“And you certainly did a lot of good with the evil you eliminated,” Elijah added as he stood. “You did wrong, you took life—but how many did you save to balance the scales we should be judged by?”
He was headed for the portal before we could even think to answer.
I sighed and scrubbed my hand over my face, shrugging when Sam gave me a confused look. “He’s ancient. He’s got more crap on him than both of us combined. Being immortal isn’t always a gift like people think. It can also mean more life to mess up.”
She opened her mouth but then closed it, shaking her head and then trying again. “No matter what you all decided, all I ask is that I learn the truth about my own kind before I’msentenced.” She gestured between all of us there. “This is so different from the few demons I met that—clearly I had so much wrong.”
And that was what broke my heart.
She wasn’t a monster. Life had turned her into one for the story of others.
Sam needed to be punished for that. Absolutely and completely.
But I didn’t think it was as simple as writing her off. I’d been around too much evil and I knew the difference.
She promised to stay locked down at home base, the teams agreeing to keep watch over her. I didn’t see a problem for the moment and went after Elijah. I found him at corporate talking with Ally.
“What am I missing?” I asked in way of greeting.
Ally sighed and rubbed her neck. “We can’t ever know for sure, but—demons like her used to be immediately killed because they tended to go feral like vamps could. When fledglings don’t learn to feed with restraint or are denied blood too long, they lose all sense. They’re monsters.”
“She controlled it though,” I hedged. “She’s not feral even if she didn’t know how to feed without killing. Hell, it’s not her fault that she killed to feed when so many can’t do that. How is—”
“Jasmine, we know,” Ally said gently, clearly understanding that I was taking it personally.
Clearly.
“Do you know what CIP is?” Ally asked me, rubbing her neck rougher when I shook my head. “Congenital Insensitivity to Pain—or CIP—is a rare.Very rareand a genetic condition preventing people from feeling physical pain from birth. Wethinkit’s related to demons who feed until death.”
“Basically, she can’t feel she’s too full,” I surmised, catching on. “Just later she knows it takes her a bit to process the feed.”
“Yes, that’s the theory,” Elijah muttered, his body stiff.
So clearly, he knew someone who had had it and the ending was… Not good.
“We can talk to her about if she felt pain before she changed into us,” I muttered. “She wouldn’t know her family history, but—it’s a smart theory.”
“But a dangerous one,” Ally said under her breath. “If people learned that certain human genetics or conditions could lead to different types of demons—we have enough problems. A demon who could easily feed to kill is a weapon, Jasmine.”
Like I was. I swallowed loudly and nodded. “We won’t punish her for that, right? We can—can’t we just gag her?” I pushed when they both hesitated. “She’s the victim too, Ally.”
“You’re seeing yourself in her too much.” She held up her hand when I went to argue. “We will be objective, but you are not being. Admit it.”
I had no problem admitting it. I wasn’t being.
But I needed them to say they could be and not just write her off either.
Once they did, I agreed to let them take over and step aside. I would still check in on Sam and be in the loop, but I could admit it wasn’t smart to be at the front of this.
I think who I called to ask to discuss it all surprised me as much as him, but he agreed… Even when I really floored him with where I asked to eat.
I went back to being Jasmine, choreographing and working on helping the people I could. I was clearly distracted, but we’d gottensomuch done that it was fine. I approved the whole crazy calendar and plan mapped out to audit every club and their dancers. It was truly impressive.
And somehow boostedmy confidencewhen Kyria had done it all. Mason said it was because I knew she was the right person for the job and it wasn’t simply she was my friend or who I could trust. It was a judgment call that was the right one and made me feel more confident in my decisions.
He was right, but I realized we weren’t only talking about me.
Still, I left it alone.
