Page 111 of Bones

My fingertips skimmed upward, and I ignored the repulsive—and unimpressive—bulge that pressed against his slacks. The pull I felt was to an area farther north.

Mouth twisting in disgust, I muttered, “It’s gone.”

“What is?” he asked, arousal flaring in his eyes.

It was more than I’d seen from him in years. The meaner I was, the more he seemed to get off on it.

Gross.

“Your soul. You’re empty.”

Like Deke, I couldfeelit. Under my fingertips, there was a noxious void in his chest, like a corrosive disease that was slowly spreading.

Poisoning him.

“A small price to pay for what matters.” Unlike the man downstairs, there was doubt in his pinched expression and shaky voice. “A sacrifice for the greater good.”

“The greater good? You sacrificed your afterlife for duplicity.”

“No. No way. Steve Jones is a prophet. He was moved by my streamed service. He knew that no one could speak like that unless they were special. I’m special, Aurora. But you’re the one with the visions. Your knowledge and my words… We need both to fight the battle of good and evil. It’s the end of days.” He looked pleadingly at me. “He really does speak to God. You have to believe me. He knew about the girls. What I’ve done. Mysins.”

“Or he followed a two-minute tutorial to infect your electronics with spyware to learn everything,” Denny said before rearing back. “Wait, did you saygirls? Not women.Girls? Oh, it’s time. Tell me it’s time.”

Years. I’d spent years following that man.

Loving him—or what I thought was love, at least.

Ignoring the red flags he threw around like confetti.

Letting him tear me down, hurt me, betray me, all while he made me feel responsible for it.

Like a failure.

He’d dulled my world.

Thanks to his missing soul, we would end his.

“One last thing.” I glanced over my shoulder at Juno and flicked my finger back and forth. “Please spread his legs.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she said with a sassy mock salute, her red magicks forcing him to stand with his legs apart.

Once there was enough space between them, I hauled my leg back. “You ruined my life.”

I kicked.

Hard.

I hadn’t learned much during training, but I had learned that effective move.

“Fuck,” he wheezed, turning green.

But I wasn’t done.

“And used me.”

Another kick.

“And made me feel like a failure at everything.”

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