Page 40 of Sinner's End

I exchange a glance with Mana. He holds out a fist and I rock-paper-scissor him for it. Mana’s rock loses to my paper.

He sighs. “Kid, you don’t get to claim that. There’s a whole lot more going on than you know. I’ve been keeping you at bay because I wasn’t sure who you were but it looks like you might be joining us.” He shrugs, like I did a moment before.

“Fun times,” I mutter, shoving my hands in my pockets and watch the angel cry at her feet. A weeping angel…

There’s something in that, but I can’t put my finger on it.

“You don’t understand,” he whispers. “She was to be oneof us. Like me.”

“Lost?” I frown. I can’t be the only one not getting this. Surely.

“Perfect,” he whispers.

Mana snorts. “What the fuck ever. This isn’t helping.”

I nod my agreement. “Can your Chemist help?”

Mana watches me from the corner of his eye and raises one shoulder. “Maybe.”

Shrugs for the win.

“No, you’re notlistening,”Lethe shouts, shoving himself up so that even robot-Addi steps back. “She wasmine to protect.Mineto love.But now I can’t, and she can’t. She was supposed to be one of us. Her soul was intact.” His eyes are full of the sort of horror that understands everything.Like his penny dropped on a stupidly empty bank.

“And now it doesn’t matter.”

Chapter Eighteen

A Little Bit Off

Adreana

Something is very wrong with me.

My mind keeps screaming over and over that something isn’t right but it doesn’t feel that way. I feel like me, just happier. It may be all the sex I’ve been having. You know, a decent orgasm can do wonders for anyone’s disposition. And I have had quite a few in the last couple of days.

But I still feel … off.

Things that would normally piss me off or irritate me are just brushed to the side today. It doesn’t make a damn lick of sense but there it is.

I stare down at the large blonde man, the one who saved my life the other night, as tears pour from his eyes. He is kneeling on the thick rug of Mana’s office floor, clinging to my leg, babbling about God only knows what. I know I should feel something, compassion or some shit like that, but I don’t feel a damn thing. I honestly don’t fucking care. How weird is that?

And then there is the other thing. This strange feeling that things are not quite what they seem. For example, I know the man kneeling at my feet is more than just a man. Curiosity surges through me as I take him in. He looks like any other man but he has an aura clinging to him that declares him to be more. I can actually see a light purple haze around him. Hell, Mana has one too, now that I’m looking, but his is a deep crimson color. What the hell is that about?

I turn my gaze toward Kaleb and even he has a blue haze around him. I think back, trying to remember if I did any drugs, but I know I didn’t. At least not that I’m aware of. So, this can’t be a drug-induced hallucination but I sure as shit can’t explainwhat is happening right now. I shake my head, trying to clear all the random thoughts and finally focus on what is right in front of me.

“I want to get drunk,” I announce loudly, drawing the attention of everyone present. I don’t want to think too hard about what is wrong with me. It’s a problem for another day. “I have been responsible for long enough. I want to get wasted and maybe even stoned.”

“Addi,” Kaleb starts, but Mana cuts him off.

“We open in an hour,” Mana says. “But the bar is always open to you.”

I smile brightly before turning on my heel. I slip between them, and march downstairs, leaving them to deal with whatever was just happening. I couldn’t give a flying fuck right now. It’s finally time for me to let loose.

Behind the bar is a pixie-sized woman with bright lime green hair, dressed in tight black jeans and a purple button-up shirt with enough of the buttons undone to show off her decent cleavage. She glares at me for a moment before speaking.

“Fuck off, Emma. You know we don’t open for another hour.”

“I’m not Emma. My name is Addi and I know what time you open. Mana said I could get a drink.”

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