Authors: Cindi Madsen
When he pulled back, her entire body protested, wanting more. He rested his forehead on hers and wrapped a strand of her hair around his finger. “I expect you to be here, ready to tell me what a conceited jerk I am when I come back.”
Tears running down her face, she said, “I love you, Jax.”
Pure joy filled the grin he flashed her. “I love you, too. But I’m sure you already knew that.”
He kissed her again.
And then he was gone.
The sound of the deadbolt sliding into place echoed through the devastatingly quiet house. Persephone sat on the couch, hugged her knees to her, and dropped her head on them. Now that Jax had gone, she could let her emotions loose. She let go of the tears and felt the full effect of her desolation. Before he showed up, she’d been fine on her own—well, maybe not fine, but she’d managed. But sitting alone in her house now, Jax’s absence consumed her.
And all she could do was wait.
Hades Dagger lay on the ground, a couple feet in front of Persephone. All around her, demons and Warriors were fighting.
“Get the dagger, Persephone!” Jax yelled.
She looked at him, glad he was there. But then she saw the blood. He was hurt. Stretching out her hand, she stepped toward him.
“The dagger! Get the dagger or we’ll never win the war.”
Persephone knew she needed to retrieve it, but she couldn’t remember how she’d lost it.
Moonlight glinted off its translucent blade, making the red rubies of Cerberus’s eyes glow.
“Bring it to me,” a deep voice whispered. “You are the Queen of the Underworld. It’s time to take your proper place.”
“No,” she whispered.
Clanking metal caught her attention, and she glanced back at Jax. He swung his sword at the large demon he was fighting, slashing the blade across the beast’s neck. The severed head rolled to her feet, and she stared at its blank eyes.
And felt a sense of loss.
Jax ran up to her. “You’re the only one who can touch it, and if we don’t get it out of here—” His eyes widened. “What’s wrong with you? Your eyes look…” He took a step back, fear etched across his face. “You’re one of them.”
She shook her head. “No. You’re going to help me, remember?”
Jaw clenched, he took another step back. “You ruined that, though, when you tainted my blood with yours.”
A sharp pain shot through her chest. “But I was trying to save you. I’m still on your side, I swear.”
Desperate to prove it to him, she whipped around, searching the ground for the dagger. The boxes—the ones with the six necklaces, six hearts, and six skulls—stood open, only a few feet from the dagger.
Persephone darted for the object she’d vowed to protect, but just before her hand wrapped around it, she hesitated.
What if I can’t fight the pull? What if I am their queen?
It called to her, tempting her to pick it up. She felt the heat, the power.
“Pick it up and bring it to me,” the same deep voice called.
A demon appeared in front of her. He grabbed the dagger, lifted it in the air, and plunged it into the struggling woman in his arms.
Persephone screamed, watching in shock as the light left the woman’s eyes. The demon lifted the blade, and Persephone could see the blood filling the channels of the dagger. His red eyes moved to her. “It’s time to find out whose side you’re really on. This will either kill you, or make you our queen.”
He raised the dagger and Persephone wished for death, because she’d rather die than become one of them.
Then the demon plunged the blade into her chest.
Persephone bolted up, gasping for air. Sweat plastered her hair to her neck and forehead. Her gaze shot to her chest, expecting to see the dagger sticking out of it.
It wasn’t. But she didn’t feel very comforted by that fact.
Looks like the nightmares are back.
Sleeping on the couch had left her stiff. Or maybe it was from the fight yesterday. It didn’t really matter.
Jax wasn’t here. Nothing really mattered anymore.
Last night she thought she’d cried out every tear she had, but she felt the burning sensation in her throat, nose, and eyes return. Jax was gone; Rose was dead.
If she hadn’t been so good to me, she wouldn’t be dead.
Persephone went to the bathroom, grabbed a roll of toilet paper to deal with the oncoming tears, then walked to her bedroom. She flopped on the bed, planning on sulking the day away. Turtle jumped onto the bed and curled up next to her. She scratched behind his ears, and his rattly purr filled the air. “We’ll be okay, right?”
Her instincts told her trouble was coming—bigger trouble than she’d ever dealt with before. All her life, she’d been warned she’d have to be strong. But she didn’t feel strong, didn’t want to have to be strong.
She glanced at her closet where the dagger lay hidden, and cursed her ancestors for the decision they’d made all those centuries ago.
Jax didn’t call. Not on Saturday, not on Sunday. Not that she’d expected him to, but she’d hoped.
Monday morning, she picked up her phone, wondering if she should try to call him. After all, she hadn’t even had the chance to tell him about the blood she’d given him. He’d probably traveled all night, though, desperate to cross as many states as possible while the freeways were clear. What if she caught him when he’d pulled over to rest? She went back and forth for a moment, then chickened out and tucked the phone into her pocket. Right now, he needed to deal with his family, and when he came back—if he came back—she’d tell him then.
While she wanted to be with him, part of her hoped he wasn’t coming back. At least he’d be safe.
And he won’t see what I become when the demon side of me takes over.
Persephone shook her head. She needed to stop thinking like that. But every time she closed her eyes, she saw it over and over. The image of her, eyes red, demons following her command.
She looped her arms through her backpack and left for school. It was the only thing she knew to do, even if it seemed pointless.
As always, dozens of simultaneous conversations buzzed though the halls of the school. It felt strange to be here now, though, without Jax beside her. His absence glared at her and made her long for her self-appointed bodyguard, even though she knew she didn’t actually need one at school.
Taking a deep breath, she wove through the people until she reached her locker. Unable to help it, she walked further, until she reached Jax’s. Inside would be his notebook, filled with the least artistic sketches she’d ever seen.
The memory of her angry stick figure proclaiming how great he was tugged at her heart. She lifted a hand and pressed it against the cold metal. Then she rested her forehead against it, fighting her emotions.
Man, I’m pathetic. I’m looking for comfort in a locker.
But she couldn’t seem to lift her head. Surrounded by people, she felt completely alone.“Persephone? What are you doing?”
Turning toward the voice, she saw Danielle. At first Persephone was going to play it off, but she didn’t have the energy. “He’s gone.”
Danielle stepped closer. “What do you mean, ‘he’s gone’? Are you talking about Jax?”
Doing more than nodding might bring tears, so Persephone stuck with that.
Giggling caught her attention. Lucy stood next to Dean, smiling at him. Dean reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers. The smile on Lucy’s face grew, and Dean shot her a goofy grin.
“They’ve been like that all weekend,” Danielle said. “I suffered through an entire movie with them Friday. Eva, Charlane, Luis, and Terrell went, too. I tried to call you, but you didn’t pick up.”
Dean and Danielle were out on a date while my whole world fell apart.
Jealousy twisted her stomach. At that moment she’d have given almost anything to change places with her friends.
But then I never would’ve met Jax.
Danielle draped her arm over her shoulders. “All right, we’ve got about ten minutes till we’ve got to get to class. Start talking.”
After explaining what she could about why Jax left—which wasn’t much—Danielle gave her a hug and told her it’d be okay.
“I’m sorry I’ve been a crappy friend,” Persephone said, hugging Danielle back. “And I don’t deserve you being so awesome, but thank you for not gloating or saying I deserve to be left alone.”
“Hey, you were there for me when my dye job went all orange, and I needed help re-dying it at six in the morning so I wouldn’t be ashamed to show my face at school. That makes us bonded for life, no matter what else happens.”
Persephone squeezed tighter, half laughing, half crying.
No matter what, Persephone resolved to be strong. If only to keep the best friend she’d ever had thinking there was no bigger tragedy than a dye job gone wrong.
Persephone slid into class seconds before it started. The empty desk to her right sent another painful reminder Jax was gone. Determined to get over her sappy longing problem, she dug out her notebook.
And started drawing stick figures of her and Jax, adding a cheesy J.N. + P.K. in the middle of a large heart.
The rest of school ticked by at a torturously slow pace.
After her last class let out, she trudged toward Mrs. Lewis’s office, no idea how she was going to explain why Gran wasn’t there and never would be.
Danielle hooked her arm through Persephone’s. “Come on. We’re going to lose ourselves at the mall. There’s nothing retail therapy can’t fix.”
Obviously you’ve never dealt with demons. I highly doubt they’ll look at my clothing and decide I simply look too fashionable to be messed with.
There was no way to say no to Danielle’s enthusiasm, though, and meeting with Mrs. Lewis would probably only add to Persephone’s already messy situation. So she let her friend lead her out of school. Shopping might not make her feel better, but anything was better than going back to her empty house.
How some people felt about sports—the competiveness, the surge of adrenaline—Danielle felt about shopping. The goal was to hit every store, get the best deals, all as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Persephone let Danielle drag her along, and somewhere along the way, she got caught up in the thrill. As she started trying on clothes, she felt like she was in some sort of weird dream, reaching for outfits without seeing what they even looked like or what size they were.
Danielle readjusted her bags as they stepped into the main walkway of the mall. “I can’t believe you decided to be so…so opposite of you.”
Opposite? What does she mean?
“I’m telling you, though, put that on when Jax gets back and he’ll never leave you again.” The bags in Danielle’s hand rustled as she gestured to the bag in Persephone’s hand.
Sure enough, she was holding a bag. Only she didn’t even remember what she’d bought. Peering into the bag, she saw lots of black.
That’s so weird.
“I’m famished. I say we sugar up with some ice cream, then call it a day.” Without waiting for any input, Danielle made a beeline for the food court.