Free The Belial Origins by R. D. Brady Page B

the sclera, is through black contacts.”
    “And I’m guessing we don’t think Jorgen was wearing contacts,” Jake said.
    “I can’t see him going through the pageantry of black lenses, especially seeing as he wears those sunglasses all the time,” Laney said. “I think his eyes are real.”
    “In the books, he’s sometimes referred to as the Shepherd,” Patrick said. “The Shepherd” was the name he went by when he instructed Nathaniel Grayston to kidnap potential nephilim and Fallen a few months ago.
    “How far back do the references go?” Jake asked.
    “Same as Victoria. Back to the first journal we have—twelfth century.”
    “So is he immortal?” Jake asked, disbelief lacing his words.
    Laney shrugged. “Either he’s immortal, or he has a really, really strong genetic line.”
    “Well, seeing as everyone at the airport was trying to avoid shooting him, I’m not surprised he’s lived this long,” Jake said.
    Patrick went still. “What did you say?”
    Jake looked at Patrick. “At the airport, no one shot at him. Bullets were flying all over the place, but it seemed like everyone was intentionally trying to avoid hitting him.”
    “Are you sure?” Patrick asked.
    Henry and Jake exchanged a look before Henry spoke. “Actually, when Jake and I went back over the footage, we realized one shooter—one of Jorgen’s own men—did get him, although apparently it was accidental. And then that shooter was shot.”
    “How many times was the shooter hit?” Patrick asked, his eyes intent.
    “Seven times,” Jake said slowly. “But actually he wasn’t shot by bullets.”
    “What?” Three sets of eyes turned to Jake.
    Jake put up his hands. “It was strange. I asked the M.E. to check again, which is why I didn’t tell you guys. When the M.E. opened him up, there were no bullets—just wounds. And there was no path for the bullets to have followed. The M.E. said it was like the wounds just appeared. But the M.E. must have made a mistake.”
    During Jake’s speech, Laney had kept her eyes on her uncle. With each word Jake spoke, Patrick had gotten paler and paler. “Uncle Patrick?”
    “I’m sure I’m wrong,” he began.
    Everyone went still. Those words were always followed by some insight that the rest of them had missed. And Patrick was always right on target.
    “Who is he, Uncle Patrick?” Laney asked quietly.
    Patrick swallowed. “I can’t be sure.”
    “Uncle Patrick,” she said, a warning in her tone. She knew he would want to check and re-check before saying anything, but with Victoria in danger, they didn’t have the time for that.
    Patrick pulled out a chair and all but fell into it. He looked exhausted, but his eyes were bright. “The man that shot Jorgen was shot himself seven times—sevenfold the injury he created. And his eyes are black as night, something that would stop anyone in their tracks.”
    Recognition tickled the back of Laney’s mind. Sevenfold. She’d heard that before. She gasped as the reference hit her. Her gaze flew to her uncle.
    He nodded at her. “I think Jorgen Fuld is Cain.”

CHAPTER 21
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Little Rock, Arkansas
     
    V ictoria paced the room. What was going on? Jorgen hadn’t been to visit her since that first time. Men had dropped off food, but none of them would speak to her. She had no TV, and it was made clear that she was not allowed out of her room.
    Victoria stopped, her hands on her hips. The lack of information was driving her crazy. She looked at the door. I wonder how far they’re allowed to go to keep me here.
    She was pretty sure Jorgen had put a do not kill order out. And she still had a few tricks up her sleeve that might make this interesting.
    Images of Laney and Henry flashed through her mind. There was no doubt they were trying to find her now. She shuddered, imagining them going up against Jorgen without knowing who he was. They’d be killed.
    She couldn’t let that happen.
    I think it’s time to find