Page 139 of Inbetweeners
“The police took her,” Vin’s voice said through Nix. “You are fucking this up. You’ve lost everyone. We made a deal. Alice out of Hell in exchange for the souls.”
“Alice shouldn’t even be in Hell!” Greyson yelled.
Vin shrugged. “The bitch is where she belongs. Your precious Alice killed two of her friends in a drunken joyride when she was a teenager. Left them dying, ran to sister dearest and wasn’t caught. Well, not until we caught up with her. Ah, good old Halloween. My favourite time of the year. Sins will always out. I don’t know why you’re so bothered about getting her back. You swing both ways. Find a guy to fuck instead.”
“I want Alice back,” Greyson snarled.
“You think anything I did was for your benefit? You’re a fool.”
Nix took advantage of Vin’s gloating to grab Emmett’s knife, stabbing it into his palm. The intense pain brought him fully back to himself. He’d done it. Vin was gone. He turned to slash at Greyson, but blood had made his grip slippery and he missed. Nix hadn’t even seen Greyson pick up the violin case, but he slammed it into Nix’s hand, dislodging the knife, then brought the case down on his head. Nix staggered against Greyson, then went down and landed on top of Emmett.
He was only stunned for a moment, but it was long enough for Greyson to disappear. Nix rolled off Emmett and groaned. Eight of Emmett’s lives gone. He pushed to his feet, stumbled to the door and looked up and down the street, but there was no sign of Greyson.
When he returned to Emmett, he was coming to, and breathing heavily.
“That hurt,” Emmett croaked. “I thought breaking necks like that was a Hollywood myth.”
“Clearly not if you’re a demon.”
The fear in Emmett’s eyes made his heart clench.
“Maltesers, Bounty, Dime Bar,” Nix whispered. “And I am so sorry.”
“I need a very big bar of chocolate.”
Nix helped him to his feet. “And I need to be nowhere near you.”
Emmett grabbed his hand. “That’s not what I need.”
“One thing I did manage.” Nix showed him Greyson’s wallet.
“He can pay for the chocolate.”
Nix managed a laugh.
“See what’s in there.”
It turned out to be three hundred pounds in cash, a debit card and a photo of Greyson with a woman who was most likely Sophie’s sister.
“Oh look. He’s a blood donor,” Nix said.
“So not all bad. Or at least he didn’t use to be. All these receipts for fuel are from the same garage in Blackheath. I wonder if he lives there? That house in Erith, maybe that’s only been his place while he’s been collecting souls. He could have another home.”
Maybe he did, but Nix wasn’t going to be looking for it with Emmett.
