“No,” Gabe said softly, “I have called to make an offer. He and all of the others are dead because of Belial and Jiri and their stupid need to destroy. You have been recruited to a cause that yokes you to them and stifles your independence. You know I’m right.”
“I know that as a member of the House of Belial, that it is my duty.”
“Is it? Or did that end with your death millennia ago?”
“Duty never ends.”
“It ended for us when we decided to make our own rules. Many Nephilim did, but you know that.”
“Belial is not your father.”
“They all had their moments, mine included.” Gabe heard the man’s heavy breathing over the phone. His grief and anger. “Let us end this by stopping Belial’s influence.”
Ozan gave a dry laugh. “You speak madness.”
“Do I? Or do I actually make sense? What do you and the others get out of this arrangement?”
“Life. Money. Power. The chance to live again. Like you.”
“But are you free to do what you want?”
“Of course.”
“So, you could leave right now and tell Jiri you want nothing to do with this?” Ozan didn’t answer, and Gabe continued. “Or are you a soldier again, deployed to go wherever you’re needed? I bet Emre didn’t have a choice yesterday.”
“We know the risks.”
“You seriously see that there is a point to this? Does this make you happy, to know that you are spreading Belial’s madness? That already happened once, a long time ago, but you do not have to play a part in it now. Especially seeing as his power is already diminished.” Gabe had absently paced to a low wall while he talked, and he sat on it, overlooking the hills. The lights twinkled in the distance, and he could see boats out at sea; he suddenly felt very weary. “It’s a waste of a life. It’s wasting mine right now. I’d rather be doing a million other things than fighting you and trying to stop Belial. I think Emre gave us your number, because deep down he felt the same way, and knew you did, too. And others. Am I right?”
“It is not so simple.”
“It can be, if we work together.”
“Humour me, for a moment, Gabreel. How do you spend your life when you are not chasing us? Is it really a life of peace? You would be bored, I know it.”
“I can’t lie. We are violent men—it is our nature. There have been occasions when we have had to fight, but only to defend ourselves. We choose to spend our time hunting treasures and helping others, when we’re not living in the countryside minding our own business. That’s what I want to be doing right now.”
“Then do it.”
“I can’t, not until this is done.”
“And this is what you suggest I do? Hunt treasure?”
“You can breed pigs for all I care. It will be your life to do with as you choose. I can promise there is work for men like us. We have skills that not many have, and a paranormal community to welcome us.”
“How many men have you?”
“How many have you?”
“So suspicious. All right, I’ll start. Now, with so many dead, barely twenty. Jiri, his second-in-command, and the rest of us.”
“There are five with me, others that I can call on if needed.” Gabe didn’t elaborate about witches and fey and enhanced super-soldiers. “How many of you would join us? If we work together, we could end this for good.” Gabe hesitated to talk about Venice, but he sensed Ozan was interested in his proposal. “We have already killed many of The Brotherhood in Venice.”
“We heard. It is fair to say that Jiri is displeased.”
“Just displeased?”
“Fucking furious. He is raging right now with his innermost circle, deciding on what to do about you.”
“Then there is no better time to strike.”
“It is not that easy. It would take time for you to be here.”
“It depends where you are. Are you saying,” Gabe asked, feeling the tentative beginning of hope, “that you would help us end this?”
“I need to talk to the others who may want to join me. Maybe.”
“So Emre was right. You do want out.”
He didn’t answer, instead saying, “I will call you back. One hour.”
“Wait! I need to know where you are, just roughly?” Gabe wanted to finish this tonight. He was sick of it all, and he knew the time to strike was now. He could hear it in Ozan’s voice, too.
Ozan was cautious. “I don’t think so. Not yet.”
“What if I guess?”
“By all means.”
