Authors: Cindi Madsen
He tensed, she could tell that much, even without looking.
“I met him, too. In my dream a couple nights ago.”
“In your dream?”
“That’s where we meet. I told him I was with you, but he…He didn’t take it so well. Then I…he…we kissed.” She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I’m so sorry.”
“It was just a dream,” Jax said. “I’d like you to dream about me, sure, but—”
“Does this look like a dream?” She yanked down her shirt, and finally turned her gaze on him. “This isn’t from a curling iron, it’s from him.”
An angry muscle flicked his jaw. “How can
that
happen in a dream?”
“I don’t know how, all I know is it does. I swear it won’t happen again, though.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know why you think you need to lie to me. That’s not something you get from a dream. If you met him, just tell me.”
“I didn’t, I swear. Not that it makes it any better, but—”
“Just drive,” he said, throwing a hand up. “Drive to the restaurant so you can talk to Rose.”
“Jax, please.” She reached for him, but he jerked away.
“Just go.” He lay back in his seat, crossing his arms. “I think I’ll take a nap on the way over and see if I can get some dream action.” He closed his eyes, but every muscle in his body was still tense.
Hot tears formed in her eyes as she stared at him, going back and forth on what to do, what she could say. But there was nothing to do. Nothing more to say.
She was a bad friend, an awful girlfriend, and a horrible Sentry.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she started the car. She clamped her lips together, stifling a sob, and drove toward Carrefour.
With Jax sitting right next to her, choosing not to look at or talk to her, she felt lonelier than she ever did when she truly was alone.
Persephone pulled the Mazda into a parking space a few blocks from Carrefour. Jax kept his eyes closed, though she was sure he wasn’t asleep.
“If you need space or whatever, I understand. Just meet me at Carrefour in like thirty so we can get home before sundown.” She exited the car and slammed her door behind her.
Once she hit the sidewalk, she glanced back, thinking Jax would be getting out of the car.
He wasn’t.
Every step suddenly took great effort.
He doesn’t believe me.
Pain radiated from where her heart was, her lungs felt heavy and wrong. Earlier today, she’d assured Mrs. Lewis that Jax would never hurt her. But this hurt worse than any injury she’d ever gotten fighting. Instead of stinging and receding, the pain was deepening, ripping her from the inside out.
This time, I’ve finally pushed him too far. Far enough he’s going to leave and never look back.
She sniffed, trying to pull it together so she could go face Rose and tell her she’d screwed everything up at school, just like she’d screwed up everything else in her life.
The outside lights that usually lit up Carrefour were off, and the closed sign hung in the window. A bad feeling crawled across Persephone’s skin, making the hairs on the back of her neck rise. “Something’s not right.”
Dusk was approaching, but she still had some daylight left. She slowed her steps.
I should go back and get a sword, just in case.
A torment-filled cry came from inside, muffled, but not enough to miss the pain behind it.
Persephone sprinted to the doors of the restaurant and burst through them. Tables and chairs lay in pieces; one of the hanging light fixtures swung around, bouncing a spotlight around the dim room.
“Rose?! Where are you?” The remains of a broken chair leg caught her eye. She picked it up and held it in front of her, sharp end out.
Stepping over the debris, Persephone crept toward the bar. A pool of dark liquid seeped from behind the end. The swinging spotlight danced across it, and her stomach lurched as she registered the color red.
She rounded the bar. Rose lay on the ground. Puncture wounds ran up and down her arms, and blood ran from two giant holes in her neck. A neck that looked twisted and wrong.
Persephone dropped to her knees. Hands trembling, she searched for a pulse. “Rose? Can you hear me?”
But she already knew she couldn’t. Someone—or more likely some
thing
—had killed the only family she had left. The only anyone she had left.
A hiss sounded overhead.
Persephone looked up. Two amber eyes stared back at her. While the eyes didn’t look human, the head and top half of her body did. At her waist, the woman’s body morphed into a thick green serpent tail that was wrapped around one of the support posts.
“Lamia,” Persephone whispered, recognizing the woman from the stories she’d heard when she was younger.
Lamia grinned, revealing her fangs. “Lucky me. You’re just the girl I’ve been looking for.”
Mouth hanging open, Persephone stared back at the mutated creature. She gripped the broken chair leg, terrified her wimpy weapon wasn’t going to be near enough.
Arms reaching for Persephone, Lamia dove.
Persephone threw her hands over her head.
And was shoved out of the way, seconds before Lamia landed.
Jax swung his sword at Lamia, and she jerked back with a hiss. As tall as he was, she—using her tail—had a couple feet on him. She dodged his blows, her tail twisting behind her.
Cackling laughter filled the air. “I can’t believe my good fortune,” Lamia said, rubbing her hands together. “The girl I’m supposed to find
and
the Warrior I’m supposed to kill. Guess I didn’t need to torture that poor old woman to death to get the information I needed. Oh well.”
Persephone leapt to her feet and hurled herself at the creature.
The end of Lamia’s tail caught her mid-jump, knocking Persephone backward. Glass shattered and a sharp, tearing pain bit into her back. Alcohol poured from the broken bottles, soaking her clothes and scenting the air.
Sword out, Jax charged. Lamia wove one way, then the other, her movements quick. He swung again and again. One of his blows hit her arm. She shrieked and recoiled, looking down at the blood running from the gash. Then she sprung at him. They crashed to the floor and Jax’s sword skidded across the wood, out of his reach. Out of Persephone’s reach, too. Ignoring the pain in her back and the glass embedding itself into her hands, she pushed herself up.
Surely Rose kept weapons around here.
Persephone ducked, looking under the bar. There, a few feet down, a double-edged short sword was fastened to the underside.
Jax and Lamia rolled on the floor, a blur of copper hair, tail, and flailing limbs. Lamia bit at Jax, but he jerked away and came across with a hook. His fist connected, and Lamia’s head whipped back. Jax jumped to his feet, sent another punch to her nose, and caught her in the stomach with a kick. He grabbed a chair and brought it down on her head.
Lamia shook her head and then swung her tail into him. Jax flew across the room, into one of the tables. He skidded across it and hit the ground.
Persephone grabbed Rose’s sword. Placing one hand on the bar, she boosted herself on top of it. Then, blade out, launched herself at Lamia.
Just before impact, Lamia grabbed a serving tray and used it like a shield.
Metal clanged against metal. Persephone swung again and again, but Lamia was fast.
A plate flew through the air and crashed into Lamia’s head. The distraction gave Persephone enough time to jam her blade into Lamia’s side. It didn’t slide easily through the tough hide, but stuck half in, half out.
“Argh!” Lamia’s amber eyes glowed. “You bitch! I don’t care what He says! He’ll have to make do with mostly alive.” She shot forward and wrapped her hands around Persephone’s neck.
Using her grip, Lamia lifted Persephone off the floor.
Persephone’s legs swung through the air, searching in vain for purchase. All the blood rushed to her head and pressed against her eyes, making them feel like they were going to burst.
Jax leapt onto Lamia’s back.
She dropped Persephone, whipped around, and sank her fangs into Jax’s neck.
“No!” Persephone yelled.
Seconds elongated, taking minutes, amplifying every one of her senses. She smelled the alcohol, saw the fangs lodged in Jax’s neck, heard Lamia sucking the blood from him.
And still the last of the “no” she’d yelled hung in the air.
Eyes wide, Jax’s hand moved to the short sword still sticking from Lamia’s side. He gripped the hilt and yanked up.
Lamia tightened her grip, keeping her fangs in his neck.
Persephone scrambled to her feet. She scooped Jax’s sword off the floor, sprinted forward, and thrust it into the side of Lamia’s neck. Her head rolled back, her fangs slowly withdrawing from Jax’s neck. Blood ran down her chest, and a gurgling noise escaped her throat as she slumped to the floor, limbs limp.
Persephone stumbled over Lamia’s tail, desperate to get Jax. He was leaning against an upturned table, knuckles white from gripping the edge, his head hanging like a rag doll’s. All color had drained from his face; two bloody holes pierced his neck. He lifted his eyes to hers. Dull eyes, with so little life left in them. “Persephone, I…” He coughed, a thick, liquid cough.
Tears lodged in her throat. “We’ll get help. You’re going to be fine.”
“Dizzy.” He leaned into her, nearly tipping her over. “Something I…Make sure you’re safe…I…” His knees buckled and she carefully lowered him to the floor.
“You have to be okay,” she cried. “Please, Jax. Please be okay.”
His eyes closed and his breathing slowed.
Persephone shook him. No response. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she tugged her cell out of her pocket. Her fingers tripped across the keypad, but she managed to enter in the number.
Pick up, pick up.
“Hello?”
“It’s Persephone. I’m at Carrefour, and I need you to get over here right now.”
“Lamia’s venom is very powerful,” Mara said, studying Jax. “If his lungs remain paralyzed—”
“Just help him,” Persephone said past the giant lump in her throat. “Do whatever it takes.”
“I’ll do everything I can.” Mara dug bottles out of her bag. She covered the wounds in Jax’s neck with a thick paste. Eyes cast up, she chanted, starting out quiet and getting louder.
Persephone gripped Jax’s hand, trying not to think about how cold it was. Or how pale and lifeless he looked.
I shouldn’t have told him about the dream. Guilt or not, at least we wouldn’t have been in a fight. If I never get the chance to tell him how I really feel about him…
More tears broke free.
Mara stopped chanting, and it suddenly seemed way too quiet. She glanced back at Lamia’s body. “If I hadn’t seen her myself, I would’ve never believed it. Half snake, half woman, usually eats children. All because she fell for the wrong guy and his wife found out about it.”
Hera had cursed Lamia to punish Zeus for cheating, but right now, Persephone was hoping He would take her side. She turned her eyes to the heavens. “Zeus, Asclepius
,
Athena—whoever’s listening, please, please, spare his life.” She returned her attention to Jax and whispered another, “please,” under her breath.