The Stars Never Rise

Who else could they hurt? Anabelle? Ironically, if she were a demon, she’d probably be safe from their “purifying” flames, but if she was human…


“Either way,” Devi continued, “I think they’ll give you until tomorrow to turn yourself in.”

“Good. I’ll make my move tonight.”

“I’m sorry, Nina.” Reese shoved the last two bottles of water into his bag. “I’d help if I could, but I have to get Grayson out of town. She’s defenseless until she transitions.”

“If I transition…,” Grayson mumbled, obviously frustrated by her own vulnerability.

“No, I get it,” I assured them both, the gears in my head grinding around the beginnings of a risky new jailbreak possibility. “I don’t want Gray hurt either, and part of my plan depends on you guys getting out of here—with as much noise and demon bloodshed as possible.”

“You’re going to use us as a distraction?” Devi sounded impressed, and a tiny flame of pride flickered inside me.

“Yeah. I’m counting on your escape to occupy most of the cops in town—and hopefully all the fake exorcists—while I break Mellie out of jail.”

“I’m going with you,” Finn said, and I smiled, trying not to let him see how relieved I was by the offer.

“Not in Maddy’s body, you’re not,” Devi insisted, and I spoke up before he could argue.

“She’s right. And anyway, I need you in your natural state.” Finn’s brows rose, and my cheeks burned. “I mean, you’ll be more help to me if you’re not restricted to one body.”

“Fair enough.” His green-eyed gaze held mine. “So, how do we get out with your sister if we’ve already spent our distraction getting to her in the first place?”

“I’m kind of hoping you’ll be able to open the right doors and push the right buttons when the time comes. I mean, the ordained can’t all be possessed, right?” But no one seemed to have an answer to that.

“So, when do we go?” Reese was already peeking through the curtains, edgy and on alert.

“We wait until the search dies down and we can get closer to the wall before we’re spotted, or until the search comes to our door and we have to run,” Devi said, headed for one of the bedrooms. “Until then, we rest up for the big moment.”

But I was too scared and exhilarated to sleep. While they settled into the bedrooms to nap in pairs, I sank onto the couch alone, staring at the silent headlines scrolling on the TV. I watched misleading footage and read blatant lies.

And I directed all my fear and fury into outlining a plan that would hopefully put us all well beyond the Church’s reach….

***

“I think you’ve seen enough of that.” Reese dropped onto the couch next to me and plucked the remote from my grip. He turned off the TV and set the controller on the coffee table.

“More than enough,” I agreed, studying Finn’s latest face. “What about Grayson?”

“Reese convinced her to rest up before tonight and gave me an hour in the driver’s seat.” Finn stretched his arms, one of them behind me, as if he were checking the fit of a new shirt.

Maddock and Devi had retreated into the other bedroom, and I was on watch. “Well, I won’t turn down the company,” I said as Finn leaned down for a kiss. “Mmm…,” I murmured when I finally pulled away for a breath. “You taste minty.”

“I like brushing my teeth.” His grin was all Finn, even with Reese’s mouth. “I like having teeth to brush.” His thumb rubbed over my knuckles while he examined my eyes. “Still working on the plan?”

“Thinking about after. Assuming we actually make it out with my sister, she’ll still be pregnant. In the badlands. There aren’t a lot of happy ways for that to play out.”

Mellie would carry her baby for at least seven more months. She would feel it kick, and she would deliver it, and she would love it.

Then she would watch it die.

“Unless you happen to have an extra soul in your back pocket,” I finished, unable to disguise the grim note in my voice.

“Well, the pants are Reese’s, but I doubt it.” Finn squeezed my hand. “People die unexpectedly, right? Accidents. Heart attacks. Shot in the chest by an outlaw.” I remembered the fake exorcist he’d killed in my living room to protect me. “I mean, look how many people the Church killed tonight just to protect their secret! So there have to be some souls in the well at any given time. Not enough to make the world go round, but maybe enough for one baby born on the run in the badlands without a donor. Right?”

I nodded slowly. “But how do we know there will be at the time her baby’s born? How can we know for sure?”

“We can’t. Your sister is in the unenviable position of giving birth with no guarantee. Just like women a hundred years ago.”