If I Die
Page 86
Which means theyre useless to us, since we know incubi are actually thoroughly physical psychic parasites, I concluded, and Tod nodded.
That kick to the groin method isnt looking so bad now, is it? Emma said.
Neither are the scissors.
Well call that plan B, Tod said, pulling open the fridge in search of another can of soda.
Two hours later, I was starving, and wed still had no word from my dad or uncle about the family dinner, which Id invited both Tod and Em to stay for. Nor were we any closer to a decent plan A. Evidently no one in the history of the internet had ever successfully annihilated a real live incubus.
I think were going to have to call it quits on the ambush, Emma said, closing her laptop with a soft click. At least for tonight.
No! I refreshed my browser and typed in another variant of the same banish kill incubus keyword search Id been scouring the internet with. Im not going to have another night! And I didnt want to die without knowing Beck would be no threat to my best friend. Besides, if were not there when he shows up tonight, hes going to know somethings up, and well have lost the element of surprise. And weor you guys, since Ill be deadwont get another shot at him if he knows you know what he is.
Emma shrugged, meeting my gaze reluctantly. Maybe thats for the best, Kay. If he figures out what hes up against, maybe hell justmove on.
But thats just passing our problem on to someone else. Someone who wont know how to fight him.
We dont know how to fight him, she pointed out, with infuriatingly sound logic. The lack of information to the contrary suggests that incubi are probably immortal and practically invincible. So what choice do we have, Kaylee? You may be immune to the evil hotness, but Im not, and I dont want to walk away from this pregnant with a demon fetus. Or dead because I knew too much.
Shes right, Kay, Tod said. Its not fair to involve her in this. Not when we cant guarantee her safety.
I know. I closed my laptop slowly, burning from the inside out with anger and frustration. Maybe I could
Not by yourself, Emma interrupted. I know youre going to die anyway. She swallowed and closed her eyes in a longer-than-normal blink. But thats not how you want it to happen, is it?
Besides, if Beck shows up at Emmas house and youre the only one thereor at least the only one he can seehes going to know somethings up, Tod said.
I couldnt argue against their logic, butI couldnt give up the fight, in either my head or my heart. At some point, Id started equating a good deaththe only thing I had left to aspire towith defeating Beck and protecting my school. I didnt want to die without knowing hed gone first.
But before I could put any of that into words, my phone rang, and the display showed my dads number. I held up a one-minute finger to Em and Tod, then flipped my phone open. Hey, are you on your way home? I asked, when I recognized road noise in the background. Uncle Brendon and Sophie are probably already on their way.
Kaylee, I didnt go to work today. Im with Brendon, and were not going to make it back for dinner. Hes already called Sophie. Im so sorry, honey.
Suddenly the kitchen felt too cold and goose bumps popped up on my arms. Where are you? I crossed into the living room and started to sit, until I realized I had an almost physical need to keep moving. To burn nervous energy. So I paced back and forth in front of the coffee table.
On the way home from Tallulah.
Tallulah, Louisiana?!
Umyeah. Brendon spent all night tracking down that incubus he ran up against fifteen years ago, and we got lucky.
You found him? I asked, and Tod and Emma followed me into the living room, listening carefully, and dropped onto the couch.
Yeah, his name is Daniel, and we set out this morning to pay him a visit.
Hey, Kay-bear, my uncle called to me over the line.
Hi, I returned, pausing in midstride to stroke Styxs head when she jumped into the recliner. Sodid this Daniel tell you how to take out an incubus?
Well, he wasnt very forthcoming with any information we could potentially use against him, but he did introduce us to his sonan eight-year-old incubus named Charles. It turns out that Charles is the only reason his father hasnt relocated or changed his namehes trying to give the kid a stable childhood, at least until he comes into his psychic appetite, around puberty. Which seemed to be typical for most nonhuman species.
Okay, hurray for Charles and his father-of-the-year. Unfortunately, I wasnt hearing anything that would actually help us get rid of Beck.
Thats not all, my dad continued, in that pay attention tone. Daniel is a very proud father, and he insisted on introducing Charles to us. Kaylee, the kids eyes swirl, and that can only mean one thing. His mother was a bean sidhe.
A bean sidhe? I said, and on the edge of my vision, Emma turned to Tod in question. I thought incubi had to breed with human women.
That kick to the groin method isnt looking so bad now, is it? Emma said.
Neither are the scissors.
Well call that plan B, Tod said, pulling open the fridge in search of another can of soda.
Two hours later, I was starving, and wed still had no word from my dad or uncle about the family dinner, which Id invited both Tod and Em to stay for. Nor were we any closer to a decent plan A. Evidently no one in the history of the internet had ever successfully annihilated a real live incubus.
I think were going to have to call it quits on the ambush, Emma said, closing her laptop with a soft click. At least for tonight.
No! I refreshed my browser and typed in another variant of the same banish kill incubus keyword search Id been scouring the internet with. Im not going to have another night! And I didnt want to die without knowing Beck would be no threat to my best friend. Besides, if were not there when he shows up tonight, hes going to know somethings up, and well have lost the element of surprise. And weor you guys, since Ill be deadwont get another shot at him if he knows you know what he is.
Emma shrugged, meeting my gaze reluctantly. Maybe thats for the best, Kay. If he figures out what hes up against, maybe hell justmove on.
But thats just passing our problem on to someone else. Someone who wont know how to fight him.
We dont know how to fight him, she pointed out, with infuriatingly sound logic. The lack of information to the contrary suggests that incubi are probably immortal and practically invincible. So what choice do we have, Kaylee? You may be immune to the evil hotness, but Im not, and I dont want to walk away from this pregnant with a demon fetus. Or dead because I knew too much.
Shes right, Kay, Tod said. Its not fair to involve her in this. Not when we cant guarantee her safety.
I know. I closed my laptop slowly, burning from the inside out with anger and frustration. Maybe I could
Not by yourself, Emma interrupted. I know youre going to die anyway. She swallowed and closed her eyes in a longer-than-normal blink. But thats not how you want it to happen, is it?
Besides, if Beck shows up at Emmas house and youre the only one thereor at least the only one he can seehes going to know somethings up, Tod said.
I couldnt argue against their logic, butI couldnt give up the fight, in either my head or my heart. At some point, Id started equating a good deaththe only thing I had left to aspire towith defeating Beck and protecting my school. I didnt want to die without knowing hed gone first.
But before I could put any of that into words, my phone rang, and the display showed my dads number. I held up a one-minute finger to Em and Tod, then flipped my phone open. Hey, are you on your way home? I asked, when I recognized road noise in the background. Uncle Brendon and Sophie are probably already on their way.
Kaylee, I didnt go to work today. Im with Brendon, and were not going to make it back for dinner. Hes already called Sophie. Im so sorry, honey.
Suddenly the kitchen felt too cold and goose bumps popped up on my arms. Where are you? I crossed into the living room and started to sit, until I realized I had an almost physical need to keep moving. To burn nervous energy. So I paced back and forth in front of the coffee table.
On the way home from Tallulah.
Tallulah, Louisiana?!
Umyeah. Brendon spent all night tracking down that incubus he ran up against fifteen years ago, and we got lucky.
You found him? I asked, and Tod and Emma followed me into the living room, listening carefully, and dropped onto the couch.
Yeah, his name is Daniel, and we set out this morning to pay him a visit.
Hey, Kay-bear, my uncle called to me over the line.
Hi, I returned, pausing in midstride to stroke Styxs head when she jumped into the recliner. Sodid this Daniel tell you how to take out an incubus?
Well, he wasnt very forthcoming with any information we could potentially use against him, but he did introduce us to his sonan eight-year-old incubus named Charles. It turns out that Charles is the only reason his father hasnt relocated or changed his namehes trying to give the kid a stable childhood, at least until he comes into his psychic appetite, around puberty. Which seemed to be typical for most nonhuman species.
Okay, hurray for Charles and his father-of-the-year. Unfortunately, I wasnt hearing anything that would actually help us get rid of Beck.
Thats not all, my dad continued, in that pay attention tone. Daniel is a very proud father, and he insisted on introducing Charles to us. Kaylee, the kids eyes swirl, and that can only mean one thing. His mother was a bean sidhe.
A bean sidhe? I said, and on the edge of my vision, Emma turned to Tod in question. I thought incubi had to breed with human women.
