Free Lucas: Origins Of A Demon by N.P. Martin Page B

support when the time comes. Dimitri may be an arrogant loose cannon, but he is also dangerous and that’s exactly what Lucas needs.
    “You will know when I ask for it.”
    Lucas considers for a moment, then says, “Done. Gather up as much cannon fodder as you can. I’ll be in touch.”
     
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER ELEVEN
     
     
    It is just after noon when Lucas gets another visit from Frank Swanson, the Watcher Lucas is hoping will retrieve him the artifact. Not that Frank knows that, or at least he didn’t before. As Frank waltzes into Lucas’ office in the club, the Watcher’s face bruised where he has obviously taken a beating, Lucas quickly determines from Frank’s countenance that Frank is in possession of information he didn’t have before. Predictably for a human, Frank has expected to walk into Lucas’ office and trip him up somehow with this new information. Only Lucas will not be tripped up by anyone.
    “I went to check out your demon gang on the Southside last night,” Frank says, helping himself to a glass of Lucas’ expensive whiskey before sitting on the couch.
    “Did you now?” Lucas says.
    “Yeah. I met Krakus. Nice guy. Into getting high on human blood and throwing mass demon orgies, not to mention dabbling in torture.”
    Lucas sits back in his chair, makes a steeple with his fingers. He has never heard of this Krakus. Probably some mid level demon trying to make a name for himself, though inevitably answering to a higher up. Question was, who? “Rough night, I take it?”
    Frank nods. “You could say that.”
    “I hope it wasn’t for nothing.”
    “I found out some stuff. First, tell me your involvement in all this.”
    Lucas affects confusion. “I told you, I’m not involved in any way.”
    “Feathers.”
    Here we go. I’ll play along, he thinks. “What?”
    “Feathers. More specifically, angel feathers.”
    “Angel feathers?”
    “ Arc hangel feathers.”
    Lucas shakes his head, still affecting confusion, but also smiling underneath. The thing he has been searching for all these years is here in the city, within his grasp at last. Frank just confirmed it. “What the hell are you talking about? Are you drunk?”
    “Not yet, no.” Frank takes a drink from his glass. “What would a feather like that be worth to you, Lucas?”
    More than you know, Frank, Lucas thinks. “I’m not sure I follow.”
    “You’re aware of the power in a single feather, right? I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you how useful an item like that could be to a demon such as yourself. I mean, in the right hands, the possibilities could be endless , right? But only in the right hands. You’d have to know how to harness that power, wouldn’t you?”
    Lucas listens patiently, then says, “How would you know about the feather?”
    “I did my research, or rather a friend of mine did some research. It’s what we do. Anyway, she found out that in order to pull off this ritual to steal souls, you needed an archangel feather, but you already knew that, didn’t you, Lucas?”
    Lucas can’t help smiling slightly. “I may have known about the feather, yes, but my first priority is getting this gang stopped.”
    “I’d like to believe you, but I don’t.”
    “Believe what you want. I want this gang stopped before they cause too much disruption. The feather would just be a nice bonus.” Lucas could care less about the gang and this Krakus demon. All he cares about is getting his hands on that precious feather. After that, he could deal with any miscreants himself without fear of exposure finally.
    Frank gets up, refills his glass then sits back down on the couch. He had sex recently. Lucas can smell it on him, which intrigues Lucas that Frank managed to find time in between being beaten up by demons and finding out about the feather. For a Nephilim, Frank is growing on Lucas. Despite the Watcher’s bullish nature, there is a competency about him that Lucas respects. “What’s