“When he walked in, he asked for me specifically, and when I spoke with him, he...he made some rather outrageous claims, and they involved you.”
That had my head rearing back in surprise.“Me?”
Lazarus nodded.“He claims that the future of humanity is at stake, and I need to take you to him, and that in time, he’ll explain everything.”
During any other circumstances, I’d tell Lazarus to go fuck himself and handle the patient on his own or transfer him, but in light of my recent conversation with Luther, I couldn’t lie and say that my curiosity hadn’t been peaked.Though I didn’t believe a word of any of it, it was too coincidental that two separate patients at two different facilities were speaking in the same riddles.
“There’s more,” he announced as I was mulling things over in my head.
“Are you going to tell me or do I have to guess?”I drawled out.“I’m busy, Russ.”
“His eyes...they do this weird thing when he speaks,” he replied, ignoring my rudeness.“It’s like they’re alive, like...like swirling storm clouds.”
“Sounds like you need a vacation, Dr.Copeland,” I retorted.
Ignoring that, he said, “He also knows things that he shouldn’t know.”
“Such as?”
“He knows about us,” he answered, hitting a sore spot, but not knocking me off my game.
“Sounds like a world-class scammer and that you’re falling for it,” I told him as I leaned my arms on my desk.“His eyes could be contacts, and it’s not crazy to think that two psychiatrists might know each other, Russ.Plus, as far as that other nonsense, we hadn’t actually been discreet.He could have easily seen us going into the hotel together, and maybe in the hopes of being able to blackmail one of us, he researched us to see if we were married or you were my boss or something unethical like that.I’d hardly credit him with psychic abilities at this point.”
Choosing to ignore my logic, he asked, “You’re not curious as to why he chose Ramiel?I mean, most people would choose Michael or Gabriel, no?”
“Why do you care?”I asked, and it was a genuine question.“Just transfer him, and if he doesn’t want to come here, then cut him loose.I mean, he’s not exactly in your preferred realm of patients.”
“Look, I get why you don’t want to talk to me, Lissa,” he practically snapped, karma being a cruel mistress.“But this is about someone who needs help, and you’re the best in this particular field.”
While it was true that I’d earned many awards of recognition for the work that I did, I was hardly the best.“I can see if Dr.Eli is available to assist you.”
Lazarus immediately started shaking his head.“It has to be you, Lissa.”
As much as I didn’t care for the man staring back at me, it was obvious that something had spooked him enough to come ask for my help.Even knowing that I was going to tell him no, he’d chosen to experience the rejection on the small chance that I’d say yes.
“I have a busy day ahead of the weekend,” I told him.“If you want me to meet this man, then it’ll have to be after I get off work.”
The relief on his face was visible enough to make me wonder just what was going on.Lazarus was the pragmatic type, so for him to be so concerned with a patient that was uttering gibberish was interesting.After all, his rude commentary on the type of patients that I treated was what had made me never want to see him again.
“Thank you, Lissa,” he replied sincerely.
“Is there anything else that I need to know about him?”I asked.“I don’t want to be blindsided by a favor that I don’t need to be granting.”
“He claims that he was ordered to interfere because I messed up three months ago,” he replied, his dark eyes regarding me carefully.“He hinted that our time was short, and if other Archangels needed to be dispatched to help with whatever this is, then they would be.”
I stared at him like he’d just grown horns because I just couldn’t help myself.“What?”
“I know-”
I put my hand up to stop him.“Are you seriously here, telling me that youbelievehim?”
“No,” he answered like I’d known that he would.“I’m here because he asked for me and you by name, and that made me uncomfortable enough to seek you out.”
“Afraid that you might really be the reason for the ruination of humanity?”I deadpanned.
Lazarus leaned forward in his seat, and I knew that my words had hit a nerve as fire lit in that dark gaze of his.“I’m here because I don’t like the idea of some strange man making references to you.I don’t like that he hinted that something may be coming your way.I don’t like that someone is signaling you out, Lissa.That’s why I’m here.”
I refused to let his words mean anything.“I’m a big girl, Russ.So, just have him transferred and let me deal with him.”
