Conduit

  If he thought the reinforcement that Evan had brought was big from where he stood watching at the window, when he finally stepped outside and really sized the new angel up, he discovered that he was even bigger than he’d seemed, all bulk and muscle. That alone made him intimidating, but Lev was pretty sure there was far more to him than size. Size wouldn’t be the advantage, so what would be the point? It had to be something else, something that went far beyond what human eyes could see.

  As he stepped outside, Evan, who’d had his back to Lev, slowly faced him. “Are you ready to begin training?”

  “I’m ready to find Elizabeth. Now.” His tone was hard, and he purposely stared only at his father, carefully avoiding the new angel’s eyes. Until Lev could figure out what was so different about him, he wasn’t going to put himself in any position of vulnerability or give him anything more than he had to.

  “No,” the new angel countered. “You’re not ready for that. Not by a long-shot.”

  “Says you.” He clenched his jaw, furious beyond measure. He tried to calm down, tried to understand what it was about this one that seemed to have set him off, but he couldn’t figure it out. Whatever it was, it had set his teeth on edge.

  “You’re not ready, Lev. You know that.” Evan used the quietly patient tone—the one he typically reserved for the panicking humans he’d been chosen to sojourn—and most of the time it worked. Lev just happened to know he was being played and wanted nothing to do with it, and if his father expected compliance, he was going to show he didn’t have to do whatever he was told—not if it wasn’t in Elizabeth’s best interest.

  “Right,” Lev muttered, shooting his father an angry glare.

  “Let me introduce you to the angel who has come to our aid.” Evan nodded to the bulky visitor. “This is Riley. Riley, this is my son, Lev.

  “Good to meet you,” Riley said, nodding. He set his hands on his hips.

  “I wish I could say the same.” Lev headed back toward the house, curious whether Celia and Griffin had planned to come out and join in the fun or this little display were all for his benefit. He wouldn’t doubt it, not knowing Evan as well as he did. Griffin would be easy to lead around when it came down to it. Celia could probably manage it with one wing tied down. It wasn’t exactly a secret that the two of them were getting close to Lev-Elizabeth territory in the feelings department. Evan and he had both just chosen to overlook it because since Lev had become mortal and now that she had been taken, they’d had more than enough to keep them all busy. There was no point in adding anything new to the mix. Besides, Lev couldn’t see Griffin backing off even if Lev did try to warn him of the consequences. Human couldn’t learn by example, for the most part, unless that example was them.

  “Can we at least try to be grateful someone this powerful has come?” Evan asked, not even bothering to hide his displeasure this time. He openly glared at Lev, like he wanted to scream, “Will you just stop acting like a human for a few minutes?”

  As if that were possible, but Lev was human, in case his father had forgotten.

  “Is there anyone else who will be joining us?” Riley glanced past them toward the back door, waiting to see if anyone else would come out.

  “Just one,” Evan replied, and, as if on cue, Celia slipped out the door, her gaze settling first on Evan and then Riley.

  “Well, having another angel at least helps to tip the odds in your favor.”

  Lev shook his head. “So what are you suggesting, that two angels and two mortals you yourself are starting to train can’t handle dybbuks?” His tone was laced with incredulity.

  “Make that three,” Riley replied, immediately shifting his gaze toward Lev. “If you think I’m leaving you to handle this by yourselves, you’re foolish. Did you not tell them I would be joining you?” he asked Evan.

  “Not in so many words,” Evan said, purposely not looking at Lev.

  “Gee, I wonder why,” Lev muttered under his breath. He could feel fresh waves of fury spilling over him. It was bad enough to think of putting up with this Neanderthal through training. Now they’d have to suffer his going with them, probably watching their every move, eagerly waiting to remind them of their failings.

  As if Evan needed any more reminders.

  Celia took her place between Lev and Griffin.

  “To answer your question, the reason I have doubts in the success of your mission is that while most dybbuks are unorganized accidents of existence, I have a feeling that this is not the case. They are created by a botched sojourn. But in this case, I think the failed sojourns might have been intentional. These creatures have a leader, and this leader is much stronger than you are probably expecting—probably angelic in origin, if I’m not mistaken.”

  “And just how often are you mistaken?” Lev retorted, folding his arms across his chest. “Evan, why is he here? It’s not like we couldn’t have assumed there was a supernatural leader. He’s not telling us anything we don’t already know.”

  “That’s a bold statement,” Riley replied calmly, “especially since you’ve barely let me get a word in.” He settled his hands on his hips, waiting.

  “Seriously!” Lev glared at his father. “This tool is the best you can do? This is all the Upper Realm could spare to help us?”

  “No, I’m the only one willing to come down here because this is a mess the Upper Realm had no hand in making.” Now Riley wore a displeased frown, not that his doing so mattered to Lev, who wanted to tell him what he could do with it.

  “Then maybe you need to go back and let us handle our own affairs.” Lev stepped closer, infuriated.

  As Celia watched the two of them grow more and more irate, she stepped toward her brother, planning to intervene—at least until Evan caught her arm.

  “Don’t,” he said quietly. “Let the two of them settle it however they need to so we can all move on.” He turned back to Riley.

  “Yeah, well, my leaving isn’t going to get the job done, and you don’t stand a chance of finding Elizabeth without me. Is that what you want?”

  Lev’s eyes widened. Without warning, he charged, a low growl rumbling through his entire body.

  Riley sensed it coming even before Lev moved. Riley caught Lev’s head in the bend of his arm, effectively immobilizing him. Although Lev punched, Riley ignored the flurry of fists coming at him like it wasn’t happening. Lev simply didn’t have room to do any damage.

  As Riley held him, a bored frown overtook his face, and he waited for Lev to wear himself out. Lev, however, fought on, regardless. Giving up wasn’t in his nature.

  “Let me go!” Lev yelled, fury filling his voice.

  “Not until you stop this foolishness. We’re supposed to be on the same team. You’re only delaying the search that much more. I hope you know that.”

  A burst of renewed fury rushed through Lev, and he swung even harder, not that it did any good.

  Riley frowned at Evan and Lev. “This isn’t why I came. It is a waste of time, and we have little enough of that as it is. The hour grows later than you think.” He thrust Lev from him, watching as the former angel stumbled backward and fell unceremoniously to the ground.

  Fury flooded Lev’s face, and as he struggled to his feet, reaching for a sword, Evan intervened.

  “Lev, that’s enough.” Evan’s voice was even and calm—everything Lev wasn’t.

  Wordlessly, Lev stepped back, his face scarlet, and he would have charged again had Evan not been there, refusing to move. Lev would have to strike at him just to get at Riley.

  “Step aside,” Lev growled, his fingers clenched white around the grip of the blade.

  “That will accomplish nothing.” Although Evan’s hands rested at his sides, he stood ready.

  “You act like this is just about me not towing the line, but there’s more going on here, whether you refuse to see it or not. This jackass is bad news.”

  “Maybe,” Riley countered, taking a deep breath, “but I’m the only jackass willing to
come down and help. The sooner you get that through your head, the better off we’ll all be.”

  At the sound of Riley’s arrogance, Lev bristled and peering at Evan one last time, expecting his father would see things from his perspective. When that didn’t happen, Lev walked.

  “I can’t do this. Maybe you don’t see it, but I do, and I’m not even an angel anymore.”

  When Lev had reached the back door, Evan called to him. “You need to reconsider and put aside whatever personal feelings you have right now. This is important.”

  Lev whirled. “You think I, more than anyone, don’t know that? We’re talking about Elizabeth here, but just because he says he’s from the Upper Realm doesn’t mean that whatever he does or says is right.”

  “And what about the knowledge I have that can save her?” Riley asked, his voice softening somewhat. “Doesn’t that count? Are you so completely focused on salvaging your pride that you are willing to forgo any chance of saving the person you claim to love more than any other? Isn’t she worth the risk?”

  Lev bristled, his whole body wanting to rise to the challenge Riley seemed so intent on serving, yet even as impetuous and angry as Lev was, he knew this wasn’t the time to try to drag out whatever secrets he sensed lurking beneath the veneer of the angel before him. They were there, all right, waiting, and he knew it wouldn’t be long until they saw the light of day, but trying to force them to the surface wasn’t going to work.

  “Never speak of her again,” Lev said, a deadly calm seizing his voice. “You know nothing of love or sacrifice, especially not of the sacrifices I have made.”

  While Lev was sure some barbed comment would come out of Riley’s mouth, he didn’t wait for it. Instead, he grabbed the door handle and tugged it open so he could slip inside. He needed space to cool down, and he wasn’t going to find it here, not considering Riley’s ego seemed to fill the entire backyard and how no one could see it but Lev. Two of them were immortal…and still obviously blind.

  He’d barely made it inside porch when Griffin appeared, catching the screen door before it could slam.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To cool down,” Lev snapped.

  “That’s not going to help Lizzie,” Griffin argued.

  In a flash, Lev whirled, grabbed Griffin’s shirt and slammed him against the wall.

  “Everyone seems to think I don’t know this isn’t helping. No one seems to get that Riley isn’t right. There’s something off about him—something dark and hidden and dangerous—yet everyone expects me to be okay with that and blindly follow his lead.”

  “I don’t.” Griffin didn’t bother fighting him, and that’s what made Lev release him. “Maybe there is something off about him. I don’t know. What I do know is that he’s going to be there, trying to help whether you like it or not, and if there is something bad in him, do you really want to be somewhere else pouting when he finds her, considering that Evan and Celia both seem to trust him?”

  “This isn’t happening,” Lev muttered, shaking his head. “How is it possible my father cannot see what’s right in front of him, glaring as daylight?”

  “He’s looking for a solution, not another problem. You ought to know that people, and angels, often find what they are looking for.” Griffin adjusted the neck of the t-shirt where Lev had jacked him against the wall. “Anyone ever tell you your human temper is going to get you into trouble?”

  “More than once,” Lev admitted, starting to pace back and forth in front of the house, still trying to figure out what to do. Unfortunately, Griffin was right. No matter what he did, Riley would be there, and if Riley were there, Lev had no choice but to be there, too.

  “Maybe we should just go back. It’s not safe, what with all the dybbuks. They might have taken Lizzie, but that doesn’t mean they won’t still be trolling for prey, and no offense, but while you were a kick-butt angel, I’m not sure you could hold them off any better than I could.”

  “Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Lev curled his fingers to fists.

  “No, it’s supposed to make you want to come finish things. You don’t have to like Riley; you just have to let him teach you how to stay alive so you can get to Lizzie.”

  Although it was the last thing Lev wanted to admit, Lev knew his doing so would mean: he’d have to venture back and eat crow.

  Lev swallowed his indignation. “Whatever,” he muttered. “Let’s go.”

  Griffin tugged open the door, still eyeing Lev distrustfully.

  “Let’s just get this over with,” Lev grumbled.

  Satisfied, Griffin slipped into the house bound for the back yard. Lev followed, promising himself he would be watching for Riley’s weaknesses just in case Lev’s intuition held merit, which he already knew it was. Riley was no savior, which left Lev to wonder just what in hell he was.

  Chapter Ten

  Although Lev hated every moment of training with Riley, he did his best to cooperate. Griffin’s words about Riley being there when Elizabeth was found kept replaying themselves in his head, in a continual loop consumed him—fear that they wouldn’t find her and fear that they would, just before everything went south.

  Begrudgingly, Lev did have to admit that while the testosterone junkie who was training him had an annoying enough demeanor, he did seem to know what he was doing as far as combat maneuvers and tactics, and that night he found his whole body tired and achy. He’d done the drills over and over—been the mindless soldier Riley wanted. No, not wanted—expected. Doing so was the only way he would make it through until they got to Elizabeth.

  The next morning, when Lev rolled out of bed, he wondered about the day ahead, and the next week. How long would he be in this hell? How long could she wait? Was it too late already? He didn’t want to think about that.

  As he dressed, there came a soft knock at his door.

  “Come in.” He raked his fingers through his hair, trying to get it to lie down.

  Evan poked his head in. “Time to go out back.”

  “Of course,” Lev mumbled, frustrated at starting out this day the same as the previous one. He wanted answers. He wanted Elizabeth, not this useless sameness which seemed to own him. He opened his mouth to argue about needing breakfast but decided against it. He wasn’t hungry. He hadn’t had much of an appetite, and he didn’t see that changing until Elizabeth was found.

  “I don’t see why we have to do this again,” he snapped. “We went over the maneuvers for hours.”

  “You’ll find out. I’ll meet you outside.” Evan withdrew quickly and closed the door behind him, shutting off any chance Lev might’ve had to argue. Obviously Evan was still so sure Riley would save the day, and Lev was still sure he’d see it to ruin. Only time would tell.

  “All right. Let’s just see what Riley has up his sleeve today.” Lev slipped on his shoes and headed through the house to the back yard, where he found everyone already waiting.

  In addition to those gathered, Lev also spotted three large wooden crates, which puzzled him. What exactly was Riley planning? Lev joined the group.

  “Well,” Evan said, “it looks like everyone has finally made it. Let’s begin.”

  “Great,” Riley said. “Let’s get warmed up, and then we’ll see how much of what you learned yesterday you can put to good use.”

  “Not much,” Lev muttered, going through the motions of warming up, his gaze ever lingering on Riley, waiting for him to drop whatever bombshell he was going to drop.

  Once Riley was satisfied, he walked to one of the crates and rested his hand upon it. He stared down at it, which made Lev greatly uncomfortable.

  “Moment of truth,” Riley said. “I’ve taught you how to use the weapons. Now I’m going to give you a target to see how well you do. The last thing we need is to get in the middle of a mass and find out there’s a problem training could have helped us avoid.”

  “What sort of target are you talking about?” Griffin asked, cocking his head to the side. H
e frowned at the crate, wondering what was inside.

  “The kind you’ll be fighting.”

  Lev held his breath as the realization of what was in those crates washed over him. Dybbuks…probably contained in human form. He thought back to the last attack—the one that had cost Jimmie his life—and a streak of fear rushed over him—fear and anger.

  Was he ready?

  It didn’t matter one way or the other. He just had to keep moving, to find a way.

  “Arm yourselves.”

  Griffin and Lev exchanged looks and reached for their swords. Together, they assumed the ready stance as Riley grabbed a crowbar from the ground nearby and began prying up the lid. With two deft pulls, the lid sprang open.

  Lev took a deep breath as the dybbuk jerked itself to a sitting position and climbed out of the crate. As usual, the vacant stare gave the person consumed by the dybbuk an almost zombie-like expression, yet even in that strange vacancy, the eyes focused on Lev. They narrowed slightly, pupils fixated. Then the dybbuk lunged at Lev.

  Startled, he staggered back and swung the sword, recovering as quickly as he could. The dybbuk reached for him, fingers close to his heart, seeking it. Lev kept falling back, still swinging, yet regardless of how close he came to striking the dybbuk, he never seemed to get it right. Before Lev realized it, he slammed back against a nearby tree, and still those hands reached out, trying to grab him.

  Why couldn’t he do this? It should have been easy. At one time, it would have been.

  He did manage to get in another swing, and this time the blade tapped the dybbuk’s chest. Unfortunately, instead of really making contact with the monster, it really just enraged it, catching Lev off guard. It slammed its forearm against the blade and shoved it away, breaking Lev’s grip. The sword thumped to the ground, uselessly shining in the morning light.

  The dybbuk’s hand kept coming, touching down on Lev’s chest. The initial contact felt like Lev had shoved his finger into a light socket—the pain tensed his whole body, and he couldn’t move.