Company of Angels 02 - The Demoness of Waking Dreams

hosts,” she told him. “Why don’t you run along and take a closer look?”
    She pushed him, and he stumbled down a few stairs toward the factory floor. A few demons came to collect him, and Jude began to struggle, kicking and screaming. He grabbed on to the metal railing of the staircase, but the demons pulled him off and dragged him away.
    Good, she thought. He deserves to suffer as much as Brandon suffered. Jude deserves the equivalent of three thousand deaths.
    “Don’t dispense with him too quickly,” she called to them. “Be creative about it. Your glass creations are beautiful and so distinctive. I’m sure you can apply your inventiveness to this task, too.”
    Jude heard her, and screamed again, louder, begging God to save him.
    “ He is not exactly popular with this crowd, mio amico, ” she called down to Jude. Then she muttered, “This pathetic human is the most you’re getting from me this year, diavolo. ”
    The sound of the iron doors scraping open behind her made her look backward.
    Corbin stood in the doorway, his amber eyes glowing with satisfaction. Behind him was Massimo.
    “Oh, no, caro mio, ” the Archdemon said, grinning. “This scrawny little human won’t do the trick. I thought I’d already made that very clear. You should have done your duty when you had the chance, baronessa. You were supposed to deliver the angel. He will accept nothing less.”
    Of course Corbin would come. She had expected it all along. Had known she couldn’t outrun him. Had thought that avenging Brandon’s death would be worth anything she would have to suffer.
    But Massimo?
    Her once-trusted servant stood behind Corbin with a look of barren anger in his eyes. The ache of his betrayal cut her deeply. She glared back at her former Gatekeeper, silently accusing him.
    “I will never deliver Brandon to you, no matter how much you threaten me. No matter what you plan to do to me. I would rather rot in hell for the rest of eternity,” she told them.
    “You know what’s in store for you. If you’re not afraid, you should be,” Corbin growled. “I should have known you would never deliver that angel. You’re in love. How sweet. We can all wait for your lover together, darling.”
    “He doesn’t know about this place,” she said, thinking back frantically. I never mentioned it. Did I?
    “He’s a smart man. He’ll figure it out,” Corbin laughed. He grabbed her by the hair, yanking her face to his so he could press his cheek against hers. “Shall we see?”
    * * *
     
    Arriving at Marco Polo Airport, Brandon sprinted down the pier to the line of water taxis waiting to be hired. His best estimate put him forty minutes behind Luciana. There wasn’t a moment to waste. If it isn’t already too late, he thought. He was in the middle of engaging one of the drivers when Infusino and Arielle pulled up in a blue-bottomed municipal police boat. In the vessel sat a few other members of the local unit.
    “You don’t know what you’re dealing with, Brandon,” Arielle said. “Come with us.”
    He glared at her for a long moment. “You must be insane to ask me that. You tortured Luciana.”
    “Brandon, I know you feel strongly for her,” said Arielle. “But she is a demoness. She is part of something that could end us all. Not just the Company. Not just angels. But humankind. The world as we know it could disappear forever. We have received information that the demons here in Venice are preparing for something bigger than we had ever imagined. We must deal with Luciana. Tonight.”
    In that moment Brandon paused. The question in his mind was, To whom do I owe allegiance? To Arielle or to Luciana?
    To neither, was the answer. I owe allegiance to my duty as a protector of humankind.
    He got into the boat, needing to see for himself exactly what Arielle was talking about. He could not let Luciana murder a human. Even if that human was a murderer himself.
    “Come,” said Infusino. “We must hurry to the Redentore Church.”
    “She’s not going to the Redentore Church,” Brandon told them as Infusino started the boat. “She’s going to Murano. To the glass factory that supplies the gallery her sister ran.”
    “What? How do you know?” Arielle asked, her intense gaze gleaming.
    “Just trust me,” said Brandon.
    “I know where the fornace is,” Infusino said, then revved the boat into gear.
    As they cleaved through the water, Arielle radioed the Venetian unit for backup.
    “Why didn’t