Renegade (39 page)

“The Soul Reaper has a unique ability—a control—over the souls in hell that no one else possesses. And since I possess you, I wield control over power that will not only make me more powerful, but will make me
all
powerful.”

Was I hearing things or did he just say he was going to overthrow the Devil?

“I’ll never do what you want,” I told him.

“You will. Because if you don’t I will go on a killing spree that makes what I have done since being banished here look like fun.” His lips curled back over his teeth in a menacing snarl. “And I will start with that boy you will do anything for, and once he’s dead, I will go after that old woman you live with.”

My heart iced over at the mention of Gran. She was too good to be part of this. She’d already lost too much. I’d do anything to keep him away from her. And from Sam.

He saw the defeat in my eyes, the look of utter despair on my face, and he smiled, a sick, satisfied smile that showed his victory. “Ah. I knew you would see it my way.”

I heard the police rushing up the stairs, likely following the same trail of green I had.

“What a shame. Our time is up,” Beelzebub said. “I am working on a way to get back into hell, and once I do I’ll be coming for you.”

His words sent an ominous shiver down my spine. As I stood there, his soul separated from Mrs. Engles’s body and floated upward toward the ceiling, high out of reach, and over to an open window where it disappeared into the sky.

Mrs. Engles’s body stood, suspended by something unseen, for one moment longer and then it crumpled to the floor in a heap, her dead eyes wide, seeing nothing.

I heard the police drawing closer and I knew I had to hide, to get out, because if they found me here with a dead body, no amount of explaining would remove suspicion.

I ran into the tiny storage area off the classroom and crouched behind a shelving unit piled high with books and materials just as men rushed into the room and over to the body.

One man crouched over her, putting two fingers to her neck, waiting for a pulse that would never come. Finally, he sighed and looked at his friend. “She’s dead. Call for backup.”

The other man spoke into the radio fastened to his shoulder, requesting assistance on the second floor of the school and reporting the body. Then the two of them bent low, inspecting her, looking for signs of death.

I took the moment and scurried from the room, rushing out the back door of the classroom and running down the hall. I went the opposite way, away from the steps I knew the police would use, and I prayed the back stairwell would remain empty until I could get out.

All I heard was the pounding of my heart as I rushed as silently as I could down the stairs and around the corner. An exit door came into sight and I all but cried out in relief. I wanted out of here so badly my bones trembled with it.

Just as I was about to bolt out the door, something from around the corner shot out and grabbed me, pulling me backward and forcing me up against the wall.

Sam

I paced in the stairwell, wanting to burst back upstairs and rip the head right off his body. In that moment I didn’t care that it really wouldn’t kill him. I didn’t care that he’d just rush off to find another body. The satisfaction of ripping him apart even for just a second would be worth it.

But endangering Heven wouldn’t be.

And endangering her is exactly what would happen if I forced my way in there.

“The police are coming,” Kimber whispered. “We need to move.”

We ran out of the stairwell and into the gym, our footsteps echoing as we went. “Here!” Kimber called and disappeared beneath the bleachers. I swerved to follow just as the door to the gym opened and an officer poked his head inside.

We held our breath as he looked around the room and then turned away, yelling, “Clear!” He let the door slam behind him as he ran off in the opposite direction.

“She picks right now to have a face-to-face with the creepy dude!” Kimber muttered. “Could her timing be worse?”

That’s exactly why he wanted to meet with her. That guy fed off drama. I moved to run back up there, to see what was going on, but Kimber caught my arm. “Give her a minute. She’ll be down.”

“I can’t just leave her up there with him.” I growled.

“Well, running through the halls will only get both of you caught.”

“Go get the car,” I told her, yanking the keys from my pocket and shoving them at her. “Pull it down the street, past the lot. We’ll meet you there in a couple minutes.”

She nodded, taking the keys, and then ran to the door, opened it a crack, and glanced out into the hall. When it was clear, she gave me a thumbs-up and disappeared. I really hoped she didn’t just speed away and leave us stranded here.

I went out into the hallway, rushing back the way we came. When the sound of many footsteps reached my ears, I fell back, slipping around the corner and flattening myself against the wall. They all ran past, rushing up the stairs and saying something about a dead body.

Alarm slapped me like a championship fighter in a boxing ring. I knew she wasn’t dead, but the fact there was a body anywhere near her couldn’t be good. I stepped out from the hall just as Heven turned the corner and ran in my direction, all attention on the exit door. Behind her I heard another rush of officers racing for the stairs.

As she rushed by, I grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall, covering her body with mine as the officers around the corner ran past and up the stairs.

Sam! You scared the crap out of me!
Heven exclaimed.

That’s what you get for making me leave you alone with that monster.

Like I had a choice!
she said as I backed off, and she pulled away from the wall. I inspected every inch of her, from head to toe. She appeared unharmed except for the wild look in her eye.

My anger softened just a little.
You always have a choice.

Not when he threatens you and Gran.

He threatened Gran?
My anger spiked again.

I’ll tell you after we get out of here. Where’s Kimber?

I sent her for the car.

We didn’t say anything more as we rushed out of the building, cautiously taking every turn and jumping at every noise. Finally, the car came into view and we both made a dash for it, jumping in as Kimber peeled away from the curb like we’d all just robbed a bank.

“Could you have taken any longer?” Kimber complained as we turned the corner, the school finally out of sight.

“Gee, Kimber, so sorry to have inconvenienced you,” Heven snapped.

She took another sharp turn, one that would take us away from home. “Where are you going?” I demanded.

“Relax,” she replied. “I’m going to Cole’s. I want to make sure he didn’t go to school and get infected.”

Heven collapsed against the back seat and stared out the window.

“What happened in there?” I asked her.

She sighed heavily and I felt bad for demanding answers so fast, but it seemed time was running out. “He wants me to come live with him in hell so I can help him overthrow the Devil.”

I was actually surprised. I mean, I knew this guy was egotistical, maniacal, and plain stupid, but even I never thought he would take on the Devil. And to drag Heven into it… The hound in me stirred and I pushed it down, doing my best to control the anger trying to consume me.

Kimber snorted. “Yeah, right.”

When we didn’t laugh, she looked at Heven through the rearview mirror. “You’re serious?”

“At this point I couldn’t even make this stuff up,” she said, weary.

“Your power over the souls,” I said, low, trying to work it all out in my mind.

“Guess so. I guess being the Soul Reaper doesn’t just mean I can set them free. I guess it means I have control over them.”

“That explains why he hasn’t told the other Princes about you. He doesn’t want anyone to know what he’s up to,” I said, finally understanding.

“Or he doesn’t want the competition,” Kimber added, taking another too-sharp turn.

 “I guess it’s good he didn’t tell. Otherwise, all of them might be after you.” I nodded. “It makes sense. He hasn’t tried to kill you at all since he found out who you were.”

“No, he’s just unleashed a pack of werebats, an infectious disease, and body-hopped around Maine,” Heven replied.

“And that’s all we know about!” Kimber said, chipper.

“Not helping,” I called.

She pulled into Cole’s driveway and Heven breathed a sigh of relief when she saw his blue puck-up in the drive. Kimber turned to look at her. “You coming?”

“His mom isn’t a fan of mine,” she said, shaking her head.

“Right.” Kimber agreed. “Well, I’ll see you later!” she jumped out of the car, then poked her head back in. “Don’t worry. I’ll fill Cole in on everything.”

I waited for Heven to argue, to try and come up with an excuse that Kimber shouldn’t spend time with her brother, but she didn’t say anything. It showed me how upset she was about what just happened.

Kimber disappeared into his house and Heven looked at me. “Let’s go.”

She stayed in the back seat as I jumped in the front, turning the ignition and looking over my shoulder at her. “Where to, Miss Daisy?”

She smiled. “Home.”

She didn’t say much the whole ride home, but because of our Mindbond I had a front-row seat to her inner thoughts. Usually, I tried not to listen, but her silence bothered me and I wanted to know what she was thinking, so I tapped in, trying to get a handle on her thoughts.

What could my mother have promised Beelzebub all those years ago to make him come after me this way? It wasn’t her fault I was the Soul Reaper. That was just a cruel twist of fate. Although, I guess it really wasn’t. I was already on Beelzebub’s radar anyway. Why not pin the title on me and spare someone else the pain?

When we pulled up to the house, I turned to look at her. “You know I’ll never let that happen, right?” I said quietly. “You’re not going there with him.”

She nodded. “I know.” Then she said, “But, Sam?”

“Hmmm?”

“We’re going to have to work fast. He’s already working on a way to get back into hell. Once he does, stopping him is going to be a
lot
harder.”