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“But how could you be okay with that?“ she asks, her voice suddenly trembling.
“My interest in your well-being isn’t just intellectual,“ I say, dropping my voice. Her right hand is on the table, so close to mine I can practically feel the heat rolling off her skin. I can’t resist the urge to put my hand on top of hers. I want it to feel like a reassuring gesture, but it certainly feels like more than that to me, and I have to wonder if it feels like more than that to her too. “I care about you, and I understand that this is delicate, so we can take it at your pace.“
She sighs, cocking her head a little. “I don’t want to just…vent. This is your life. I know this is a big deal.“
“No,“ I reply. “That’s the job. And yeah, I guess my job is a little more intertwined with my life’s than most people’s, but my life is actually looking after people. That includes you, Trine. So I can wait as long as you need me to wait. When you’re ready to talk about it, we can talk.“
She swallows. “I just don’t understand,“ she says. “Why did they pick my mom? Why have they picked me?“
I wait for her. She sounds like she’s on the verge of tears, but I have a feeling she’ll stop herself from crying. “What do you mean?“
“Neither one of us is religious,“ she says. “Mom certainly wasn’t when this started happening to her and it effectively ruined her life. I don’t know whether to believe her or not, but if I were to believe her, then that means that these…demons, or whatever, they ruined her life. They ruined our relationship. What are they going to take away from me?“
I look into her eyes. “I have a theory,“ I say. “But it’s weird, and it is just that. A theory.“
“Are you going to tell me?“ Trine asks.
“Yes,“ I say, tightening my grip around her hand. She squeezes my fingers back before I continue speaking. “But I don’t want you to be alarmed.“
She laughs, no humor in her voice. “Honestly, Luke, what could be more alarming than demons taking my soul?“
She really does have a point there, so I just nod. “Okay,“ I say. “Let me start from the beginning.“
TRINE
I’m glad he’s holding my hand.
I don’t know how I would be able to do this without him holding my hand. I’m not stupid–I know he’s just doing it to comfort me–but there’s something about his touch that is near irresistible. He’s so handsome, his skin is so soft, and I’m just…I’m just so ready for him to take the next step. The situation is tenuous, but I don’t feel delicate.
I feelravenous, practically delirious with lust.
And I want to take this priest with me wherever the fuck this train is taking me.
I turn my hand upside down so that our fingers can interlace and he flashes me the briefest of smiles. But he doesn’t blink, he doesn’t jerk away, he doesn’t do anything. He just stays the way he is. We’re holding hands as if we were dating and Father Luke doesn’t appear to be scared at all.
It’s a little disorienting, but I like it. Fuck, I love it.
It’s nice to see Luke loosening up.
“We’ve kept a record of every single client we’ve helped,“ he says. “And they don’t really have that much in common. They’re all differently educated, different cultural backgrounds, that kind of thing. But there’s one thing all of you seem to have in common.“
I cock my head, waiting for him.
“You’re all creatives of some sort. Your mom is an author, you’re a musician. Tom is a musician…“
“You didn’t say that…“
“Well, he played the guitar,“ he replies. “Not everyone is going to be successful, obviously. I think that there’s a good chance that the demons who are trying to take over your lives go for people who are creative, who might eventually have an influence on other people. I think that helps them expand their reach.“
“The…the demons?“ I echo, my voice shaky.
“Right. People listen to your music. They read your mom’s books.“
“But Tom?“
“He wouldn’t have influenced anyone yet,“ Luke replies. “But does that mean he would’ve never influenced anyone? I seriously doubt it. I mean, honestly, Trine, he still might.“
“Even while he’s this sick?“
