Page 52 of Judge of Saints and Sinners

The place deep in my chest where my heart and soul resided nearly buckled with the need to give it all up. To stay in this perfectly imperfect world with her for as long as she allowed me.

“I could…”

But her fingers were pressing against my lips, warm and firm, locking the thought deep inside my mind. “You are a good person, Nephesh. A good demon. And you have to go back and help your family.”

I remained still under her gaze.

“And if we are meant to be together, then we will be, when the time is right.” She laughed after that, and the sound was a little ragged. “God, did you hear me? I sound like I know what I’m doing.”

“You,” I said, removing her hand from my mouth and pressing a kiss to the new tattoo on her wrist, “are more than I deserve.”

Her smile wobbled but then held. “If you truly believe we are soul mates, then I’m exactly what you deserve, Nephesh.”

I lunged for her, my mouth hungry and desperate for hers. We didn’t talk, save the whispered pleas and soft noises that I tore from her mouth for a long time after that.

***

Justine

The world seemed decidedly less vivid today. It didn’t matter that the fall sun was shining in through my crappy side window or that it was the middle of the day. After our night last night in the dream realm, where we’d spent far, far longer than the eight hours of sleep together, I wasn’t sure I could adjust.

Not in time for him to go. In a matter of a week, he’d completely thrown my life into chaos. And shown me exactly what I needed in a partner.

And now he had to leave. I glanced down at the tattoo on my wrist. Nephesh’s name scrawled across my wrist bones still looked up at me. But the lily was gone.

Our deal was done.

Now that I knew what it was, I could feel the bond in my chest screaming to stay close to him. But that wasn’t possible. It didn't matter how many times I’d brought it up, he refused to bring me to the Underworld until he was sure it was safe.

I swallowed. Who knew how long that might be. Unable to hide it, I ducked to the ground, kneeling at Cerberus’s side and pressing my face into the softness of his scruff. “I’m going to miss you too, Clark.”

The dog barked at his nickname then tried to lick my face again. I laughed, pushing him away as I heard Nephesh walk up to beside us. “I’m going to send him back as soon as we figure out a gameplan. He can protect you until I’m able to get back.”

I nodded, eyes on Cerberus. I couldn’t look at him. If I did, I would break. I would give up and tell him I wasn’t strong after all. That I needed him to stay, or to take me with him, but that I couldn’t do life without him anymore.

“Justine.” His voice was soft, gentle. “Come here.”

He gripped my elbow, pulling me until I was standing against him. “I can’t,” I said, unsure of what exactly I couldn’t do. Life without him—couldn’t do. Say goodbye—also could not do.

“I know,” he said, his hands dropping to circle my waist and pull me closer. “But you can. You stole from a police detective’s girlfriend. You reclaimed your freedom back from your landlord. You tamed the Underworld’s guard dog. You went toe-to-toe with the heir to Hell on a daily basis.”

“I did that because of you.”

“You did that in spite of everything else. We are better together, little thief.”

“How am I supposed to say goodbye to you?”

“My father once told me that history is told in chapters. This, my mate, is only the beginning of ours.”

I nodded, pressing my face to the side of his, my toes cramping until he took pity on me and picked me up so I could better feel him against me. Memories from last night, from the time we’d spent, were so real that I simply couldn’t believe that it would be the only chance we’d have to be together.

“Only the beginning,” I repeated. Then, digging my hands into his heavy silver hair, I tugged his head back. “Tell me how to do it.”

His amber eyes warmed mine, and a slow smile split his mouth. “You simply have to give it to me.”

With a whimper, I covered his mouth with my own, letting my mind wander to the place deep in my chest that had always fluttered and hummed in his presence. There was heat, fire-red and gold, and at the center, a flame that fluttered like a candle in the breeze.

He kept kissing me, his lips careful and loving as I carefully let that fire rise inside me, until suddenly, I was breaking away gasping as something pulled from me in a pinch of heat and pressure.