Page 71 of Half Dead

“In that case, true love is simply love.”

“I guess so.” Never thought I’d be debating the nature of love with a monster in his lair, yet here I was. I continued toread until I reached the end of the results. “There’s nothing about a cure, but that doesn’t mean…”

A mighty roar interrupted me. The force of his breath blew back my hair and caused my skin to pucker with fear. “Enough,” he said in a voice that shook the earth, as well as my bones.

“Why so hangry? I thought you ate when you woke up.”

“I hoped to frighten you into action. Did it work?”

I fixed my wayward strands of hair. “No, but now I know what gourd breath smell like.”

His slitted eyes closed. “I have grown weary of this life. There is no joy. No hope.”

“Because it isn’t much of a life. You need to make the most of the one day you have every six months.”

“The more I sleep, the more I would rather continue sleeping. My bones are tired of supporting this carcass.”

“Why don’t I take you somewhere? Is there somewhere you’d like to see? Something you want to experience?”

“You cannot take me from this place. This realm is my eternal punishment.”

Nice touch, Lucifer, I thought to myself. Kumbhakara’s situation served to reinforce what would happen to Kane if I failed.

“Now that I think about it, there is one thing I’d like to experience,” Kumbhakara continued. “Perhaps you can assist me with that.”

“Anything,” I said.

“It will require your sword.”

I glanced at the sheathed weapon. “You want to hold a sword? It isn’t that exciting, I promise.”

“I have no desire to hold your sword. I would like you to use it against me.”

My mind blanked. “Excuse me?”

“You are in need of my death, and so am I. In this, we can help each other.”

My brain refused to process his statement. “I’m sorry. I thought we covered that. I’m not going to kill you. I’ll find another way.”

“There is no other way, Lorelei Melinoe. If you refuse, then I will do it for you. Hand me the blade.”

“Nope. Not gonna happen. You don’t even have opposable thumbs.”

His mouth elongated into what passed for a monstrous smile. “I have offered to die for you, yet you point out my flaws. How unkind you are.”

My fingers tightened around the handle. “It won’t work. The rule is that you have to die by my hand. I’m not sure how, but Lucifer will know if it isn’t my hand that strikes the fatal blow.”

“Then hold the handle and point the blade at my heart.”

“I already told you, I can’t do it.”

“Even if I beg? Grant me this simple request. Deliver me to the afterlife so that I may find peace.”

“You have peace three hundred and sixty-three days a year.”

He snorted. “Math is your weapon now, I see.”

“Whatever it takes.”

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