Page 46 of Infernal

I waited for him to say something cruel, or flirtatious, or even look at me in that way he does, but he did none of those things. Instead, he picked up my hand and held it in his, his thumb tracing small circles on the back of it.

“I think you already know how I feel about you, angel, and I suspect I know how you feel about me—whether you want to admit it or not. You have every reason in the world to push me away right now, and I will do my best to accept those reasons, no matter how difficult or painful it may be.”

I dropped my head, feeling guilty for making him feel this way, but he quickly picked up my chin and held my gaze.

“But there will come a time when you run out of excuses, and when that day comes, I will be waiting.”

I blinked, taken back by his words. Had she just vowed to…wait for me?

“Dominic, I would never ask that of you.”

“I know, angel. You didn’t,” he said simply. “But I’ll be waiting anyway.”

The pressure was building in my chest again. “And what if that day never comes? What then?”

He smiled. “Then I suppose I’ll wait forever.”

My heart sank to the bottom of my stomach as he looked at me for a long, harrowing moment. I wasn’t sure what was worse: him pursuing and distracting me relentlessly or him waiting quietly on the side-lines.

Neither one felt right.

“Don’t look so sad, angel,” he said, drawing my attention back to him. Always back to him. “I’m an Immortal, remember? I have nothing if not time,” he said with a wink and then kissed the top of my hand. “Besides, angel. You’re worth waiting for.”

And with that, he was gone.

…Gone, but ever present in my heart.

17. SAY IT AIN’T SO

The school bell wailed around me as I walked down the empty corridor of Weston Academy. There was no sign of life but for the sound of my sneakers smacking against the vinyl floors. With my books cradled against my chest, I turned the corner and followed the neat row of darkened classrooms, each one with their doors sealed shut, stopping only when the art room came into view at the end of the hall—the only room with the lights turned on.

Instinctively, I knew it was where I had to go…where I was supposed to be. Pushing back my shoulders, I continued walking, my stride and pulse gaining speed the closer I got to it.

Reaching the door, I turned the knob abruptly and then stepped into the empty room. Wet paint brushes and unfinished canvases propped on easels were scattered throughout the space, abandoned as though their owners had picked up and disappeared.

“Where is everyone?” I wondered, looking down at my watch. It was the rose-gold watch my dad had given me for my thirteenth birthday. The one I lost the night my father was murdered.

I shouldn’t have this, I thought to myself, knowing it wasn’t supposed to be there, and yet there it was.

“No one’s coming,” said a voice from behind me. “It’s just us.”

I spun around hastily, recognizing Trace’s voice even before I saw him. His face was pale, and his eyes were a shade darker than usual, but it was him in all his resplendence.

“Hi, Jemma,” he said softly and then smiled. Something about the way his smile hung at the corners made it look weighed down and sad.

“I’m dreamwalking again,” I realized, my eyes growing wide.

He nodded, and I ran for him, jumping off my feet and into his waiting arms. He staggered back a step, but he never loosened his grip on me.

I buried my face into his neck and breathed in his spicy woodlands scent. “I don’t want to wake up, Trace. I just want to stay here with you.”

He didn’t say anything back. He just held me tightly against his body, and I instantly felt the beautiful hum I always felt when I was close to him. When he finally let me go, he placed me back onto my feet and then kissed the tip of my nose. He was trying to put on a brave face, trying to be strong for me, but I could feel his despair beneath the mask. It was stealing the air out of my lungs and making it hard to breath.

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” I asked, touching his cheek with the tips of my fingers.

“He’s getting stronger every day, Jemma. You have to stop him.”

“How? How do I do that? How do I save you?” I asked, waiting on bated breath for the answer I sought so desperately.

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