“Jinx, let me go with you,” Gillian said.
“Too dangerous—you can’t see ghosts.”
“I can see you.”
He looked at her incredulously and she continued, “You saved me. I’m returning the favor.”
He opened his mouth to tell her he didn’t need saving, but the lie didn’t come out. “You can’t help me with the monsters.”
“I can guard you while you’re vulnerable.”
“You want to be my bodyguard?”
“It’s what the Dire female wolves are. We take care of our mates, especially the warrior women. You told me that, but I feel it, here. Let me take care of you.”
How long had it been since anyone said that to him? His Dire brothers always would—that was a given. But Jinx was far more used to being the protection than the protected. Wasn’t sure he even knew how to let himself be vulnerable.
“The best part is that no one will suspect it. They wouldn’t know my strength or speed.”
“You can’t do anything in human form that will give you away.”
“I’ll have to be your secret superhero,” she whispered into his neck before she nipped it.
“You two need a room in an apartment far from mine,” Jez muttered from the front seat and Jinx ignored him.
“You can protect me,” he said.
“That’s a gift—I accept it with great honor.”
“I’ll watch both of you,” Jez nodded. “Sorry, didn’t mean to ruin the moment.”
“And who’ll watch you, deadhead?” Jinx asked and Rogue’s voice answered, “Me,” and then added, “This is becoming one big circle jerk.”
“Rogue . . . you don’t have to. . . .”
“Gotta know how bad it is. Better to jump in with both feet,” Rogue said quietly.
“It’s bad . . . and worse,” Jinx told him as the truck made its way toward Pinewood Cemetery. They drove through the iron gates with guns loaded with rock salt. Holy water. Each of them held iron.
When they got out, Jinx made a salt circle around them and the truck; this way, they could get inside and stay there if things got bad enough.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Rogue told him.
“Besides the fact that I’m never letting you go back to hell . . . I keep thinking that we could use these fears to eradicate the trappers forever,” Jinx admitted.
“And then what? The more these things feed, the more they want,” Rogue pointed out.
“I know, you’re right. We have to get them back inside. Locked up someplace tight.”
“There are definitely places in hell they could go. Hell’s expanded immensely since fears were created,” Rogue told him.
“I don’t think they’ll just go if we ask.” And they were right back at the beginning again.
“Something’s here,” Rogue said, his voice choked. The markings on his face glowed and he rubbed them almost absently as he moved around inside of the circle looking out into the night.
The ghosts moved around, waving to get Jinx’s attention. “Do you see any of yours?”
“Nothing,” his twin said hollowly as the hellhounds ran toward them, making the ground shake.
“What is that?” Gillian asked and then scented the air. “Hellhounds.”
“Bingo,” Jez said. “And here comes their charges.”
The black and gray smoke twisted and rose from over the graves, racing toward the circle at alarming speed. They stopped right before them and hovered.
“I hate this part,” Jez muttered.
Just then, Jinx dropped to his knees and Gillian dropped next to him.
“What is it, Jinx?” Gillian asked and when he spoke, his voice sounded hollow and odd, even to his own ears.
“The hellhounds aren’t just to protect me,” he told them. “They’re to keep me from getting too close to the monsters released from purgatory. I’m locked out. And it’s only a matter of time before the hellhounds rebel.”
They’d gotten back in the truck and out of the cemetery after Jinx told the hellhounds to keep the fears under control. They seemed to still be obeying but how long that would last was any wolf’s bet.
Now, they were up on the roof of the apartment building, with Rogue and Jez on one side and he and Gillian on the other.
“I’m so sorry, Jinx.”
“Not your fault. My father tricked me. But because the Dire ghosts fought, he was laid to a peaceful rest. What do I get?”
“When I thought I was crazy, I would’ve done anything to get away from the disease. When you gave me a way out, I was relieved.” She paused. “But you . . . you never get to walk away. You’re hunted all the time.”
He shrugged.
“You’ve got to find the good in it.”
“I help humans. In return, they try to kill us,” Jinx said, his voice tight. “I help ghosts. In return, they try to kill us.”
“You helped me and I don’t try to kill you,” she pointed out.
“Because you can’t,” he said and snorted in spite of himself. “Speaking of . . . there’s something I haven’t told you yet. I was waiting. Didn’t want to overwhelm you.”
“And now, after we know that hellhounds are protecting monsters and will eventually turn against the world, it seems like a good time?”
“Actually, yes.” He took her chin in his hand. “Your speed and strength—you know it’s not normal for a Dire. You know it’s called an ability.”
“Yep. You told me that.” He’d also listed all the other Dires’ abilities as well.
“There’s something that comes with abilities. At least it has for all of us.” He stared at her. “I told you we mated for life. But I never told you how long that life would be.”
She blinked, tilted her head. “I know you’re old. I assumed . . . a lot of years?”
“I’m immortal, Gilly. And if I’m right, so are you.”
“Immortal as in . . . I’m never going to die?” She tried to breathe but couldn’t.
“And this is why I waited to tell you.”
“If someone tries to kill me, what happens exactly?”
“You kind of die. And then you come back to life pretty quickly. It’s not painless, but it’s never permanent.”
“I gather you’ve tested the theory.”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
She wondered if there was ever the possibility of a Dire with abilities not being immortal. But finding out would be akin to playing Russian roulette and she wasn’t ready to do that, not after promising Jinx she would stay safe. “I’m okay. It’s just . . . the concept of
“Tell me about it after you’ve lived for centuries.”
“You lived for centuries . . . with no one to love,” she murmured.
“You were worth the wait. Well worth it.”
Chapter 25
Vice heard the yelling in his sleep, assumed it was someone having good sex and ignored it. After ten minutes, he realized it was distress and that it was coming from the basement rooms where Max was being held.
Gwen checked on her several times a day, typically with Rifter. Vice seemed to set her off too much and, as
