Page 99 of The Devil's Waltz

Harper immediately looks at me, and I give her a subtle nod. She gets up, and Blake follows her as he types on his phone. A minute later, the front door clicks shut.

When I turn my gaze to Noah, he’s already looking at me.

“It’s okay,” I assure him, though I’m not entirely sure why I feel the need. It’s not as if I need hispermission.

His eyes shift to Xander, narrowing slightly as he shakes his head. But he doesn’t argue. Getting up without a word, he stalks out of the apartment, with the other hunters following him. I watch him go with a frown, but I don’t have the mental capacity to explore the weird mix of feelings swirling in my gut.

I understand Noah’s blatant distrust of Xander. Hell, I share it to some degree, though less as of late. What I can’t figure out is why I feel so weird about what they think of each other. It’s not as if I want them to spark a bromance or anything—I have no delusions that could ever happen. But their being able to work together is important for us to make this plan successful.

That has it to be it. I ignore the pit of doubt in my stomach, pushing away the urge to overthink their behavior. There are more consequential things to focus on right now.

Once we’re alone, Xander leans in, lifting his hand to brush the hair away from my face. “If this goes sideways, you need to run. All of you. Even with a few extra hunters and demons on our side, the danger is beyond what any of them will have experience with. I can’t stress that enough.” His touch lingers on my cheek, warming my skin.

I wrap my fingers around his wrist, holding his hand against my face. “If we want a chance at whatever this is between us, we have to get rid of her.” I press my other hand against his chest, over his heart. “I want to be with you, Xander, but as long as Lucia has this power over you…” I drop my hand. “We can never work.”

He catches my hand, lifting it to his lips and places a kiss to my palm. “You have no idea how much poweryouhave over me,mo shíorghrá.”

Tears spring in my eyes, and I shake my head, cracking myself open. “I don’t want power, Xander. I just wantyou.”

His eyes widen, flicking between mine. “How are you real?” he breathes, leaning in until his lips touch my forehead.

A breathy laugh escapes me. “Says the half-human, half-demon prince of hell.”

His responding chuckle stirs the hair at my temple. “Fair point.” He wraps his arms around me, pulling me against his chest, where I rest mycheek over his heart. “For as long as you want me, I’ll be by your side. The gates of hell couldn’t keep me away from you.”

The weight of his words settles in my chest, mixing with a spark of hope and a razor-sharp worry that we’re about to lose everything.

TWENTY-NINECAMILLE

The apartment has never felt so empty.

Xander left an hour ago to meet with Lucia, and my nerves have only gotten worse as I pace the living room, looking at the clock every thirty seconds. I take a shower to calm down, but even as I scrub myself with a loofa and my favorite eucalyptus body wash, I’m on the verge of a panic attack. Nausea fills my stomach, and the bile creeping up my throat taunts me with the threat of vomiting in the shower. I swallow it down and rinse my hair out before shutting off the water. Stepping into the steam-filled bathroom, I wrap myself in a towel and dry off before changing into something I would have worn to training years ago. Black leggings and a matching form-fitting long sleeve shirt with built-in padding so I can forgo a bra. After tugging on socks, I run a brush through my hair, staring at my reflection in the mirror as the fog dissipates. I try to focus on the determination in my gaze, but I can’t miss the fear lingering there, too.

What happens after this?

Sending Lucia back to hell is no small feat. It’s sure to change things for the demons and the hunters, but that’s not what I keep thinking about. It’s what her being gone will mean for Xander. Because once he’s free of her hold on him, he’ll be able to live the life he wants. Naturally, I can’t stop thinking about where I fit in that. Despite everything that’s happened, I still want to try. To give me and Xander a chance at a future together.

My heart leaps out of my chest at the sound of someone knocking at the door. I race out of the bathroom and answer it to find Xander standing on the other side, his expression stoic.

“Did it work?”

He nods as he steps inside and closes the door, facing me. “So far. I convinced her you’d trade yourself to ensure Harper’s safety. That you’d take her place.”

“It’s the truth,” I point out. Had Lucia been the one to come up with this, I wouldn’t have hesitated to sacrifice myself to save my best friend. In my position, Harper would do the same.

“I have no doubt,” he says. “We saved some time by having Blake bring Harper with us. It was an easy decision for her. As much as she could force your hand, having you go to her willingly—even like this with your back against the wall—is exactly what she wanted.”

“And she has no idea? No suspicion that you and Blake are working against her?”

He shakes his head. “I wouldn’t be standing here if she did.”

The hint of sadness in his voice has me stepping into him, sliding my fingers through his hair and gently pushing it back. “I understand this is difficult for you differently from how it is for the rest of us. I just…I want to acknowledge that. Whatever you’re feeling—it’s completely valid.”

His lips form a faint smile. “Thank you.”

I nod, leaning up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek before stepping away. “What happens now?”

“Once you’re ready to leave, let the hunters know we’re heading out, and we’ll send them the address.”

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