“I guess we both misjudged,” I said with a tight smile. “Rookie mistake, right?”
A car drove me back to Hotel Ambrosia, Jake speeding ahead of us on his motorbike. He drove recklessly, almost swerving the bike off the road several times. I imagined him turning over new ideas in his head as he rode, locked in his own world of plotting and scheming. I didn’t argue when he accompanied me up to my suite. All of this might have been his fault, but I didn’t want to spend my final hours alone.
Hanna was waiting for me with a tray of supper. For once, I didn’t push the food away or tell her to leave it for later. For the first time in Hades, I took notice of the food offered to me: thin slices of rye bread, goat cheese, smoked salmon curled in waves around the rim of the plate, shiny olives, and ruby colored wine that tasted of plums. I ate slowly, making sure I tasted every mouthful. For me the food was reminiscent of my memories of being on earth. It was something I’d never experience again and I wanted the moment to last.
Hanna had never seen me eat with such focus or tolerate Jake’s company without complaint. She watched me, her face crumpled in pain. There was no way for her to help me now and she knew it.
“Everything will be okay, miss,” she said eventually. “Perhaps things will have changed in the morning.”
“Yes,” I murmured vacantly. “Everything will be better in the morning.”
Hanna took a few tentative steps toward me, conscious that Jake was watching her every move.
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Just get some rest, Hanna. Don’t worry about me.”
“But. ”
“You heard her,” Jake said in his most chilling voice. “Clear this away and leave us in peace.”
Hanna nodded subserviently and hurriedly cleared the dishes, throwing me a final look of distress over her shoulder.
“Good night, Hanna,” I called softly after her as she slipped out the door. “Thank you — for everything.”
When she was gone, I went through the motions of washing my face and brushing my teeth. I paid meticulous attention to each routine. Everything felt different to me now. I was acutely aware of the warm water running in rivulets over my body, the feel of the clean cotton towels against my skin. Every movement felt new, as if I were experiencing it for the first time. It occurred to me that I might be in Hell, but I was still alive. I was still a living, breathing, talking person. Not for much longer.
I stepped out of the bathroom to find Jake half sitting, half slumped on the sofa, staring into space with his chin pressed into his hand. The black tailcoat lay discarded on the floor along with the white bow tie. He had his shirtsleeves rolled up to the elbows as if in preparation for strenuous work. The room smelled strongly of cigarettes. Jake had poured himself a large tumbler of scotch, and it seemed to have steadied his nerves. He held the bottle up to see if I wanted to join him, but I shook my head. I didn’t want my thoughts muddled by alcohol. I moved around him, straightened the cushions on the sofa, tipped out the contents of the ashtray, and rearranged the items on my dressing table. Eventually, I ran out of things to distract me and there was nothing left to do but climb into the vast bed, huddle into a corner, and wait for morning. It was clear neither of us would be getting any sleep. Jake didn’t try and talk to me; he was like a statue, locked in his own world. I hugged my knees and waited patiently for the terror I expected to finally break over me like a tidal wave. But it refused to come. I had no idea what time it was. There was a digital clock by the phone, but I tried not to look at it. I couldn’t help sneaking a look once and saw that it was three forty-five A.M. The minutes seemed to stretch for an eternity because when I looked again only a few minutes had passed. Jake and I remained lost in our own private thoughts.
I hoped my last thoughts before I lost consciousness would be of Xavier. I tried to imagine a fairy-tale ending for him with an adoring wife and five children. Phantom would live with them and the house would be full of music and laughter. On Sundays he would coach the local Little League team. Xavier would think of me from time to time, usually in moments of solitude. But he would think of me only as a distant memory, as the high school sweetheart who’d left a mark on his heart but was never destined to be part of his future.
“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Jake’s voice cut through my reverie like a blade. “I don’t blame you. He would never have done anything so stupid — he at least protected you. You must despise me now more than you ever did.”
“I don’t want to spend my last hours being angry, Jake,” I said. “What’s done is done — there’s no point blaming you now.”
“I promise I will fix this, Bethany,” he said fiercely. “I won’t let them harm you.” His refusal to accept the reality in front of us was becoming irritating.
“Look, I know you’re used to calling the shots and all,” I said. “But even you can’t change this.”
“We could run,” Jake muttered, talking rapidly as his mind desperately searched for solutions. “But all the exits here are guarded. Even if we managed to outsmart the guards we wouldn’t get far. Maybe I could bribe one of them to let us into the Wasteland …”
I wasn’t really listening. I didn’t want to hear his far-fetched ideas and I wished he would just be quiet for a while.
“We still have time before dawn,” Jake continued, talking to himself now. “I’ll come up with something.”
23
Blood Sports
WHEN the Hades’ dawn broke, I wasn’t prepared for it and neither was Jake. Voices outside in the hall blasted through the silence and jolted us both out of our trance-like states. I was surprised to find I hadn’t closed my eyes all night. I was still sitting stiffly under the covers, with my knees drawn up to my chin. Jake sprang up from his position on the couch, glaring at the door with a venomous expression.
“They’re here,” he announced in a voice full of doom.
When the door opened it revealed an entourage that included Diego, Asia, and several other demons I only vaguely recognized. No less than four hulking bodyguards accompanied them.
“Sure you’ve got enough backup there?” Jake growled, his dark eyes flashing with fury.
“Big Daddy anticipated you might put up a fight,” Diego gave him a lopsided grin and flicked his head in my direction. “Take her.”
The tank-like guards stormed into the room and soon I felt their vast hands close around my forearms, hauling me easily out of bed like a rag doll. I was still barefoot and in my nightgown. I stumbled when they tied my wrists roughly together with rope and used it to pull me unceremoniously across the room.
“Don’t manhandle her!” Jake took a step toward me and the other demons sprang, immediately closing in on him. It was appalling to see his brothers and sisters turn on him so quickly. In the chaos, he disappeared from view and all I could hear was a chorus of vicious snarling and spitting. The fear was beginning to well up in me now and I couldn’t stop myself from shaking.
“Beth!” I could hear Jake calling to me, his voice filled with desperation. “Beth, I won’t let them go through with it!” But I didn’t believe him and I could tell he didn’t either. All conviction was gone from his voice.
The guards pushed me roughly down the passage and headed for the lobby. The others followed, casually chatting among themselves. When I caught her eye, Asia winked at me. In the lobby, Tucker appeared out of nowhere, his face a mask of distress. I could tell from the haunted look in his eyes that he’d heard the news. I tried not to look at him as we passed. I didn’t want to make him feel any worse.