Page 91 of Not Today, Satan
“I confronted my dad in his office, and he didn’t understand why I was angry. I reminded him Nate wasn’t related to us and told him he should kick him out. Instead of apologizing, he said he wished Nate was his son instead of me.”
“That had to hurt.” I say the words to appease Alex, but I’m not sure I blame Gabe for the thought after seeing the boy’s soul. It must’ve torn Gabe up inside to know his own son was a brute. Alex’s dark demeanor and hard edges are not comparable to Nate’s kindness and gentle heart. Once Gabe saw the difference in the two, he couldn’t see anything else.
I know how that feels.
“Exactly.” Alex throws up his arms. “What kind of thing is that to say to your son? All I’d ever done was try to prove I was the best.”
Sure.What dad wouldn’t be impressed by all the stalking and the animal torture?
Well, okay,myfather would, but he’s an anomaly.
“I don’t remember getting the gun from the safe,” he continues, his eyes faraway. “It’s like I blacked out. The next thing I knew, I was standing over my dad with the murder weapon in my hand. Nate called out to see what was wrong, and that’s when I decided to pin it on him. Two birds, one stone, and all that.”
His expression doesn’t change as he speaks. Goose bumps rise on my arms as though his demeanor is enough to chill the air.
If anyone belongs in Lot Thirteen, it’s Alex. And that’s exactly where he’s going.
But first, I have to get Nate out.
“You’re a monster.” I tense my jaw and stare up at him through narrowed eyes. “And you’re coming with me. We’re gonna have a little chat with my father and clear Nate’s name.”
He furrows his brows. “Is your dad a cop?”
“If that helps, sure. He certainly does his share of locking people up.”
“Well now the detective act makes sense.” He chuckles. “But I’m not going anywhere with you, little girl. Go home.”
His eyes mirror all the times Ferus mocked me, and rage boils from my chest down to my palms. Before I realize what’s happening, the boxes around me spark and catch. With all the dust and paper in the room, it takes seconds to spread.
Alex’s eyes widen, and he takes a step back. “What the hell are you?”
“The person who’s going to bring you there.”
I reach for him, but he darts out of my grasp and bolts up the stairs. I chase him through the dark house, the fire crackling below me. Sweat trickles down the back of my neck, and I cough as smoke drifts up from the first floor. The fire’s followed us up the stairs already. Whoever built this house didn’t insist on quality.
A shadow skitters in front of me, and I call out, “Alex! Stop!”
We have to get out of here. This house isn’t going to last long.
A crack pierces the air, followed by a scream. I run toward it and skid to a stop at the edge of a hole in the floor. Alex moans from below, the flames edging around him in a ring.
I spin on my heel. That takes care of that. Alex can burn with his house and go meet Father himself. Nice of him to save me the trip.
“Help…” Alex’s rasp claws through the floor and stops me as I’m inching open a window. He coughs and groans. “Please.”
I frown, one leg hanging over the windowsill.
Nate loved Gabe. He tried to love Alex, despite his foster brother’s faults. It’s why Alex’s attempts to drive him away failed, and why he never told me about the bad things his brother had done. In Nate’s mind, Alex could still be redeemed.
Nate hated being in Hell, but he wouldn’t trade his life for Alex’s, because that’s not who he is. I want Nate to be with me forever, but not at the expense of his own pain and guilt.
Dammit.
I hoist my leg back into the room.
Nate isn’t even here, and his do-the-right-thing mentality is still affecting my decisions.
Alex coughs again as I drop through the floor and land beside him. Gritting my teeth, I throw him over my shoulder, ignoring his cries of pain, and fly up and out the window. Sirens scream toward us, their blares echoing the fugitive alarms back home.
