Raoul said, “He feels very sick to me. I think we need to get him some help, quickly.” He turned to Bergman. “You have access to al kinds of technology, right?” Bergman nodded, pul ing his personal computer out of his shirt pocket expectantly. “Find us a veterinarian and get him here as quickly as possible.” He glanced at me and then back at Miles. “I know this sounds strange, but this may be the most important thing you have ever done for Jasmine in your life.” I felt tears begin to rol down my face as Miles said, “I’m on it,” and wheeled out of the room. I leaned over Jack, rubbing my face against the fur of his cheek, listening to him pant and, every fifteen seconds or so, moan softly into my ear.
“It’l be al right, buddy. I’m right here. I’l be right here.”
“But, Jaz,” Raoul said, as he knelt beside me. “You can’t stay. You have to go now. You gave me your word.”
I turned to look at my Spirit Guide, his face blurring in and out of focus as the tears continued to rol down my cheeks. And in that moment, I didn’t hate him. Because I’d made my choice long ago.
But I knew, now, that I needed to turn another corner. That I couldn’t keep leaving people I loved like this. Jack was the final straw. He didn’t understand, wouldn’t know why his Jaz was deserting him when he needed her gentle touch and loving voice the most. But the rest of them, they’d known.
When Bergman had been bleeding onto the bricks in Marrakech, tel ing me to go and kil werewolves, he’d understood. He hadn’t complained, and yet he should’ve. When Evie had been nearly ready to give birth, and she needed me there because our mom and Granny were dead, she’d understood that I had a job to do. She hadn’t complained about al my traveling. But she should’ve. Because family, friends, the people I adored who’d pul ed me through the nightmare days and nights of my life… they mattered more even than the monsters I’d destroyed to protect them.
And it was time to show them that. The shit of it was, I could never do that, I’d die before I had the chance, if I didn’t leave my poor Jack one last time.
Raoul said, “Jaz? What is it?”
“This is the end,” I whispered. “I’m done fighting after Brude is vanquished. Do you understand?” He nodded gravely. “Yes. I do.”
Cole came forward, tapping Raoul frantical y on the shoulder. “Wil she die, then? Like, there are no instant dropsies in the contract, are there?”
“No. She’s earned her right to live in peace.”
Vayl ran his hand down my arm and pul ed me to my feet. “Then it is time. Come, Raoul. Before we change our minds. Let us gather our weapons and chal enge the gates of hel .” CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Suiting up for hel took less time than expected. Holy water on the right wrist. Gauntlet to protect against biting creatures on the left. Raoul’s special y crafted sword in its sheath on my back. Bolo in the right pocket. Grief in its shoulder holster despite the fact that I only carried it for reassurance.
Bul ets wouldn’t do harm in the netherworld.
Vayl paid a visit to Miles to recover his cane and check on his progress. He’d found a good veterinarian twenty miles away and had already left to pick him up. There was no question in my mind that he would be coming back with him.
Raoul returned from his room carrying his sword and a shield that covered most of his left arm.
He also carried his dagger, which he offered to the girl, along with an introduction that Cole, David, and Cassandra listened to with rapt attention. “My name is Raoul,” he said, almost shyly. “You are somewhat famous among my kind. Do you stil cal yourself Lotus?”
“Yup,” she answered, giving him as much of a going over as the weapon she took from his hand.
“Why am I so famous?” she asked. “Are your people into stunt shows?”
“You possess immense skil s,” he said.
She snorted. “You could say that.” She spun the dagger in her hand and threw it across the room. It stuck into the head of the portrait Sanji, the innkeeper, had so careful y hung on the wal .
Then she licked her lips, winked at him, and leaned over so far Raoul couldn’t help but notice her boobs practical y springing from her dark blue T-shirt. “I have al kinds of skil s.” Raoul’s expression never changed. “You also hate yourself more than any other woman I have ever known.”
She sat back so fast it was like he’d slapped her. I said, “Where we’re going, you’re gonna want that dagger.” I nodded to the weapon and then looked at her hard, letting her know she’d better get her ass out of the chair before it came to a confrontation.
Lotus tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing a row of silver earrings, including one that looked like a straight pin had been shoved through the ear’s top curve in two separate places. Ugh.
Hey, I’ve got a bel y ring. My best friend has more earrings than a ful y stocked Claire’s. But that one just looked like she’d taken a bad fal into a nest of nail guns. Which was why it was an effort not to shudder with sympathy pains as I studied her eyes. They were such a vivid blue that I hoped they didn’t change the way Vayl’s did. It would be a shame to see that color fade. Her heart-shaped face escaped being described as cute only because of the way her jaw jutted when she talked, like she was warning you ahead of time you’d have to be tough to deal with her.
Her eyes crawled to Raoul’s as she got up and rescued his dagger. On the way back to her chair Lotus said slowly, “This vampire says he’s connected with me. Him and the marshmal ow over there.” She gestured carelessly toward Aaron, who’d backed into a corner and made us al forget he was there. Quite a trick, I suddenly realized. How many times had he done that when I wasn’t looking? I didn’t have time to ponder because she’d gone on. “What’s that about? I’ve never met them before.”
“But you have,” Vayl said, unable to hold himself back any longer. “We are your family, from the time you were born to me as a baby boy named Hanzi in a beautiful wooded area where we had camped just outside of Bucharest.” He pointed to Aaron. “This man was your little brother then. We cal ed him Badu.” Aaron nodded awkwardly. His expression said,
