stuffed bookshelves and stacks of files. It was an organized mess. A single window looked out onto the parking lot and the church beyond.
“May I bring you coffee? Tea?”
“We’re okay, thank you,” Moira said. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
Jackson motioned for them to sit on the small couch; he took the desk chair, turning it to face them.
“I can only imagine. I heard about what happened in Santa Louisa.”
“Then you know we only trapped one of the demons,” Rafe said.
“I don’t know the details. St. Michael’s Order is justifiably tight-lipped. I learned, of course, about Father Philip’s death, and that the Seven Deadly Sins are out. I was contacted to keep my eyes and ears open.”
“We’re here because you know more about the local covens than anyone, and we have a crisis,” Rafe said. “We have reason to believe that the demon Lust is in Los Angeles.”
“Sadly appropriate. But how in the world did you figure it out? I haven’t heard anything, and I have been listening closely.”
Moira turned her phone to show an image of the mark from George Erickson’s body. Jackson frowned and inspected the photo while Moira said, “This is a demon mark. It’s highly detailed and unusual-similar marks were on those infected by Envy as well. Three bodies have shown up at the morgue with this mark, and all three have a connection to Velocity, a nightclub which-”
“Velocity?” Jackson’s head shot up and he handed her phone back. “It’s been all over the news, the gossip about Kent Galion. A shock. Are you saying he was possessed?”
Moira shook her head. “We don’t think that the men who were marked were possessed, but that they were infected somehow by the demon.”
“Infected? I don’t understand.”
“Most demons possess their victims, but the Seven Deadly Sins are incarnate,” Rafe explained. “They can possess a human if they want, but they don’t need to.”
“And what do you mean by infect?”
Moira said, “When someone is in contact with the demon, they act on that sin.”
Jackson looked skeptical. “Then why isn’t everyone consumed by lust? Or greed? Or any of the other sins? Shouldn’t we be hearing about an epidemic of violence?”
Rafe elaborated. “We all have a conscience,” he began. “Some are better formed than others. We know little about the Seven, but we know a lot more about human nature. We sometimes call our weaknesses our personal demons. Some of us are naturally predisposed to envy, for example. We are unfathomably jealous of other people and what they have that we don’t. Yet our conscience helps us battle our personal sin, keeps it in check, so we don’t steal or hurt people because they have something that we want. But the same person who is envious may not have a problem with lust or laziness or pride.”
Jackson nodded. “I understand. In my ministry, I counsel many people and most have a primary weakness. But that doesn’t explain why there are only a few who have been affected.”
“We don’t understand exactly how the demon operates. If the demon needs to physically touch its victims, or how much freedom the demon has in the first place.”
“Freedom?”
Moira said, “An ancient spell brought them to Earth. Rafe stopped the ritual, but they were already free. We don’t know how they affect people specifically, but we just learned that one of the original witches in the coven that released them is here in L.A.” She paused, gathering her thoughts. “Maybe the demons are tied somehow to the witches involved in the ritual. Or they don’t have all their strength because the ritual was interrupted.”
Rafe considered that. “I hadn’t thought of it like that. You could be right.”
“There’s a lot we don’t know,” Moira said, frustrated. “What we do know is that when a person is marked, they’re pretty much toast.”
Rafe frowned. “That’s not exactly right. When we capture the demon, its power over its victims is gone. They regain their conscience.”
“So it appears,” she said, explaining to Jackson. “We have proof that someone was infected in Santa Louisa and he seems fine now that Envy has been locked up.”
Rafe continued, “The demon goes after the easy targets. A nightclub like Velocity is full of raging hormones. If Nicole somehow brought the demon with her to L.A., it would stay because feeding on those hormones, the physical attractions, would be easy.”
“Hmm. Maybe.” Moira squirmed. She really didn’t care much for the whys and what-fors. She just wanted to stop the demon before anyone else died.
“And this is tied to Velocity?” Jackson asked.
“No doubt. We were at the club and I felt dark magic in the employee room. But it was Wendy Donovan’s locker where it was the strongest.”
Jackson couldn’t hide his surprise, and Moira added softly, “My skills have improved; I don’t make the same mistakes-”
He held up his hand to cut her off, and her heart skipped a beat. She wanted so badly to apologize for what happened with his daughter Courtney. Four years ago, she couldn’t face him for more than the few minutes it took to tell him she’d failed. To see the pain and shock and rage on his face. The accusation that she was to blame. She couldn’t beg for forgiveness then … and now he wouldn’t let her.
Jackson said, “Wendy Donovan is the high priestess of an all-female coven. Half the witches are employees at Velocity. She’s also part-owner and runs the place. Her co-manager, Julie Schroeder, is also high up in the coven.” He looked at them pointedly. “They’re an Azabet coven.”
Moira’s stomach flipped.
“What does that mean?” Rafe asked.
Moira said, “They have a devotion to a succubus. Once a year they sacrifice an unfaithful man to such a demon, who steals his soul, resulting in his death.”
“But there are three victims, not one,” Rafe said.
“Perhaps they’re working a more dangerous ritual,” Moira said. “But if it’s a succubus, maybe we’re wrong about the demon Lust.”
“It makes no sense,” Rafe said. “The marks on the bodies were made by one of the Seven-they are far too similar to the marks we saw in Santa Louisa.”
Moira stood and paced the small room. How could Jackson, or anyone, work in such tight quarters? “I don’t know!” she exclaimed, her aggravation leaking out. “I only know that a succubus is summoned by a coven and in exchange for whatever the witches ask for, the succubus is given a soul.”
“Then what happens?”
“The succubus goes back to Hell with a full stomach?” Moira threw her hands up. “Why do you think I know everything about demons? I’ve never called on a succubus, I’ve never-”
Rafe didn’t move, but he caught her eye and she felt foolish. She stared at the wall. It happened to hold a picture of Jackson with Courtney and his younger daughter, Caroline. She averted her eyes, her face red with embarrassment.
Rafe said slowly, “Maybe Wendy Donovan’s coven found a way to trap Lust, thus the marks on the bodies.”
“That would explain what’s happened,” Jackson said. “Who were the victims? Kent Galion and …?”
“A college student,” Rafe said. “Craig Monroe died in the alley behind the club. Moira witnessed his death imprint, saw a demon draw out his soul.”
Moira looked down, still not understanding what had happened in the alley.
“The third victim was a married man who died in his home after an apparent romantic interlude while his wife was out all night with her ex-husband, according to the police reports. He’d been at Velocity earlier that evening.”
Jackson said, “I have information about Wendy’s coven that I’m happy to share, but I must warn you that she is extremely dangerous.”
“Aren’t they all?” Moira said flippantly, glancing at Jackson.
“Perhaps. But Wendy is … ruthless. Perhaps borderline psychopathic. At any rate, her background may prove helpful.”
