A Touch Morbid

by Leah Clifford

  CHAPTER 30

  Eden grabbed her gloves, reached for a scarf and decided against it. It didn’t seem very bright to put something around her neck that he could choke her with.

  “Are you ready?” she asked Sebastian, coming out of her room. They’d agreed to head out to Aerie early. If they could catch Luke off his game, maybe he’d slip up a bit. Not that it was likely.

  “Yes,” Sebastian said instantly. Eden nodded. From the corner of her eye she saw Az stand.

  She turned to him. “You’re not coming.”

  He froze with his hand in mid-reach for his coat, a perfect statue of confusion before his expression turned to disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”

  She kept her eyes on him. “I’m dead serious. You’re staying here, Az.”

  “Not a fucking chance, Eden.” He yanked his coat down.

  “Az.” She moved closer, putting her hands on his shoulders. “Listen to me, all right? Listen.” He shook his head, but she went on anyway. “Luke will do whatever it takes to get to you.” She searched his eyes, letting him see the fear in hers, not hiding it. “If you’re there, I’ll be concentrating on you. I need to be able to watch my back, right?”

  His jaw tightened, the muscles working. She met his gaze, the hurt in it torturous.

  “I need you here. I need someone to play the hero if this goes bad,” she said, dropping her eyes. “And I know you’ll come for me.”

  He winced, then nodded. She forced herself to turn away, leave while she could. “Let’s go,” she said to Sebastian as she pulled the door open and pounded down the stairs.

  “Eden! Wait!”

  She wanted to keep going, but found herself turning around. Az rushed down the stairs, slowing as he got closer.

  “Be careful,” he whispered. He pulled her into a tight hug, his lips on her ear. “I love you and please don’t … please be careful.”

  Suddenly, he lifted his head, his eyes on Sebastian. “Anything happens, you run. First thing you do is call me.” Sebastian nodded. “Give him my number,” Az added to Eden. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around Az. “Be fast,” he said.

  A few early fangirls wandered aimlessly in front of the club, chain-smoking, but at an hour and a half before the opening band would take the stage, the place was fairly deserted. Sebastian grabbed Eden’s arm as they approached, but his eyes stayed on the door, eager and angry, ready to fight for Kristen. “Anything in particular I should know?”

  “Yeah. He hates me.”

  Sebastian’s brow wrinkled.

  “Jarrod threw Luke off a roof. After I killed his girlfriend,” she finished, striding up to the door.

  She tried the handle first, found it locked, and slammed her hand against the wood. Her palm was almost bleeding by the time someone finally opened it. Smears of gray ash graffitied the door. She ignored them. As long as the pain held off, she’d be fine.

  “Is there a fucking problem?” the guy barked. “Doors open an hour before the show!”

  “No.” The word crackled with enough quiet authority that the bouncer didn’t interrupt her. “We’re here to see Luke. Now.”

  He checked her out, one eyebrow raised, assessing. Apparently, she failed the test. “That only works in the movies. Nice try, though,” he said, the door starting to fall shut.

  “You want to tell him Eden’s here. Trust me,” she called through the crack. Crossing her arms, she leaned against the wall, waiting. On the sidewalk, a pair of girls giggled, whispering about her behind their hands. She gave them a satisfied grin when the door opened again thirty seconds later.

  “He’s finished sound check,” the guy said sheepishly, leading them across the empty dance floor, headed to the backstage door. Eden stopped halfway there.

  She’d be damned if she was going to be locked in the tiny room with Luke again. She remembered it well, where she’d first met him. The stench of cigarette butts and spilled beer. The only door led to a back lot that offered no escape. “No. Tell him to come meet us out here.”

  “Jesus Christ, you’re a pain in my ass,” she heard him mutter as he went on to deliver her message.

  “He can die, correct?” Sebastian said suddenly. “Because I will kill him if he’s harmed her.”

  “I don’t know,” she said, flashing back to the nights she’d seen him onstage. His mere presence stoked crowds to a fever pitch. He fed off it, reveled. She wondered if he took his strength from those screams. “He might be weaker before a show.”

  “Eden?”

  Sebastian startled at the voice, staring over Eden’s shoulder. Eden heard the backstage door slam. She spun around in time to see Kristen’s eyes go wide. “Sebastian, what are you doing here?” She balled her hands into fists. “Leave,” she commanded. “Leave me alone. Now.”

  “Kristen, what on Earth are you doing? Come with us. No one has to know about any of this.” Luke was nowhere in sight. A few more minutes and they’d be out the door. It was almost too easy. “We can set you up at my place. Obviously not your whole crew, but you and Sebastian.” Her eyes flicked back to Kristen. “I’ll do what I can to help you.”

  Kristen’s face steeled. “Help? The way you helped Gabe?”’

  Eden opened her mouth. No words came. Kristen knew about Gabe, and from the blaze of her eyes, she knew it was Eden’s fault.

  Sebastian stepped forward. “Kristen, come with us.”

  “Oh? You’re giving orders now?”

  His bravado seemed to break for a second before he recovered.

  “Thank you,” Kristen said, “for your offer. I won’t be taking you up on it. You can leave now.”

  Eden snapped. “He’s the fucking devil, Kristen. Gabe’s Fallen and you’re shacking up with Lucifer when we should be working together. Like we did before. Your Touch helped me stop Luke from taking us all on the roof. Don’t let him take you now.”

  “Hello, Eden.”

  A gasp slipped out of her before she could stop it, stole away whatever edge she’d managed to carve out. The soft baritone shredded her anger, left her unraveling. He was directly behind her, so close that she trembled. Still, she turned. Faced him. “We’ve come for Kristen,” she said.

  Luke had healed since the last time she’d seen him, bloody and broken from his fall off the roof. If anything, he looked stronger, more confident. “I figured. You were a little early for the show.” He moved and Eden staggered back, realizing too late that he only moved past her to stand beside Kristen. “I don’t believe she wants that.”

  “Kristen.” Sebastian smiled when she turned to him, as if he needed proof she remembered who she was. “I know things must seem confusing right now.” His voice took on the soft lilt of a therapist, fake comfort words. “Perhaps it’s best if you come with us. There’s discord at home. The Siders need your leadership.”

  Kristen scoffed. “Have you learned nothing from me, Sebastian?” She clasped Luke’s hand as if for backup, though she looked unbreakable. “Keep them in line with cruelty, reward them with your kindness. If you can’t manage a few Siders for a week, then I’ve wasted my time training you these years.”

  He winced at the blow.

  Eden glared at Luke. “Did you force this on her?”

  He laughed, the sound bouncing around the empty club. “You throw around orders and for once someone doesn’t jump, so it must be a conspiracy. Kristen does have a mind of her own.”

  “Yes,” Eden said, keeping her voice even. “A sick mind. She’s not well right now.”

  Luke cocked his head, offended. “You say these things, talk to me like she’s not right here, can’t hear every word, and wonder why she hates you so?” She saw Kristen stiffen beside him. Luke raised her hand, kissing the knuckles, a clear flaunt of his prize, though Kristen’s weak smile showed she didn’t view it that way. “Let’s go. You don’t have to see them again.”

  “Wait!” Eden called as they headed back toward the stage. “What would Gabriel say, Kristen? How badly wo
uld it hurt him to see you with Luke?”

  “He knows,” Kristen said quietly. “He told me what he did to you. What Az was too weak to do himself. Gabe gave up everything for the two of you.” Kristen shrugged, but emotion battled in her eyes. “Why would he ever care what happens to me?”

  Eden shook her head. “Kristen, it’s not—” The words caught her. “My God, you saw him? Where?”

  “Stop it!” Kristen’s outburst left her face scarlet. “I can’t save Gabriel. No one can. And it’s your fault!”

  “So you’re whoring yourself out to the Fallen?” Eden screamed back.

  Luke charged, his face suddenly an inch from Eden’s. “It wasn’t enough for you to take Gabe from her? You’ve decided to take away the only other person who bothered to help her. You think I’m going to stand aside?”

  Luke’s shoulder twisted as Sebastian grabbed it. His hand shot out, shoving Sebastian to the floor.

  “Luke!” Kristen strode back to them, fearless. Eden flinched, waiting. Kristen would give the command, have Luke take her. “Leave them.”

  Luke’s eyes stayed on Eden, his face close enough that his angry breaths hit her cheek. “You gave up on Gabriel the moment he Fell. You hate her for doing what she needed to stay healthy without him. Tell me, Eden. Will you turn your back on Az soon? He’s struggling. Have you even noticed, or are you really that wrapped up in yourself?”

  Hearing Az’s name come from him was enough to spark her rage. “Is getting Kristen your revenge for what I did to Libby?” she jeered, knowing the blow had struck true when Luke’s smarmy smile faded. “Yeah, remember Libby, your girlfriend? Looks like you moved on pretty quick there. But since she’s Downstairs, I imagine you’re splitting your time between her and Kristen,” she said sweetly.

  Kristen moved suddenly, put herself in front of Luke as if she were protecting him. “My utter contempt for you right now aside, you’re wasting your time, Eden. I’m not leaving with you. You have nothing to offer me.”

  Sebastian shifted forward. “I’ve offered you my loyalty for years now. Trust me enough to come with me, Kristen.”

  Her face changed at Sebastian’s words. “No,” she said, but this time it was a whisper, uncertain. She took a step away from Luke, her eyes flicking back and forth as she hovered between him and Sebastian.

  Luke took her hand. “I’m the dark you’ve always craved, Kristen. I need your light.” He drew his thumb down her cheek to her jaw, curled across her chin. “Stay.”

  “Kristen, you can’t possibly be buying this?” Eden asked in disbelief.

  Kristen’s stare was fixated on Luke.

  Sebastian tried to grab her arm, but she pulled away. “You’re better than being with someone who wants you to be dependent on him to be your best. Are you not seeing how he’s manipulating you?” he demanded, his intensity surprising Eden.

  “You think I’m manipulating her? That I wouldn’t grant her every whim?” Luke toyed with the rings on Kristen’s hand.

  Eden laughed bitterly. Inside her chest, her heart hammered, her brain humming with things Madeline had told her—that she would try to press Luke, see if there were some way to get Gabe Bound again. “It doesn’t matter, Luke.” Work, she thought. Please work. “You’ll always know if it were an option, Kristen would have chosen Gabriel.”

  Luke froze as her words hit him. “It doesn’t matter.” He tried to work up his smile, but it faltered. He turned to Kristen. “Do you want the choice?”

  Kristen gave her head a slight shake. “What are you saying, Luke?”

  His face hardened, confidence pulling back his shoulders. “I won’t be your second choice.” Eden held her breath as Luke smiled at her. “They go by the books Upstairs, and Eden’s not on the books. You can’t murder someone who doesn’t exist.”

  Kristen raised a hand, clutching her chest in disbelief. “What are you saying?” she demanded.

  “If someone were to go Upstairs and point out that little loophole, they’d have to let Gabriel back.”

  Eden couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Gabe would be Bound again; Kristen wouldn’t need Luke. Az would be safe. “And you’ll tell them? The Bound?” Eden managed, her heart racing.

  Luke scoffed. “I’m Fallen, Eden. It’s not like they sent me off with a set of day passes.”

  Disappointment flooded her. “Then what does it matter? We can’t get Upstairs.”

  Luke smiled. “You can’t. No one can but the Bound. Or,” he added slowly, “those who have an open invitation in the form of a pair of pretty wings.”

  Eden’s breath choked off. The room tunneled. She tried to shake it off, make sense of what he said. Az. Az could save Gabe?

  Kristen dropped back into Luke’s arms. She stared at Eden, heat in her glare. “You’d better help Gabriel. You owe me that much.”

  Luke smiled at Eden over Kristen’s shoulder before he pulled away and took Kristen’s hand, walking toward the backstage door.

  Just before they reached it, he turned back.

  “Oh, and Eden? Az already knows. He’s known the whole time.”

  CHAPTER 31

  Sebastian stayed quiet beside her, staring awkwardly out the window of the cab while Eden fought to control her rage. By the time they reached the apartment, it was a tightly wound ball inside her. She took the stairs slowly, dreading every one, knowing what came at the top. Sebastian didn’t follow her up.

  She opened the door. Az leaped up from the couch when she came in, relief on his face. He covered the ground between them in seconds, caught her in his arms.

  The tight squeeze stole her breath.

  “Are you all right?” He kissed her neck, his hands gripping tight around her waist. Eden didn’t move. “Where’s Kristen?” he asked, confused. “Where’s Sebastian?”

  She wanted to react. To call up the rage she’d felt in the cab, the heartbreak. Nothing was left. Nothing.

  “You don’t want to save Gabe,” she said. The words sounded flat and hollow in the empty room. She didn’t know where Jarrod and Sullivan were, didn’t ask.

  Az’s fingers stopped just before brushing against her skin. “Eden, what happened at Aerie?”

  “All you have to do is tell the Bound I wasn’t mortal when he killed me. I’m not on record. That’s all you have to do.” She whispered the last bit, the words slow. “Did you know?” She looked up at him, his hand frozen near the side of her face, lips parted with denials still shaping.

  “Wait, who told you this? Luke?” He stepped away from her. “Eden, it’s a trick. It’s not that easy.”

  She followed him. “You can go Upstairs and clear Gabriel’s name. Michael was only trying to get you to help Gabe, wasn’t he?”

  Az’s legs hit the back of the couch.

  “You could save Gabriel and you choose not to.” Fury found its way back into her. “Deny it.”

  He shook his head. “Eden, it’s not—”

  “Deny it!” she screamed, a hot tear rushing down her cheek. “You tell me I’m wrong. You tell me you’d never be capable of doing something this awful, this evil! You deny it, Az!”

  He slumped against the armrest of the couch. “I can’t.”

  “Why?” she yelled. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  Az turned from her. His fist slammed into the wall, the clock rattling before it fell, breaking when it hit the floor. “Stop asking, Eden! You know what’s wrong with me! The same thing that’s always been wrong with me!”

  “Gabe was there for you for years! He sacrificed everything he knew for you. Now he needs you to help him. And you’re trying to tell me you won’t swallow your fucking pride and clear his name! Use the wings!”

  He flexed his hand, his knuckles already bruising. He kept his eyes on the floor. “It’s his revenge on us,” he whispered. “Of course he’d tell you I could go.”

  He slumped, his voice dead as he explained. “I can’t get in unless I’m Bound, Eden. So I use the wings to get there. And then I ta
ke an oath. I give up everything down here. I become one of them again. Shackled to duty. Doing their bidding.” He glanced up. “It’s got nothing to do with pride. They won’t let me back here.”

  “No,” she whispered. Too easy, she’d thought, when Luke had told her. And now the terrible twist cut through her.

  “I lose the wings, I lose you.” Az took her hand.

  “But can’t Michael just—”

  “They need a witness, someone who was there, to testify. That’s why Michael wanted me. He needs me.” His face clouded. “If I’m Bound again, they won’t trust me to come back here.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, her voice small.

  “Because I was afraid.” His eyes deepened to the bluest blue. He didn’t bother keeping the pain from his voice. “I was afraid you would want me to go anyway.”

  “So you kept it from me. You lied.” She swiped her hand across her cheek, barely noticing the black on her fingers when she lowered them. “I used to see the good in you.”

  She closed her eyes, couldn’t even look at him.

  “Eden, please. Don’t do this.” A soft, broken sound escaped him. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

  She slid her hand out of his. “You could have told the truth. You could have trusted me. You could have kept your promises.”

  “I promised you I’d stay,” he said.

  A sharp stab dug through her chest. She thought at first it was her heart, but then it worsened. She hissed a breath.

  “You’re sick again, aren’t you?” He brushed his thumb across the side of her neck. “You said the pain was nothing.”

  “It’ll pass. I just need…”

  “What’s happening to you?” His eyes were wide and frightened.

  “I don’t know.” Everything was falling apart. Even her.

  “Eden, I don’t think this is a normal thing,” he whispered.

  She couldn’t get enough of a breath to answer him. She doubled over, a scream nearly silenced behind her clenched teeth. Her legs gave out and the cry burst free.