Page 33 of Infernal

Alford ignored my protest and continued stalking towards me. He had the look in his eyes that told me he wasn’t above dragging me out of here kicking and screaming.

Shitballs.

“Stay the hell away from me!” I shouted, backing myself up. I could feel the pressure mounting, the kind of panic that usually set off my powers and had glass shattering all around me.

Dominic and Gabriel quickly stepped in front of me and blocked his path.

“You heard the lady. Back up,” warned Dominic.

Alford stopped abruptly and glared at him. “You do know I could banish you both with one snap of my finger.”

Well, damn. He speaks.

“Then perhaps you should try using that finger on Lucifer, my good man.”

“Please,” pleaded William, arms outstretched. “We are all on the same side here. We all want the same thing.”

Only, we didn’t. I wanted to save Trace, and they…they looked at him as though he were expendable. Collateral damage. I shook my head, tears clouding my vision as the memory of his empty eyes flashed through my mind. If I didn’t help him—if I didn’t save him—who would?

“You don’t know what you’re asking me to do.” A tear filed down my cheek as I blinked through the blurry haze.

He paused for a moment, studying me. His features softened as realization set in. “The vessel is very dear to you.”

I refused to confirm or deny it.

“I see that now.” The sympathy in his eyes vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared. “But that does not change anything, dearest Jemma. You cannot allow it to.”

I shook my head because I was already passed that point. The fact that the vessel was Trace changed everything.

“I can’t do what you’re asking me to do. I’m sorry. There has to be another way, and I’m going to find it,” I said, more to myself than anyone else. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t try.”

“And if he kills before you find a way? Could you live with the blood on your hands, knowing you could have done something to stop it?”

More tears spilled over my lashes, because I knew I couldn’t live with that either.

My uncle leaned in and whispered something in his ear. William nodded and then again to Alford.

“I can see we aren’t going to reach an agreement tonight,” he said, his mouth puckering with pity. “Please take the night and sleep on it. When you’re ready, come to Temple, where we will be waiting for you.” He paused and offered a sympathetic nod. “There is no other choice, Jemma. As hard as it is, I know you will come to see that.”

Perhaps he was right, I thought as my tears continued to fall. Perhaps someday I would realize there was no other way. But today wasn’t that day.

He rejoined my uncle and Alford at the entrance of the den and then turned to face me one last time. “There is at least one version of this that doesn’t end with the apocalypse—where good trumps evil. Of course, it won’t be without great sacrifice, but it is possible. And I know you will do the right thing.”

And with that, the three of them were gone, blurring out of the room like the remnants of yet another bad dream.

11. AFTERSHOCK

“Well, that was eventful,” said Dominic, relaxing his stance as the three of us found ourselves alone in the den again.

Gabriel’s worried eyes settled on me. “Are you alright?” he asked, noticing I was still crying.

“I’m fine.” I sucked in a deep breath as I wiped away my straggling tears, doing my best to pull myself together.

“You don’t look fine.”

I could only imagine what I looked like: the tears, the bruises from the accident, the blood loss from the stab wound coupled with my anxiety over Trace and the gnawing bloodbond that was trying to rip a hole in my soul.

“I’m fine,” I reiterated. “I don’t have the luxury not to be. I have to find a way to get Lucifer out of Trace’s body.” And I needed to do it before they figured out a way to kill him…with or without me.

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