CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Simone staggered back. No. It couldn't be. "That's not funny, Katra. I don't like to play those games."
"I wish I were playing, but I'm not."
Simone saw the look of honor and pity mixed on the faces of those around her and it snapped her back to when she was a child.
"The poor thing saw it all. Her mother and her brother died right before her eyes. It'll haunt her forever. "
It was the same expression they all had now- staling at her like she was a freak. And deep inside they were all grate fill it was her and not them. They wouldn't say it, they were too polite for that, but she knew the truth.
Jesse held his hand out. "Simone, are you okay?"
How could she be okay? Xypher was dead.
She felt that burning in her eyes that signaled they were changing to red. She wanted the blood of whoever had killed him. "Tell me what happened," she demanded, her voice a demonic growl.
"I promised him that I wouldn't. He wants you to live in peace and to go on with your life."
Go on with her life . . . She was tired of picking up the pieces and going on.
"Did he set his vengeance against Satara?"
Katra looked away sheepishly and suddenly Simone had total clarity.
"So that's it, then. He chose vengeance and death over coming back to me. At least he died happy. He got what he wanted."
Kat had to bite her tongue to keep from telling her the truth. But now she understood why Xypher had asked her not to. If Simone knew he'd given up his life to save hers, it'd kill her.
Just like it would kill Katra to lose her husband. To have him sacrifice himself for her would only hurt more and she would never have peace from that guilt and auger.
Simone looked to where Xedrix stood beside Kerryna, holding her hand.
She would never touch Xypher again. Drawing a ragged breath, she turned toward Gloria and Jesse. "I want to go home."
Acheron stepped forward. "I'll take you." "Thank you."
He held his hand out and she took it. The instant she did, they were all back in her house. No, not all of them. Xypher was missing.
"Is there anything I can do?" asked Ash.
She shook her head. "I should probably check on Kyle and see how he's doing."
"We already did. He's fine. He'll be recovering shortly7 and shouldn't have any lasting damage other than a couple of scars."
"That's good. I suppose that describes all of us, hull? Thank you for bringing me home, Acheron."
"You're welcome. My number is in your phone. If you need me for anything, call."
"I appreciate it."
Then he was gone.
Jesse and Gloria stood off to one side, watching her with a worried expression.
"I'm all right guys. Why don't you go and play records or something?"
Jesse swallowed. "You're scaring me, Simone."
She was scaring herself. She hurt so bad inside that she couldn't even cry. It was as if she'd been gutted and there was nothing left except an empty hole where her heart and soul had been.
Wanting to be alone, she pulled her coat off and dropped it on the floor on her way to her room.
The bed was still rumpled from their earlier play.
She shoved that thought aside. If she didn't mean any more to him than that, he certainly didn't mean it to her. Her anger simmering, she snatched at a pillow to make the bed.
And it was then the scent of Xypher hit her hard. She hugged the pillow to her chest and inhaled the warm masculine scent.
That was what shattered her numbness. Grief and anguish came boiling up until she wanted to scream out in pain.
Instead, she sank to her knees as racking tears assaulted her.
Xypher was gone.
"Damn you, you bastard. Damn you!"
But the problem was, she didn't want him damned. The thought of him in Tartarus being tortured . . .
It was more than she could stand.
Xypher stood in the center of a tell he knew even better than the back of his hand. Over the centuries, he'd counted every grain of sand. Had saturated them all with his blood.
Now he was back.
The chains came out of the ceiling and laced themselves around his wrists. For once he didn't fight as they lifted him from the ground. His arms burned from the weight of his body.
But that pain was nothing compared to the one aching in his chest. Simone.
I'm protecting her. He repeated those words aver and over again and they alone gave him comfort He would rather suffer eternal torment than have her hurt.
It was worth it.
The door of his cell opened.
Xypher braced himself as he saw the god of the Underworld. Tall and dark. Hades was dressed in black. He cocked his head to study him. "I didn't think you'd last a month out there. Looks like I was right."
"I'm in no mood to talk. Hades, Just start the torture."
"Interesting. My prisoners so seldom beg me to hutt them. And to think, right now, you could be in Simone's arms and not hanging here like so much meat."
"Leave her out of this."
"That, unfortunately, I can't do."
Fear gripped Xypher's heart. "What do you mean?"
"You know Xypher, I really hate you. Truly, I have to say torturing you has been one of my greatest pleasures: And now, just like always, you're pissing me off."
"I'm strung up here, waiting to be beaten. Tell me, how in the hell could mat possibly piss you off?"
"Because I have to let you go, you bastard." Disbelief coursed through hint. "What?"
"The bargain I made with Kat . . . remember? I allow you to be human for a month and if within that month's time you find your humanity, you're free. You selflessly sacrificed yourself for another. And it didn't even take you a month. Damn you."
Xypher still couldn't believe what he was hearing. The chains uncoiled so fast, he fell to the floor. "Get out of here, Skotos. I can't hold you any more."
Simone was still rocking in the center of her floor when her phone rang. She looked at the number and saw it was Tate.
Drawing a ragged breath, she cleared her throat and answered. "There's another demon kill."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. You know the drill . . . we're at the corner of Rampart and Esplanade."
"I'll be right there," She hung up and dried her eyes before she went to Jesse's room. She found him and Gloria necking on his bed.
They broke apart as soon as they saw her. "Um, we were just-"
"It's okay, Jesse. I'm meeting Tate and didn't want you to get worried. I'll be back shortly."
"Are you sure about this? Don't you need some time?"
"Life goes on, right?" It was the one lesson she'd learned. "It's not like I have a nuieral to plan or anything. Besides, I can do with the distraction." She shut the door and headed for her car.
You could use your demon powers.