I mean, I wasn’t looking forward to spending eternity roasting my balls down here, but that was my ultimate fate. Sure, I’d helped out in a few bad situations, but it didn’t matter in the long run. I could do good deeds every day of my life for the next five centuries, and it wouldn’t make a difference. My soul had been Hell-bound from the moment I’d looked up into Samuel Castle’s black eyes and said I’d take the demon if he’d stop hurting my mom.
And what was the point of returning topside? Jax and John didn’t want me tagging along all the time, and Travis was probably never gonna talk to me again. Chessie was still pretty broken, but I’d seen the way she’d looked at Chance before they left. She wouldn’t need me as a big brother anymore. Mira had Rome to pick her up if she stumbled, and Jax and Gigi had each other.
I’d done what I came down here to do. Titus was rescued and Gigi would be closing up the rupture any second. Even Aspen Abernathy was safe. Well, so long as she stayed in that pyx, which would flash-fry anything Diabolical the second they touched it. Probably not much of an existence, but better than eternal torment.
So why did I still have my sword in my hand?
Well, partly because I can’t resist a good fight, and partly because something inside me refuses to give up. Plus, somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew being in Hell hadstirred up the Taint, which was turning my thoughts more and more pessimistic.
Mostly, though, I didn’t trust anyone else to save Gemma. Yeah, Titus had given me his word, and I knew it was solid, but he didn’t have her as his sole justification for drawing breath. He wouldn’t be as dedicated as me to rescuing her.
And I had to see her again.
At least one more time, I had to see her again.
It was selfish, and I wasn’t sure if she would even want anything to do with me anymore, butIneeded to seeher. I needed to make sure she was okay, to know she was safe.
What happened after that depended on her. If she wanted me in her life, I would never leave her side. If she wanted me gone, that’s what would happen, but I’d watch over her from a distance. Nephs didn’t have malakim—what humans called guardian angels—but nothing bad was ever,evergonna happen to her again. Not so long as I lived.
I’d become her very own demon-tainted guardian angel.
And that was why, when Charcoal Boy bellowed and charged, I met him head-on with a grin.
#
Mira
A heartbeat later, I found myself in a smoky, sooty desert and nearly took an elbow in the eye as Kerry battled something a volcano vomited up. Its roar of scorching heat knocked me on my backside right as it lunged forward, a waterfall of lava spewing from its mouth. I scrambled to get to my knees in a panic.
If we don’t leave pretty directly, we’re both gonna resemble charcoal briquettes!
But I shoulda known better. Kerry had it under control. His sword was a swinging arc of silver as he scored a deepcut along the thing’s midsection. Then he whirled the blade in a complicated swirl, and Volcano Man’s head joined the three-foot-high wall of corpses circling us.
“Why aren’t they dissolving?” I asked.
“Boots?!What are you doing here?”
“Uh, saving your dumb behind.” I rolled my eyes. “What else?”
“Get that round box by my left foot. It might burn you, but bring it along!”
I didn’t waste time asking questions. I grabbed it, ignored the pain in my fingers, and shoved it in my pocket while he sliced up a gray thing dripping ooze that sizzled when it hit the ashy ground.
“I got it, Kerry!” I yelled. “I’m gonna grab you. Don’t attack me.”
“Do it!”
I jammed my hand under his belt, broke another charm, and got us outta Hell.
#
Not all my decisions are impulsive. Sometimes I think before I act. This time, for example, I pictured the Witch of Endor’s front office instead of the ruined conference room.
Soon as we landed, I fell over Mimi’s outstretched legs and narrowly missed clocking her in the head with my elbow. Since I was still gripping Kerry’s belt, he went down, too, and crashed on top of me.
“Ten… nine…”
Gigi’s voice reminded me we were still on a deadline.
