“He’s going to have to go back now, anyway. Chance wasn’t sure how long the coma will last, but he figured at least a couple of hours.I’mnot dragging his deadweight all over New York.”
His brow knitted, Rome hunkered next to where Kerry sprawled on the sidewalk. Mingo crouched on the other side and touched his fingertips to Kerry’s blackened hand. It was like watching a movie on rewind as the blackened skin turned back to normal. A sharp snap and Kerry’s wrist straightened out, too.
“Thanks,” Rome said. “Especially since he attacked you.”
“As his words set me off, so my words set him off. We were both wrong to become so agitated with each other.”
The peri blew a heavy breath out of his nose and stood. He tilted his head back for a long moment, then met Rome’s eyes.
“I will find a way to contact Darius.”
“You said he and his brothers are honorable,” Jax said. “Kerry won’t be, not so long as Gemma’s wellbeing is in question. I don’t know if you know what he did at City of the Future—”
“Oh, that story isallthrough the Dark World.” One side of Mingo’s mouth curled up.
“How?” I demanded. “No one was there but us!”
“There’s a video—”
I whirled on Jax.
“Who did you share that with?!”
“Ajax Kosta!” Gigi whacked him on the arm. “What were you thinking?”
He rubbed his arm and gave her a wounded look.
“Well, I wasn’t, really, but I don’t see how it hurts anything. If anything, it only adds to the legend of Kerry Harker.”
“No more sharing things, even if it seems harmless. We can’t predict the consequences.” Rome narrowed his eyes at him.
“Anyway, Mingo, like I was saying,” Jax turned to the peri, ignoring Rome, “we understand your cousins’ predicament and sympathize, but if Gemma comes to grief because of them, Kerry will have no mercy.”
“I know Harker’s reputation. I would not expect mercy from him.”
“You know his reputation from when he was possessed,” Rome corrected in a gentle tone. “He has something else inside him now.”
“And if it’s ever let loose,” I added, “you won’t have to worry about survivors.”
We all knew there wouldn’t be any.
26. Can We Keep Him?
Mira
Mingo called his mom after Gigi ’ported Kerry back to the safehouse, but, as he’d predicted, she didn’t know where Darius was.
We were all dispirited and tired by the time Gigi ’port us back to the safehouse. We tucked Kerry up in bed and Gigi went to lie down, too. Jax pottered around for a bit, then went to check on Gigi and didn’t come back. While Rome rummaged around in the fridge, I took myself out onto the balcony.
So much had happened in such a short time, and my brain would need a few days to process through it all. Tonight, though, all it wanted to focus on was Hell.
So when Kerry dies, that’s where he’ll end up. With demons kicked back in rolly chairs around a riven-splattered conference table. It’s not fair—
“Can’t sleep?”
Rome’s voice came from over my shoulder.
“My mind’s whirling.” I looked out at the city lights. “We’ve been riding a roller coaster of chaos for the past few weeks.”
