Falling (The Soul Collectors Series Book 1) by Tara Benham Page A

anticipated, he did do exactly as I had expected. He would use our plans to build his and work against us. I knew his type, demon or human. He would accept the challenge that went with the deal I was about to present to him.
    “If you’re so sure it’ll be that easy then how about a wager? You can use whatever plan you decided upon just now, BUT you have to make it work while on the campout I have planned for that weekend. You have to get them to leave the area and follow you to wherever you plan on letting them die. Because that is what they are going to have to do for you to win. They will all have to die. I’m game though, if you are.” Hadraniel was staring at me in shock, almost disgusted with what I was saying to Declan.
    Declan’s smirk shifted into a full blown ear-to-ear grin. “Sounds good to me. Not only do I win, but I beat Bayla the Great AND I get to choose my winnings from the wager to be determined at a later date, of course.” He put his hand out in front of him, waiting for me to shake on it.
    I reached towards his hands when I felt Hadraniel jerk me away.
    “Just give us a minute please.” He pulled me to the far corner of the garden. “Have you never heard the old saying to never make a deal with the Devil? He is his representative after all. What exactly are you doing?”
    I hadn’t told Hadraniel my suspicion about Declan and our mission. I wasn’t going to either. The less he knew, the better off he would be. I figured this was going to happen so I knew I had to have a reason to give him without giving away too much or flat-out lying.
    “Father Paul told us to include him, remember? This was the only way I could think of that would get him to agree. Besides, I don’t plan on losing Had so I’m okay with making the wager. However, you do not have to make the wager with him. It can be on me.” I reassured him with my authoritative and confident tone that I was sure I knew what I was doing. He just nodded, and my gut clenched with sudden doubt. I turned to head back to where Declan had perched himself on the back of the chair, leaning his elbows on his knees. When he noticed us approaching, he looked up, and his hair fell into his eyes. I stumbled a little at the look he gave me causing the doubt to grow into fearful uncertainty… maybe I didn’t know what I was doing. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Why was I letting this man - scratch that - this demon get to me as much as I was?  
    “So is it a deal?” He stuck his hand back out towards me, smirk on his face.
    “Deal.” I shook his hand.
    The ground shook, not hard, but enough that I feared maybe I had made a mistake. Seeing the grim frown on Had’s face, I realized he was thinking the same thing. Declan on the other hand seemed unfazed by the movement that had just occurred. An angel and demon had never made a deal before that I was aware of, and I’m sure that this was going to cause a huge problem with Elder Michael even if I did succeed.
    “Nice working with you guys. See you in town tomorrow. I have to head back to my place.” The arrogance that had just been present, seemed to fall away like a curtain and the vulnerability that had been there last night returned. He left and headed in the opposite direction from our cottage.
    He was so mercurial that I was unsure of anything other than I had literally just made a deal with the Devil. And I had only a small inkling of what I thought may or may not be a secret mission within the mission. I decided right then and there I would definitely be seeking out Mr. Whitstock tomorrow for the book he wanted to show us, but also to figure out how much information he had about our situation. First, however, was to use the internet to research what the tremor was related to and if I needed to move my plans up.
     
     
     

 
    When you cease to strive to understand, then you will know without understanding. ~Chinese proverb
     
    After all the research we had done last night, we