I stopped after a foot, squeezing myself past the gate and then locking me back inside. I knew Davidson had security who tended to patrol the cemetery at night, and after last night’s fiasco, I wanted to do everything in my power to ensure I wasn’t caught - which meant the gates had to be locked up as to not draw any attention.

  Once that was taken care of, I made my way up the onyx crypt that sat alone on top of the grassy hill. I wasn’t as nervous this time. It was strange; I knew what Keaton was capable of, and I knew he would have no problem using his magic if he needed to, but for some reason, I didn’t feel like I was in danger.

  Probably because I was an idiot.

  I reached his crypt without anyone the wiser and slid inside it. The soft thump of the door closing behind me filled me with a sense of dread. Even if I sensed I wouldn’t be harmed, there was always that feeling of being trapped, of being unable to escape, inside this place. Just like he was.

  “Keaton?” I called out, trying to get used to the darkness.

  “You’re late, babes.” The gravelly voice chilled my skin and the flicker of a cigarette being lit helped my sight.

  And there he was, standing before me with his shoulders hunched, wrinkled suit still on his frame, free hand shoved into his pocket. He was the epitome of cool and casual, but his vivid green eyes pinned me to my place, right against the closed door of the crypt.

  “Yeah, well, I had to make sure I wasn’t followed.”

  His lips curved up at my sassiness and he took a long drag of his cigarette. Not once did his eyes leave me. I tried to ignore the intensity of the stare, tried to ignore the way it left me unsettled. Instead, I cleared my throat and began to walk around the crypt, keeping a safe distance between the two of us.

  “You do much thinking?” he asked. “About our little deal.”

  “Yeah.” I nodded once, hands thrust behind my back. My scalp was starting to sweat and I decided to take off the beanie I wore in order to give myself some breathing room. It wasn’t as though I needed to hide myself away from Keaton. “I tried to look into you, you know. I tried to do research. But there’s actually not much recorded on you.”

  I knew I had to do this, yet I found myself trying to buy time. I didn’t get it.

  Keaton scoffed. “Oh, trust me, babes, I got a file as thick as my thigh, and then some,” he said. “You worried I can’t do what I told you I’d do? I already told you I’m a man of my word.”

  “See, that’s the thing,” I said, stopping so I could finally look at him. “You’re not a man. Not anymore, anyway.”

  “Oh, trust me, I’m a man where it counts.” He wiggled his eyebrows with exaggeration.

  Again, I was confronted with the desire to roll my eyes. And yet, I was caught. Because I knew who he was. I knew what he could do. Why was it so easy to let my guard down around him? Was this part of his magic?

  “You can’t keep fucking around,” he said. “You’re either in or you’re out. And if you’re out, get the fuck out. I won’t have you playing games with me. I’m getting out of here with or without you. You can mark my words with that shit.” He took another long drag of his cigarette. “The question you have to ask yourself is whether or not you want that info on your brother.”

  “How can you get information if you’re stuck here?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. I gave him a long look, leaning my back against the crypt. It was cool to touch, and the solid foundation underneath me provided a steadiness I didn’t realize I needed.

  “How’d I visit your dreams?” he asked smugly. The cigarette vanished from his fingers and he slid his hands in his pockets. “I don’t think you realize just what I’m capable of, babes. If your ignorance didn’t make you look so damn adorable, I would be offended.”

  I clenched my teeth together. His eyes lit up at my reaction, as though it was exactly what he wanted from me.

  “So?” He looked down at his fingernails and frowned at some moss that grew on the side of his finger. “What’ll it be, babes? You and me saying I do, or what?”

  I threw my arms out. I still didn’t have an answer to that. I thought for sure I wanted the information. But did I really want to hitch myself to Keaton of all people for the rest of my life, for information that might not even pan out? Was I really willing to risk that?

  I mean, you risked a lot more just to get to this spot, a voice pointed out.

  I whirled around, bunching my arms over my chest protectively.

  “Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet.” Without warning, Keaton popped next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me towards him so I was forced against his chest. I expected to be smothered with the overwhelming scent of mold and dirt and cigarette smoke. And I was…but it wasn’t…terribly unpleasant.

  In fact, there was a sharpness to it, something surprisingly clean along with that mossy scent made me think of forests or hot springs, not the decaying, rotting flesh of Keaton.

  “Not you.”

  I yanked myself away from him, the words hitting me like a cold slap of water. I crossed my arms over my chest once again, looking away.

  “And what is that supposed to mean?” I asked.

  “Well, babes, you don’t seem to be the kind of girl who scares easily.” He slid his hands in his pockets loosely, suddenly casual. As if he hadn’t just pulled me into an intimate embrace. As if I hadn’t been close enough to smell him. “I mean, you’re considering marrying me of all people, know what I mean? So, to see you frighten so easily… Guess I didn’t expect it.”

  “Don’t pretend like you know me.” I began to pace again. There was too much energy burning up my insides. I needed a way to get it out of me, needing a way to direct whatever emotions were weighing me down. “You don’t.”

  “Not biblically,” he said with a playful leer. “I do look forward to that part of our marriage, though.” He cracked his knuckles.

  I stopped, mid-step. “Oh, no.” I dropped my arms to my side and marched over to him. “If we get married - and that’s a big if, considering I have no idea what I want at this point - there will have to be some ground rules or this isn’t going to work.”

  Keaton lifted a shoulder. “Naturally,” he said.

  “Okay,” I said, getting more confident. “No sex.”

  “No sex unless you want it,” he cut in, lifting a finger.

  I scowled. “That will never happen,” I proclaimed, nearly laughing at the thought.

  Keaton didn’t seem perturbed by my dismissal. “All I need is time, babes,” he said. “I’ve already won you over. You’re here, ain’t you? You’re considering marrying me.” I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up a hand. “What else?”

  I blinked. It took me a moment until I realized he wanted to know what else I wanted from him.

  “I’m not marrying you until I get the information,” I said.

  Keaton threw his head back and cackled. The haunting laughter crawled over my body like needles. I couldn’t suppress a shudder if I tried.

  “That’s a good one,” he said, wiping at his eye. “I didn’t realize you were funny, babes. You’re right. I don’t know you. Yet.”

  “Why won’t you -“

  “You think I’m going to invest my time and energy into something that’s not even committed to me?” he asked, tone suddenly serious. “What’s stopping you from taking what I have before we get hitched and leaving me in the lurch?”

  “Well, what’s stopping you from not finding the information after we get married?” I asked, throwing my arms out.

  “You’re just going to have to trust me, babes,” he said. “Take it or leave it, but if you leave it, don’t come back. I won’t put up with bitches who fucking string me along like I’m some kind of Christmas tree.” He arched a brow and leaned against the wall. “Well? What’ll it be? Proverbial balls in your court, Kara.”

  The use of my first name caught me by surprise. I tried to shake it off. I didn’t want him to notice.

  But before I could say anything, the ground began to vibrate and screams pierced the silent night.

  8

  I ran for the door. Keaton winnowed himself in front of me, preventing me from reaching it.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.

  “Is that you?” I jutted my arm out towards the door. A loud crash filled the air and more screams overwhelmed me. “Are you doing this?”

  “You think if I had the ability to do that, I wouldn’t have already done it and gotten myself the fuck out of here?” he snapped.

  I believed him. Maybe it was crazy of me, but I believed him. If Keaton could use his magic to the point where he could tear apart the academy, he would. I knew that much about him, especially since there was lingering animosity between him and Davidson, something I hoped to eventually get to the bottom of.

  As it was, I needed to help. I had to do something.

  “I have to go,” I said, fixing my eyes back on Keaton.

  “I’m not letting you run off in that.” He snapped his wrist behind him to indicate the outdoors even though it would have been such an odd angle, it would have broken something if Keaton had been alive.

  “I can’t just stay here,” I said. “I’m not going to hide. If that’s you -“

  “I don’t know what the fuck that is,” he snapped, face darkening. The shadows surrounding his green eyes only enhanced, and for the first time, I was actually scared of him, of what he might do to me. “And I refuse to have my only shot at getting the fuck out of here run off and get herself killed.”

  I jerked back. It felt like he slapped me across the face. Stupid, since I should have expected this from him. It was so damn stupid to think…I knew he didn’t care about me. I was just his ticket out of here. There was no bond. And I felt the same way about him. I shouldn’t be surprised. I shouldn’t be offended.

  But I was.

  I just didn’t want him to notice.

  “Wow,” I growled. “You’re a damn charmer, aren’t you? I’m going. And there’s nothing you can do to stop me. I don’t know what’s going on out there -“

  “And you think you can do anything about it?” Keaton asked. His words were cruel and shallow, but I didn’t think he meant them in the way I took them. These words were honest. They were plain. He wasn’t trying to cut me, but he did. They did. “You’re a slip of a girl barely an adult in this day and age. No muscle on your body. What do you think you’re going to do out there? What difference do you think you’re going to make?”

  His words cracked against me like a whip. I refused to let him see what sort of effect they had on me. He shouldn’t be able to hurt me at all. He should be nothing to me.

  But he wasn’t.

  “I can’t just sit and hide,” I said, throwing my arm out. “I don’t have an onyx tower I can cower away in.”

  “You think I’m cowering?” Before I knew it, he was directly in front of me, chest against mine. His breath invaded my senses, my face, my neck, crawling over me like a scratchy wool blanket. “Don’t you think I’d leave if I could? Do you think I want to stay here?”

  The ground shook again. I nearly lost my balance but he shot out his hand and his fingers curled around my upper arm, keeping me steady. I wasn’t even sure if he realized what he had done. His green eyes were blazing with fury.

  “You’re my ticket out of here,” he repeated. “And I’ll be damned if I let you go play hero because something is attacking the school. Let Davidson and his merry band of Keepers save the day.”

  I pulled free from his grasp and turned. I knew I was exposing my back by doing this but I didn’t care. I had to get back. I had to do something.

  Keaton was in front of me again. This time, his hands grasped my shoulders, fingers digging into my skin. Even though I wore a shirt, the material was thin. It was like I wasn’t wearing anything at all.

  “You have to let me go,” I said.

  “Fuck no,” he snapped. “I don’t think you realize -“

  “They’re the only family I have!” I exclaimed. Tears filled my eyes but I quickly blinked them away. I refused to cry in front of him. “You don’t get it. You’ve been alone for…for how long? I know you don’t care about anyone other than yourself, then getting out of here. I get it.”

  “You get it?” he drawled. “You get it? You don’t get shit, babes! You don’t know what it’s like to be trapped in your own goddamn gravesite, stuck here without any means of getting the fuck out. You don’t know what it’s like when they - you know what? Fuck this. You want to fucking kill yourself? Go right ahead. I wouldn’t want a fucking idiot for a wife anyway.” He suddenly released me and took a step back, nose wrinkled, round chin tucked.

  Anger bled out of him. I could feel it, even as he allowed more space between us.

  “You fucking are willing to risk everything for them?” he snarled, gesturing behind me. “Do you even know who they are?”

  “They saved me,” I said. “From shades. From…something. My parents…”

  I swallowed. I didn’t owe him an explanation. I didn’t understand why I felt compelled to give him one. I hated this, this obligation that crept up inside of me and took hold when it came to Keaton. It had to be his magic. It had to be.

  Keaton wrinkled his nose. He gave me a long look, wiggled his fingers, and placed the new cigarette that sprung from the air into his lips. Snapping a finger produced a flame, and suddenly, he was smoking, he was a good distance away from me, shrouded in smoke.

  “Get the fuck out of here, then,” he said.

  “What?” I stepped forward, unsure I heard him correctly.

  “You heard me.” He took the cigarette from his lips. Each word he formed was encompassed by grey wisps of smoke. Supernatural green eyes narrowed on me, pinning me in place. “Thought you had as much brain as you do looks, babes, but I was fucking wrong. I’m not usually. Don’t like it. But I don’t want a fucking wife so willing to bend over for the fucking Keepers.”

  “I am a fucking Keeper,” I snapped, leaning forward. I hated that I actually cared what his opinion was of me. So what if he didn’t want me? So what?

  Well, it means you don’t get that information on your brother…

  But I wasn’t even sure he could even do that in the first place.

  “Yeah, you’re right.” He wiggled his fingers towards the door before sticking his cigarette back in his mouth. “Run off then. Run into danger. Get killed. Be a shade. Be trapped. Just like the rest of them.”

  I paused, tilting my head to the side. “What…what are you talking about?” I asked. I shouldn’t even bother to question him. It wasn’t like it mattered anyway. The guy was a liar. He would do anything to get out of here -

  Then why is he telling you to leave, that he doesn’t want you anymore?

  I clenched my teeth together, ignoring the voice in my head.

  Keaton chuckled, leaning against the wall opposite of me once again. The laughter wasn’t exactly amused, though. It was dark, almost mocking.

  “Of course you don’t know. You don’t fucking know anything, do you?”

  “What’s your problem?” I crossed my arms over my chest again. But this time, it wasn’t because I wanted to protect myself from Keaton. More like I didn’t want him to see me. I didn’t want him to find more of my ignorance and force it on display.

  “You, toots. You’re my problem. You’re supposed to be my wife and yet you’re too fucking stupid to see past your own shit that it’s not even worth it.”

  I sighed. The floor vibrated again. More screams. Everything in me pulled at me to go. I should help.

  “Do you know what’s attacking the school?” I asked.

  “Probably something terrible,” Keaton said with a shrug. Like he didn’t care.

  Which, of course, he wouldn’t. Why would he care?

  “Why don’t you ask your little buddy, Davidson?” he asked, sticking his fingers at me, cigarette tucked tightly between his index and middle digits. “Surely, he wouldn’t dare fuck around with shades or heathens or fucking kings.”

  I shook my head immediately. “Why would he fuck around with Lucifer himself?” I asked.

  “That’s the question, isn’t it?” Keaton asked. “Kind of like why a bunch of shades would cart off your brother after eviscerating your parents when neither thing should be possible, right? Tell me, babes, do you know anything about the afterlife? The fact that the shades work for the Prince of Shadows? The fact that some of us have retained some dark magic we might have bargained our souls to get? Do you know anything, anything at all?”

  I swallowed. The truth was, I didn’t know any of that. What worried me was that he wasn’t lying. I knew that deep in my bones.

  “I’m gonna take your silence as your admittance you don’t know shit.” He clicked the back of his teeth with his tongue. “So, I ask you again. Why the fuck would you want to help someone who doesn’t trust you enough to tell you the truth about my kind and my world?”

  “If you have all this magic, how did you get here?” I asked. “How are you trapped, confined forever in your crypt? You’re supposed to be super powerful, right? And yet, you’re here.”

  Darkness touched Keaton. I found myself backing away from him. I had never seen him look like…this. Dangerous. Ready to kill anything that moved.

  “Just because I keep my word doesn’t mean everyone else does,” he growled.

  “Could you use the magic against whatever is going on out there?” I asked. My mind started to race with possibilities. I knew it was crazy to even think he would help, but what if…?

  “The fuck kind of question is that?” Keaton asked.

  Another loud boom. Another rumble, a shake. I was forced to lift my hand and place it on the wall beside me.

  “You think I’m going to stick my neck out for the people who have me locked up in this hellhole?” he demanded. “I’m into some kinky shit, but that’s some kinky shit, babes.”

  I wrinkled my nose, shaking my head. He was right. What was I thinking, asking him such a thing? I knew better than that.

 

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