“Sure you are. Now shut up.”
I did as requested.
As Jordan pulled away from the school, I felt guilty about leaving early, or rather, leaving Carly there. It felt like I was abandoning her. But I wasn’t. Not for long, anyway.
I’d see her again tonight. I knew exactly where she’d be.
No catastrophes happened on the short drive to my house. None at all, which was a bit surprising. Bracing myself for the worst did take some effort.
“Thanks for this, but I don’t understand,” I said to Jordan as I stepped out of her car after she arrived in my driveway. “You don’t like me. I don’t like you. Why did you bother to drive me home?”
She rolled her eyes. “Because I’m nice, stupid.”
She pulled away and I watched the car disappear into the distance.
Jordan Fitzpatrick had been nice to me today. Well, her version of nice, anyway.
I’d take it.
When I let myself into the house, I felt an overwhelming wave of exhaustion, plus the headache from earlier hadn’t let up yet. I tried to tell myself I’d only imagined seeing through Bishop’s eyes because I’d been thinking about him nonstop since the kiss last night. It really was too bad I was such a realist. I believed what I saw with my own two eyes.
Besides, if it had been my imagination sending forth a fantasy, I would have much preferred to see him. Not everybody else.
When I lay down on the couch in the living room, I planned to close my eyes for about five minutes before I got up and dealt with everything. But when I opened my eyes again, I realized one very important thing.
It was dark outside.
I sat bolt upright. The house was eerily quiet, except for the soft tick of the clock on the mantel above the fireplace that gently informed me it was after seven o’clock.
The stress that had kept me awake the past few nights must have caught up to me. Or maybe the vision of being in Bishop’s head had given me a bad headache and exhausted me.
I hurried into the kitchen to see that my mother hadn’t come home from work. She’d scribbled a note this morning and tacked it to the fridge to tell me she had a client meeting. She’d be home by around nine o’clock and—
Snap!
I was outside of the church, on the overgrown front lawn.
Despite the glass being broken on the sign and it missing a few letters, I could still make out the last message it had to give: Down in the Mouth? Time For a Faith Lift.
“You don’t understand,” Bishop said, his voice quiet but steady. “I have to do this.”
Kraven stood in front of him as if blocking his path. “You don’t know what will happen. Getting the rest of your soul sucked out could kill you.”
Bishop snorted. “Didn’t think you’d care so much. Brotherly love? After all this time? Who are you trying to fool?”
Kraven glared at him. “Screw you. The only thing I care about is this bloody mission. You going off and doing your own thing is not for the better of the team.”
“Somebody like you lecturing me on leadership. Fantastic. I’m surprised you’d try to stop me at this point. If I’m gone, you get to make all the rules. You’re second-in-command here.”
Kraven’s expression didn’t change. “I’ll take over if you’re gone, but Roth still shouldn’t have put that idea into your scrambled-up head.”
“He speaks his mind.”
“He’s an ass.”
“He’s a demon.”
“Touché. But we’re not all that stupid. It’s not worth the risk you’re taking.”
There was a heavy pause. “Speaking of risks, what deal did they make you to agree to this mission? I know Hell offers up a lot of temptation. Money, prestige, power…women. All your weaknesses.”
Kraven glared. “Funny, I always thought those were your weaknesses.”
“What did it, James?” Bishop’s voice twisted unpleasantly. “Why do you give such a damn if this mission is successful? And did you have any idea I’d be part of this or were you as shocked to see me as I was to see you?”
A car drove by, the headlights illuminating Kraven’s light hair. It also showed that his expression had darkened. He crossed his arms, walked back toward the sign, kicked at the broken glass, before turning back to look at Bishop. “If those bosses of yours decide to go old school, we’ll all get wiped off the map if we fail. Sounds like a good reason to succeed.”
“Exactly. Which means you’re risking your very existence to be a part of this. But for what? What’s the shiny reward?”
“If we’re successful?” Kraven said grudgingly after a moment. “I don’t have to go back to Hell. I get a fresh shot here.”
Bishop let out a soft snort. “Right. A fresh shot. You’re addicted to making bad choices. You think that will ever change?”
Kraven shot a dark glare at him. “Like I care what you think. I want a second chance and I’ll do anything to get it.”
It took Bishop a second to respond. “Then maybe you should have one.”
A huge grin slowly spread across the demon’s handsome face. “Oh, dude. You’re so pathetic—that much hasn’t changed. You actually believed me. What a joke. Yeah, I’m willing to sacrifice my entire existence for the chance to stay here in this pathetic city. Sure.”
“You were lying?”
“Yeah, I was lying, idiot. I signed up for the babes and the power, of course. Can’t wait to collect my reward. It’s going to be a major party—no crazy, self-involved angels invited.”