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I shuddered. Though we were still talking about the same thing, the word ‘demon’ brought an added level of terror. “I only know how to get rid of these things with Collin, which isn’t an option. We have to figure out another way.”
He turned to look at me. “That tosser opened the gate and left you to deal with the consequences?”
“I guess he figured I was protected by my henna tattoo and the marks on my door. And to be fair—although I have no idea why I feel the need to be fair—he keeps trying to convince me to pledge myself to Okeus.”
David shook his head. “Okeus is supposed to be evil. That would be a very bad idea.” His words were beginning to slur.
“I know, but if I don’t find Ahone’s mark, I’m doomed. And the more my mark fades, the worse my dreams get.”
He poured himself more whiskey and then topped off my glass. “I know what you need.”
“What?”
“A dream catcher. It’s supposed to protect you from evil. More specifically, it catches the bad dreams and lets in the good.”
I tried not to get excited. “Do you really think that will work?”
“It sure couldn’t hurt to try it, right?”
“I thought dream catchers were from Southwestern tribes.”
He shook his head and took another drink. “Nope. They’re traced to the Ojibwa.”
I lifted my eyebrows. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?”
“They belong to the Algonquian.” He waved his glass. “Although this tribe lived up in Canada. Up north.”
I tried not to laugh. “Canadaisup north.” David was getting thoroughly sauced.
“We’ll get you a dream catcher tomorrow and see if it works.” His eyes pierced mine. “I’ll help you fight these creatures, Ellie.”
“This isn’t your fight, David. You didn’t ask to be part of it. All I need from you is information, and then you can walk away.”
“Did you ask to be a part of this?”
“No.”
“Then how is ityourfight? Sure you were born to it, but you could walk away from it just like Collin has.”
“I guess. But I won’t.”
“Do you believe in fate, Ellie? Destiny?”
I took another sip to stall. “I don’t know. Maybe. I dismissed it, but then I think about the fact that I’m a pure soul and Collin says those occur once every several hundred years. It can’t be a coincidence that I’m a pure soul and the Curse Keeper to witness the breaking of the curse.”
“Is there any way Collin knew you were a pure soul when he broke the curse?”
“No, he said he discovered it by accident when we joined hands.”
“You actually believe him?”
“Well, the first time we touched marks—accidently—he said he could sense that I was a pure spirit, but he didn’t tell me until…later.” I paused, the familiar sense of loss filling every part of me. “After I’d seen creation and Wapi had terrorized me in the ocean, Collin must have realized the full significance of what he’d done. He begged me to make the mark permanent. He claims he never would have put me at risk by opening the gate if he’d known, and oddly enough, I believe him. He cares about me in his own way.”
David turned sideways, watching me with a strange look in his eyes. “You slept with him.”
My face burned. “That’s a personal question.”
“I can see it in your face when you talk about him.”
