Carnal Sin

what does that matter to me? The power I get from my contacts down under, it more than makes up for anything that might happen because some distant God is oh so sad.”

Nicole stared at her, shaking her head, and added, “You can’t believe that anyone in the Heavens cares about you. After everything you’ve done.”

Moira inwardly grimaced, swallowing bile-filled guilt. She’d hurt so many people … how could anyone forgive her? How could anyone love her?

She closed her eyes and pictured Rafe, the man who had chiseled an opening into her hardened heart. The man who gave her the will to find a way to survive even after this battle was over. The man who gave her hope for tomorrow.

How could Rafe love her?

God has already forgiven you. But you haven’t forgiven yourself.

Moira’s eyes shot open. Father Philip’s voice as clear as a bell-but he wasn’t here. She’d heard him, but he wasn’t here! He’d died, because he’d come to Santa Louisa to save her, to give them all a chance at fighting the evil Fiona had unleashed. She would not let him down.

She worked her restraints.

Nicole sighed. “I see what you’re doing, Moira, and it’s not going to work.”

Nicole strode over to the spirit trap and reached down to tighten Moira’s binds.

Moira leaned back then kicked Nicole in the chest and jumped up, her balance off because her hands were still bound. She twisted her arms as she stumbled back, the ropes falling to the floor.

“I don’t want to kill you-”

Nicole ran toward her, an asthame in hand. The ceremonial dagger was sharp as Nicole had proven when she cut Moira’s arm. Moira pivoted, but the tip of the dagger nicked her shoulder.

Moira leapt out of the way and ran over to her jacket in the far corner. She didn’t have her daggers, but she had something up her sleeve-the devil’s cuff, a thin lead chain usually used to protect the possessed from hurting themselves during an exorcism. Moira could use it in other ways.

Nicole hesitated, then laughed again, though a little less forcefully. “You think that can hurt me?”

Nicole began an incantation. Considering the spirit trap had been laid out, Moira didn’t know what would be brought forth.

“Where is Fiona?” Moira asked. She knew she should just run. Run and steal a car and hightail it to Jackson’s church. But she needed to know. “Where has she been hiding?”

“Just wait a few hours and I’ll take you to see her, up close and personal.”

The offer was tempting. Moira didn’t know where Fiona was hiding out, but Nicole did, or would find out. If Moira could figure out a plan that would enable her to get close to Fiona, close enough to put an end to this insanity-

But now was not the time. Lives were at stake, and Rafe needed her.

“Ominae ominae de-” Nicole began a summoning spell.

Moira rushed Nicole, then faked right, spun around, the devil’s cuff extended like a whip. The thin wire sliced Nicole deep in the arm.

The witch grabbed her bleeding wrist and cried out.

“Fiona!” Moira shouted, cracking the devil’s cuff in the air. “Where is she?”

“Fuck you!”

Moira backhanded Nicole so hard she fell backward and hit the wall. She wanted to kill this woman. Nicole had stood there only feet from Father Philip, watched him suffer, watched him die. Father didn’t deserve it, but Nicole did. Dammit, she deserved to die!

Moira couldn’t do it. Dear Lord, she wanted to, but to kill Nicole Donovan in cold blood would make her no better than any of them.

Before she changed her mind, or Nicole recovered enough to work up a spell to stop her, Moira grabbed her things and ran out.

Rafe watched as Wendy led the way down the aisle. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Jackson round the corner behind the sanctuary. How was he going to get out of the church to finish sealing the trap?

Grant stared at Julie as she sauntered over to him, her red gown swirling around her obviously naked body. “Julie! Thank God you’re okay.”

“God?” Wendy sounded bemused. “How about thanking me?”

Grant ignored her and said, “Julie, are you okay?”

The demon in Julie’s body approached Rafe with long, languid strides. He could stop this now by stabbing the body with his blessed dagger, but Julie would die and he didn’t know if the demon Lust would be dragged back to Hell. Weaker demons, yes, but Lust? The Seven didn’t play by the same rules.

But more important, the Order was forbidden to kill people, whether possessed or evil. Only God should have the power to decide who lives and who dies. Their charge, their sacred duty, was to stop the spread of demons on Earth-not to kill those who summoned them. Perhaps it would be more expedient to slaughter witches like Fiona and Wendy, but it would relegate St. Michael’s Order to the same Hell they were fighting.

Everyone deserved the chance to repent.

“Raphael,” the demon hissed in a low voice. She touched his cheek, her manicured nail drawing blood. Rafe showed no reaction to the pain. “Someday,” she added ominously.

The demon then approached the spirit trap and frowned.

“You put a barrier between me and mine,” she said. “Remove it!”

Wendy strode down the aisle. Rafe stepped in front of her. “The demon can’t pass through the sacred chrism.”

Grant pleaded, “Julie, I’m so sorry about last night; I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I need help. Please forgive me.”

Rafe! Julie cried in his head. Help him! He’s in pain.

“You forget who I am!” Wendy said. “As it is above, it is below, I call on the power of Sammael for strength over my foes!”

The demon said to Grant, “Of course I forgive you. All you need to say is you want me.”

Rafe shouted, “Grant, don’t!” If he said yes, he was giving her his soul. The other men-they’d had sex with her. She’d asked and they agreed, not knowing what they were agreeing to. “Grant, say no!”

The demon turned to face Rafe and raised her hand, palm out. She pushed her palm forward, and Rafe flew across the aisle until he was pinned against the wall.

Screaming, Nina ran forward to help Rafe. Pam stepped in her path and scowled. “You bitch. I suspected it was you who seduced George. You will pay for sleeping with mine!”

“You hypocritical slut!” Nina shouted.

Rafe shouted, “Nina, you need to find a hiding place. Now!”

She disregarded him and said to Pam, “You seduced him with your magic and spells. You forced him to marry you.”

Pam laughed. “Hardly. George liked our sex games. But they were our games. He wasn’t allowed to play with anyone else.”

“You killed him!” Nina cried, stepping toward her.

“Nina!” Rafe called out, trying to pull himself off the wall. The demon’s power was too strong. He began an exorcism, but it was difficult pulling the words out of his chest as the demon’s force had him frozen several feet off the ground.

From the corner of his eye, Rafe saw Jeff moving toward the demon. Rafe tried to call him off, but the demon turned slowly to face him just as Jeff pulled his Taser out. Rafe saw that the demon wanted to kill him-and it would once Grant gave it the answer it wanted. But right now, the demon needed Grant’s positive response. Killing his partner wouldn’t help that cause.

Instead of breaking his neck, the demon used a pulse of energy to force Jeff to Taser himself. He fell to the floor in convulsions, hitting his head on the end of the pew. When he stopped convulsing, he wasn’t moving.

Grant stared at him, stunned. The demon said, “He’s fine. And he’ll remain fine as long as you tell me you