimed as I strode out of the room, back toward the still-roaring argument down the hallway.Look, Carter was saying, it wont hurt anything to just Its yours, I cried to Jerome, attempting to stare him down difficult, since he was taller than me. The nephilim is yours.My problem?No You know what I mean. Your child. Your son or daughter or whatever.Silence descended, and Jerome stared at me with those piercing black eyes, boring right into my soul. I expected at any moment to be blasted across the room. Instead, all he ask ed was, So?Startled at his mild response, I swallowed. So so why didnt you just tell us? From the beginning? Why such secrecy?As you can by chance imagine, this is not a topic I enjoy bringing up. And contrary to popular belief, I do feel authorize to some privacy.Yes, but Now that it was out, I didnt know what to say or think or do. What pass on happen? What are you going to do?The same thing Ive been planning on doing. We will hap this creature and degrade it.But it he or she is yoursI, who had so jealously and longingly watched Paiges growing motherliness and Seths bevy of nieces, could not even begin to fathom calmly announcing the murder of ones offspring.It doesnt matter, the demon said simply. Its a liability, a danger to the rest of us. My connection to it is irrelevant.You you keep saying it. Are you so detached that you cant even you know, call it by name or gender? What is it anyway? A son or a daughter?He hesitated a moment, and I detected a faint trace of unease i n that cool mask. I dont know.I stared. What?I wasnt there when it was born(p). When I found out she my wife was pregnant, I left. I knew what would happen. I was neither the first nor the last to take a mortal wife. Plenty of nephilim had been born and destroyed by that point. We all knew what they were capable of. The right thing to do when it was born would have been to destroy it right then. He paused, once more perfectly expressionless. I couldnt do it. I left, so I wouldnt have to deal with it, so I wouldnt have to make that choice. It was a cowards way out.Did you ever see her again? Your wife?No.Speechless, I wondered what she must have been like. I barely understood Jerome now as a demon, let alone before he fell. He hardly ever showed any sort of emotion or affection for anyone I couldnt imagine what kind of a woman would have so overcome him that he would turn his back on all he held sacred. And yet, despite that love, he had still left, never to see her again. She wou ld have been dead for millennia by now. He had left to save their child, only to once again be faced with holding its life in his hands. The whole thing was heartbreaking, and I wanted to do something hug the demon, maybe but I knew he wouldnt thank me for my sympathy. He was already too embarrassed at us finding out about all of this.So youve never seen it? How do you know for sure this one is yours?The signature. When I feel it, I feel half of my own aura and half of hers. No other creature could have that combination.And youve felt that every time?Yes.Wow. Yet you know nothing else about it.Correct. As I said, I was gone long before it was born.Then then it would make sense that you really are a target, I told him, gesturing to the wall. Even independent of all this. The nephilim has especial reason to be pissed off at you.Thanks for the unconditional support.I didnt mean it like that. I just meant the nephilim already have good cause to be angry. Everybody hates them and tries to kill them. And this one well, people spend thousands of dollars on therapy to get over bad experiences with their fathers. Imagine what kind of neuroses would develop after several thousand geezerhood.Are you suggesting a family counseling session, Georgie ?No no, of course not. Although I dont know. Have you tried and true talking to it? Reasoning with it? I remembered Eriks comment about nephilim just wanting to be left alone. Maybe you could work something out.All right, this conversation is growing more absurd, if thats possible. Jerome turned to Carter. You want to take them home now?Im staying with you, the angel stated flatly.Oh, for Christs sake, I thought we settled this Hes right, I piped up. The warning phase is over. Im safe now.We dont know And besides, this wasnt so much about my safety anyway as having Carter keep me from finding out the the true about your family problems. Its too late now, and Im tired of having a shadow. You keep him, and well all sleep ea sy, even if it is overkill.articulately put, chuckled Carter.Jerome still protested, and we bickered a bit more about it, but in the end, the decision rested in Carters hands. Jerome had no power to order him around indeed, if Carter wanted to follow the demon indefinitely, there was nothing Jerome could do, not really. They werent going to wage any epic battles with each other, no matter how annoyed they currently seemed.Carter did agree to teleport us back, though I suspected it was more of a kind gesture to make sure Cody and I could never find Jeromes place again. After hed taken the vampire home, Carter transported me to my living room, hesitate before he disappeared again.It is better this way, I think, he told me. Me staying with Jerome. I know the nephilim cant be stronger than him but theres still something weird going on. Im not convinced youre out of danger either, but whatevers going on with you is something only if different. He shrugged. I dont know. There are a lot of hard calls here I want Jerome would let us get a little outside help. Not too much, of course. Just something. Anything.Dont worry, I assured him. Ill manage. You cant be everywhere at once.Isnt that the truth. Ill have to ask this nephilim how it does it when this is over.You cant question the dead.No, he agreed grimly. You cant. He turned as if to depart.Its weird I began slowly. The whole idea of Jerome loving someone. And falling because of it.He gave me one of those canny, creepy smiles. Love doesnt make angels fall, Georgina. If anything, love can have quite the opposite effect.So, what? If Jerome fell in love again, he could turn back into an angel?No, no. Its not quite that simple. Seeing my flummox look, he chuckled and gave my shoulder a quick squeeze. Watch out for yourself, Daughter of Lilith. Call if you need help.I will, I assured him as he blinked out, not that ever actually getting a hold of higher immortals was easy. Jerome could sense if I was hurt, but he was a lot harder to call for a casual chat.I went to bed shortly thereafter, fatigued by everything that had happened, too tired to worry about nephilim fight me in my sleep. I worked the closing shift tomorrow, and it was my last day before another two long time off. I needed the break.I woke up later the next morning, still alive. While walking into the bookstore, I ran into Seth, armed with his laptop, ready for another day of writing. Recalling the dance lesson with him put my nephilim concerns temporarily at bay.Got my book? I asked as he held the door open for me.Nope. Got my shirt?Nope. I like the one youre wearing, though. His themed T-shirt directly displayed the logo for the musical Les Miserables. My all-time favorite song comes from that.Really? he asked. Which one?I ideate a Dream.Thats a really depressing song. No wonder you dont want to date.So whats your favorite then? I had asked Roman my stock question, but not Seth. Ultraviolet by U2. You know it?We approached th e espresso counter. Bruce was there, and he started making my mocha coffee before I even ordered. I know some of their other stuff, but not that one. Whats it about?Love, of course. Like all good songs. The pain of love juxtaposed with its redemptive power. A bit more optimistic than yours.I remembered Carters comment from last night. Love doesnt make angels fall.Seth and I sat down to talk, conversation now flowing smoothly between us. Hard to believe there had ever been any awkwardness, I thought. He was so comfortable.Finally, knowing I had to work sometime, I dragged myself away to check on the rest of the staff and then retreat to my office. I only intended to check my e-mail, however I felt sociable today and wanted to work the floor. Tossing my purse on the desk, I started to sit in my chair when I saw a too-familiar white envelope with my name on it.My breath caught. So much for being off the nephilims radar. Trembling, I lifted the envelope up, opening it with clumsy finger s.Miss me? I imagine youve been kept pretty busy with your immortal friends, making sure everyone is safe and accounted for. I imagine youve been just as busy with your oh-so-fascinating personal life, barely sparing a thought for me. Cruel, considering all Ive done for you.I wonder, though, do you worry just as much about the mortals in your life as you do the immortals? Admittedly, mortal deaths are so much less meaningful. After all, whats fifty less years compared to the centuries of an immortal? Mortals hardly seem worth the fuss, yet you put on a good face of caring for them. But do you really? Or are they just a diversion for the long stretch of your own centuries? What about your boyfriend? Is he another toy, another hobby to pass the time? Does he really mean anything to you?Lets find out. Convince me he does today. You have until the end of your shift to experience his safety. You know the rules keep him in safe places, keep others around him, etc., etc. Ill be with you , watching. Convince me you really care, and Ill spare him. Make me believe. Fail or involve any of your immortal contacts and no amount of keeping will do him any good.I dropped the note, hands cold. What kind of fucked-up game was this? It made no sense. The nephilim told me in one breath to keep someone safe, yet implied in the next that it didnt matter, that there was no safety. It was stupid, another stirring of the waters, shaking up the status quo just to watch what Id do. Looking around uneasily, I wondered Was the nephilim here now? Was Jeromes disgruntled offspring lurking invisibly beside me, smirking at my distress? What should I do?Finally, and perhaps most importantly, just who the hell was my boyfriend anyway?