Before I Wake
Page 94
Okay. I believe you, Em said, holding my gaze with a teary one of her own. She was talking to me, but he was supposed to think she was talking to him. But Im hurt, Jayson. Let me go, so they can take me to the hospital.
I will. He glanced over my shoulder toward the pavilion, probably making sure no one else had noticed the trouble yet. As soon as she puts the knife down.
But I couldnt do that.
Who are you? I demanded. Obviously youre a hellion. Someone working with Avari. But no self-respecting hellion would help out another without something to gain from the favor. Was Emma the payment? If so, why not just take her? Why would the Jayson-thing practically tell me hed left something in his car for me, then walk down the shore with Em in plain sight, instead of just crossing over with her? Belphegore? I said. Invidia?
Oh, now youre just guessing, the hellion said. And with that, the charade was over.
Let me go, Em said, her voice deep with hatred, haggard with pain. Let go of me, you murdering, soul-stealing demon bastard!
Jayson laughed. I like this one. Easy on the eyes and even better on the tongue. He bent toward her ear again. Do you think theyll save you? he stage-whispered loud enough for me and Tod to hear. If she has to kill you to get to me, do you think shell even hesitate?
Fresh rage blossomed inside me, fire shooting up my spine. He was playing on old fears that I would let her die. On doubt that I would be able to save her a second time.
Kaylee would never hurt me. On purpose, she amended as blood continued to seep slowly between her fingers.
Tell her what really happened to Alec, the hellion said, and my rage was drenched in a cold wash of dread as he met my gaze again. Dont your friends deserve the truth?
I dont want the truth. Emmas voice was weaker now from blood loss, and fear, and maybe from confusion. I just want to go to the hospital. Please
She killed him, the hellion whispered. Kaylee stabbed Alec, and it wasnt an accident, like the scratch she just gave you, which smells so deliciously painful. The Jayson-thing pushed Emmas hand aside and pressed his fingers into her wound. She gasped in pain. He lifted his hand and licked a smear of blood from it, his hungry gaze holding mine the whole time. She stabbed him on purpose. Its true. I cant lie.
Em looked at me through tear-filled eyes, asking me for the truth without actually asking for anything.
Thats not how it happened, Tod insisted when I made no attempt to defend myself. He was possessed, but we thought Alec was already dead.We thought Avari was wearing his soul.
Let her go, I demanded.
Jayson laughed and licked another smear of blood from his hand, his other arm tight around Emmas waist. Drop the knife, or Ill take a real bite out of her, right here. I do love a picnic at the lake.
Emmas breathing sped up and her face paled even more. My fist tightened around the hilt of the knife. I glanced at Tod, and he nodded. I blinked, sure Id seen wrong. But he was still nodding, telling me to drop the knife.
Drop it and distract him, Tod said, his lip barely moving, and I knew from Ems lack of reaction that I was the only one who could hear him.
I held up the knife, blade down, to catch Jaysons attention. Then I dropped it. The knife speared the sand in front of my feet, stuck hilt up. Now let her go. You said you would, when I put the knife down.
Jaysons head cocked to the side, like he was thinking back over everything hed said. True He let her go, and Emma stumbled toward me, one hand clutching her bloodied side, relief and fear mixing in her features only to be overshadowed by pain. I reached for her, but the second her hand touched mine, the hellion snatched her back.
Emma screamed, and he laughed. I never said I wouldnt take her back.
I looked around for Tod, but he was gone. I glanced toward the pavilion and saw several human shapes, but we were too far away for me to tell who I was looking at. Had they heard her scream? Why was no one running to help?
Distract him and move away from the knife, Tod said from behind me and I realized no one else could see or hear him now.
Distract him? How? What would distract a hellion who already had what he wanted? But then, hed had what he wanted the whole time. So why were he and Em still there? Unless he didnt have what he wanted
Take me instead, I said, stepping to my left. You need me to go willingly, dont you? Because I was already dead, stealing my soul wasnt as simple as just killing me for it.
The hellion shrugged. Willing, or unconscious. Similar to mating rituals here on the human plane, isnt it? He laughed at his joke, and my stomach churned.
Keep moving Tod said, and I stepped to my left again. This time the hellion had to turn Emma to keep me in sight. But in turning, he stepped closer to the dagger.
Fine. Im willing. Let her go.
Prove it. The Jayson-monster lifted one foot and deliberately stomped on the hellion-forged dagger. The hilt broke off with less than two inches of blade, and a scream of despair rose up inside me, like a mockery of my bean sidhe wail. Cross over.
I will. He glanced over my shoulder toward the pavilion, probably making sure no one else had noticed the trouble yet. As soon as she puts the knife down.
But I couldnt do that.
Who are you? I demanded. Obviously youre a hellion. Someone working with Avari. But no self-respecting hellion would help out another without something to gain from the favor. Was Emma the payment? If so, why not just take her? Why would the Jayson-thing practically tell me hed left something in his car for me, then walk down the shore with Em in plain sight, instead of just crossing over with her? Belphegore? I said. Invidia?
Oh, now youre just guessing, the hellion said. And with that, the charade was over.
Let me go, Em said, her voice deep with hatred, haggard with pain. Let go of me, you murdering, soul-stealing demon bastard!
Jayson laughed. I like this one. Easy on the eyes and even better on the tongue. He bent toward her ear again. Do you think theyll save you? he stage-whispered loud enough for me and Tod to hear. If she has to kill you to get to me, do you think shell even hesitate?
Fresh rage blossomed inside me, fire shooting up my spine. He was playing on old fears that I would let her die. On doubt that I would be able to save her a second time.
Kaylee would never hurt me. On purpose, she amended as blood continued to seep slowly between her fingers.
Tell her what really happened to Alec, the hellion said, and my rage was drenched in a cold wash of dread as he met my gaze again. Dont your friends deserve the truth?
I dont want the truth. Emmas voice was weaker now from blood loss, and fear, and maybe from confusion. I just want to go to the hospital. Please
She killed him, the hellion whispered. Kaylee stabbed Alec, and it wasnt an accident, like the scratch she just gave you, which smells so deliciously painful. The Jayson-thing pushed Emmas hand aside and pressed his fingers into her wound. She gasped in pain. He lifted his hand and licked a smear of blood from it, his hungry gaze holding mine the whole time. She stabbed him on purpose. Its true. I cant lie.
Em looked at me through tear-filled eyes, asking me for the truth without actually asking for anything.
Thats not how it happened, Tod insisted when I made no attempt to defend myself. He was possessed, but we thought Alec was already dead.We thought Avari was wearing his soul.
Let her go, I demanded.
Jayson laughed and licked another smear of blood from his hand, his other arm tight around Emmas waist. Drop the knife, or Ill take a real bite out of her, right here. I do love a picnic at the lake.
Emmas breathing sped up and her face paled even more. My fist tightened around the hilt of the knife. I glanced at Tod, and he nodded. I blinked, sure Id seen wrong. But he was still nodding, telling me to drop the knife.
Drop it and distract him, Tod said, his lip barely moving, and I knew from Ems lack of reaction that I was the only one who could hear him.
I held up the knife, blade down, to catch Jaysons attention. Then I dropped it. The knife speared the sand in front of my feet, stuck hilt up. Now let her go. You said you would, when I put the knife down.
Jaysons head cocked to the side, like he was thinking back over everything hed said. True He let her go, and Emma stumbled toward me, one hand clutching her bloodied side, relief and fear mixing in her features only to be overshadowed by pain. I reached for her, but the second her hand touched mine, the hellion snatched her back.
Emma screamed, and he laughed. I never said I wouldnt take her back.
I looked around for Tod, but he was gone. I glanced toward the pavilion and saw several human shapes, but we were too far away for me to tell who I was looking at. Had they heard her scream? Why was no one running to help?
Distract him and move away from the knife, Tod said from behind me and I realized no one else could see or hear him now.
Distract him? How? What would distract a hellion who already had what he wanted? But then, hed had what he wanted the whole time. So why were he and Em still there? Unless he didnt have what he wanted
Take me instead, I said, stepping to my left. You need me to go willingly, dont you? Because I was already dead, stealing my soul wasnt as simple as just killing me for it.
The hellion shrugged. Willing, or unconscious. Similar to mating rituals here on the human plane, isnt it? He laughed at his joke, and my stomach churned.
Keep moving Tod said, and I stepped to my left again. This time the hellion had to turn Emma to keep me in sight. But in turning, he stepped closer to the dagger.
Fine. Im willing. Let her go.
Prove it. The Jayson-monster lifted one foot and deliberately stomped on the hellion-forged dagger. The hilt broke off with less than two inches of blade, and a scream of despair rose up inside me, like a mockery of my bean sidhe wail. Cross over.
