Page 77 of Till Death

“Of course they’re okay.” His smile grew. “They’re just as strong as you are. They have everything in hand. Trust me. Right now, they are regrouping and attempting to make sense of their new reality.”

I clenched my fists when he laughed again. “We might have won, but this isn’t the afterlife of my dreams, Hank. I want Cole.” Done deal. No negotiation. “I’m happy to hear my friends are okay but there’s still a loose end.”

“And you’re not about to let it rest, are you? For everything you’ve done, for your sacrifices, I’ll give you the chance to save your one true love,” he said.

I stared at him, examining his face for any sign of duplicity, because I couldn’t believe him.

“What do you mean, you’re giving me a chance? Snap your fingers and get him here.”

“It’s not that simple,” Hank waffled.

Just when I thought I cleared the last hurdle, three more popped up in its place. “You’re going to do some serious explaining, Hank, and I’m not going to leave until I get some answers,” I replied.

He sighed, his smile shrinking as he reached up to stroke his beard. “You’re a spirit now. It’s not as simple as waving a magic wand and dragging the half-demon into the Void so the two of you can be together. You have no powers. You have no way to protect yourself.”

I struggled not to lose the last of my temper as exasperation rose to an annoying degree.

“So, another one of your tests. I got it,” I said eventually. “Except, like you said, I’m only a spirit now. I have no light, no sword. No angel powers.”

The downside of sacrificing myself to save the day. It left a girl without a whole lot of options.

“You can also still die the ultimate death,” Hank added, in an unhelpful manner. “You’re going to need all your wits about you if you hope to save Cole. And this time, I won’t be able to save you.”

He had to be joking. Was he joking?

“I’m having a hard time following you,” I replied, smacking my lips together. “My boyfriend is in Hell and you are gifting me the opportunity, after everything, to go down there and try to save him with absolutely no weapons in my arsenal.” I pretended to think for a moment. “Got it.”

“It’s not as bad as it seems—”

“I think it’s exactly as bad as it seems. You’re just as cuckoo as you were the first time I met you. Nothing has changed. You haven’t changed.”

He wouldn’t be able to save me.

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that point, so I didn’t even try. Hank probably wouldn’t take me seriously anyway.

“And what was with the Cole mirage earlier? Huh?” I pressed. “Was he meant to be a little taste of what I couldn’t have? I’m sorry if it seems like I’m freaking out, but I’m really freaking out.”

I stared at him, my brain processing against a wave of disbelief and defeat, before I finally slumped. The fight went right out of me. When it came right down to things, this wasn’t a test so much as a personal crisis. I had to decide whether I wanted to give up my life for the chance to save Cole, all so we might finally be together.

“There’s no need to freak out,” he continued with a wide smile.

“I need clarity on one point. If I take this opportunity, Cole and I will be together.”

“Yes. As long as you actually save him.”

“You guarantee it?” I asked simply, accompanying the question with a scowl.

“Yes. You have to come out of it with your soul, however. That is your only stipulation, Jade.”

He’d never been impressed with my craziness, and this was no exception. I closed my eyes and worked on my breathing until the anger growing inside of me dropped to a low simmer instead of a boil.

The way I saw it, I had no real choice. I had to do this on his terms, but what I did once I took the opportunity was on me.

On my own, yet again.

I grimaced. “Fine. Whatever it takes. Send me to Cole.” And when we both made it out, I’d see that Hank got the earful he so rightly deserved.

“See? I knew you’d be up to the task. Good for you!” He chuckled in farewell and when I turned around, Hank was already gone.

---