Page 32 of Till Death

His chuckle went deeper and lengthened into a long howl. The kind where he had to tip his head back to laugh, hands on his belly, eyes watering. The whole bit.

Apparently I was a comedian now.

“Is there something you find funny?” I asked with forced sweetness.

“You. This has been the most fun I’ve had in ages,” he got out, wiping at his eyes.

Seemed I did a lot to amuse people these days.

“I hadn’t realized I’d told a joke. Give me a chance to start again and I’ll provide you with a real knee slapper.” The whole time I spoke, I edged away from Amon, my fingers twitching at my side in a small invitation for Cole to follow me. He sniffed at the air. Grunted. Then slowly began to shuffle toward me again.

Good boy.

“I can tell from the look on your face you think you can stroll out of here with my son in tow and miraculously find a cure for him while also, simultaneously, closing the gates to hell permanently and restoring the afterlife.”

Amon hooted before doubling over and putting his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

I squared my shoulders, lifting my chin defiantly. Because there was nothing I hated more than people thinking I couldn’t do something. It became a challenge. “Oh, I plan on it. You just sit and watch me.”

It took him another minute or so to finally stop chuckling long enough to finish his train of thought. When he did, I knew in an instant I’d rather have him in the throws of laughter than looking at me point blank. It felt like staring at the barrel of a loaded gun.

“I think you’re taking this mission of yours a little too seriously. Change is coming. People will die. One side will win out above the other because it is inevitable. You have to understand how things work.”

“I think you’ve painted a delightful picture for me.” I waved my hands in the air in front of my face. “The inner workings are much clearer now than they were before.”

“Really?” Amon’s brows drew down.

“Yes, really. And as I’ve said before, the beef between you and Hank is none of my business. I’m on my side.” And there I went, channeling my inner Tamara. No better bitch to emulate, in my opinion.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I glanced over at Cole, who stared at me with his head cocked to the side because he knew something was wrong. No matter how badly the demon fought for control, Cole fought harder because he knew he needed me. He was still inside there.

And I refused to leave without him.

I channeled Simon’s usually hardened expression and refused to let it crack when Amon said, “You’re going to be staying with me for a while, Jade.”

It became my turn to laugh. “I really don’t think so.”

“You’re the one capable of turning the die in this war. My brother wasn’t wrong about that. You possess a greater power than you know,” he replied.

Not likely, considering I was currently tapped out in the power department. And if Amon hadn’t stepped in when he had—I might have been Halfling feed.

“Sorry, I’m not your girl.” My cold smile never wavered. “You’re going to have to find someone else.”

His hands slid down into his pockets but I wasn’t fooled by the easy posture. “I think you are exactly my girl. Why don’t you make yourself comfortable?” He gestured to the right and a large sofa the size of my old apartment in the afterlife slowly swam into being until it was solid and real. “We’re going to be spending a lot of time together while your friends sort things out without you.”

I started. “You said they weren’t going to be hurt.”

“While we had our talk,” Amon corrected gently. “You’ve already said our talk has come to an end. Meaning your friends are on their own once again. You have a bad habit of leaving them.”

I turned toward the door to the room and although it boasted a handle, I doubted it would work if I tried to pull.

“What happens if I try to leave?” I asked.

Amon looked me dead in the eye, slowly lifted a hand, and snapped his fingers.

Oh,shit.

I was in deep trouble now.

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