Page 83 of Dead Heat

“But Josie will reward you, so it all evens out in the end.”

“Not if I’m dead.”

I offered a reassuring smile. “Then I guess I’ll see you in the next life.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“You’re goingto Helheim over my dead body.” To describe Kane as less than pleased by the recent development was an understatement. I immediately took him off speakerphone and cradled the phone against my ear. The ghosts weren’t in view but that didn’t mean they weren’t within earshot.

“You asked me to help him, so I’m helping.”

“Not like this!”

I tightened my grip on the phone as I stared out the kitchen window. “It isn’t your decision.”

“Alessandro is in my employ, not yours. It should have been my decision. You robbed me of that right.”

“He works as your bartender. I hardly think that gives you dibs on protecting him from an unhinged vala.”

“Perhaps not, but I should certainly have dibs on protectingyou.”

My eyebrows shot up. “You think I can’t handle this?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You basically did. All I need to do is waltz into Helheim, invoke a few nightmares, grab Oskar, and get out before anybody catches us.”

“I have far more experience escaping places with the word ‘hel’ in them.”

“And I’m a goddess of the underworld.”

“How will that help you? You have no memories of that existence.”

“I have a few,” I said. And even more by the day, but now didn’t seem like the ideal time to share my visit with Kane.

“The name of your three-headed monster pet doesn’t count. At least let me come with you.”

I raised my chin a smidge. “Admit it, you don’t think I’m capable of handling this on my own.”

“Far from it.”

“Then why are you being so difficult about this?”

“Why do you think? Because I’m afraid of losing you, dammit!”

“Well, you’ll lose me faster if you act like I’m helpless. I’ve never been a damsel in distress, and I have no intention of starting now.”

Silence followed my declaration.

“Kane, are you there?”

“I’m here.” He didn’t sound happy about it.

“I’m the designated proxy,” I said. “If you come with me and go all demon prince of hell, I’m worried Erika will exploit some loophole that means Alessandro dies anyway because technically I wasn’t the champion.”

“You be the captain. I’ll be second-in-command.”

“People will still defer to you. I can’t risk it.”

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