Page 86 of Not Today, Satan
I knew she was lying. She wanted me all to herself.
Cupping his cheek with my hand, I gasp when his skin almost burns me. He’s warmer than I am. This isn’t normal.
“Nate?” My voice cracks on his name. “Nate, can you hear me?”
His eyes flutter open, squinting at me through the sun that beats down on the back of my head. “Am I in Heaven?”
The sound of his voice loosens the clamp around my heart. That familiar lilt with the hint of humor edging along the dark tones. I used to tell him to shut up. Now I never want him to stop.
“No, Nathan Reynolds.” I chuckle softly. “You’re not. Why wouldIbe there? You’re on the Satan Monicar beach.”
His eyes drift closed, and his body vibrates with laughter, the sound burying itself in my chest. “SantaMonica.”
“Whatever.” I wink and slip his arm over my shoulder, slowly pulling him into a sitting position.
My mother takes his other arm and lifts him with ease until he’s standing. “We should go, Devica. He needs rest.”
He’s damp with sweat, his cheeks pink, eyes unfocused. “Where are we going?” The words catch on his tongue and slur, like he’s had too much to drink.
The smile I’d forced for him dies on my lips. This is so much worse than the carrot cake incident. At least then I knew the poison would wear off and he’d come back. Whatever this is will take him from me forever.
I swallow the tightness in the back of my throat. “My mother’s house.”
Nate turns his head and finally acknowledges the person helping us. “You found her.”
“She found me,” I say.
His legs buckle, and I stumble, but my mother catches us both like our weight is no more than one of my feathers. I stare at her with wide eyes over Nate’s head.
My mother works out.
“Dev?” Nate mumbles. “Thanks for finding me. You’ve saved me. Again.”
My mother raises her eyebrows, and I bite my lip but say nothing. I don’t have the heart to tell Nate I haven’t saved him from anything. I’ve damned him all over again.
The drive back is faster, but by the time we get back to my mother’s place, my nails are chewed to nubs and my neck aches from craning it to check on him as he lies splayed across the back seat.
We carry him inside to an empty bedroom and lay him on a flower-patterned bed.
I unlace his boots, then remove his vest and shirt, grunting as they stick to his sweat-soaked flesh. He mutters something about me undressing him, but I can’t bring myself to laugh.
If he’s taken from me, I’m not sure how I’ll ever laugh again.
My mother returns with a damp cloth and places it on his forehead before covering him with a sheet. He murmurs at something only he can see.
I perch on the edge of the mattress, my thumb rubbing back and forth on his palm until his moans are replaced by gentle snores.
Nate, stay with me. We didn’t survive Hell together for you to die on Earth.At least not yet. We deserve more time.
A tear slides down my cheek, and I turn to my mother. “What else can I do?”
She lays a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “Nothing. His life is needed to restore balance. Just be with him so he’s not alone.”
Her fingernails are needles against my skin, and I shrug her off. I can’t just sit here. That’s not what he’d do. He’d carry me through a snowstorm while being chased by frostbitten shadelings. He wouldn’t abandon me.
I sniffle and wipe at the tears on my cheeks. “What if I go back to Hell and agree to take Father’s place? Once I’m there, I can pardon Nate.”
“Devica, I know you care for this boy, but that’s not the answer. Your father is more likely to lock you up than promote you.” She cups my chin. “I can’t lose you again. I just got you back.”
