“Liar!” Trina spat. She pointed a finger at Cole. “He betrayed us once, and it cost us Boots and Ducky, and now you’re going to give him the chance to do it again?”
“We need all the help we can get right now,” Cole said, and I heard the rigidity in his voice.
Boots and Ducky. Cole bore their names on his chest.
Justin straightened his shoulders. “I’m back, and I’ll do whatever it takes to prove my intentions are honorable.”
“This is stupid,” Lucas snapped. “I’m not working with him.”
“You will.” Cole eyed the crowd through narrowed lids. “You will or you’re off the team.”
Chapter 13
Let the Dead Heads Roll
In a daze, I made my way to the back of the barn. The slayers had settled in the chairs, all of them cursing and preparing to push their spirits from their bodies. Justin included.
What a shocking turn of events.
Trina gave me a slitted look, and I knew she was commanding me to speak with Cole ASAP.
Soon, I mouthed.
Had Cole welcomed Justin because he hoped to keep his enemy close? Or did he actually trust Justin? Was he using Justin, pretending to trust him in the hopes of gaining information about Anima?
Was Justin sincere, or was he acting as a double agent?
So many possibilities.
One after the other, the slayers stood in spirit form. Except me. I tried, again and again, but each time I failed.
As I struggled, it felt as if someone was holding on to my spirit, forcing it to stay where it was.
Gavin and Veronica took off, followed by Trina and Collins, then Lucas and Mackenzie, Cruz and Bronx. Although it seemed otherwise, no one but me had a partner tonight—and I hadn’t yet been told who that partner was. Everyone was to branch in different directions to cover as much ground as possible. However, no one was to engage until backup arrived.
“What’s wrong?” Justin asked me, hanging back.
Was he my partner? No, surely not.
“Nothing. I’m fine. I can do this.” I closed my eyes. Drawing on every ounce of my considerable determination, I imagined my spirit rising and felt my body respond. But when I opened my eyes, hard hands clamped around me and jerked me back into the chair. What the heck?
Justin shrugged, muttered, “Good luck,” and took off.
Cole crouched in front of me, the only slayer left. Oh, crap. He was my partner, wasn’t he? He looked at the door, then me. The door, me. Indecision played over his features. “Problem?” he asked.
Why not tell the truth? “Yeah, but I don’t know what it is.” Unless...was Z.A. now strong enough to hold me in place?
He looked relieved. “Stay here. I was supposed to be your sidekick, so we were going to cover the same area anyway. I’ll just do it on my own.”
And do it faster, his tone implied.
I scowled at him.
“Tomorrow,” he continued, “Ankh can run a few more tests on you.”
“That’s your answer to everything. Test, test, test. He’s run a thousand already, but hasn’t found anything. There’s nothing else to check.”
“So? He’ll do the same tests again. The results could be different.”
Oh, really? “Do you know the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
“Wrong. That’s the definition of determination.” Cole flattened his hands on my knees. Because he was in spirit form and I was in human, he ghosted through me, somehow leaving a trail of heat behind.
“Just go,” I said, shivering. I motioned to the exit.
“Ali.”
“Go,” I repeated.
His gaze narrowed. “Despite everything, I am your boss, you know. You shouldn’t talk to me that way.”
Whatever. “You’re my boss. My ex. My friend. Sometimes. Maybe. You can’t be all of those things at once. You have to pick one.”
His gaze narrowed further, until all I saw was the darkness of his pupils. “Today I’m picking boss. Tomorrow I might change my mind.”
Frustrating boy. “Go!” Then, to be snotty, I added, “Sir.”