The Second Death Read Online Free Page B

didn’t voice the thought. He tracked the movement of Garcia’s car through the rearview mirror.
    Engel spoke a word, and the mirror clouded. The car behind them disappeared. Diago tried to turn again, but Engel stopped him.
    â€œPay attention to me, Herr Alvarez.” He dug his fingers into Diago’s thigh and sent a bolt of angelic fire into Diago’s leg.
    The pain was sudden and vicious, like someone touching a live wire to his flesh. Diago cried out and tried to twist free of Engel’s grip.
    â€œBe still.” The angel’s command drifted through the agony.
    Taking deep breaths, Diago stopped moving.
    Engel relaxed his grip but didn’t move his hand. “I have a job for you,” said the angel.
    Diago stared at the back of Fierro’s head and made no response.
    Undeterred by Diago’s silence, Engel went on. “I need you to find your friend Prieto.”
    â€œWe’re not friends.”
    â€œAh! You speak!” Engel laughed.
    Jaso snorted and tugged at his beard.
    Fierro’s bony knuckles were white on the steering wheel.
    â€œThis heartens me,” said Engel as he patted Diago’s thigh.
    Diago’s skin crawled at the angel’s touch.
    Engel used his handkerchief to daub at the blood on Diago’s face. “Maybe Prieto isn’t your friend, but you know him. He shows himself to you, and Prieto has something that I need. I want you to convince him to turn the idea for the bomb over to me.”
    â€œFuck you.”
    â€œI don’t know that word.” Engel tapped Jaso’s shoulder. “What is that word?”
    Jaso gave it to Engel in German. Now Diago understood why Jaso was involved. He was one of the few Nefilim fluent in German.
    Engel frowned. His good humor evaporated. “Do you love your son?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd you want to keep him safe.”
    â€œTake him home. I’ll take a binding sigil if that is what you want.”
    Fierro twitched behind the wheel, clearly disturbed. A binding sigil was the equivalent of becoming the angel’s slave. Last night the thought of encountering Engel and taking a binding sigil had terrified Diago, but that was before he’d seen his son manhandled by the likes of Garcia. Now it seemed a small price to pay for Rafael’s safety.
    Engel shook his head. “No, we can’t have that. Prieto would know I was involved if there was a binding sigil. We must use discretion in these circumstances. You see, I know Prieto is hiding at the lunatic asylum, Holy Cross.”
    Diago and Guillermo had been there yesterday to question Doña Rosa’s son, José. While they were there, Prieto had revealed his presence to Diago. How much did Engel know about that meeting?
    With a grin, Engel shifted his weight and leaned close. “Prieto thinks he is sly, hiding beneath the cries of the insane, but he is running out of time. His American counterpart is late, and he has yet to transfer the idea to her. You are going to convince him to give the idea to you so you can relay it to Guillermo.”
    â€œWhy Guillermo?”
    Engel shrugged. “Make something up. The important thing is that you acquire it and bring it to me.”
    â€œAnd if I can’t?”
    â€œWhat is this word, ‘can’t’?”
    Jaso translated.
    Engel scowled at Jaso. “It was a rhetorical question, you idiot.”
    Diago persisted. “If I can’t?”
    Engel smiled and oozed benevolence. “Then I will let you kiss your son before I give him the second death.”
    And he will do it. Diago looked into those cold eyes and did not doubt for a moment that the angel would murder his son. “Why do you think Prieto will just hand it over to me?”
    â€œBecause you are half daimon. You are the deceiver.” Engel released Diago and relaxed in his seat. “ Deceive .”
    Diago clenched his jaw and tried to ignore the throbbing headache