Page 107 of The Devil and His Ghost

“Sure, sure. Fine by me,” I answered.

Typically, when a Letum demon killed someone, that soul would become theirs to torture for the rest of eternity. Coldin’s hall in Hell where all of his victims’ souls were locked up was vast and full, but demons were different. When we “died,” we were merely sent back to the Prince of Darkness Himself. As our creator, He could decide whether or not to make us again or totally destroy our essence. Seeing as how Coldin wouldn’t get a new lifelong punching bag for this kill, letting him torture the demon first seemed like the right thing to do.

“Great,” Perseus deadpanned. “So glad that’s settled. Can we talk now?”

I ground my teeth, but instead of looking at him, I watched Kendyll as she seemed to listen intently to whatever Iyla was saying. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Like Hell there’s not,” Perseus growled. “You’re going to get hurt, Xander.”

I shrugged, my gaze still trained on Kendyll. “She’s worth it.”

My heart stuttered when tears abruptly began rolling down Kendyll’s cheeks. I nearly leapt out of my seat to race toward her, but I froze when she uncrossed her arms and reached toward the trio’s pile of hands.

Sitting up straight, I sent forth a burst of energy to give her strength should she actually brave such a moment. Awe stole my breath. She laid her hands gingerly atop theirs. My strong, fierce girl who abhorred touch actually reached out and took their hands.

I laughed under my breath. Pride and admiration took hold of me. I wasn’t sure what those girls said to her, but I owed them my deepest thanks for giving her the space to reach out, something she’d only done with me.

Even as I continued to watch her with a proud smile, those cracks in my chest began to fissure again until the pain threatened to swallow me whole.

If only I’d kept my fucking promise that day.

If only I was still a person she wanted to reach out to.

“Xander,” Perseus tried again. His voice had softened to something far more gentle than anything he’d ever used with me. “I understand how much she means to you. But you have to know how much you mean to us, too. When she leaves, you will be the one left behind in pieces, and we have to watch you suffer like that. It’s … It’s hard to see you in so much pain and hiding behind cheap jokes, pranks, alcohol, drugs, and sex.”

I finally turned to meet Perseus head on. “If it was Harper, wouldn’t you do the same?”

Perseus pressed his lips together, and like he was unable to help himself, he glanced sideways at his ballerina. He said nothing.

I looked across the table at Zagan and Dante. “If it was Iyla or Serenity …”

They, too, stayed quiet.

“Exactly,” I nodded, satisfied with their silent confirmation. I stood and pushed my chair in. “If you were in my position, all of you would do the same. The difference is, none of you have to make that choice.”

Without another word, I followed the constant invisible pull to the girl who’d wrapped her web around my heart a long time ago. She looked in my direction as I drew near. The tears I’d seen before were gone, but her eyes and the tip of her nose were still red. I wasn’t sure if she saw something I was desperately trying to hide on my face or if something the girls had talked about had shifted something in her, but when I reached out my hand, she took it without hesitation.

Wordlessly, I pulled her away and to the dance floor, though I left plenty of space around us so no one could touch her. I held one of her hands in mine while resting the other on the small of her back. “Dance with me.”

She studied the many demons gyrating or dancing wildly to the upbeat pop music. “This isn’t exactly the music for slow dancing.”

Even as she pointed this out, she squeezed my hand and placed her other on my bicep. We slowly swayed and stepped, our bodies pressed together. Heavy rock music blasted through the speakers.

“I guess it’s not,” I conceded.

Neither of us stopped our idle sway, nor did our gazes break. My world started and ended with those vivid green eyes and that haunted smile. I swallowed hard and pulled her closer. She rested her cheek on my chest, and I pressed my own to the top of her head as we rocked slowly to a beat of our own.

Just a bit longer. I wanted to be selfish with my lie a little longer.

Chapter 37

Kendyll

(One Year Ago)

THIS WAS KIND OF SURREAL. The plan had been in the works for so long, it was hard to believe the day was finally here. It took a lot of planning, given Bethelma’s schedule and theirs, but the network was determined to make the collab happen. After all, what better guest to have on what would be the season finale episode of Haunted Days and Nightmares than the worldwide popular demon rock band, Sinners Do It Better?

All five members, each clad in various grayscale colors, decked out in jewelry, piercings, and tattoos, stood in front of the haunted house with Bethelma. The lead “medium” practically glowed in awe before the men. I stood a little behind Alex, who filmed the introduction of the human-appearing members with Bethelma.