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I let her get less than a foot away, then scampered to the other side of the room, leaving her yowling in rage.
"I can keep this up all night, Rose," I said. "You can't get me and you know it."
She only snarled and flung herself toward me. I sidestepped past her. Just walked. Once across the room, I perched on the side of an old metal desk, as if making myself comfortable.
"I can give you what you want, Rose," I said.
Her lipless mouth opened. Her words came out garbled, but I could make them out. "Good. Then come 'ere."
"Still got a sense of humor? Pretty soon it'll be all you have--"
She lunged. I pulled my foot back,
caught her in the stomach and shoved as hard as I dared, knocking her to the floor. She didn't rest for even a second, just struggled to rise on her good leg. As her body jerked with the effort, her severed arm slid to the floor. Seeing it, she let out a howl of rage and frustration.
"I didn't mean to do that," I said. "If you can still think as clearly as I believe you can, you know that was an accident. I have no interest in making things any worse for you than they are. All I want is to get Matthew Hull."
Her eyes rolled up to mine and I knew she recognized the name. Had there been an inkling of doubt in my mind that he was the controller, it evaporated. She stared up at me, unblinking. She couldn't blink. She didn't have any eyelids. I forced my gaze away as my stomach rolled.
"What has he promised you if you catch me?" I asked.
"That it'll stop," she mumbled.
"So you can die in peace."
Her body went rigid. "No. Not--can't die. I'll go to 'Ell." She shuddered. "This is better. Close the gate. No more...it'll stop."
"The rotting you mean."
"It'll 'eal."
"Heal? Is that what he told you? Maybe so, but is he planning to regrow all those parts you've lost? Your foot? Your lips? Arm? Nose? Eyelids? What you really want is peace, isn't it? To die and go someplace peaceful, where you'll be whole again. I can make sure that happens."
She made a hiccuping noise that, after a moment, I realized was laughter.
"You don't believe me? I have someone here who can help. The one who summoned you. She can make sure you cross over."
"And go straight to bleedin' 'Ell," she snarled. "After all I've done, where else would I go?"
She had a point. Then I remembered Jaime talking earlier about Eve...
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," I said. "I can't tell you what's on the other side. No one can. But there's more redemption than vengeance. I'd say you have a shot at some peace in the next life. Especially if you finish this one doing some good."
"She's right," said a voice behind me. "I don't know what's over there either, but I know plenty of spirits who expected to end up someplace far worse than they did."
Jaime stepped forward. Her gaze lit on Rose and if she felt any revulsion or horror, none of that showed. Not even pity. She just walked over to stand beside me.
"Just lead us to Hull, and we'll take it from there," I said. "You'll be free."
Rose looked at us with her horrible lidless eyes.
"You don't still feel some obligation to him, do you? Maybe you did, when you first realized he'd given you a shot at another life, but I hope you don't forget he ended your first one. You're a servant. A zombie slave, put in that portal to serve him. And serve him you have, haven't you? He used you up, and let you die, and die again--and still threw you into our path. Who cared if you fell to pieces? He had a backup. A man. You don't see him rotting this badly, do you? Did you think that was just luck?"
"Will you kill 'im?" she asked. "The wizard or whatever 'e is?"
"That's the surest way to close the portal. And something tells me Hull isn't going to get one of those 'get out of Hell free' cards."
Her face contorted in a hideous smile. "Good."
