Bloodstains and Bitemarks

by Kyra Quinn

“I’ll admit,” she says, “your setup is a lot nicer than the Dark Hunt’s. This is gorgeous.”

  I’ve always admired the scenery, but it’s even more breathtaking as a backdrop to Nadia’s copper curls bouncing with the breeze. “Is it strange for me to say I’ve enjoyed our time together?”

  She frowns, snatching the glass piece and lighter out of my hands. “I don’t know if it’s weird, but it’s shameless and tacky considering how you got me here. And what you plan to do to me tomorrow.”

  Fair enough. “I fought for you. It doesn’t mean much now, I know, but I tried. Dagon, too.”

  She shrugs and sparks the bowl, inhaling a thick cloud of milky smoke. Her cold silvery eyes remain locked on me as she exhales, perfuming the room with the musky herbal smoke. “You’re right. It doesn’t mean much of anything now.”

  I take the pipe back from her and busy myself with taking a hit, unsure what to say next. The ice in her voice tells me I’m not forgiven, but I like this quiet rage a lot less. It was easier to convince myself I’d made the right decision when she was hitting me and cursing me out. The longer she watches me in silence, the more suffocating my doubts become.

  I pass the weed to Nadia and swipe the bottle of booze from the floor. “I forgot to grab glasses, but I figured you wouldn’t mind.”

  “Pass. I’m not an enormous fan of alcohol, and the last thing I need tomorrow morning is a hangover.”

  “A what?”

  She blinks. “A hangover? You know, where you wake up the next morning and want to die because every part of your body hurts?”

  A grin tugs at the corners of my mouth. I’ve experienced nothing like what she’s describing, and Dagon says I drink more than a pirate. Mortal bodies are so sensitive and frail.

  “Tell me something.” She fiddles with the lighter, avoiding my eyes. “What’s in this for you?”

  “Sorry?”

  “What do you get out of all this? Aside from ending the war. I don’t believe you’re only here to save your monster friends.”

  I tap my fingers against the side of the bottle. She’s right, but the tone of her voice suggests that isn’t good. Some part of her still wants to picture me as some dark and brooding hero.

  “Aside from the satisfaction of a job well done? Freedom from the fires of Hell and the eternal cries of agony. If anyone chosen for the Legion fails to follow orders, Lilith casts them back into eternal damnation.”

  Her eyebrows furrow. “But aren’t you from Hell?”

  “Technically. But they condemn betrayers to the ninth circle to suffer for their sins. It’s a torturous fate even for those born from Hell.”

  She takes a hit from the bowl and asks, “Why did the Knights choose you?”

  My thoughts flash to the millions of souls I tortured during my time in Hell. I turned punishment into an art-form by the end of my third year. Lucifer himself once praised my creativity and depravity.

  But I doubt that’s what Nadia wants to hear, so I shrug. “Lilith doesn’t share. I guess I was just good at my job.”

  “Do you like it? Working for the Knights, I mean?”

  “It’s not about them.” I take a swig of alcohol, savoring the warm tickle as it slides down my throat. “I don’t fight for Lilith or the Knights. The Paranormal community needs our protection. If Moloch were to call off the Legion, Michael and his hunters would slaughter every Paranormal in the city within weeks.”

  She frowns, rolling the pipe over in her hands. “Is that so bad? Vampires and demons don’t belong on Earth any more than angels do. Michael and Zeke don’t prey on mortals.”

  “Yet.” My grip tightens around the neck of the bottle. “I won’t try to convince you we’re harmless to humans. They’re an important part of the food chain for Paranormals. But we like the world the way it is. It’s your angel pals who want to cleanse all life from the Earth and start again. Besides, I think we’ve proven you’re anything but mortal. You’re a part of this community, even if you don’t understand it. Ezekiel killed your mother because of the magic in her blood, and he’ll do the same to you.”

  Her expression hardens. “But you’re so much better, right?”

  “No.” I lower my head. “But I try.”

  Unspoken words tickle my throat, but I take another gulp from the bottle and swallow them down. Standing so close to Nadia fucks with my head. I want to grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she understands why tomorrow must happen. I’d travel to Hell and appeal to Lucifer himself if I thought it would save her life.

  Laughter drifts up from the scattering of beachgoers below. For the briefest of seconds, I allow myself to imagine Nadia and I building bonfires and splashing in the ocean with them. For the first time in my existence, I envy the mortals. They do not understand how fortunate they are to enjoy simple lives and pleasures without the endless anxiety of war looming over their heads.

  “If you didn’t kill my mother, why did you wait two years to tell me?” Nadia turns her gaze on me. Her eyes twinkle like stars in the moonlight, and it’s so damn hard not to kiss her one last time. Righteous fury has never looked better on a woman.

  I lift a shoulder. “I knew you’d never believe me without proof. After you disappeared, I assumed you’d left Miami for college like you always talked about. I had no idea they tricked you into hunting for them until Lilith ordered us to kidnap you.”

  “What if you had known?” Her voice is almost a whisper. “Would you have come for me?”

  “Or died trying. You have no reason to trust me, and I understand that. But I wish you’d believe me when I say that I’ve only ever tried to protect you. I failed you, in more ways than one, and I’ll live with that regret for the rest of my days. But none of this is what I wanted for you.”

  Her face softens. She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and offers a sad smile. “It’s okay. Everything will work out the way it’s meant to.”

  Her words prickle my skin. She will not beg me to help her. But the calm resignation she’s adopted in place of panicked pleading bothers me more. I never expected the Nadia Gray I knew to surrender. The fire inside of her soul—a flame of passion missing from mortals far too often—was one of her most endearing traits. The quiet girl next to me now is a stranger. A ghost of the fierce huntress who stole the pieces of my black heart and claimed them as her own.

  I’ve always viewed concepts like ‘fate’ and ‘destiny’ as naively mortal. Humans delude themselves into believing there’s some greater plan for their life to make sense of the hard times. It’s easier to accept suffering if you tell yourself it’s an important step towards something better, or an unavoidable piece of God’s ineffable plan. Fate is a copout mortals used to justify their poor choices in life.

  But I can’t bring myself to steal her last little piece of comfort. If she needs to tell herself it’s her destiny to die, I’d be an asshole to suggest otherwise. I’ve hurt her enough already to last a lifetime.

  “Is there anything you need before tomorrow? A hot meal, or—”

  She rests a hand on my arm, her touch cold against my skin. “Promise me something.”

  “Anything.”

  “Promise not to leave my side until it’s over.” Her fingers tighten around my wrist. “Don’t leave me alone anymore.”

  If I had a heart, the crack in her voice would have broken it. I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her against my chest. She resists for a moment but settles into my embrace and rests her head against my shoulder.

  “I won’t leave you,” I mumble into her thick copper curls. “Whatever comes, you won’t face it alone.”

  “Good.” She slips her fingers into mine and pulls me towards the door. “Now take me to your bed and hold me until the sun comes up.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Nadia

  Kane and I spend the rest of the night in his bed, our bodies curled around each other until it’s hard to tell where his limbs end and mine begin. We whisper stories to each ot
her in the darkness, trading secrets about our lives and the mistakes we’ve made with them. Kane doesn’t have many regrets. I’m not surprised. His shamelessness is half of his charm.

  For a few blessed hours, I can almost pretend this is how things were always meant to turn out. But the tighter Kane holds me, the heavier my heart becomes. He won’t like what happens next any more than I will. I try to remind myself he planned to betray me first, but it doesn’t do much to ease my guilt. At least the lies and constant manipulation will end soon. I don’t know how much longer I can let him kiss my lips before they spill all my secrets.

  After the sun streams in through the blinds and bathes the room in light, I slip a silky bathrobe over my bruised flesh. Kane leads me downstairs to a table covered in breakfast foods. Fluffy pancakes, eggs, bacon, muffins, thick slices of ham, and plates full of foods I don’t recognize span the entire length of the table. My stomach gurgles, twisting with both hunger and nausea simultaneously.

  We eat in silence. Or, I eat while Kane makes a show of cutting his pancakes into bite-sized pieces and moving it around on his plate. After I’ve eaten so much my stomach displays a small pooch, Kane gestures for me to follow him through the dining room and onto the covered patio out back. I pull the flimsy robe tighter around my waist and do as he requests.

  “It’s almost time,” he says, his voice tight. “Levi texted me the address a few minutes ago.”

  My pulse throbs in my neck. I nod, wrapping my arms around my waist. I want to say something profound or insightful, but all I squeak out is a tiny, “Okay.”

  He reaches for my face but seems to think better of it. His hand rakes through his messy black hair. He doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t need to. I can see the conflict etched into the lines of his face.

  I grab his hand and weave my fingers through his. He shudders slightly at my touch. Curious eyes search my face.

  “It’s okay, Kane. I promise.”

  “How can you say that?” He shakes his head, pulling his hand away. “You will die, Nadia, and I can’t do a damn thing to stop it. It’s not okay.”

  “Oh.” It hits me all at once, like a tidal wave crashing over my head. I was right. In his own twisted way, Kane cares. He just has a fucked-up way of showing it.

  “I warned you to stay away from Zeke,” he says, his voice almost a growl. “To stay away from all of it. Now there’s nothing I can do.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t expect you to save me. Life isn’t a fairytale.” Not when you jump into bed with monsters, anyway.

  “Doesn’t stop me from wanting to.” He turns his back to me, folding his arms over his chest and staring out at the sun glistening over the ocean. “What’s the old saying? They pave the road to Hell with good intentions or whatever?”

  I almost smile. “Something like that. I’m sorry I asked you to go against your orders and help me with Zeke. It wasn’t a fair position to put you in. I can fight my own battles.”

  “Don’t. Don’t apologize.” His posture is rigid. “You were right when you said I’m no better than Zeke. It’s my fault you’re in this situation. I never lied to you, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a monster.”

  “I know. But you taught me some monsters are still worth caring about.” His face pales, so I rush to add, “Arachne, for example. She plays the bad bitch role well, but she’s still one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.”

  He snorts. “Until you give her a reason not to be. Let’s head to the car. The address they sent me is clear across town.”

  Kane drives with the windows rolled down, chain-smoking cigarettes while he flips through the stations on his satellite radio. I wait for the terror to overwhelm me, but I’m filled with an odd sense of peace. My conversation with Lilith and Death left me with a million unanswered questions, but not about what happens next.

  The expensive beach-front properties and swanky shops of South Beach soon disappear. I lean my head out the window and let the wind blow through my hair. A mixture of saltwater and smog hangs in the hot, humid air.

  Rundown brick and concrete buildings covered in colorful murals soon replace the sleek and modern vibe of South Beach. Spices tickle my senses. Traffic slows to a crawl, and someone slams their horn every few minutes.

  “We’re meeting Zeke here?” I ask, wiping my sweaty palms on the seat.

  “His idea.” Kane shrugs. “Guess he figured we’d attract less attention here.”

  I snort. “How? Not a lot of pale dudes driving expensive cars in this part of town.”

  “Not a lot of cops where we’re headed, either.”

  Good. Witnesses and law enforcement are complications we don’t need.

  Kane pulls into the parking lot of a motel long forgotten by time. A rusted iron fence surrounds an empty swimming pool littered with dead bugs and trash, and graffiti covers the boarded-up windows and doors. He cuts the engine and nods towards the abandoned building.

  “Fun fact? The Dark Hunt used to operate out of this place until we found them and attacked. Probably why they move around so often now.”

  I’m in no mood for idle conversation. “Where is he?”

  “Relax. We’re a little early.” His eyes sweep over me. “What did Lilith say to you? You’ve been acting strange ever since her visit.”

  I shift my weight. “Nothing. The usual barrage of threats and insults. She came to see if she could pry anything else out of me before she turned me over to Zeke.”

  If he can tell I’m lying, he’s kind enough not to press the issue. “I still can’t stand to watch you roll over and embrace death. I always expected you to go out swinging.”

  I shrug, careful to keep my expression neutral. “You said it yourself: we don’t have any weapons capable of killing an angel. Resistance will only irk him. Sometimes you have to know when the fight is over.”

  Kane opens his mouth to disagree, but he’s cut off by the squeal of brakes behind us. We turn at the same time to watch as a white windowless van pulls into the other side of the parking lot. Zeke sits behind the wheel and glares at us through the windshield, his expression oddly empty. Beside me, Kane stiffens.

  My heart threatens to burst through my chest. I lift my head and try to mimic Kane’s cool confidence, but my trembling hands are a dead giveaway. I glance towards the street and briefly imagine bolting out of the parking lot, but there’s no point. Kane is too fast for me to outrun even without his car.

  “Let’s do this,” Kane mutters, pushing his door open. I follow his lead, coming to stand beside him in front of the car. Zeke glares at us from inside the van, his features twisted with contempt.

  The driver’s door swings open. Zeke steps out and crosses to the front of the vehicle, clutching an Exorcist in front of his chest. The late morning sun beams down on his golden hair, casting an aura of light around him. He aims the barrel of the gun at Kane, but his icy blue eyes lock onto my face. Rage flows through my bloodstream. Only Kane’s warmth next to me stops me from flying across the parking lot to claw his eyes out of his smug face.

  “Where’s our guy?” Kane demands, his hand sliding to his own weapon holstered on his hip. “And the blade?”

  Zeke shakes his head. “That’s not how this works. First, tell me what you’ve done to our hunter.”

  Kane’s mouth curls into a mocking smile. “Nothing she didn’t enjoy and beg for more of. Besides, what does it matter? We both know you will kill her the moment I hand her over.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t kill her yourself. Since when does the Legion take hostages?”

  “I could ask the same of the Dark Hunt.” His eyes shift between Zeke and the unmarked van. “Bring out the messenger. I’m not giving you shit until I see proof of life.”

  Zeke groans. “After all these years, you still haven’t learned a damn thing. You don’t call the shots, Kane. Not in Hell and not on Earth. Maybe a little reminder will jog your memory.”

  In the blink of an eye, Zeke points the gun at my head an
d squeezes the trigger. Fireworks explode in my eardrums. I open my mouth and scream, but the sound never leaves my throat. Warmth spreads through me as my knees collapse.

  Kane’s face is the last thing I see, his eyes glowing red embers in his skull. My throat burns as I try to force three last words from my throat. My lips tremble, but only a strangled sound escapes. It’s too late now. If this doesn’t work, he’ll never know I loved him.

  But it must work. For everyone’s sake. I close my eyes and slip into the waiting darkness.

  * * *

  In the movies, death is always dramatic and painful. Someone clutches a stab wound torn open in their side or a bullet hole in their chest while everyone kneels around them in a panicked circle. The victim struggles to choke out last words, their pale face twisted in agony.

  Compared to the movies, dying was a bit of a letdown. I hardly had time to register Zeke shooting me before darkness swept my vision. If it hurt, I didn’t notice. It was almost as if I blinked the world around me out of existence until all that remained was my weightless body floating through an endless black abyss.

  “Well done, child,” a deep voice echoes around me. He doesn’t reveal his face, but he doesn’t need to. The eerie baritone of my actual father’s voice is now burned into my head like a favorite song.

  “So I’m... dead?”

  He chuckles, the sound vibrating in my chest. “Technically, yes. For now. Lilith built a five-minute delay into the spell. You’ll resurrect in the parking lot if it works.”

  “Swell.”

  It took a massive leap of faith to put my trust in Lilith’s plan. Death didn’t make matters any less complicated or confusing. I still do not understand what to say to him, or what he wants from all this. He deflects my questions any time I ask what’s in this for him, but I doubt he’s come to play father after over two decades of neglect. Reverend Gray wasn’t the best father in the world, but at least he was present for the first seventeen years of my life. And human.

  Fortunately, Death doesn’t seem interested in making up for lost time. “Do you remember what to do when you return to your body?”