Dark Kiss (Harlequin Teen) (31 page)

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.”

I didn’t know if he was lying. But the flat look in his amber-colored eyes did hold a glimmer of something else there. Longing, envy…I wasn’t sure. And then he turned away so I couldn’t keep trying to figure him out.

I didn’t particularly want to figure Kraven out.

“This has been a fun talk.” Bishop’s words were tinged with anger and something else—familiarity. This kind of joking around by Kraven wasn’t new to him.

“So much fun.”

“Are you going to try to stop me from leaving?”

Kraven looked over his shoulder. “Nah. You go face your destiny. Roll those dice to see if you get a trip back to harp-land. I guess I’m in charge now. Feels good, actually.”

“Good luck.”

“Yeah, whatever. Go find yourself a gray willing to suck out the rest of your soul. I think that Carly chick was giving you the eye the other night outside that nightclub. Go let her stick her tongue down your throat. Party on.”

“Maybe I’ll do that.” Bishop stretched out his hand. “Give me the dagger.”

The sheath Bishop normally wore was now strapped to Kraven’s back. “And risk this falling into the Hollow? Not a chance. With you gone, I need this to help me do my job so I can reap my rewards. Now why don’t you go find yourself a deadly blonde babe and get out of my face? And try to make it forever this time.”

Kraven walked away from him, back toward the church, and—

Snap!
I was in my kitchen again, leaning heavily against the counter while my heart hammered against my rib cage.

“Bishop, no,” I whispered.

If he found a gray to remove the rest of his soul, he might have a chance to go back to Heaven if that was all that kept a fallen angel anchored in the human world. In Heaven, he’d have his mind fully restored and he’d be able to investigate a way to restore my soul—which he’d promised me he’d do.

However, losing his soul could also kill him outright. And then the Hollow would open up and swallow him whole.

Natalie had returned from the Hollow, but she admitted she was an anomaly—in more ways than just her demonic hunger. There was no guarantee that Bishop could do the same. And Natalie hadn’t been killed first: she’d been shoved into the vortex still alive.

The thought of Bishop dying was a deep pain that spread out from the center of my chest. I heard a strange, mournful sound and realized that I was sobbing at the thought of losing him. Last night was close enough.

Kraven had suggested he find Carly to kiss.

My hands were shaking when I dialed Carly’s house, hoping she hadn’t left for Crave yet. Even though my cell phone didn’t work, thankfully the landline still did.

After the fifth ring, her mother answered to break the news to me that Carly wasn’t at home. She’d gone out, and I knew where.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” Mrs. Kessler said. “She’s acting so strangely this week.”

My stomach sank. “Really? Like how?”

“She seems…different. And there’s something in her eyes—something vacant, like her mind’s a million miles away. Is she dating someone new who might have caused this? She won’t tell me anything.”

I exhaled shakily. “I—I really don’t know what’s changed.”

“But do you see it, too?”

I clutched the phone tight enough to hurt my hand. “Yeah, but I’m sure it’s temporary.”

I hated to lie. This wasn’t temporary, but I hadn’t accepted that it was permanent. I’d do anything I could to help her and make sure this didn’t get any worse.

“I don’t know, Samantha. The look she gave me tonight when I tried to stop her from going out—well, it’s been every single night this week!—it chilled me. She won’t even tell me where she’s going or with whom. I’d hoped it was with you.”

The kitchen counter cut into my back as I leaned my full weight against it and I just tried to breathe. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. Teenagers, well, they can change in an instant sometimes. I know that. But this…” Her voice quavered. “I hate to think my Carly’s changed forever.”

My heart broke. “Me, too.”

I ended the call, feeling sick inside, but at least I knew where Carly was. Crave. With Natalie. With Stephen. And with a wide selection of tantalizing teens to trigger her hunger and slipping control.

I headed out of my house at a fast clip. I had to get to Bishop before he reached Carly—if, in fact, that was his plan. I didn’t know where else he’d go. I couldn’t lose him like this—not when he wasn’t thinking right. Not ever. I couldn’t let him kiss Carly.

My heart also twisted for another reason entirely—jealousy. It was irrational, I knew that. This wasn’t a romantic kiss. He would be doing it because he didn’t think he had another choice.

Bishop belongs to me.

It was a fierce and scary thought that overcame me for a moment, stopping me in my tracks on the sidewalk.

I’d known him less than a week.

But that didn’t change a damn thing. He’d quickly worked his way into my heart. He
was
my heart.

Maybe he was my soul, too.

The romance-soaked thought didn’t make me roll my eyes like it might have in the past. Instead, it scared me. It was the truth—plain, bleak and heart wrenching. I’d fallen for him so hard that I’d been left shaken and bruised.

I would save him. Even from himself.

And if Carly even thought about kissing him, I was going to punch her in the face.

“Beautiful star.” A voice sank through my cloudy thoughts. “She’s come out tonight to battle the world. To save us all from the darkness.”

The homeless fallen angel stared up at me from his seat on the ground, legs splayed across the sidewalk. Dirty, ripped blue jeans and a gray sweatshirt that had seen better days completed the look. It was disconcerting how much seeing him tonight reminded me of when I’d first found Bishop. It worked just like a hand reaching in my chest and squeezing.

“You’ve picked a different spot tonight,” I said. I was halfway to Crave.

“I move,” he replied. “I have legs. They help.”

“Yeah, I’m sure they do.” I frowned down at him and studied his face as if trying to find clues there to help him—help Bishop, too. “What’s your name?”

He sighed. “I had a name a long time ago.”

“What was it?”