A Touch Menacing (59 page)

A
s the Bound wandered off, dazed, Kristen handed Eden to Gabe. Then she tugged Luke’s hand. “We need to leave. Now.”

He followed as she led him away from the others. Kristen only looked back once, to see Eden staring after her. She ducked into the stairwell with Luke, dragging him down two at a time.

Finally, four floors down, Luke stopped her. “I have weapons to retrieve.”

“Make new ones!” Kristen spun on him. He raised an eyebrow. “Please, Luke. Let’s just go.”

“Why?” he asked.

The lump in her throat made it almost impossible to get the words out. “They’re making Rachel turn us. They’re going to have that girl change us back as quickly as they can to save their precious mortals.” Luke didn’t react. She shoved him with all her strength. “I don’t want to be mortal,” she yelled.

Her voice ricocheted through the stairwell, kept itself company in echoes. Voices on top of voices. The thought only made her more frantic. “What do I have to go back to? An expiration date and a mind . . .” She closed her eyes. “And a mind that
sours
.”

“Kristen.”

Luke’s hand cupped the back of her neck. When she opened her eyes, she thought he was going in for a kiss, but his forehead met hers. “You avenged Sebastian and the others, yes?” he asked quietly.

She wasn’t sure. Two of the Bound had died at her hand, but it hadn’t changed anything. She felt no better. The empty hole where Sebastian belonged was still an open wound. No amount of death would fill it. “I guess so,” she said.

He tilted his head back and locked eyes with her. “Then we’ve accomplished what we came here to do. I’ve sought an equal, who can stand beside me.” His voice was filled with heat. “Mortals are
playthings
! You deserve so much more than that. It’s beneath you.”

“They’ll come for me. The Bound won’t let me stay a Sider.”

“Let them try.” Luke’s irises swirled muddy and then blackened, bits of the Touch she’d passed him still working through his system.

“And what will our life be? Running, hiding?” she asked, misery in her voice.

“Kristen, Heaven runs from
me,
not the other way around. All the powers of Hell will protect you. As long as you stay by my side, this world is yours.”

Silly, Lucifer,
she thought.
I bet you never suspected someone would beat you at your own games.
She laced her arms around his neck and nuzzled against him to hide her victorious smile.

CHAPTER 33

A
s the Bound wandered off, dazed, Kristen handed Eden to Gabe. Then she tugged Luke’s hand. “We need to leave. Now.”

He followed as she led him away from the others. Kristen only looked back once, to see Eden staring after her. She ducked into the stairwell with Luke, dragging him down two at a time.

Finally, four floors down, Luke stopped her. “I have weapons to retrieve.”

“Make new ones!” Kristen spun on him. He raised an eyebrow. “Please, Luke. Let’s just go.”

“Why?” he asked.

The lump in her throat made it almost impossible to get the words out. “They’re making Rachel turn us. They’re going to have that girl change us back as quickly as they can to save their precious mortals.” Luke didn’t react. She shoved him with all her strength. “I don’t want to be mortal,” she yelled.

Her voice ricocheted through the stairwell, kept itself company in echoes. Voices on top of voices. The thought only made her more frantic. “What do I have to go back to? An expiration date and a mind . . .” She closed her eyes. “And a mind that
sours
.”

“Kristen.”

Luke’s hand cupped the back of her neck. When she opened her eyes, she thought he was going in for a kiss, but his forehead met hers. “You avenged Sebastian and the others, yes?” he asked quietly.

She wasn’t sure. Two of the Bound had died at her hand, but it hadn’t changed anything. She felt no better. The empty hole where Sebastian belonged was still an open wound. No amount of death would fill it. “I guess so,” she said.

He tilted his head back and locked eyes with her. “Then we’ve accomplished what we came here to do. I’ve sought an equal, who can stand beside me.” His voice was filled with heat. “Mortals are
playthings
! You deserve so much more than that. It’s beneath you.”

“They’ll come for me. The Bound won’t let me stay a Sider.”

“Let them try.” Luke’s irises swirled muddy and then blackened, bits of the Touch she’d passed him still working through his system.

“And what will our life be? Running, hiding?” she asked, misery in her voice.

“Kristen, Heaven runs from
me,
not the other way around. All the powers of Hell will protect you. As long as you stay by my side, this world is yours.”

Silly, Lucifer,
she thought.
I bet you never suspected someone would beat you at your own games.
She laced her arms around his neck and nuzzled against him to hide her victorious smile.

EPILOGUE

E
den snuggled in closer, the blanket around them both holding her to Gabe’s shoulder. His shirt was cool against her cheek, wet with the tears she’d cried for Az. She felt safe here in her room, with Gabe. He hadn’t left her side since last night.

“I guess I should go out. They’re waiting for me,” Eden said. When the Bound insisted Eden be turned mortal immediately, Gabe had refused them. Now, his arm tightened around her.

Gabe stroked her hair. “Let them wait,” he said softly. “How’s your ankle? I don’t want them turning you until you’re at one hundred percent.”

Under the covers, she rotated her foot, expecting pain, surprised when it moved easily. “It’s better,” she said.

She shouldn’t have been surprised. Healing her wounds had been able to burn up some of the Touch she’d taken in from Rachel. Siders had begun showing up just past midnight, and Rachel had started turning them mortal again. Even now, seemingly dead bodies filled Jarrod’s room, laid out on the beds and the floor. It took three hours for them to reanimate, at which point they were told to spread the word and shown the door. Eden wondered what kind of lives they’d have. If they’d just end up starving on the street. She wondered what kind of life she would have.

“When Rachel makes me mortal, she’ll be taking in any extra Touch left in me,” Eden said. “And Sullivan’s. All the other Siders coming here. It’ll be too much for her.”

“We’re working on that,” Gabe said. “Some of those at Kristen’s did escape injured. They’ll be dosed and given time to get well before they’re made mortal. There are two other Siders, Annalise and Donavan, who I trust to spread it safely.”

“And when there are no Siders left? What happens to her then?” Eden asked. Without taking in
some
Touch, Rachel would die. Slowly. In pain.

“You have my word, I’ll figure out a way to make her mortal before time runs out. The Bound are no threat to her. Not anymore.” Gabe held Eden close.

The blanket enveloped them like a cocoon. Fresh tears stung her eyes. She wanted to stay like this forever, not having to think. Not having to face Az’s death and whatever the future held for her. When she tried to snuggle in closer, though, Gabe lifted her off his shoulder. His eyes were nearly as swollen as hers must have been. “You’re going to be okay. You know that, right?” he said.

For a long time, she couldn’t answer. She wanted a new start far from New York and all that had happened here. Teaming up with Jarrod and Sullivan, she knew it could work. She’d find a job. Maybe get her GED and go to college.

Grow up.

“I’m scared,” she said finally, because it was the truth. Because in every plan she made, Az crept in. She pictured mornings and saw breakfast in bed with him. She thought about watching a movie on the couch and she pictured him cuddled up next to her. Saw them growing old together.

Except, now, that wasn’t going to happen. qct

“Eden.” Gabe stroked her hair. “That was never going to happen,” he said gently.

He’d picked up on her thoughts. She hated him for saying it and hated more that he was right. “I wasn’t finished,” she said. “I’m scared, but I want to do this. He would want me to be mortal. He would want me to have a good life.”

“Yes,” Gabe said.

Eden sat up slowly, a smidgen of her stubborn self coming back. Even though the Bound had taken him,
she
was still alive. Well, at least she would be shortly.
I can do this,
she thought.

“Are Jarrod and Sullivan ready?” she asked.

“Sullivan is. Jarrod said he won’t change until you’re both mortal.”

A ghost of a smile passed across Eden’s lips. He was going to have a hard adjustment to being normal again. Eden turned to Gabe suddenly. “Kristen,” she said. “Have they made her mortal yet? Is she here?”

“No,” Gabe said, looking pained. “Luke took her.” His face went bitter. “She’s a smart girl, though, and his game’s obvious this time. She’ll come back.”

“What do you mean?” Eden asked, confused.

Gabe waited, as if he wanted her to figure it out herself, but Eden was too tired to try. “Eden, Luke only needs one Sider to start this all over again.”

A knock on the door interrupted before she could respond. Jarrod opened it. “Sorry,” he said, looking from her to Gabe. “Raphael said to tell you it’s time. They won’t wait anymore.”

Against her, Eden felt Gabe tense. “You tell him I said he can wait until she’s—”

She laid a hand on his and gave it a squeeze, cutting him off. “No, it’s okay,” she said, braving a smile.
This is it.

This is the start.

She peeled back the blanket and dropped Gabe’s hand as she stood. “I’m ready,” Eden said.

EPILOGUE

E
den snuggled in closer, the blanket around them both holding her to Gabe’s shoulder. His shirt was cool against her cheek, wet with the tears she’d cried for Az. She felt safe here in her room, with Gabe. He hadn’t left her side since last night.

“I guess I should go out. They’re waiting for me,” Eden said. When the Bound insisted Eden be turned mortal immediately, Gabe had refused them. Now, his arm tightened around her.

Gabe stroked her hair. “Let them wait,” he said softly. “How’s your ankle? I don’t want them turning you until you’re at one hundred percent.”

Under the covers, she rotated her foot, expecting pain, surprised when it moved easily. “It’s better,” she said.

She shouldn’t have been surprised. Healing her wounds had been able to burn up some of the Touch she’d taken in from Rachel. Siders had begun showing up just past midnight, and Rachel had started turning them mortal again. Even now, seemingly dead bodies filled Jarrod’s room, laid out on the beds and the floor. It took three hours for them to reanimate, at which point they were told to spread the word and shown the door. Eden wondered what kind of lives they’d have. If they’d just end up starving on the street. She wondered what kind of life she would have.

“When Rachel makes me mortal, she’ll be taking in any extra Touch left in me,” Eden said. “And Sullivan’s. All the other Siders coming here. It’ll be too much for her.”