Page 129 of Half Dead

Mine.

“You should know with whom you’re having the pleasure,” I said.

He edged closer. “Oh, it’s become quite clear who you are, Lorelei Clay.”

“Obviously, you haven’t been paying close attention in class. The name is also Melinoe, goddess of nightmares and ghosts, and you’re trying to control the game on my playground.” I clucked my tongue.

“I’m doing more than controlling it.” He patted his chest. “I’m winning.”

“You seem to have forgotten one thing.” I didn’t need to stand in order to gather my strength and focus my will on the thin veil between this realm and the next.

Grin still intact, his eyebrows inched up. “Oh? And what’s that?”

“My playground. My rules.” With all the ferocity I could muster, I punched a hole through the dark wall and pulled us straight into the harsh glare of reality.

We tumbled to the ground. The refreshing scent of evergreen filled my nostrils as I staggered to my feet. I’d draggedus out of the nightmare realm and straight into the center of Wild Acres. I could hear the familiar thrum of the Falls nearby; its rhythm matched the beating of my heart.

Home.

I scanned the area for Kane and spotted him across the clearing, dusting off his clothes. My gaze met his and I gave him a triumphant smile.

Still on the ground, Belphegor groaned. I saw the end of the demon’s lip curl into a sneer. It was only a slight movement, and I might’ve mistaken it for an involuntary twitch, a mere spasm, except my body reacted to it before my mind had a chance to catch up.

I lunged to the right. The demon was faster. Belphegor managed to get a firm grip on my neck and slammed me against the trunk of a mighty oak with such force, that the branches shook. A metallic taste flooded my mouth.

Kane rushed forward. Arms thrust from Belphegor where no arms had been a second ago. Six… No, eight of them. Four of them attacked Kane while the other four held me in place. Flames licked Kane’s sleeve as he produced his mythical sword, but Belphegor was ready with more weapons of his own. The clang of steel on steel rang out in the forest.

Using the toe of my boot, I tried to drag the fallen scythe closer. Taunting laughter rippled from Belphegor as he hoisted me higher off the ground, scraping my back against the bark. The demon not known for his strength currently dangled me like a rag doll with one arm while seven other arms played both offense and defense.

This shouldn’t be possible.

And yet it was.

Was this the carrot Lucifer had offered the demon, a massive influx of power? A primal scream erupted from me as he drove a spear through Kane’s side. Crimson petals fanned outward across his white shirt.

The demon’s coffee-colored eyes twinkled with barely suppressed glee. “You lose, mon amour.”

My head was a cloud of chaos as he cut off my supply of oxygen. Under different circumstances, I would’ve calculated my odds, but there was no need. This monstrous version of Belphegor had the advantage. We couldn’t beat him. The realization lodged in my chest like a bullet. All that I’d achieved in the trials and it would all be for nothing. Lucifer would win, I would die, and Kane would be lost forever.

No.

I refused to let that happen.

Fighting to stay conscious, I kicked and clawed at the demon. If I could get in his head, inflict madness—although a mad Belphegor seemed even more dangerous than the one about to kill me.

And then I felt it—the sharp corner of the golden ticket given to me by Posy, still tucked away in the leggings I’d worn to the meeting and hadn’t washed. It poked my skin through the fabric of my pocket, a reminder that I still had one hand left to play. A fix for a very dire problem.

I’d insisted that I’d rather die than join The Corporation—but would I rather Kane be tortured in hell for eternity?

Kane would object, I knew that much, but the demon wasn’t in a position to argue. If my freedom was the price I paid to save him from eternal torment, then I would gladly sacrifice that and more.

Our gazes locked. Kane’s whisky-colored eyes seemed to plead with me, although it had to be my imagination. He couldn’t possibly know what I intended to do.

I’m sorry, I tried to mouth. But I wasn’t, not really. Not when I knew what the outcome would be. With every ounce of strength left in my body, I thrust my fist at the demon’s face and jammed my knuckles into his eyeball. The movedidn’t free me, but I wasn’t foolish enough to think I could get away. I was only seeking a momentary reprieve.

As my lungs were granted a wisp of air, I choked out the magic words.

“There’s no place like home.”

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