“We need to talk to Astrid,” Phillip said, handing the folder back to theagent. Gregory went with them.
“Are you insane?”Krystan’svoicebroke and my heart skipped a beat.“I know you are on thisI’m the big man on campuskick, but you’re off the reservation, Travis.”
“She won’t be aloneKrystan. We will protect her. The way I see it, we let a bunch of people die or try to go save them. You are the one who taught me to improvise, use what you have.”
She crossed her arms, her eyes shooting lasers of accusation at me. “Soyou don’t care what happens to Sophie?”
“Krystan, I’m not worried for Sophie.” I sunk my gaze into her dark chocolate eyes. “As long as you’rethere. You won’t let anything happen to her.”
She visibly swallowed but her eyes lost a fraction of their edge.
“And I won’t let anything happen to her or you.” I put some steel in my voice. I meant it. I would die before I let anything happen to Sophie orKrystanand our baby. The idea of beingresponsibleforothers had changed me. To think all this time,I had been avoidingresponsibilitythinking I would fold under the weight, to find that the weight was whatwould make me strongest.
“What if I can’t protect...her?”Her words were loaded.Krystanwasn’t just talking about Sophie anymore. She was brimming with fear at the prospect of having a kid and screwing them up one way or another.
Icrossed the space between us andgrabbed her hands, holdingbothin mine. I half expected her to try and shake me off, instead her eyes widened.I heated at the touch of her skin. I still wanted her.
“Krystan, you are a force to be reckoned with. If anything tried to fuck with you or yours, you wouldbeat them into a bloody pulp, set that pulp on fire, then knowing you, piss on the ashes.”The corner of her mouth lifted in a smile. My heart skipped another beat.
I released her hands and took a step back, her hands hovering in the air where I’d left them.“And I won’t let anything happen to you. Trust that.”
The air between us was magnetic, crackling with mixed emotions and need. My brain told me to getas far away from her as possible, but my hands itched to be on her again.I wanted to strip her right there and set her on the edge of the sink and take her until she howled like the beast I knew she was.I loved the fact she was a feral beast herself, always ready to fight or fuck.Hergaze flicked down to my mouth then up to my eyes, naked hunger on her face.My heartalsoknew she was a torn up little girl doing the best she could.
I took another step back. But I needed her to do better.Ineeded to do better.
Krystan’shands went to her hips, massaging them as she looked away like she didn’t know how to hold herself anymore. The first couple words came out raspy before shebegan to talk normal. “I’m going to ask Sophie how she feels about this. We aren’t doing anything unless she agrees to it.”
I nodded, though I knew she’d been chomping at the bit to fight the monsters since she’d showed up on our doorstep.Krystanwalked past me out of the kitchen and the air went with her.Running my hands through my hair, I asked myself if I was doing the right thing. She was carrying my baby for cryingoutloud.
From what I knew by televisions standards, I should be running around getting her whatever she wanted while she took it easy, baking another human being inside her. I tried to imagine myself fawning over her and telling her how awesome she was and asking if I could bring herice cream and pickles or whatever else she craved between foot rubs.
But here I was, telling her I would be a dad but not her partner. It killed me on the inside, buta new and foreign confidence inside me knew without a doubtthis new approach wasthe right one. If we were legit going to have a kid, we couldn’t play these gamesany longer. Part of me hoped she didn’t want to play them anymore either, but I wasn’t sure.
I laughed at myself. In what universe would I be givingKrystana foot rub, while she kicked back and left the demon slaying to someone else? She wouldn’t stay behind even if we tried to make her. Walking over to the sink, I looked out the window at the fat snow flurries coming down.
Christ, Sophie wasn’t in danger,Krystanwas far more likely to get herself killed trying to protect Sophie.The dangerKrystanwould be in hit me full force. Withall the torment andtraumathe Shinigami could call up from her past, I was surprised she’dmade it out alive afterour first run in.What were the odds she’d survive a second?My fingers tightened around the countertop. I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let anything happen toKrystan orthe baby.
They were all I had.
24
Istepped out of the van into a blast of snow and windand tried to flip up the collar on my jacket.Damn, it was cold. I was glad I was wearing thermal leggings.Travis got out of the driver’s side, and his eyelashes were immediately coated in thicksnowflakes.Colorado was paying us back for all sunshine we’d enjoyed over the last week.The cloudy sky turned dark blue as the sun set somewhere behind them. I shivered, not sure if it was from the snow,losingof daylight, or pure unadulterated fear.
There waschorus of car doors slamming aroundme.Phillip had brought a mini army, inHumveesno less. The parking garage was packed this time of year,and the Shinigami was last seen phasing in and out there.My brain churned over the horrors we’d find inside the mall.
Weparked right out front on the street. I opened the sliding door and Gregory got out. Phillip had given him a brown bomber jacket with a fleece lined collar. He reminded me of an aged movie star from the forties in a movieabout being a fighter pilot. I held out my hand to Sophieand she took it, Merlin clutched in her other hand.
My heart dropped into my stomach.
You’re taking her to die.
I did my best to squash the thought and held her against my body, shielding her from a cutting wind.
Phillip motioned for a team to enter the mall and start sweeping for the monster and to quickly and quietly evacuate as many as people as possible.
Sophie had of coursewanted to go. She’d jumped right up on the seat in the theater room when I talked her about our plan and pumped a fist in the air. “Let’s go. I can save the day.”
I hoped so, because she was the only one who stood a chance. I swallowed over what felt like razor blades.
