“I’ll be the one asking the questions here.” Darting in intimately close, Jinn-Marv caught one lock of my hair and gave it a rough tug at the roots. “Speak the words; what is it you wish for? Could it be… a second chance at happiness?”
Another snap of his fingers, and everything faded around me. I was alone in a dark room, lit only by flickering candlelight. Rose petals peppered the floor beneath my feet. Brow furrowed, I spun in a slow circle and waited for the second shoe to drop.
The longing of my heart drew him into life.
Chin to his chest, Elba stepped from the shadows. Peering up at me from beneath impossibly long lashes, a knowing smile tugged back one corner of his full lips. “Hey Raspberry Tart, did ya miss me?”
My breath caught at the nickname. We’d told no one about that. It was our thing. A flirty secret we kept between us. It came about during a weekend spent in bed, when the TV was on, but our attentions were well occupied. Rolling over in a tumble of sheets to catch his breath, Elba peered up at the screen to find a kids cartoon on. The show was Strawberry Shortcake, and it only took one glimpse of the character Raspberry Tart—whose hair was the same shade of pink as mine—and the moniker stuck.
“This isn’t real.” Tears slipped down my cheeks unchecked. “It can’t be.”
He closed the distance between us with two easy strides. Tingles coursed through my core, earning a shocked gasp through my parted lips as his body brushed mine. With the side of his knuckle, he caressed my cheek, his hand drifting back to comb through my hair. “Haven’t you figured it out yet?” he breathed the words into me. “When it comes to us, nothing is ever impossible.”
His bottom lip teased over mine, taunting me with the sweet surrender my soul ached for.
I wanted nothing more than to dive in and lose myself in the waves of pleasure from his simple touch. Still, I forced myself to pull back. My greedy eyes were hungry to memorize every detail of his face. His skin was a warm mocha hue that beautifully highlighted the brilliance of his wide, beaming smile. He kept his hair sheared short to his scalp. The light stubble of an almost beard accentuated his chiseled jaw line. He wore a pair of jeans that sat low on his hips, and a light blue t-shirt that clung to his muscular torso.
Catching his hand in both of mine, I turned it over in inspection. My thumbs dragged over his skin. Soft, with a few rough edges from his years spent slinging lumber. I exhaled a ragged breath and forced my gaze to meet his. A fresh rush of tears burned behind my eyes. I knew this wasn’t real, but it was exactly the kind of lie I wanted to get lost in.
“Please,” I managed in a throaty whisper, “don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you know me. Like… I’m yours.”
“Raspberry Tart, you’re my favorite song, and I know all the words.” Cradling my face in his palms, his mouth staked claim of mine. So many memories of him were burned onto my brain, but his taste… Oh, his taste. That was my last, wistful memory before I drifted off to sleep each night. In life, Elba often kept a peppermint candy tucked in his cheek, that he would click against his teeth when he flipped it over on his tongue. It was that simple bite of peppermint that elicited a soft groan of appreciation.
My hands snaked around his back, exploring the thick bands of roped muscle that tapered down to his narrow waist. He had never been a gym rat. There was no need to pay for any kind of membership to achieve his sculpted physique. It came from a career of building something out of nothing.
“I’ll never leave you again,” he murmured, peppering kisses over the nape of my neck.
Squeezing my eyes shut tight, I allowed myself to get lost in the bliss… if only for a moment.
“If this is what you want,” his tongue teased over my earlobe, “I just need to hear you say it. Tell me you want me… that you wish for me to stay.”
My hands gripped the thin material of his shirt, curling into tight fists. Pulling back, I looked into his eyes to bury my painful truth there. “I want that more than anything in the world, and we will have it. Do you hear me? I’m coming for you, Elba, and I won’t stop until I find you. Our story isn’t done. But this? It isn’t real, and no amount of wishing will ever change that.”
Elba pulled back, a V of confusion slicing between his brows. “Wha...?”
I silenced him with one finger to his lips. Even one more syllable and what little resolve I had could slip away. “I wish… for Marv to no longer be a slave to the wish. From this moment on, let his only master be his mortal form.”
“No!” The mirage faded around me, Elba disappearing like a flutter of déjà vu that never really existed at all. In a blink, I was back in Brad’s sad little basement watching the Jinn’s strapping form shrink back into frail, ordinary, paper-eating Marv. His talons retracted, muscle withering away. Even his ponytail rescinded to a thinning hairline. The crackle of magic abandoned him, leaving behind his abandoned shell. “What have you done? You bitch! What did you do?”
Not sure if I wanted to punch him in the throat or thank him, I squatted down beside Marv as he curled into the fetal position on the floor. “In time, you may even thank me for this. Think of this as your chance to become a better person. Now, you’re going to have to learn how to rely on the same humans you once fed off of.”
He couldn’t hurt me now, not that the desire wasn’t there. Lips curling back from his teeth, he glared daggers of hatred my way. “You’ll pay for this. One day, I will find a way to return this brutal unkindness.”
Pushing off the floor, I rose to my feet and shook out my legs where my jeans had started to ride up. “You want to join the ‘I hate Octavia Hollows’ club? Get in line. I think they sell t-shirts. More importantly, you have a choice to make, Marv. One all supernatural beings make every damned day. We either acclimate with society, or get crushed under its boot.” Digging into my back pocket, I tossed him the twenty Big Mike gave me for the time I helped out. “Use that, and get to a meeting. I happen to know a great group that really wants to help people. Especially those who aren’t killing their attendees. They’ll help you get on your feet.”
“Should have just killed me,” he harrumphed, gnawing at the corner of the twenty.
“Get that out of your mouth!” Snatching it from his mouth, I hooked one hand under his scrawny elbow and hauled him to his feet. “Come on, we’re getting you an Uber. At which time I will personally hand the driver the money. Do you have a place to stay tonight?”
“In the hollowed-out gut of your mother,” he grumbled, whilst letting me usher him along.
“I’ll take that as a no. Which gives weight to my theory you lived in a lamp.” At the foot of the stairs, I dragged him in front of me and gave him a push to go first. “No worries, we’ll get you to a shelter for tonight, and I will pay for the car to pick you up there tomorrow and take you to that meeting. If you tell Madge you’re really ready to get clean, she’ll make sure you get help. Just… stick with the paper thing. Burning people alive with the fuel of their own desires may create more questions than answers.”
Halting mid-step, Marv spun on me, his beady eyes narrowed with distrust. “Why are you helping me?”
For a beat, I could only stare back as I tried to answer that question for myself. “Because I’m different, too. And the people who were kind enough to look past that made all the difference in my life.”
“Thank you,” Marv begrudgingly offered, before tagging on, “I’m probably still going to find a way to kill you for taking my powers.”
“No good deed goes unpunished. Now, let’s get out of here. Brad’s blow-up doll in the corner is wearing a clown mask, and I need to leave before my imagination starts to question why.
Chapter Eight
Two hours later—after following Marv to a shelter and explaining to Nate for the millionth time why we were helping the cranky ex-Jinn—we found ourselves back at Nate’s apartment.
“I don’t know what’s more confusing,” I grumbled.
“The fact that you wanted to come back here, or that my dumbass voluntarily came along.” Just in case we had to make a mad dash, yet again, I kept Bacon nestled in his pig-porter. The motion of my bike had put him to sleep, his little hooves giving an occasional twitch as his mind roamed through happy little piggy dreams. I, on the other hand, kept my head swiveling on the lookout for any Glocks being leveled at our heads. “I mean, you remember what happened the last time we were here, right? With the shooting and the running? Because, I haven’t tested the theory, but I’m pretty sure I can’t resurrect anyone if I’m dead.”
Offering me a serene smile, Nate unlocked the door to his cramped little oasis. “Don’t worry. We won’t be long.” Tossing open the door, he stepped inside and threw his keys onto the card table. “Any killers in here? Come out, come out, wherever you are.” When no one burst out to finish us off firing squad-style, he threw his arms out wide and turned to face me. “Seems the coast is clear. Look around, take whatever you want or think you could use.”
Adjusting one of the straps of the pig-porter, I maneuvered it into a more comfortable position on my shoulder. “What’s going on here? What are you up to?”
Hands falling to his sides with a slap, Nate shrugged. “I overheard you on the phone earlier. You can reverse the magic keeping me alive. I would rather have you do that, than for that guy with the gold chains to get ahold of me. Something tells me you’ll be kinder about it. I don’t have much to offer as my thanks for everything, but whatever is here, you’re welcome to it.”
Punched in the gut by the sudden shift in the conversation, I shuffled to Nate’s flimsy cot and plopped down on the edge with Bacon’s back hooves dangling between my knees. Waking with a snort, he nosed at my chin. “I don’t really understand how we got here. There’s no need to jump right to the fatal conclusion… again. There are other options.”
The thin mattress squeaked as Nate sank down beside me with his elbows on his knees. “There really aren’t. Not in my heart, anyway. Maybe this doesn’t make sense, but I just keep feeling that if you hadn’t brought me back, I would have been on the other side to welcome Karen to whatever comes next. Now, she’s there alone.” Tipping his chin in my direction, he paused to hunt for the right words. “If the great beyond is the only place where we can be together, then that’s where I need to be. I may have been too much of a coward to tell her before, but when I’m with her, I feel like I’m home.” A hot blush filled his cheeks as he shrugged off that revealing declaration. “That probably sounds stupid to you.”
Shifting my weight, I rocked in Nate’s direction to bump his elbow with mine. “No, it doesn’t. I get it. Believe me, I just wish I could bring her back for you, instead of the other way.”
“You and me both.” Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Nate nodded in sorrowful resignation. “Will it… hurt?”
A lump formed in my throat that I swallowed hard to speak around. “No, not at all. You won’t feel a thing. My magic will usher your spirit back to wherever it was. I can return your body to the form you died in, if you want there to be some sort of funeral and memorial service. Or…” A lone tear streaked down my cheek that I wiped away with the back of my hand.
“Or?”
Wetting my lips, I tried again. “I can keep the current of my magic going. Instead of being the burned brisket you were, you’ll be reduced to dust.”
“Dust on the wind, just like the song,” he huffed with a humorless laugh.
“Like the song,” I parroted, my heart aching for my new friend.
“It sounds like a pretty rock and roll way to go. That’s cool, right?”
“Nate, you’re without a doubt the coolest IT guy I’ve ever met.” Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a Treasure Island Casino hoodie on the floor. Pulling it into my lap, I rubbed my thumb over the worn and faded decal. “Mind if I keep this?”
The to remember you by message went unsaid, but was deeply felt.
“It’s yours. Here, I have a couple more things for you.” From under the bed, he pulled out a bundle of straps he unrolled to reveal a black leather, double sword sheath. “That’s from my D&D cosplay days. I’m begging you to use it for your swords. I peeked at them while you were at Brad’s. They are gorgeous displays of artistry that deserve better than to be stored in PVC pipes. I beg you to use this and do right by them.”
“Fair enough,” I chuckled, accepting his offering.
“Good. Knowing you’ll look like a total badass makes me feel a lot more comfortable about giving you this.” Once more he rooted around under the bed, this time pulling out a Playstation 4 box.
“That’s sweet and all, but I don’t have my own place, let alone a TV. I’m sure you can find someone more equipped to take your—” Nate flipped open the box and my jaw swung slack to match, “… giant box full of cash. Nate! What the hell is that?”
Pulling out one banded stack, Nate dragged his thumb over the edge, fanning out the bills. “Counting cards may be a dangerous pastime, but it pays well. I won’t be needing the money, so consider it a gift.”
Shaking my head, I peered his way with narrowed eyes. “You’re too much. The world is going to be a darker place without you in it. You sure I can’t talk you out of this?”
Pushing off the cot, Nate rose to his full height and offered me a hand up. “I think you know the answer to that. Let’s get this over with, before you break that tough chick façade I’ve grown to adore and turn into a blubbering mess. What do we need to do?”
With a roll of my shoulders, I physically shook off the cloak of sorrow crippling me. “This part is all me.”
A small box fan sat in the corner of his room. Turning it on, I pointed it toward the door. After muttering a quick “Excuse me,” I ducked around Nate to prop open the door to his room with a two liter of Fresca.
The scene of his final act set, I positioned myself in front of Nate and gathered both his hands in mine. “You ready? Any parting words?”
Anxiously rocking from the balls of his feet to his heels, his lips parted with a pop. “Think of something deep and meaningful, and tell people I said it. All I can think of right now is Star Wars quotes.”
“Yeah, no one wants ‘That’s no moon’ to be the last words they utter.”
“Thank you, Octavia.” Nate smiled, his face a portrait of sincerity. “For everything.”
My vision blurred, tears stinging behind my eyes.
“Spirit from beyond the grave,” I began, voice cracking with emotion, “I brought thee into light.” Emerald energy coursed down my arms, seeping into him through our interlocked hands. “With your help, I cannot stave. Return thee into night.”
Rising up on tiptoe, I pressed a tender kiss to his cheek. Closing my eyes, I held the pose. Every ounce of magic and compassion within me poured out until the candle of his life extinguished. A choked sob slipped from my trembling lips the instant I felt his hands crumble in mine. Driven out by the breeze from the fan, all that remained of Nate’s earthly form scattered as he wished it… like dust on the wind.
Taking a step back, I opened my eyes… and found the gold rope chain-wearing thug standing in the door.
Covered in ash, his eyes bulged in disbelief. “I… don’t understand what the hell just happened here, but you could have a hell of a career in personal protection.”
“Not looking for a job as a hitman, thanks.” Grabbing the PlayStation box off the bed, I took out one stack of bills, then tossed the rest to the guy there to break Nate’s kneecaps. “I’m keeping this as my fee for doing your job for you. The rest you can give back to your boss. Or take your chances, and hightail it out of town. That’s for you and your sense of self-preservation to wrestle with.”
“And… the card counting kid? He’s just… gone?” Craning his neck, nameless Guido searched the room for clues as to what it was he witnessed.
“If there’s any justice in this crazy cosmos of ours? He’s falling into Karen’s arms right about now.�
�� With all my other Nate-related goodies tucked under my arm, I forcibly bumped the hired enforcer with my shoulder as I pushed my way past him.
He had enough sense not to try and stop me, not after watching my literal kiss of death.
“Wait! Hey, pink-haired girl! Who’s Karen?”
I didn’t break stride or bother with an answer. If I didn’t get to understand the cosmic workings of my curse, neither did he.
Chapter Nine
Walden Motel was a far cry from the luxury hotels Vegas was known for, but the rates were cheap, the shower was hot, and the rooms were pig-friendly. That was all I needed to know to book a room there for the night. After a long, hot shower to scrub off the emotional and physical grime from the day, I ordered a pizza for me and Bacon and settled in for a night of rest and garbage television before we hit the road at daybreak.
I was on my third slice and marveling at how quickly Bacon inhaled his fourth, when a soft knock rattled the door of my room. Immediately, my mind went to Guido with the rope chain. I envisioned his gun raised, ready to blow a hole through my head to take back the rest of the money. Him following me there had been a concern of mine since I checked in, prompting me to bring my swords up to the room. Climbing off the bed, I grabbed one off the TV stand and held it in a tight overhand grip as I tiptoed to the door. Heart pounding against my ribs, I closed one eye and peeked through the peephole.
Big Mike stood in the hall, thumbs looped in his pockets while he waited. The air left my lungs in a relieved sigh. I’d never been so happy to see his sour mug in my life. Resting my sword on top of the wall mounted AC unit, I slid the chain free and opened the door. “Big Mike, good to see you again. Did you drop by for another round of pig cardio with my boy, Bacon? Chasing him isn’t the most conventional workout, but it sure gets the blood moving.”
Dead Man's Hand (The Journals of Octavia Hollows #2) Page 6
