by Box Set
I nodded, eyeing the monster. "One down."
She smiled grimly. "One to go."
I unsheathed my swords and sprinted through the shadows. I leaped from the car to the house roof, skidding down loose shingles until I was right above it. It had captured one of my souls—Don, I was pretty sure, judging by the face it wore. But this was good, because I could kill it before it took Don back to the sea witch, and he would be free.
Raising my Golly, I jumped from the roof. I landed on its back and felt my blade slide through the thick neck. It wore the soul like armor, and now I could see it had another soul as well—not just one of mine. The thing screamed at me, bucking like a wild horse, and I wrapped my legs around its hairy body and jerked Kali out of my sheath. I jammed it down next to the other sword and threw my weight back, using them both like a lever.
The head popped off with an awful ripping sound, and the demon collapsed to the ground. Don flew free, and the other soul, too. Before I could tell them to run or fight or anything, another scream tore through the air. I whirled around, but too late. The sharp claws of the last missing asuwang tore into my stomach.
I gasped at the pain and shoved away from it with my feet, falling hard on the ground. Elizabeth and Don attacked, but it had several souls wrapped around it and their swords could barely penetrate.
The thing reared back, coming after me again. I dove out of the way, spinning and slicing with Kali and Golly. I hit it in the head, but not hard enough. It screeched, half-shifted into a weird combination of dog, spider, and human, and took off through the silent neighborhood. I risked a glance at the sky. The sun would be up soon. I had to finish this tonight, or someone would die.
Wrapping one arm around the wound, praying it would heal completely before the moon set, I raced after the monster.
Chapter 22
Alec
After waiting until after midnight for Navi to come back home, and after texting her several times and calling once, I finally went home only to drag my exhausted butt out of bed and go to work three hours later. I wished, in those three hours, that I could have dreamed about the day I'd had before, but it was the same nightmare as always—if anything even more vivid than usual. I was glad when my alarm jarred me out of it.
Until I realized that meant I actually had to get up.
I decided while I was stumbling toward the shower that I had to somehow convince Navi to quit her night job and sleep with me every night. To keep the demons away, of course. She seemed to be the only antidote. I liked the plan immensely.
I doubted very much that it was safe for me to be driving as I yawned and squinted and tried to navigate the mostly deserted streets in the early morning light. Three nights in a row of not enough sleep... wasn't my brightest move ever.
But it had been worth it.
The memory of Navi's soft lips opening for mine, the smell of lilacs and her soft, soft hair... yeah. It was definitely worth it.
I was in love with her. Two days. And she had my heart in her hand.
But really, it wasn't two days. In the last four years, not one single day went by that I didn't think of her at least a hundred times.
I yawned again, stretching, trying to get some blood moving through my back and arms as I slowed for a stop sign. It was still dark enough that long shadows fell across the street, and I fought to keep my eyes open.
Until one of the shadows moved.
Forgetting my exhaustion, my eyes flew open and I leaned forward. Navi, disheveled and filthy, sprinted across the road and disappeared down a side street.
She was in trouble.
Screw work. I spun the wheel and went after her, roaring around the side street just as she turned into a cul-de-sac. I followed, gunning the truck. I got there seconds after she did—but she was gone.
I jumped out and turned in a slow half-circle, but there was no sign of her. "Where'd ya go, Angel?" I murmured. A movement at one of the windows caught my eye, and I jogged over, my heart in my throat. This was too much like before. Early morning light, peering through windows, wondering what the hell I was doing.
Inside, Navi and a big guy were all over each other. Crashing against the wall, knocking over the couch. She had her arms around his neck; his hands were locked around her lower back, holding her against him.
She'd been with me a few hours ago.
Now she was with some other guy. And apparently they liked it a lot rougher than I did.
I squinted, hoping in a sadistic sort of way that maybe they were fighting. Maybe this was part of her job—to beat big guys into submission. But no. They were not fighting. She had her arms around his neck, for hell's sake. If they'd been fighting, she'd be trying to get away, tiny thing that she was. She wouldn't have been holding him so tight.
Disgusted, yeah, that's what this feeling was. My heart wasn't shattered into twenty-five thousand pieces and sinking into my stomach. I was disgusted. I spun on my heel and stalked back to the truck.
"Alec?" Her voice was breathless and panicked. "What are you doing here?"
I turned slowly, hating the way my body wanted to pull her close to me. Hating the way my shattered heart wanted to beg her to explain. "I thought you were in trouble. Clearly, I was wrong."
"Alec, wait... It isn't like that." Her face, already pale and strained, went absolutely white.
"Really, Navi? I think I saw exactly what it was like." Tell me I'm wrong. Please tell me I'm wrong.
"No, Alec." She took three cautious steps forward. "It isn't what you think."
I ran a hand through my hair, staring at the sky. Wishing against all common sense. "Really, Navi? Then what was it?"
Her face, hopeful for about two seconds before I spoke, fell. "I... I can't..."
I rolled my eyes. "This is insane. Like, high school all over again. If you wanted to be with other guys, you could have freakin' told me, Navi." I shoved away the memory of her saying she wanted to be with me, into somewhere dark and less painful.
"I don't!" she cried, stumbling closer. I think she was limping, which served her right. "I don't want to be with other guys! It's just work!"
"So what—are you a whore now?" The second I said it, I wanted to take it back. It was pain talking, not me. I wanted her to hurt as much as I did. As much as she'd hurt me now, as much as she'd hurt me then. But with those words, any chance I had of her giving me a logical explanation was gone. Even if she could have come up with one. I started to tell her I didn't mean it, but I didn't get the chance.
Her eyes widened as her mouth opened in a silent O, and her arms curled around her stomach like I'd punched her. "Go to hell, Alec," she whispered.
Ouch.
Pain spoke again, lashing out, trying to protect me. "Funny, somehow I hang out with you for a couple days and I wake up there." I spun on my heel and jerked the truck door open, climbing in and slamming it so hard the entire vehicle rocked. She was still standing in the same spot, arms still clutching her stomach. Silent tears streaked down her cheeks before she turned away, back toward the house. She didn't even have the decency to wait until I was gone before she went back to him.
The big truck roared as I stomped on the gas pedal, taking us away from that hellish place and the little demon who had the power to crush my soul.
Chapter 23
Navi
"You're hurt, Navi. You need to go home." Elizabeth's voice somehow found its way through the darkness. I forced my eyes open and stared at her. The asuwang lay at my feet, slowly changing from its human form back to the demon dog-spider-icky thing as the sun rose on the horizon.
"I can't breathe," I whispered.
She nodded, watching me sadly. "You cannot tell him?"
I shook my head. "I took an oath. If I tell him, it will open his eyes. He'll see the demons, he'll see the ghosts. It's too dangerous.”
"But he saw you with that demon."
"That demon had a human form. It wouldn’t open his eyes. If I don't tell him, I keep him safe."
"Then he is a fool."
Yeah. He was a fool. But I couldn't blame him. Just like in high school—I knew how it must have looked as I tried to cut through the demon's neck with my swords. It was way harder when he had a soul shell. But Alec wouldn't know that.
Because I was keeping him safe.
"You are hurt, Navi," Elizabeth said again. I pulled my arms away from my stomach. My shirt was ruined. The skin underneath was ruined too, at least until the moon came up again to heal me. I'd lost a lot of blood, I could tell. Or else Alec had hurt me enough to make the entire room sway. Black splotches came and went in front of my eyes.
But the asuwangs who had made it past us were dead. That was all that mattered.
We hadn't been fast enough, though. One man lay lifeless in an alley three streets over.
"What happened to Jesse? Did they—"
Don shook his head. "I watched Jesse go back to her cell. She was on the beach last night and did not chase them."
Because of her, a man had lost his life.
"Why?" My voice was hoarse. I felt like I was split into two agonizing vials of pain—one for the battle I'd just been in, and one for the fight I'd just had with Alec. He'd called me a whore.
Even the first time, he hadn't stooped to that.
One vial for night, one for day. My soul was torn.
"She said she was afraid."
Well. Wasn't that ironic. Because of that, Death would take her to hell. Then she'd truly know terror.
"Navi. We can do nothing for the lost tonight. Nothing for Jesse. We must get you treated."
Yeah. I wasn't sure how to explain this kind of wound. Dog attack? Not feasible. Hit and run? No... I wished I had a doctor friend who could fix me and wouldn't ask questions.
Oh wait. I did.
"Konstanz?" I asked as soon as she picked up the phone.
"Navi?" Her voice was sleep-slow and froggish. "What's wrong?"
"I need your help."
Chapter 24
"Navi, I don't know what you're involved in, but we need to go to the cops." Konstanz's hands shook as she dabbed at my stomach with already bloody rags.
"I can't, Konstanz. I'm sorry. This can't go beyond us." My voice sounded robotic in my head. I wasn't sure how it sounded to her.
"Whoever you're protecting, this isn't worth it, Navi. You could have died. You were unconscious in the middle of a cul-de-sac!"
"It is worth it, Konstanz. I promise."
She scowled at me, shoving her hair away from her face. "Why can't you just be a normal girl who goes to school and has a not-scary job and you can grow up and marry Alec..."
I squeaked in pain and she looked up at me. "What's wrong? I wasn't even touching you."
"Alec and I..." Hmm. How to explain it? We texted late into the night. Spent an entire day together. I was planning my life with him when he assumed I was already cheating again and called me a whore. "We aren't friends."
Her busy hands stilled. I couldn't see her face because she had her head bent, but I could imagine her expression. "Seriously? What happened last night?"
Lots. Lots happened.
I shook my head, feeling traitorous tears snaking their way down my cheeks.
"Oh, Navi. I'm so sorry." She rose from her crouch and awkwardly wrapped her arms around me, trying not to touch the gaping wound she'd been cleaning for a half hour. I tried to be strong. I tried not to cry.
I failed.
I leaned my forehead on her shoulder and sobbed. "He thinks I'm a horrible person. I was just—" I hiccupped, "I was just trying to keep him safe." So I could cry. Look at that.
She leaned back and studied my face. "Navi, I was there when he saw what he saw in high school. I couldn't believe it was you. It felt wrong. I don't know what's really going on, but I'm sorry I didn't stand by you then." She blushed, looking down. "I just... I've just felt like I needed to say that. For a long time now."
She picked up her thick pack of gauze while I gaped at her. "Konstanz, you've always been there. You've always been my friend."
"I should have argued with him. I should have stood up for you."
I shook my head, closing my eyes briefly. "You couldn't. I didn't give you anything to argue with."
"You gave me ten years of knowing what kind of person you are. That should have been enough. Stand up so I can wrap this around you."
I stood obediently, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. "I thought... I thought I was in love with him. After one day. How stupid am I?" Stupid. Very stupid. I hid my face in my hands. Apparently I'd decided my life was a chick flick. With a really crappy ending. Wasn't there a law or something that chick flicks ended happily ever after?
She shook her head. "You aren't stupid. Everyone at that party could see the connection between you two. It was unreal. Also, you are way easier to fix up than a 100 pound unconscious dog."
I snorted, giggling despite all the pain. "Thanks?"
"All done. Go lay down. I'll talk to your professors and get your notes today."
Chapter 25
Alec
I stumbled into the apartment through a haze of pain pills and alcohol. "You sure you're okay if I go home?" Josh asked, trying to free my keys from the door. I thought about pointing out that he had to pull up, then sideways to free the key, but he'd figure it out eventually.
If not, it didn't matter.
"Are you drunk?" Bryson turned from the TV to stare stupidly. "Is he drunk?"
"Drunk and drugged, yes. Smashed his hand at work. Then decided alcohol is the best way to deal with pain, not a hospital." Josh shook his head, swearing at the keys. Bryson got up and jerked the keys out of the door while I stood and watched. He looked at me, mouth still hanging open, and I raised my broken hand and waved it.
"I thought you said Navi hates alcohol."
"To hell with Navi. Josh, get me a beer."
Josh shook his head, leaving the doorway to steer me toward my room. "You're gonna be hurtin' in the morning."
"I'm already hurtin'. She smashed my damn soul with her bare feet."
"What? What happened?" Did I hear hope in his voice? I tried to turn on him but the world spun and I toppled over, right into Josh's arms.
"You're a good friend." I patted him on the head and tried to stand up straight.
It didn't work.
"I've never seen him drunk before." Bryson's voice sounded like it was moving away, but he was standing right next to me. Although he did seem to be waving in and out of focus...
"He caught Navi with another guy this morning." Josh tried to keep his voice low but I was inches from his mouth. Like I couldn't hear him.
"Well... it's not like they're together. She didn't swear off all other guys for him in two days. What's the big deal?"
"What's the big deal?" Were my words slurring or was that my hearing? "She did swear off all the other stupid guys. She said she didn't want anyone but me. Then she leaves me in her apartment with you"— I jabbed my injured hand at his chest—"and goes off with some other guy. Or guys. And she told me it was work. And I called her a whore."
Josh groaned. Bryson, even weaving in and out of my field of vision like some kind of colorful ghost, looked like he wanted to punch me. Well let him try. I wouldn't feel a thing, not with these pain pills numbing everything.
Except my stupid heart.
"You need to sleep, bro. Come on." Josh pushed me forward, but I dug my heels in. Or at least I tried, but it didn't help.
"I don't wanna sleep. She's there when I sleep. She dies and she's beautiful and I can't save her. I don't wanna sleep."
"Dude. If I wasn't holding you up, you'd be on the floor right now. Go to bed."
I tried to growl at him but it just came out as a moan. I already missed her. It would have been easier if she'd yelled and blamed me or thrown a tantrum that I was following her or anything that involved breaking stuff. But that quiet pleading, the desperation in her eyes... it killed me. What if I was wro
ng? What if there was an explanation and I'd just blown it with the one girl I'd ever loved? "I was gonna marry her."
Bryson snorted. Josh sighed. "You were together for two days, Alec."
"Doesn't matter. I knew it the second I saw her at that party."
My heart hurt. Maybe I was having a heart attack. Maybe it really was possible to break your heart, and then you just wandered around all broken and crushed and stuff because life with a broken heart was like that.
No. I glared at the floor and stood up straight. Or attempted to. I knew what I saw. Navi was either trying to kill that guy or she was with that guy. And since she's a tiny little thing with the sweetest disposition ever, I doubted very much that she was trying to kill him.
I'd like to, though.
In fact, maybe I'd go back and punch him a few times. That would definitely make me feel better. I turned toward the door, ready to go seek my vengeance, and fell flat on my face.
This day sucked.
Chapter 26
I woke up with a freight train running through my head. I groaned, pressing my fists to my eyes. What the hell had happened yesterday?
And then I remembered.
Navi. The guy. Alcohol, lots of alcohol. And... a hospital? I groaned again, fumbling for my phone through the blur of pain. "Josh?" I mumbled when he finally answered, four skull shattering rings later. "What..." I couldn't even think how to start the conversation.
"Hey bro. How's the hand?"
"Hand?" My words were all slurred. Slowly, I raised my other hand, just now noticing that it was throbbing in something resembling agony. "Oh hell."
"Yeah."
"I drank a lot."
"Well, your hand hurt. I guess that's understandable."
But that wasn't the reason I drank so much. My heart hurt. How Navi could break my heart into so many pieces after only two days together was beyond me. I'd never fallen like that before.
