Page 100 of My Instant Karma

According to this, there’s room for more than one karma entity…

Causality means that good or bad actions have consequences. The law of karma operates independently of any deity or any process of divine judgment. The karmic effect of a deed is determined not just by the deed, but also by the nature of that person, and by the circumstances in which they committed it.

Wait, what?Does that mean Instant Karma isn’t supposed to be involved in enacting immediate revenge? It also sounds as if even the Original Karma isn’t supposed to be directly involved in the consequences of our actions.

Karma agents take none of that into account, though, when we enact karmic justice on our targets. Is Karma breaking the rules or is she reinventing them to fit her godhood?

Still sound asleep, Dante rolls over and flings his arm over my lap. I stare at him, admiring how he looks so peaceful and trusting. For this moment, he’s mine, and I am his.

Dante mumbles my name in his sleep, pulling me closer into an embrace. Even in his dreams, he wants me. My face hurts with the wide smile stretching across it.

Then old fears needle their way back into my consciousness.How long will this happiness last?

I shake my head in an attempt to rid myself of my foreboding thoughts. I might not even survive a confrontation with Karma or Death. Death hasn’t guaranteed a position in his ranks, and Karma might have her own path for me, one which I might not be able to escape. She might try to use my love for Dante against me.

I hear Evan and Kurtis in the hallway, muttering about something. Their voices are anxious, and Kurtis is definitely defensive.

Reluctantly, I pull away from Dante’s sleepy embrace so I can check on the guys.

I quietly open and shut my door, running to catch up to them as they descend the stairs.

They are arguing over the damage to their souls, and they haven’t heard me coming up behind them.

“She isn’t wrong about me,” Kurtis hisses. “I have felt myself change over the years.”

“That’s no reason to die,” Evan argues.

“Hey,” I say, and they practically fall down the stairs when they jump. “Sorry.” I grimace.

“What do you want?” Evan asks exasperatedly.

I bite my lip, thinking about how I should respond. Apparently, it’s true—the messenger of bad news is persecuted. “Sorry. I was just checking on you.”

Evan squares his shoulders, regaining his composure. “I don’t feel like talking with you right now.”

“This isn’t my fault!” I snap.

“I know.” Evan sighs. “But we’re going to have to deal withher, and that’s probably because of you showing up.”

I nod and don’t stop them as they continue down the stairs. When I turn around to go back into my room, Dante is leaning against my doorjamb, watching me.

“Don’t mind them.” He pulls me into a hug. “It’s all a lot to take in.”

“So… do you need time to yourself?” I ask, hoping the answer will be no.

“As much as I would love to spend every moment with you, I think I need to work alone today.” I try to pull away, and he hugs me tighter. “It has nothing to do with you and me. I just need some space to think.”

“I suppose I need to do the same.” I give him a quick peck on the lips and disappear into my room alone.

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I’ve never been someone who worries about if a guy will choose me, but only because I always assume they won’t, so… no worries.

I’m worrying now though. Dante is under my skin, and he crawled his way into my heart and my bed.

Instead of falling back into sexy times with Dante again, I decide to go on a drive to clear my head and attempt to make a plan to take down a goddess. I pick up my phone.

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