Page 138 of Bones

“Bravo,” Jones called, giving up his spot as a reserved commander. “I’d hoped we could do this the easy way. It’s been a long time coming. Don’t you agree, Thanatos?”

Other than shuffling their bodies so his protectively blocked Denny, Nate ignored him.

“We had to do it the hard way last time, but I’m rather fond of this body. As I recall, your mate found it attractive when she called me to get rid of you.”

“What the fuck did you say, Hale?” Nate bit out.

“Hale?” The man let out a loud, taunting chuckle. “You still don’t know who I am, do you?”

“An asshole member of Absolve.”

“Maybe this will jog your memory.” His brows furrowed, and his voice changed. Smoothed out. “Of course I’ll help you, Thanatos. I’m your friend. Your only friend in your long, miserable life.”

Nate looked like he’d seen a ghost. Worse, actually, since I doubted a ghost would faze him. “No, John Wilmot is dead. I saw him die. Joseph Martin?—”

“Joseph Martin was a pawn. A nothing. Easier to manipulate than even you. I’ve always been good at blending in as a low-level follower while I pull the strings from six moves ahead. Isn’t that right, Detective?” Stellan didn’t give the reaction he hoped for—or any reaction, so he returned to taunting Nate. “I planted the idea in his head just as I planted the clues that led you to him. I timed everything to perfection, if I do say so myself. Unfortunately, you four didn’t die. The curse was probably hell for you all, so that’s some consolation. But now I have you four. Not only that, you have your mates. It was worth the wait.”

“It can’t be him. This man isn’t empty. He’s full,”Deke said in our heads.

“How? He was soulless last time. You can’t regrow a soul,”Nate shot back.

Deke lifted his head in understanding, and rage tightened his body.“No, but you can steal them. That’s why he’s so full. It isn’t just his soul. It’s countless ones.”

Despite Juno knocking out part of the wards, we still couldn’t get free. Even if we could, we wouldn’t leave.

We were created to fight.

“Worth the waithow?” Nate asked to keep him talking as Juno’s red crept along the floor and ceiling.

“Because you’re more powerful now that you’ve found your mates.” He looked gleeful, like a kid on Christmas. “Do you know how easy that’ll make the rest of this? Not that humans are particularly hard to control.” He pointed up. “People go through these museums daily, taking pleasure in death. Some of the accused weren’t even exonerated until recently. Can you believe that? Yet people joke about how the bitches deserved it. About how they’ve got a list of people they want to accuse next. But it’s not a joke. Not really. The way hatred and fear spread then is nothing compared to now. It’ll be beautiful.”

Revulsion filled me, the feeling of doom returning like I was still sitting in a pew.

“And everything you went through was for nothing,” he continued. “When we end this shitty world, no one will even know what you’ve sacrificed.”

The only thing that kept me from collapsing—other than we didn’t have time—was Juno’s magicks working their way over.

Almost. Almost.

“Uh-uh,” Jones-slash-whoever said with a condescending wag of his finger. “If you’re thinking of using your magicks on me, I’d think again. Kill me, and this whole city goes. Maybe the state. Maybe more.”

“You’re not a demon,” Nate stated, stalling for time. I could see it in the darting of his eyes. “You’re human.”

“Correct.”

“Then how did you die? How are you alive and in this different body?”

“I can’t give away all my secrets and powerful allies.”

“I have nothing,”Nate said in our heads.

“Neither do I, dammit,” Juno added.

No one did.

But still Juno’s red crept along.

“Kneel,” Jones ordered. “Give up your souls, and I’ll let you keep your life. You can be together.”

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