The Bone Cup Read online

  By L.J. LABARTHE

  The Body on the Beach

  City of Jade

  Long Road Back

  Ties that Bind

  ARCHANGEL CHRONICLES

  Book 1: No Quarter

  Book 2: No Surrender, No Retreat

  Book 3: No Shadows Fall

  Book 4: The Wind-up Forest

  Book 5: The Crystal Lake

  Book 6: The Bone Cup

  Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS

  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

  Copyright

  Published by

  Dreamspinner Press

  5032 Capital Circle SW

  Suite 2, PMB# 279

  Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886

  USA

  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The Bone Cup

  © 2014 L.J. LaBarthe.

  Cover Art

  © 2014 Anne Cain.

  [email protected]

  Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.

  All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/.

  ISBN: 978-1-62798-415-7

  Digital ISBN: 978-1-62798-414-0

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Edition

  June 2014

  As always, there are many people I need to thank. The Bone Cup would not be what it is without the help and support of the lovely Cate Ashwood and her red pen and the red pens and keen eyes of the wonderful Lynn West, Erika Orrick, and other editors who have worked with me on this book and series. My thanks also go to Marina Pycroft, Shane Bevin, Tracy Bailey, Michelle Wauchope, Claire Clarke, Laura Osgood, Meredith Shayne, Ali Wilde, Zathyn Priest, Skylar Cates, Andrea Speed, my mum, my cousin Dr. Ian, my brother John, and Israel Bishop. You guys just rock the universe, each and every single one of you. Last, but certainly not least, my deepest thanks goes to Elizabeth North.

  My gratitude goes out to all of my readers. Without you, there would be no book and no series, and you guys are integral to the whole process. So I hope you all enjoy this journey and will stick with me on the journey yet to come.

  Et res plurimas gratias.

  When Man will re-find himself,

  then demons with angels,

  and God with the Devil, will reconcile.

  —Sorin Cerin

  Dramatis Personae

  HEAVEN

  Michael: Chief Archangel, he is oldest of the Archangels. His titles are: Prince of Heaven, Archangel of Repentance, Righteousness, Mercy and Sanctification, Tutelary Sar of Israel, Guardian of Jacob, Commander in Chief of the Armies of Heaven, Destroyer of Satan, Chief of the Sun, Patron Saint of Policemen, Angel of the Grail. His power is gold, and he is bonded to Archangel Gabriel.

  Gabriel: Archangel of War, he is next in age. His titles are: Mercy, Revelation and Annunciation, the Strength of God, God’s Rage and Jealousy, General of God’s Armies, Commander of the Seraphim, Left Hand of God, Destroyer of Sodom and Gomorrah, Dictator of the Koran to Mohammed, Chief of the Moon, Angel of the Grail. His power is silver, and he is bonded to Archangel Michael.

  Raphael: Archangel of Healing and Medicine, Prayer, Joy and Light. His titles are: Overseer of the Evening Winds, Angel of the Sun. His power is white, and he is bonded to Israfel, Angel of Music.

  Uriel: Archangel of Sanctification, Fire, and Vengeance. His titles are: Guardian of the Gates of Hell, Guardian of Eden, Fire of God, Angel of Thunder. His power is orange, and he is bonded to Archangel Raziel.

  Tzadkiel: Archangel of Judgment. His titles are: Chief of God’s Secret Police, Commander of the Ophanim, Angel of Jupiter. His power is copper.

  Samael: Archangel of Death. His power is indigo.

  Remiel: Archangel of Mercy and Visions. His titles are: Guide to Judgment, Angel of Thunder. His power is dark green, and he is in a long-term relationship with Ishtahar.

  Haniel: Archangel of Love. His titles are: Guardian of Innocents, Angel of Venus. His power is red.

  Metatron: Archangel of the Voice of God. His titles are: Angel of the Covenant, Chancellor of Heaven, Scribe of God. His power is pale blue.

  Raziel: Archangel of Secrets and Mysteries and Science. His titles are: Author and Keeper of the Sefer Raziel Book of Magic, Angel of the Grail. His power is bronze, and he is bonded to Archangel Uriel.

  Israfel: Angel of Music. His power is blue, and he is bonded to Archangel Raphael.

  Tabbris: Angel of Free Will. His power is purple.

  Agrat bat Mahlat: Angel of Prostitution, Sex, and Procreation, called the Whore of God. She is one of the four Succubi sisters. Her power is red, and she is married/bonded to Shateiel, Angel of Silence and Soldiers.

  Shateiel: Angel of Silence and Soldiers. The most trusted lieutenant of Gabriel, he is mute and communicates solely by telepathy. His power is light blue, and he is married/bonded to Agrat, Angel of Prostitution, Sex, and Procreation.

  Camael: An Angel of War under the command of Gabriel. His power is silver-blue.

  Sophiel: Intelligence of Jupiter (corresponding to Tzadkiel), Angel of the Moon. Her power is blue.

  Brieus: Angel of Demon Hunting. His power is silver-blue.

  Asaf: Angel of Evening Hymns under the command of Gabriel. His power is silver-blue.

  Vel: Angel of Wednesday under the command of Gabriel. His power is silver-blue.

  EARTH

  John: Adopted son of Gabriel, killed during the Seventy Years War.

  Mira: Adopted daughter of Gabriel, killed during the Seventy Years War.

  Lia Darguill: Operative of evil who worked out of a textbook warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia, devoted to Bob Taytton and his planned new world order.

  Bob Taytton: Megalomaniac who believed himself to be the reincarnation of a French saint named Secaire. He opened the portals to Hell that sparked the Seventy Years War and was killed at the outset of that war.

  Ishtahar: High Priestess of Semjaza, Prince of the Grigori. She was born in the city of Eden at the dawn of Creation and forced to bear children to Semjaza, mother of the first Nephilim—half-human, half-angel hybrids. She is in a long-term relationship with Remiel.

  Hiwa: Elder son of Ishtahar; hates his father, Semjaza, and feels nothing but loathing for him. He has spent most of his life living as an assassin, working predominantly for the Russian mafia.

  Ahijah: Younger son of Ishtahar; also hates his father, Semjaza. He has devoted his life to God, living and working as a priest, finally settling in Brazil.

  Eleanora: A French witch, living in Provence.

  Jihu: A shaman, living in North Korea in a communal farm with his family, hides his talents from prying eyes and ears.

  Sorella: A wise-woman, living in the Congo, in the slums. She is also an herbalist and healer.

  Frank: A former Cistercian monk, now a Hermit. He lives on the isl
and of St. Kilda, off the north coast of Scotland.

  Khenbish: A shaman and a Buddhist, living in Mongolia. His name means “Nobody,” which confuses evil spirits.

  Iolana: A shamaness living in Hawaii, very shy but kind and cheerful. She lives with her girlfriend and loves to surf. Her name means “to soar like an eagle.”

  Wilara: A Wajarri Elder living on the traditional tribal lands of the Wajarri People in Western Australia.

  Lyudmila: Queen of the Eastern Bloc Weres and has two shifter shapes: a wolf and a mink. She has talent with magic and with visions. She is Russian but now lives in Yerevan, capital of Armenia.

  Piotr: Lyudmila’s consort. He is Russian, but lives in Yerevan with Lyudmila. His shifter shape is that of an eagle.

  Arkady: A Russian shifter. He has ulterior motives and is as slippery as a fish.

  Olga: A Russian shifter.

  Vasily: A Russian shifter.

  Larissa: An Armenian shifter.

  Minnie: An Australian witch. She is formerly a thief known as No-Hands Minnie. She lives with her partner Max and their cat.

  Max/Mobius: Extremely talented hacker known for being able to dig up hidden information. He lives with his partner Minnie and their cat.

  Horace: A member of the Order of Midnight, an extremely expensive group of assassins.

  Chloe: A young woman working for the British Library in London in the rare books and manuscripts department. She is good friends with Penemuel, the Grigori.

  Susan: Chloe’s mother and Penemuel’s landlady.

  Angelique: Alpha of a Venatores pack. She was formerly a member of the US Air Force and is of Mexican descent, raised in Texas. Her shifter shape is a dark gray wolf, and she is in a relationship of sorts with Declan.

  Lily: Beta of Angelique’s pack. She is an Englishwoman formerly of the British Army. Her shifter is a gray wolf, and she is married to Danny, another member of the pack.

  Baxter: Kappa of Angelique’s pack. He was formerly a US Marine, suffering PTSD. His shifter shape is an Arctic white wolf, and he is in a relationship with Liam.

  Danny: Kappa of Angelique’s pack. He was also formerly a US Marine, born and raised in Georgia. His shifter shape is a gray wolf, and he is married to Lily, another member of the pack.

  Riley: Omega of Angelique’s pack and the pack medic. He was formerly a US Navy Corpsman working with the United States Marine Corps. His shifter shape is a red rock wolf.

  Declan Jones: Shifter and older brother of Liam. He was raised in Puerto Rico and worked for some years in the US Army. His shifter shape is a Yorkshire terrier, and he is in a relationship of sorts with Angelique.

  Liam Jones: Necromancer and younger brother of Declan. He was raised in Puerto Rico. He is one of the strongest necromancers alive in the world. Worked as a police officer before he and Declan set out together to work as demon trackers. He is in a relationship with Baxter.

  Anna: Venatores. She is of Russian descent. She is a wolf shifter, mother to two young children, and married to Robert.

  Robert: Venatores. He is of American descent. He is a fox shifter, father to Anna’s children, and married to Anna.

  Sebastian Bloome: Individual involved in the kidnap and sale of angels on the black market.

  HELL

  Lucifer: King of Hell. A Fallen Angel, the first Fallen Angel. His titles are: King of Hell, Lightbringer, The Morningstar, Lucifer, Prince of Lies, Lord of Deceit, Lord of the Flies, The Devil, Satan. He is almost omniscient, nearly as much as God. He is very good friends with the Archdemon Adramelek, one of the first angels to Fall. His power is white, and he is in an open relationship with Lilith and is sometimes involved with Adramelek.

  Adramelek: Fallen Angel and unquestionably loyal to Lucifer. Formerly a member of the choir of angels called the Thrones, his titles are: Archdemon of Fire, Great Minister and Chancellor of the Order of the Fly, President of Satan’s Private Council, the High Council of Devils, President of the Order of Glass Knives. His power is silver-black, and he is Lucifer’s sometimes-lover.

  Ondrass: One of the first demons created, born out of Lucifer’s fury just after his fall into Hell. His titles are: Archdemon of Discord, Grand Marquis of Hell, Lucifer’s personal hit man, member of the Order of Glass Knives. His power is black, and he is in a relationship with his personal assistant, Markus.

  Melcherisa: Archdemon of Darkness. His titles are: Governor of the Base Natures of Hell, member of the Guild of Glass Knives. His power is dark gray.

  Lix Tetrax: Duchess of Whirlwinds, High Priestess of Fevers and Member of the Order of the Fly, member of the Guild of Glass Knives. Her power is silver-gray.

  Ba’al: Seneschal and butler to Lucifer. He is absolutely loyal to Lucifer and loves him as a father figure. His power is gray.

  Sprite: Adramelek’s hell-cat, ginger-colored, with a fondness for tuna and fresh fish.

  Uphir: Archdemon of Medicine and Science, Hell’s Physician. His power is muddy brown.

  Marchosias: Marquis of Wolves. His power is khaki-green.

  Markus: Personal Assistant to Ondrass, the Archdemon of Discord. His power is gray, and he is in a relationship with Ondrass.

  Lilith: The first wife of Adam, and prior to that, the consort of God Himself. Her titles are: Consort of Lucifer, Eater of Infants, The First Adulteress, Consort of Yahweh, Mother of Giants. Lilith is the first scorned woman and the first strong woman to say no to a man. After she left Adam, she wandered in the wilderness and mothered giants, the monsters of ancient mythology. Originally named Lilitu, she met Lucifer in the desert and they spent a long time in conversation. Lilith is the oldest of the four Succubi sisters. Agrat, Eisheth, and Naamah are her sisters. Her power is red.

  OTHER

  Shamsiel: A Fallen Angel of the choir of the Grigori and formerly the Grigori of Astrology. He made a deal with Bob Taytton and they sold feathers from his wings to demons to hide them from angelic sight in the build-up to the Seventy Years War. He was killed by Lucifer for his actions.

  Semjaza: Prince of the Grigori, imprisoned in the constellation of Aquila by Gabriel in the last days of Eden. His punishment was for corrupting humanity and breeding with human women, most notably his high priestess, Ishtahar, whom he forced to be his wife. Is the father of Hiwa and Ahijah. He is a talented magician. He was pulled down to Hell and suffers in the Lake of Frozen Souls, tortured personally by Lucifer.

  Azazel: Closest friend and ally of Semjaza, Grigori of Weaponry and Makeup.

  Penemuel: Grigori of Writing and Reading, he escaped with Baraqiel and Kokabiel. His best friends are Chloe and her mother, Susan, and the two Grigori named Baraqiel and Kokabiel, and he has a pet cat.

  Baraqiel: Grigori of Astronomy and Astrology, he escaped with Kokabiel and Penemuel. In the modern world, he works as an astrophysicist at the Belgian Observatory, and lives with Kokabiel, with whom he is in a relationship.

  Kokabiel: Grigori of Astronomy and Astrology, he escaped with Baraqiel and Penemuel. In the modern world, he works as an astrophysicist at the Belgian Observatory and lives with Baraqiel, with whom he is in a relationship.

  Eisheth: Youngest of the four Succubi sisters, she spent her time living among the stars, comforting those who fell to earth as they died. She was murdered by her sister Naamah to profane the Holy Grail.

  Naamah: One of the four Succubi sisters, she used to live in the seas of the Earth, but moved to Purgatory during the Seventy Years War. She has two children, twins, whose father is unknown. Her twin children are named Arthur and Morgana, after the Arthurian legends.

  Chapter One

  URIEL SAT on the roof of the apartment building. It was just before dawn. He listened to the sounds of the city of Yerevan coming slowly awake, pulling itself from the silence of slumber to take a breath, stretch, and begin the day. The sky was orange and red, and Uriel remembered there was something about red skies in the morning and sailors, but he wasn’t sure what that was.

  He held a cup of coffee in his hand as he sa
t, gazing toward the snow-crusted peak of Mount Ararat. In this crepuscular light, the top of the mountain seemed almost like a jewel, a ragged pearl atop a piece of sapphire, surrounded by rubies and topaz. Using his power to augment his vision, he could see the details of the mountain, the ossified outline of the skeleton of the great ship that had once been Noah’s Ark. He remembered as if it were only yesterday when the people and animals, starving, thirsty, half-mad with grief, had shrieked in relief as the boat had run aground on the slopes of the mountain and God had commanded Uriel to turn off the rain.

  Forty days and nights it had rained, and forty days and nights had Uriel spent on the Ark listening to Noah console his family and the animals. He had used his power to provide food and fresh water, but as the rain fell and the flood rose, there was little Uriel could scavenge. He’d had two tasks back then: keep the residents of the Ark alive and keep the rain falling.

  Most of angelkind and those few humanoids who had survived the Flood, such as Ishtahar and her sons, would say that Uriel had been a curmudgeon long before those rains had been commanded to fall. Uriel knew better. Before the rain, before Semjaza, before humans, there had been demons, angels, and monsters. And there had been Eden.

  Raziel had built Eden out of necessity and because he was a genius, with a challenge to make a city fortress unlike any other. Uriel, however, had designed and built his parts of the city with an entirely different motivation. Uriel had been inspired by love: love of Raziel, for whom he had built the Temple of the Wise, love of his Brotherhood, for whom he had constructed the towers on the walls, and love of God, for whom he had planted the East Garden.

  Uriel took a sip of his coffee and gazed unblinkingly at the mountain. He could clearly see the bones of the ship, now fossilized into the rock, the last physical reminder of a rainfall that had hidden his tears and a flood that had drowned his joy.