Page 47 of Infernal

“You have to let me go.” He looked down at me pointedly. “When you do, you’ll know what to do.”

I shook my head. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

The ceiling lights flickered above my head. Trace’s eyes rounded out in horror as he glanced over his shoulder.

“He’s coming,” he said and then grabbed my shoulders. “You have to go. He knows I’m here.”

“Who does? Lucifer? What do you mean he’s coming? I don’t—?”

“You have to wake up, Jemma. Right now! WAKE UP!”

My lids popped open as I shot up in my bed. My heart was racing a million miles a minute, and my skin was slick with sweat. It took me a few minutes to calm myself down, to bring myself back to reality. These dreams were becoming more and more real to me and that much harder to snap out of, and I honestly wasn’t sure what that meant.

Dropping my feet over the bed, I climbed out onto shaky legs and treaded my way to the bathroom. After a quick shower and a fresh change of clothes, I left the room feeling slightly better than how I’d started the day, but I was a long way from being okay. In fact, I couldn’t really remember the last time I truly felt okay, and a small part of me feared that was just the way things would be from now on.

The thought depressed me.

In the distance, I could hear the low hum of voices coming from the downstairs den. Three of them. My breathing altogether ceased as I rounded the corner and recognized the feminine one.

Tessa!

I peeked my head in the room and found her sitting on the couch, casually talking to Gabriel and Dominic as though she hadn’t been MIA for God knows how long. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hug her or throat-punch her.

Her gaze met mine, and her lips pulled up into a smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Then again, it rarely ever did.

“Hey, Jemma.”

My emotions took over, and my vision immediately blurred.

“Where the hell have you been?” I asked as the first tear sneaked its way down my cheek.

“Killing Revs, hunting demons. The usual.” She shrugged playfully.

“No.Where have you been?” I repeated, another tear escaping. “I needed you, Tess.”

“I know.” She stood up, straightening her black skinny jeans. “I should’ve been there for you, but I’m here now,” she said as she walked over to me and wrapped her lean arms around me.

I responded with a full-on sob fest in her hair.

“I’m so sorry about Trace,” she said as she tightened her hold on me, letting me know Gabriel had already started sharing the good news.

I immediately pulled back from her. “It’s not over yet,” I told her, shaking my head at her words—at her condolences. “I’m going to save him, Tessa. I swear to God I will.”

“Jemma—” She started to shake her head, but I wasn’t having any part of it.

“Don’t say it. Just don’t.” I didn’t need another naysayer, another person telling me I couldn’t do it and that this was an unwinnable task. I didn’t want to hear it. “I’m not giving up on him, and I really don’t care what any of you have to say about it either!”

“Okay, okay.” She put her hands up to calm me, letting me know that she was leaving the Trace matter alone…for now. Her gaze shifted over her shoulder to Gabriel.

They were doing that silent-conversation-with-their-eyes thing again.

“Have you given any more thought to sitting down with the Council?” she asked, her eyes boomeranging back to me.

I crossed my arms and glared at her. Could she and Gabriel be any more meant for each other?

“Don’t look at me like that, Jemma. The Order is your best bet right now.”

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