Page 23 of Devil Wears Nada
Van laughed bitterly. “That’s a very human sentiment. Very optimistic.”
“I’ve rubbed off on you,” I said, trying to smile through my own pain.
He took my face in his hands, his touch gentle. “There’s a third option,” he said quietly. “One she didn’t mention.”
My heart sank as I realized what he meant. “No. Absolutely not.”
“It makes the most sense,” he argued. “I go back willingly. Accept whatever punishment awaits me. You keep your memories, your work, your life.”
“Without you,” I said, the words like ashes in my mouth. “That’s not a life I want.”
“But it would be your choice,” he insisted. “Your memories would remain intact. You wouldn’t be forced to forget what we mean to each other.”
“And you would be tortured for eternity,” I countered. “That’s not a solution, Van. That’s a nightmare.”
He pressed his forehead against mine, our breath mingling. “I don’t know what to do,” he admitted, his voice small and lost. “For millennia I made decisions based solely on what would benefit me. Now, when it matters most, I can’t see a path that doesn’t destroy something precious.”
I closed my eyes, breathing him in, trying to memorize every detail of this moment in case it was one of our last. “I love you,” I said simply. “Whatever happens, whatever we choose, that doesn’t change.”
“Time’s up,” Lilith’s voice came from behind us. “A decision must be made.”
We turned to face her, still holding onto each other. The party around us seemed distant now, the sounds muffled, the lights dimmer.
“If I go with you,” Van asked, “what guarantee do I have that Lucas will be left in peace?”
“Hell honors its bargains,” Lilith replied. “That is our one inviolable law.”
Van looked at me, centuries of emotion in his eyes. “And if Lucas forgets me, what will he believe happened? How will his mind explain our work together, my presence in his life?”
“His mind will create a plausible narrative,” Lilith explained. “Perhaps he worked alone, driven by unexpected inspiration. Perhaps he collaborated with someone who has now moved away. The human mind is remarkably adaptable when it comes to protecting itself from supernatural truths.”
I felt sick at the thought of my mind rewriting our story, erasing Van from the narrative of my own creativity, my own heart.
“And the third option?” Van pressed. “If I choose to forget?”
“The same principles apply. Your mind would construct a mortal history. You might believe you’re a model who became involved in design, or perhaps a foreign consultant with an eye for fashion. You would have a complete, believable human past.”
Van turned to me again, his decision written in his eyes before he spoke. “I can’t let you forget, Lucas. I won’t. If someone has to lose our story, it should be me.”
“No,” I started to protest, but he placed a finger gently against my lips.
“This is my choice,” he said firmly. “My sacrifice. I’ve lived countless lifetimes already. If I’m to start anew as a true human, perhaps it’s fitting that I begin with a clean slate.” His smile was heartbreaking in its tenderness. “And perhaps, as you said, we’ll find each other again.”
“Van, please,” I begged, tears now flowing freely down my cheeks. “Don’t do this.”
But he had already turned to Lilith, his posture resolute. “I choose to forget. I choose humanity, without the burden of my past.”
Lilith nodded, something like respect in her ancient eyes. “So be it.”
“Wait,” I pleaded. “Just give us until morning. One last night together, knowing everything we are to each other. Please.”
For a moment, I thought she would refuse. Then, surprisingly, she nodded. “Until dawn, then. Enjoy your triumph, your collection, your last night of shared truth.” Her eyes held a warning. “But do not attempt to flee or find some loophole. There is none.”
“We understand,” Van said, his voice steady despite everything.
Lilith melted back into the crowd, the ambient sounds of the party rushing back to full volume as if someone had suddenly turned up a dial. Around us, guests continued to celebrate our collection, oblivious to the devastating choice that had just been made.
Julian appeared at our side, champagne in hand. “There you are! Everyone’s asking for the design duo of the moment. Come, you must say a few words!”
