Dark Redemption

by Angie Sandro

  “Why do you have to be such a tool?”

  “Watch the road, host!”

  My attention shifts back outside my head.

  How did I miss all the screaming? Mala has both hands on the steering wheel, and her foot slams on the brake pedal just before we careen off the road into the drainage ditch. When the truck stops, she turns and repeatedly slaps my shoulder, screaming, “Wake up! Wake up!”

  I grab her hands. “I’m awake.” A sob rolls from her, and I pull her quivering body into my arms. “It’s okay. We’re okay.”

  Carl punches my already throbbing shoulder. “Asshole. You almost killed us.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.” I squeeze Mala a little tighter, expressing my guilt through bodily contact that doesn’t absolve me of anything. I should’ve been paying attention to the road instead of engaging with the demon.

  “This is your fault,” I think-yell to the thing in my head.

  “No, I saved your life again. Your debt grows.”

  I shiver at the threat in its tone. Death might be preferable to what it wants in compensation, but the terms of any future deal are open to negotiation. I’ll worry about my payment plan later. Right now, Mala and the baby are my first priority.

  My fingers thread through Mala’s curls, brushing off the strands clinging to her wet cheeks. I press a kiss to her forehead. “You’re not hurt?”

  “No thanks to you.” Mala shoves out of my arms. “I was screaming, but you didn’t respond. What happened?”

  “I got distracted.” I rub the lump on the back of my head. “Maybe I have a bit of brain damage,” I joke. “I hit my head twice today.”

  “Or maybe you should admit that you’re no longer alone in your thoughts,” Sophia says, busting me out.

  I wait for the explosion, but Mala doesn’t seem to catch on to what she’s implying. I’m okay with that. Springing the news about my deal with the devil this way will only bring pain. I need to ease her into the right frame of mind to accept the implications of how this will affect our relationship—preferably once she’s satiated after a night of rambunctious sex followed by wine and chocolate truffles.

  I lick my lips at the image of Mala eating the chocolate off my body. The increasingly kinky fantasy does nothing to help refocus my thoughts enough to navigate this road. Umm, shiny things. So very shiny.

  “How about if you drive, Mala,” I murmur. “Between my vision and the headache, I shouldn’t be behind the wheel anyway.” Which is kind of the truth, but I expect the third degree. So I’m surprised when Mala jumps out of the truck and switches places with no further questions asked. We both seem to be stuffed full of secrets and concerns today.

  “Where are we going first?” Mala asks. “To drop Carl off at school or to the hospital?”

  “Pepper and jerkwad might be gone if we wait too long. And I didn’t ask what hotel they’re staying in.”

  Carl wraps his arms around the headrest and Mala’s neck. She stiffens until she realizes he’s not trying to choke her unconscious, but hugging her. “Do you know what you’re going to tell my mom, Mala? You won’t give us up to her, right?”

  One of her hands releases the steering wheel to pat his head. “I don’t know yet. Guess we need to know her intentions. She didn’t make the best first impression by letting her boyfriend assault you. If I’d known before George left, I would’ve asked him along.”

  A spurt of jealousy hardens my jaw, but I force the words out in a light tone. “You got me.” I tilt my head to study her expression with my good eye. It’s times like these when I miss having peripheral vision on my left side. Sidelong glances are a distant memory. My throat closes while I wait for her response.

  The corner of her lip lifts in a crooked smile. “Yeah, but you don’t have a badge to flash if this guy gets out of control again.”

  The breath releases in a low sigh. I hoped she’d acknowledge my ability to protect her, but Mala’s like a mockingbird when it comes to the shiny gold star winking on Deputy Dawg’s chest. And here I am thinking shiny things distract me.

  “Your obsession with dog rivals mine with chicken. I also prefer breast meat. Do you plan to cook him before you eat him?”

  “I think he’ll taste better flame broiled.”

  The creature laughs at my joke. Well, hopefully it knows I’m not serious. My smile fades when I catch Mala’s sidelong grimace, and I shrug. “Carl kind of brought the wrath down on himself. Pepper seemed reasonable at first. Said she wants to put her family back together.” I twist around to face Carl, but he avoids my gaze by staring out the window. “I know you’re mad, but you’ve got to admit your dad treated her pretty shitty. I’m surprised she didn’t bail on him sooner.”

  “Then she should’ve taken us with her.” He slumps back in his seat and crosses his arms. The stubborn expression he wears doesn’t hide his hurt.

  We pull into the hospital parking lot. None of us move from our seats. We each dread what’s coming for different reasons. Tension radiates from Mala in waves strong enough to raise the hairs on my arms when she clutches my hand. She’s never been comfortable in hospitals, and now it’s worse.

  Ghosts flock to her like she’s got a homing beacon attached to her forehead. I don’t get hit with the mojo quite as bad. I see the residual spirits. We’ve been practicing blocking them when we train with Ferdinand. Hopefully our shielding will withstand the oncoming barrage or we’ll be ready to punch someone in the face before we find Pepper.

  “Let’s get this over with.” I release her hand and open the door. She waits until I come around to help her out rather than making the long jump to the ground herself. Her arms wrap around my neck, and I hold her close, inhaling. Her scent wraps around my body. She presses her nose into the side of my neck. Her warm breath blows across my skin, and my gut tightens when she presses a kiss to the underside of my jaw.

  “Hold on to me, Landry,” she whispers. “Don’t let them get me.”

  “I’ve got you. Always.”

  Her lips press against mine. The taste of her mouth with each pulse of her tongue is like honey and melted butter. My tense muscles relax as the kiss deepens. My worries fade, leaving a golden brown haze in their place.

  Finally, she pulls back with a slow inhale and whispers, “No matter how bad things feel, one kiss from you puts everything back into perspective.”

  “Too bad about our audience. If we were alone, I’d really rock your perspective.” I give her a quick dip with a neck nuzzle that leaves her giggling, then set her on her feet. Sophia sticks her head out the open door. “I’m beat. I’m going to take a nap while you take care of business.”

  “Carl? You staying in the truck too?” I ask.

  “Nope!” He slams the door and races for the entrance as if afraid we’ll call him back.

  Mala threads her fingers through mine, walking on my blind side. She’s my other half. With her next to me, I don’t worry about crashing into unseen obstacles. My presence becomes important to her once we enter the emergency room lobby. Her sweaty hand clenches mine. I glance over to see her glazed eyes shut as she inhales. When the breath releases, her eyes open.

  “I’m okay,” she says with a grin. “The shield’s holding, and Caspar is not invited to this party.”

  “Good, I didn’t want to kick not-so-friendly-ghost ass.”

  Her laugh cuts off in a snort. “Whoops.”

  “You’re adorable.”

  She pinches my cheek. “So are you, sweetie.”

  “Ugh,” Carl yelps. “Stop with the lovey-dovey talk before you totally turn me off relationships. I don’t see my mom, but her asshole boyfriend is sitting over there with an icepack pressed to his nose.” He steps forward, but I jerk him back. “Stay here and protect Mala. I’ll go talk to him.”

  “Babysit her from what? Evil ghost nurses?”

  Mala whirls on him. “I’m about sick of your smartass attitude. Don’t disrespect Landry or I’ll tell the rev.”

  I
leave them to their bickering. Of all the Acker boys, Carl’s the most like Dena and Mala. They like to argue just for the fun of getting one over on the other. It seems like an exhausting waste of energy to me.

  I thread through the rows of empty chairs. Judd straightens in his seat when he sees me coming. His gaze darts to the security guard standing by the check-in counter. I raise my hands. “Look, I’m not here to finish anything. I brought the kids’ temporary guardian to talk to Pepper about her plans. Where is she?”

  “You don’t talk to her without me.” He half rises from the chair like he thinks he can stand up to me, but unlike Carl, I’m not a teenager.

  I scowl and rest my hand on his shoulder. All the construction work I’ve been doing has bulked up my arms, and he winces when I give him a little squeeze. I also do my best to loom over his head to add emphasis to the unspoken threat. Judd drops back into his seat with an audible gulp. “Like I said, where’s Pepper?”

  His eyes widen, and his Adam’s apple bobs as he licks his lips. “She went to visit her daughter.”

  I slap his back hard enough to rock him forward. “Thanks for your assistance.”

  Mala and Carl have subsided into sullen silence by the time I reach them. “She’s upstairs visiting Dena.”

  Carl gasps. “I can’t handle seeing Dee all hooked up to those machines. I’ll be in the truck with Ms. Sophia.”

  Mala watches him run off with almost the exact same expression. Guilt spins the wheels behind her eyes. “I’m not sure if I can confront Pepper like this either. Not in front of Dena.”

  “I’ll be with you the whole time. The last thing we need is Pepper showing up at the house unannounced to pick up the kids. Carl freaked out bad enough. Can you imagine how Axle will react? She left when he was five. He barely remembers her.”

  Mala drags her feet the whole way to the long-term-care unit. Pepper stands in front of the room with Dena’s doctor signing some sort of document. Mala gasps when she sees her. She breaks free from my grip and runs over to them. “What are you doing?”

  She tries to snatch the clipboard from Pepper’s hand, but the woman shoves it at the doctor and steps protectively in front of the older man. “Have you lost your mind, Mala LaCroix? I don’t care how old you are. I’ll swat your backside like I did when you and Dena ate a whole pan of banana bread.”

  Mala stiffens. “Don’t you dare, Mrs. Acker. You’ve no right to play the parent card now.” She addresses the doctor over the woman’s shoulder, ignoring her sputters. “Dr. Estrada, is that the form authorizing Dena to be taken off life support? I told you I wouldn’t sign it. Ever.”

  “Ms. LaCroix, according to the legal documentation from Dena’s mother, you’re no longer in charge of what happens to this patient.”

  “When did you go to court? And why wasn’t I notified?”

  “Why should you be?” Pepper asks.

  A wild expression fills Mala’s eyes. “But you can’t kill her.” She grabs onto the doctor’s coat when he tries to scoot passed. “Please, don’t let her do this.”

  The doctor jerks out of her grasp. I grab Mala’s shoulders and pull her against my chest to keep her from following as he flees down the hall with his tail between his legs. Huge sobs choke her up, and her bewildered, inconsolable tears break my heart.

  Pepper watches her with moist eyes. Her hand flutters toward Mala and then drops. She turns her pleading gaze to me. “Landry…please.”

  “I can’t…” I shake my head. “She’s right. Give Dee a chance, Pepper. It’s too soon to give up hope. Miracles happen all of the time.” Especially since this might be the incentive Mala needs to finally make her choice. But the woman before me doesn’t know this.

  Her shoulders straighten, and a hard glint wipes the sadness from her gaze. “I’m Waydene’s mother. This is the most difficult decision I’ve ever made. I need you and Mala’s help explaining this to the kids.”

  “Explain murder?” Mala cries. “How?

  “She’s brain dead, Mala. Dena’s gone. It’s only her body that’s being kept alive. My daughter would never want to linger like this. In your heart, you know it’s true.”

  I don’t think Mala can even hear her over her sobs. Her body shakes, and I hold her close to keep her from collapsing. Her swollen eyes search Pepper’s face. “Is it because of the hospital bills? I have money. I’ll pay for her care until she wakes up. Please don’t do this, Pepper. I’m begging you.”

  Pepper takes a step closer and lays a trembling hand on Mala’s arm. “It’s not about money. I have to do what’s right for my sweet baby girl—no matter how much pain it causes me. Dena’s organs will be donated. She’d be happy to know that others have a chance at a healthy life because of her. I won’t change my mind. You have three days. It’ll give us all time to say our good-byes.”

  “What about the boys?” I ask. “They’ll never forgive you if you do this.”

  Pepper’s eyes tighten. “I owe you a debt I can never repay for taking care of my family, but I’m back now. I’m coming for my boys next. I spoke to their social worker. Mrs. Moulton says she’ll contact you tomorrow to arrange for a smooth transition into my custody.”

  “No,” Mala cries, voice strangled. “This is all wrong. Don’t do this, please.”

  Pepper pats Mala’s arm and walks off without looking back.

  “She’s killing Dee. She’s really gonna die. I can’t let this happen.” She shoves open the hospital room door and staggers over to the bed holding her cousin. Dena looks like a wax dummy. Nothing of her usual vibrancy remains in the shell before us.

  “Pepper’s right. Dena’s brain dead. She’s not waking up on her own, no matter how much we want her to. You know what you’ve got to do.”

  “But what if she comes back wrong? Like Etienne.”

  “She might. There are no guarantees. You’ve got to decide whether or not taking the risk is worth losing her. I’ll back you all the way, no matter what.”

  Chapter 11

  Mala

  Sir Hotness

  Save her or let her go? The words flash-bomb the shield around my thoughts, peppering the wall with seeds of doubt and anguish until I’m too upset to concentrate. The protective barrier breaks, and I stagger toward the hospital bed. Landry grabs for me, and I hope he’ll catch my fall, but he misses. I topple across Dena’s legs. The second my hand touches her, my vision goes black like a trash can lid slamming shut and locks me inside.

  I freeze, afraid to move. My heart races, using up the oxygen in my straining lungs. I inhale a shallow breath of frigid air. The aching cold settles in my chest and chills my flesh. My bones ache. I search the darkness for a hint of light, but see nothing. Feel nothing, but emptiness. It’s maddening. A total absence of sensory stimulation.

  I’ll go crazy if I stay trapped here. Problem is, I don’t know where I am or how to free myself. Should I call for Gaston?

  Humiliation twists my stomach at the thought of begging for help again. Bad enough I screwed up so horribly this morning that I needed a five-person rescue team to drag my ass out of danger. And whatever’s happening is nowhere near as bad as being trapped in a dark-magic spell designed to eat my soul. I hope.

  Okay, stop! No wimping out. This is an opportunity to practice controlling my abilities. I can’t learn if I cry for help at the first sign of trouble. I got here by myself, and I’ll figure a way out on my own. Just be calm. Analyze the situation in a logical manner. One step at a time.

  Okay, first observation: This place feels different from the times I traveled to the other side in the past. Before, it had the feel of an alternate reality. One based on the same physical principles as the real world, only slightly off in texture, sight, and sound.

  I squeeze my hands together until I feel pain. I touch my cold cheeks and shiver. I exhale a heavy breath to warm my cupped hands. This is me. Wherever I am, I have a sense of self.

  My feet shuffle in place. My toes curl on cold stone. No shoes. Am
I naked? A quick pat down confirms the holy grail of all nightmares. Crap!

  I squat to hide behind my upraised knees and cross my arms over my chest. Okay, don’t freak. It’s dark. Nobody can see me, and so what if they can? Do I care what they think about my nakedness? No, because if they’re stuck in this limbo world, then they’re just as screwed as I am. And they’re probably naked too.

  Moving on to the next step: Determine if I’m the only one trapped in this hellhole.

  “Hello?” My voice echoes, cracking on the O, as if I’m yelling in an underground cavern full of winding passages. The sound reverberates in my ears. I lift my hands to muffle the sound, and then realize, if I do that, I can’t hear a response. I hold my breath, ears straining, and almost choke up a lung when a broken sob, followed by a tiny, familiar voice, breaks the unending silence.

  “Help.”

  “Dena?” It’s her, I know it is. “Where are you?”

  “H-help…” Sob, then echo, growing louder and louder. “Help!”

  Pain. The word stabs into my brain, poking holes in my thoughts. I drop to my knees and cover my ears. It hurts. “Stop shrieking, Dee. Please, you’re hurting me.”

  The screams cut off. The final echo ends with a slight hiccup, as if she’s holding it in with effort. Am I in her mind? Or is this purgatory, a place for souls who can’t break free of the bonds of flesh? Hell, it doesn’t matter. I’m not leaving her trapped here. Once I find her, I’m bringing her out. I can’t hesitate this time.

  Guess this means I’ve made my decision.

  “It’s Mala.” My voice bounces off unseen walls. I grit my teeth against the pain. A whimper comes from my left. Facing in that direction, I stretch out my hands and shuffle forward. “I’m here to help you.”

  “Shh, he’ll hear you.” Footsteps hit the ground, moving away from me.