Page 43 of Peacemaker

“Ian. I’ve been drifting for a long time. I ran into some of the worst shit I’ve ever seen. And that’s saying something, considering where I come from.”

I nodded. “The wrong path is…”

“Just bad,” he said. “All bad, all the time.”

“That ends for you tonight, though,” I assured him. “It’s time for you to go home. To your paradise.” I hoped I didn’t sound impatient.

He lifted an eyebrow. “I don’t guess I believe in paradise, lady.”

I shrugged. “Maybe you don’t have to believe.” I slid my hand across the table. “Take my hand.”

“I can’t stay here?” He eyed my hand but made no move to take it.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry. Your borrowed body would begin to rot and you’d be stuck forever on that bad path. Take my hand, Ian.”

“Fuck,” he muttered. But he grasped my fingers. “Go on then. Get it over with.”

I closed my eyes, clenched his hand, and found his path. It was dusty and lonely and seemed to go on forever. But at the end, something good would be waiting. I had to believe that.

“Do you see it?” I whispered.

“Yeah.” There was a smile in his voice. “It looks like a quiet trail.”

“No monsters,” I said.

“No monsters. Thank you for that.”

Then he was gone.

Jin tossed the body over his shoulder. “You should go.”

I blew out a tired breath, then remembered I was supposed to be in the city. Shane and Clayton were there, and it was a dangerous night.

So I rushed from the house, jumped into my car, and sped out of Bay Town, letting the warm air sweep the cold dead from my mind.