The last word was still hanging in the air when the problem hit me.Iwouldn’t be goinganywhereafter my sister had her baby. Not ever again.
But even if Reese and the others waited for her, Mellie couldn’t go with them—I didn’t want her and the baby anywhere near Pandemonia. Yet Eli and his people were much less capable of protecting my last family members than Anathema was.
There were no good options. My death would give the baby life yet leave no one capable of defending that life.
Oblivious to the choice I was wrestling with, Reese glanced over my shoulder to where my sister was laboring next to our campfire with only Anabelle in attendance. “No. Nina, we have to gonow,” he whispered. “She could be in labor all night. Grayson can’t wait that long.”
“Son, they’ve probably already claimed her as a host,” Brother Isaiah said, and I turned to find him watching our exchange with many of his followers fanned out behind him. “If that’s the case, the most you can offer her is the release of her immortal soul.”
“He’s an atheist.” Eli pushed himself to his feet, still rubbing his throat. “He doesn’t believe her soul can find peace.”
“It doesn’t matter. She’s not possessed,” Finn said, and we all turned to him in surprise. “Not yet.”
Reese swiped one thick arm across his face, wiping away tears that seemed to be part grief, part rage. “How do you know?”
“I know because Peter has a dent in his head rather than a smoking hole in his chest. She didn’t exorcise him, so she hasn’t triggered her transition yet, and she’s safe until she does. Exorcist hosts are averyrare luxury, even in Pandemonia, and they all know that if she’s possessed before she enters transition, she neverwillenter transition.”
“How much time do we have?” Reese asked, and I noticed that his gaze had lost focus. He was concentrating on the plan to get Grayson back.
“As much time as she gives us,” Finn said softly. “As long as she refuses to exorcise her first demon, they can’t possess her.” He cleared his throat and glanced at the ground. “But there’s nothing they won’t do to try tomakeher trigger her transition. They have no compassion and no boundaries. They have no souls.”
His last statement echoed into stunned silence as the rest of us considered what that might mean.
“I almost helped trigger her…,” Reese whispered, and I’m not sure anyone beyond our immediate circle heard him. “I could have gotten her killed.” He looked up suddenly, and his gaze found mine. “Stay with your sister, if you need to. I understand. But I’m going after Grayson now, and I’m taking the SUV. Any of you who want to come are welcome.” His gaze skipped over Finn—probably assuming we wouldn’t be split up—and found Maddock and Devi. Before they could answer, I laid one hand on Reese’s arm, panic swelling deep inside me.
“Let me check on Mellie. It could be false labor.” That was the only hope I had left to cling to. “And even if it’s not, maybe it won’t take as long as we expect.”
Reese nodded. “Check on her. But I’m going in fifteen minutes, with or without you.”
I jogged back to our campfire, Finn’s footsteps echoing at my back. Damaris was right behind him.
“What happened to Grayson?” Mellie asked when I knelt next to her. She had both hands on her belly, but she wasn’t sweaty or pale. She looked pretty good, considering.
“Some of Kastor’s demons possessed a few of the Lord’s Army’s members and took her.”
Melanie’s eyes widened. “Here? Kastor’s people arehere?Now?”
“They were, but they’re gone, and I don’t want you to worry about that right now.” Nor did I want her to know that Reese would be leaving in minutes, with or without us. “How do you feel?” I glanced at Anabelle, who had stopped consulting her watch; then I turned to Damaris, who frowned as she felt my sister’s bulging stomach.
“I can’t feel any contractions,” the midwife said.
“Maybe she’s not having another one yet.”
“The first two were eight minutes apart,” Anabelle said. “But now she’s gone ten minutes without one.”
I studied my sister’s face, brushing her hair back from her forehead. She looked confused and scared but physically comfortable, and it was hard not to get my hopes up. “Is that unusual?”
“Not particularly. I’d like to check her cervix, to rule out false labor.” Damaris turned back to the patient. “Honey, we need to get your pants off.”
“No, I think I’m fine now.” Mellie’s arms tightened protectively around her stomach. “The contractions have stopped. It was probably false labor, just like you said. We have to go get Grayson.”
“Okay, but we need to be sure,” I insisted, while Damaris and Anabelle turned one of our mats to face the fire because no one had returned with a flashlight. “I mean, is there any chance of that? I don’t want to move her if she’s going to have a baby in the next day or so.”
“Nina, I’m fine,” Melanie insisted. “It was false labor—the books even have a fancy name for that—but it’s over now.” She sat up and reached around her belly for her shoes. “Let’s go.”
“How long would it take to check her cervix?” If I knew forsurethat we had more time…
Please let us have more time….
