Highborn. Part 18

Mireva glanced at her, then quickly averted her gaze and went back to poking at her plants. Was she thinking about Gavino and how her handsome and mysterious "rescuer" had nearly gotten her killed? Probably, but that didn't matter anymore. Gavino was nothing but ash now, a disintegrated cinder in Mireva's past. From here on, the girl needed to think forward.

"Anyway," Brynna added, "Gavino's gone."

"I don't know that him getting away means he's gone."

When Brynna didn't respond, Mireva glanced at her. "Yeah, that's what I told them," Brynna finally said. "That he, uh, got away."

The teenager sucked in her breath before her shoulders relaxed a little. "Okay ... yeah, I get you." Mireva was silent for a few moments. "I really have to put all my attention on my project now. The fair is coming up and it has to be the best it can be. A lot of people are going to be looking at it. The right right people. My college advisor called my mom this morning and said they'd gotten the results a day early, and my name was on the inclusion list." For the first time since that mess at Wrigley Field, Mireva's smile was full and genuine, beautiful. "I made it." people. My college advisor called my mom this morning and said they'd gotten the results a day early, and my name was on the inclusion list." For the first time since that mess at Wrigley Field, Mireva's smile was full and genuine, beautiful. "I made it."

Brynna smiled back. "Congratulations. I'll bet that makes you feel better."

Mireva nodded and scratched at her forehead, not realizing that her fingers were covered with soil. The motion left a mark on her skin that was eerily reminiscent of those made by a priest at Ash Wednesday services. "About getting in, sure. But the most important part is still ahead." She lifted her chin. "My mom always says never to count on stuff, but I think I'll be okay. I mean, she's just stuck on believing it'll all be so hard that she's not getting it when something finally goes good."

"Like what?"

"We already talked to someone on the board of sponsors for the science fair. He's from Purdue University," Mireva said. "They have a school of agriculture, which is one of the sponsors for the fair and and one of the universities I was hoping most to get into. He said they're really interested in my project and I'm on their final list of students under scholarship consideration." one of the universities I was hoping most to get into. He said they're really interested in my project and I'm on their final list of students under scholarship consideration."

"This is the guy your uncle told me about? The one who came to the apartment?"

"Yeah. Mom is still a little pessimistic, but I think the guy finally made an impression on her. He was showing her all the school's brochures and stuff."

Brynna hoped her smile was sincere, but she wouldn't have bet on it. "You sound pretty excited too. What's his name?"

"Mr. Lahash."

Brynna nodded. "He's a tall guy, right? Handsome, black hair, tanned. A really sharp dresser."

Mireva looked up from her plants and her eyes narrowed. "You're kidding. You know him?"

"For a very long time."

The teenager made an exasperated sound. "From where?"

"We ... go back to before you were born."

"Great." Mireva folded her arms. She was trying to look defiant, but Brynna heard the frustration in her voice. "Go ahead. I'm sure you can't wait to tell me something bad about him."

Brynna looked at her in surprise. "Mireva, I'm not your enemy. I'm trying to help help you. Lahash can't be trusted. Everything he told you and your mother is a lie. It's what he does." you. Lahash can't be trusted. Everything he told you and your mother is a lie. It's what he does."

"But how do you know know that?" Mireva sounded a little desperate. "I mean, you can't know everyone, and this is the second time-" that?" Mireva sounded a little desperate. "I mean, you can't know everyone, and this is the second time-"

"Gavino was working for him."

Mireva's mouth became an O of shock, then her expression sagged. "Well, that's just f.u.c.king great," she said with uncharacteristic surliness. "Maybe I should get a tattoo that says Creep Magnet. Creep Magnet."

"I'm sorry." Brynna stepped closer. "Listen to me. You're doing great. great. You don't need anyone's help with your entry, or your grades, or your scholarship. You never have. This is where You don't need anyone's help with your entry, or your grades, or your scholarship. You never have. This is where your your hard work and hard work and your your intelligence count. Those are the things that are going to catch the attention of the right people." intelligence count. Those are the things that are going to catch the attention of the right people."

"Oh, I'm catching attention, all right."

"Sarcasm isn't going to do anything but feed on how bad you already feel. Ditto with beating yourself up over this." Brynna inclined her head at the lush rows of meticulously labeled plants. What Mireva had been doing, her research and carefully controlled fertilizing, was wildly successful; although it was only about a third of the way through summer, plant after plant was laden with perfectly formed, nearly mature fruits or vegetables. "Look at what you've accomplished. It's a fantastic job, and that's what the people at the fair will be looking at. This fair is it, it, Mireva. The first step to everything you've worked for." Mireva. The first step to everything you've worked for."

Mireva looked at her fingernails for a long time, then she sighed as she picked at the soil caked underneath the edges. "If this Lahash guy is a fake, what's he trying to accomplish?"

Somehow Brynna didn't think telling the girl that Lahash just wanted her dead was the way to go. But when Mireva suddenly straightened, it turned out that Brynna didn't have to answer. "What am I going to tell my mother? And my uncle?"

"I'll talk to them," Brynna said.

"You ..." Mireva's voice faded for a moment before she continued. "You can do stuff, can't you? Stuff that the rest of us can't." She gestured vaguely at the open stairwell door. "That's why you were able to clean up this place, why all the g.a.n.g.b.a.n.gers are afraid of you." When Brynna didn't answer, Mireva abruptly looked at her with something like hope. "Do you ... know know things too? Like the future, and what's going to happen?" things too? Like the future, and what's going to happen?"

Oh, man. Brynna sure didn't like where this seemed to be headed. "You're right in that I can do some things that are a little different than everyone else," she said. "But I can't tell the future. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow or next week, or whenever, any more than the next person."

Mireva made an exasperated sound, then she shrugged. "What did I expect, anyway? I guess I should just be glad you've been around to play personal bodyguard.

"Otherwise, I'd probably be dead."

[image]

AS HE ALMOST ALWAYS did, Cocinero stopped by his sister's apartment before heading to the restaurant to take over for the day cook. Brynna was sitting at the table with Abrienda when he came in, and one look at his sister's face was enough to make him forget the cup of coffee he usually made for himself. "What's wrong?" he asked in Spanish. "What's happened?" did, Cocinero stopped by his sister's apartment before heading to the restaurant to take over for the day cook. Brynna was sitting at the table with Abrienda when he came in, and one look at his sister's face was enough to make him forget the cup of coffee he usually made for himself. "What's wrong?" he asked in Spanish. "What's happened?"

Abrienda scrubbed at her cheeks, trying to erase the tear tracks. "That man," she spat. "The one who came in and talked to us about the scholarship for Mireva. He is nothing but a liar. A fake!"

Cocinero's eyes widened as he looked from Abrienda to Brynna. "What?"

The brochures that Lahash had left were still lying on the table. Abrienda s.n.a.t.c.hed them up, then stormed over to the trash bin and crammed them into it as hard as she could. "I think those those are real," Brynna said. are real," Brynna said.

"What does it matter?" Abrienda demanded. "These are all dreams, fantasies. And everyone knows dreams don't come true."

"Sometimes they do." Abrienda made a disgusted sound and turned away, but Brynna caught the look on her face, the barest hint of regret. She could imagine Abrienda a decade and a half ago, as a young woman barely older than Mireva was now, full of optimism and adoration as she clung to the angel who would sire her daughter. She was still an attractive woman who always gave more than she received. What a shame she had traded those early feelings for defeat and skepticism.

"What now?" Cocinero asked. His shoulders were slumped and he suddenly looked more tired than Brynna had ever seen. "What do we do to fix this?"

"Nothing," Brynna answered. "You sit back and watch Mireva get her scholarship all on her own, without anyone's so-called help or offer of a free ride." She stood and carefully pushed her chair under the table. "Now have a little faith."

Twenty-one.

If Lahash came back after Brynna outed him, no one in the Cocinero family mentioned it. After everything that had happened, Brynna was pretty sure they'd tell her-the deception had been too great, the hurt too deep, for any of them to excuse or, G.o.d forbid, ignore. Mireva was constantly on edge, but the girl had plenty of reason. How many seventeen-year-olds had to face a concentrated effort by a madman to kill her, then move from that to perfecting an academic project that could determine the course of the rest of her life? And all without a hitch or hint of the unspeakable situations that had led up to that point.

Speaking of outing someone, would Lahash do exactly that-reveal her whereabouts to Lucifer? It would certainly be an easy way for him to eliminate her from his little sphere of nephilim a.s.sa.s.sinations. Still, if Lahash did such a thing, he would also be admitting his failure with Mireva, not to mention the fact that Gavino, even lesser demon that he was, had died essentially for nothing. That Brynna didn't have Hunters grabbing at her from every shadow indicated that Lahash hadn't opened his mouth, but Lucifer was, after all, the King of Lies, more poisonous than any snake and a thousand times sneakier than a hungry crocodile. Lahash, too, was not an ent.i.ty to underestimate. He was cowardly but sly, an inherently more dangerous combination, and while Gavino had always favored full-on confrontation, Lahash would disappear rather than risk getting physical ... then ram a knife in her back at the first opportunity.

Brynna had moved back into her apartment, but the whole situation set her teeth on hard grind-if she'd been human, her blood pressure would have probably given a cardiologist a heart attack. Doing an a.s.signment for a workmen's comp lawyer on Friday helped her mind focus on something else; she alternated between being amused and horrified as she translated for a Polish worker who'd gotten his uniform caught in an automatic press. While the man's injuries were pretty d.a.m.ned bad, she couldn't believe the almost comedic combination of employee ignorance and employer carelessness while working around what was clearly dangerous machinery.

But that distraction had ended at five-thirty, and now, three hours later, she was pacing like a trapped lioness, moving from one end of her small apartment to the other with long, smooth strides. Brynna's nerves were twinging as though they were electrical wires, but why? Her first impulse was to a.s.sume that Mireva's primary task was close, but what if her sense of anxiety was caused by something else entirely? What if it was born of self-preservation, the instinctive knowledge that a Hunter was closing in on her?

Before she could consider that possibility further, the cell phone on the coffee table jangled. The sound made Brynna jump, and that in itself aggravated the s.h.i.t out of her. She had started existence as Highborn, and now she was a fallen angel, a demon. demon. How ridiculous was it that a tiny piece of human technology could ignite such a flash of fear in her? How ridiculous was it that a tiny piece of human technology could ignite such a flash of fear in her?

She s.n.a.t.c.hed it up. "What?"

"h.e.l.lo to you too." Redmond's voice was mild through the earpiece. Redmond's voice was mild through the earpiece. "I'm having a great evening, thank you for asking." "I'm having a great evening, thank you for asking."

Brynna stared at the wall, trying to focus on his voice. She realized her fist was clenched and forced the fingers to relax. "Sorry," she said. "I guess I'm just on edge."

"Any particular reason?"

She opened her mouth to reply, then changed her mind. He'd want to help, but she didn't need him trying to fix something when she couldn't tell him what that something was. "Maybe it's the weather."

He was silent for a moment and she could imagine him rolling his eyes. "Right. Anyway, why don't I come by and take you out for some Greek food?" "Right. Anyway, why don't I come by and take you out for some Greek food?" When she didn't answer right away, he added, When she didn't answer right away, he added, "Spanakopita, stuffed grape leaves, feta cheese, and olives. What more could a vegetarian want?" "Spanakopita, stuffed grape leaves, feta cheese, and olives. What more could a vegetarian want?"

It did sound tempting, but her mind wanted her to go somewhere else. "No Greek tonight, but I could go for Mexican."

"Mexican?"

"The truth is, I'd like to go by Cocinero's and check on him."

"Expecting trouble?"

"No, I suppose not. I just ..." She hesitated, but he was going to ask so she finished before he could. "I have a feeling that something bad's going to happen. I've already checked and Mireva's fine, Abrienda's fine. That leaves Ramiro."

"All right." Redmond's words had that same calm tone, but something about the tone had switched. A hint of business, of professional speculation-always the cop. But that was okay, too. Redmond's words had that same calm tone, but something about the tone had switched. A hint of business, of professional speculation-always the cop. But that was okay, too. "I'll be there in five minutes." "I'll be there in five minutes."

He hung up before she could answer, but Brynna had to shake her head and chuckle. Five minutes? Redmond was playing dumb if he thought she couldn't figure out that he was parked only a couple of blocks away.

BY THE TIME B BRYNNA and Redmond made the drive across the city, Cocinero was just closing the store. Just as she'd suspected, he'd started stretching business hours again after finding out that Lahash's scholarship was nothing but a fabrication. He and Abrienda were, Brynna believed, letting pessimism dictate when patience would have served them far better; Mireva was too smart and too dedicated to maintaining her grades and Redmond made the drive across the city, Cocinero was just closing the store. Just as she'd suspected, he'd started stretching business hours again after finding out that Lahash's scholarship was nothing but a fabrication. He and Abrienda were, Brynna believed, letting pessimism dictate when patience would have served them far better; Mireva was too smart and too dedicated to maintaining her grades not not to get a scholarship. Brynna was absolutely sure it wasn't a matter of to get a scholarship. Brynna was absolutely sure it wasn't a matter of if if but but when. when.

But in Mireva's world, Brynna's opinion carried little weight except in guarding her safety, and so here was her uncle, keeping his tiny Mexican restaurant open late in a neighborhood where anything could happen. Had he so quickly forgotten the robbery that Brynna had stopped? Yeah, but Brynna thought that was probably a very conscious conscious decision. decision.

"Good to see you." Cocinero beamed as he unlocked the front door and waved them inside. "It was much too quiet around here."

"No customers?" Redmond's voice was mildly reproving.

"There were some just a little while ago," Cocinero told them. "But after they left, it seemed to get ... I don't know how to word it. More silent than usual." He shrugged. Eran glanced quickly in her direction, but Brynna was careful to keep her face placid. "You are hungry, yes? I can fix you something."

"Not necessary," Redmond put in. "Let's just get this place locked up so you can head home."

Ten minutes and it was all but done-the lights were shut off, the register closed, everything checked a second time. "You guys go out the front. I'll lock up behind you and head out the back," Brynna said.

Cocinero nodded, then looked at the two of them. "Come by my sister's place, si si? We will have coffee. Or a beer."

"Sure," Redmond said. He glanced at Brynna. "I'll bring the car around back and pick you up."

She followed them to the front door, pulled the steel gate across the outside and padlocked it, then closed the door and turned the lock. As she made her way back, she thought that Cocinero had been right about the quiet. There were only six booths on each side, but the distance from front to back seemed longer than it should, filled with shades of gray that shouldn't bother her but tonight seemed ominous.

No, it was just her mind and her nerves working on overdrive. Nothing out of the ordinary happened as she finalized everything, not so much as a drip of water from the washtub faucet or a mouse scrambling across the cracked concrete of the alley as she pulled the steel back door solidly closed behind her, then tested it to make sure the bar had slid home.

"Hey, hey, hey. Lookie who came back for a visit."

Brynna spun, caught off guard. She'd been so wrapped up in the idea that something might happen to Cocinero inside the restaurant that she'd stopped looking out for herself. Not entirely-never that-but her focus had been on fellow fallen angels, demons like Lahash, or Hunters. But that was okay; the three humans she now faced were nowhere near that level of threat. Clearly they hadn't learned their lesson the first time around.

"Long time no see," said the group's leader. He was leaning against the building beneath the streetlight on the other side of the alley, a good twenty feet away. He probably thought it was a safe distance; it wasn't, but Brynna had no reason to go after him. Yet.

"You haven't changed much, Juan," Brynna said. He blinked when she used his name but stood his ground. His two sidekicks were there, one on either side of her and maintaining a more-than-generous safety zone. "Same baseball cap, even the same clothes." She sniffed the air. "I'm not entirely sure you've washed them."

He laughed and put a hand to his forehead in a mock fainting gesture. "You cut me to the heart." He grinned and his eyes glittered. "Oh, wait-I don't have one. So I guess it don't hurt so much after all." He held a good-sized bottle in one hand and he raised the dark gla.s.s toward her in a mock toast.

A corner of Brynna's mouth lifted. "You have one, all right. Want me to pull it out of you so you can see?"

"Once a b.i.t.c.h, always a b.i.t.c.h," said the guy to Brynna's left. Yet again, far enough to be out of reach. Or so he thought.

"It's an art form," she said. "Say, how's the wrist?"

He held up his arm, which was covered in dirty plaster from his hand to his elbow. "Thanks for the cast. I should use it to smash in your head."

"If you think you can, I say go for it," Brynna replied, but he made no move to come toward her.

"Hey, dude, we got company," one of them said, pointing. "Let's just do it and go."

Brynna saw headlights as Redmond's car turned into the alley. Her eyes narrowed. Do what? Do what?

Redmond's car accelerated-he'd seen My Three Thugs and was headed their way. Juan's head jerked toward the car, then back to Brynna, quick as a snake. "Too bad," he said. "I thought we'd have time to enjoy this." He shrugged, then suddenly hurled the bottle in her direction.

Brynna didn't move and the bottle landed at her feet and exploded. The instant the scent of the liquid that had been inside swept through the air, she realized Juan's sidewalk-level aim had been intentional-he'd wanted wanted the bottle to break so that the gasoline inside would thoroughly splatter her clothes. the bottle to break so that the gasoline inside would thoroughly splatter her clothes.

Oh, s.h.i.t.

Redmond's car slammed to a stop about ten feet from their position and he threw open the door. "Just hold it right there," he snapped. "Police-"

"Let's split!" one of the other guys yelled. They scrambled away, but Juan held out for another moment. "You don't need me, po-po," he called out to Redmond. He took a couple of steps, angling toward Brynna. "You got better fish to fry. fry."

There was a sound, just a tiny thing, but it came with such big consequences and that ancient, oh-so-familiar smell- Sulfur.

Something small and flaming-a wooden matchstick-arced through the air and looped down, falling neatly on the edge of the thin layer of gasoline surrounding Brynna.

WHUMP!.

Her transformation to demon form was instinctive and instantaneous, almost faster than the blaze that wanted to devour her. She had to change, had had to, because somewhere in the core of her being, Brynna knew this woman form would never survive the conflagration. The flare-up was hot and wild, and the flames enveloped her like an old lover, the touch of Lucifer himself. Everything earthly disappeared-hair, fragile skin, thin nails, the soft moist flesh of her lips, her eyes. She could take many forms, but this one-yes, it was best. The blackened, carbonized skin that coated her true self soaked the fire into itself and reveled in it, making the flames bigger and better and hotter; her back extended and stretched into a set of translucent, dirt-colored wings strong enough to withstand the hurricanes of h.e.l.l itself. She folded them around herself and smiled-she couldn't help it. Then, cradled within a circular wall of flame, she distantly heard the high, cruel laughter of the young men as they ran away. Below that came Redmond's panicked shouts-she had never heard him sound so terrified. to, because somewhere in the core of her being, Brynna knew this woman form would never survive the conflagration. The flare-up was hot and wild, and the flames enveloped her like an old lover, the touch of Lucifer himself. Everything earthly disappeared-hair, fragile skin, thin nails, the soft moist flesh of her lips, her eyes. She could take many forms, but this one-yes, it was best. The blackened, carbonized skin that coated her true self soaked the fire into itself and reveled in it, making the flames bigger and better and hotter; her back extended and stretched into a set of translucent, dirt-colored wings strong enough to withstand the hurricanes of h.e.l.l itself. She folded them around herself and smiled-she couldn't help it. Then, cradled within a circular wall of flame, she distantly heard the high, cruel laughter of the young men as they ran away. Below that came Redmond's panicked shouts-she had never heard him sound so terrified.

His voice, more than anything, pulled her back. Brynna pushed away from the lure of the fire, the siren symphony of the heat, and forced herself to reestablish her earthly form. Ten seconds, twenty, and then the flare-up dwindled to nothing but straggling flickers within the smoking, ashy remnants of the clothes she'd been wearing just moments before.

She wanted to be human flesh again, she reached reached for it, but it was not so easy to return, not so fast. Demon flesh would not relinquish its hold so readily. Maybe someday, with practice, but right now Brynna had to force it, push and rend and sculpt her true body until it conceded to her will. She had to do this, and as quickly as possible. As darkly sweet as being in her original form might be, every second that she remained that way increased the danger of being seen by other demons, of a Hunter being alerted, or that- for it, but it was not so easy to return, not so fast. Demon flesh would not relinquish its hold so readily. Maybe someday, with practice, but right now Brynna had to force it, push and rend and sculpt her true body until it conceded to her will. She had to do this, and as quickly as possible. As darkly sweet as being in her original form might be, every second that she remained that way increased the danger of being seen by other demons, of a Hunter being alerted, or that- Redmond's hoa.r.s.e cries ended abruptly, choking off in shock. "What-what are are you?" you?"

-Eran Redmond, her human lover, might see her as she really was.

Most of the smoke had cleared but her metamorphosis was not yet complete. There was nothing Brynna could do, nowhere she could go to hide from his sight. She pulled her arms forward and her wings, gray-brown and veined with black, unfolded behind her of their own volition, impossibly strong, beautiful in h.e.l.l but hideous on Earth. Her flesh was still nearly as black as her veins and her body was stronger and fuller, oozing s.e.xuality and full of the temptations experienced by millennia of men.