“And Ophelia,” I interjected. “Ophelia is my sister.”
Nina’s eyes widened. “Oh. Lord.”
“I need a milkshake.”
Nina and Alex nodded and followed me to the car, Nina chattering the whole way. “So, Ophelia, huh? Interesting.” She looked from me to Alex. “You’ve dated sisters. Major no-no in the Dater’s Compendium.”
“I think the afterlife version might be different,” I whispered. Alex reached out and squeezed my hand, and though the move was meant to be comforting, it wasn’t. “Wow. I have a sister.”
Nina bit her lip. “If Ophelia is your sister and Satan is your dad, who’s Ophelia’s mom?”
My eyebrows went up, and Nina and I both swung to look at Alex, who shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Never got that serious, huh?” Nina said.
I thought of my own mother, her eyes warm, her touch so soft. My throat tightened. “Milkshake. Please.”
We slid into the car and drove in silence, until Alex found an In-N-Out Burger. He ran us through the drive-through, handing a chocolate milkshake back to me and balancing a basket of fries on his lap. I snatched a few, pried the lid off my shake, and dipped.
Alex looked at me. “That’s gross.”
I swallowed a chocolaty, salty mouthful. “I’ve had a bad night.”
“So,” Nina said as we coasted back onto the highway, “did you find out if Pops is Satan?”
Alex wagged his head, sipped at his shake. “It didn’t seem important anymore.”
“Because of the Ophelia thing?”
I took another handful of fries and a big gulp of chocolate shake. I could feel the soul-soothing triumvirate of salt, grease, and fat begin to work through my system.
“And because of the Vessel,” Alex said.
Nina’s eyes were wide and she tossed me a panicked look, sitting up straighter in the car seat. “What do you know about the Vessel?” she asked Alex.
“It’s okay, Nina. I told him.”
Nina’s shoulders fell a millimeter, but her eyes narrowed angrily. “You might know her secret, angel, but if you lay one hand on Sophie just because she’s this tank thing, I swear you’ll regret it for all your lives to come.”
I watched Alex’s Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “Noted.”
I reached across the seat and squeezed Nina’s hand. My dad might be Satan, I was thrown in the slammer for a disappearing murder, and I might be some kind of supernatural Tupperware, but I had the best best friend in the world.
I stole a glance over at Alex. His eyes were icicle blue and fiery. He was focused straight ahead on the dark road before us, and the muscle in his jaw was twitching the way it did when he was concentrating. I didn’t want to consider what he was thinking, so I sunk down in my seat and tried to close my eyes.
I thought about us lying in bed together, our naked shoulders touching, and him telling me about Heaven. I thought about the way he had talked about being restored to grace—about “going home.” And I thought about how I was the only way he was going to get there. I swallowed a sob.
The truth hurts, doesn’t it? My eyes flashed open. He doesn’t want you. He wants the Vessel....
I clamped my hands over my ears, trying to silence Ophelia’s singsongy voice.
Do us all a favor ... .
I gritted my teeth. Did you like seeing photos of Daddy and me? Maybe we can all get together some day ... go out for ice cream. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect family outing? He used to take me out for ice cream all the time....
Shut up, I thought, closing my eyes, clenching my fists, and going rigid. Shut up, shut up, shut up.
There was a faint, echoing giggle, and then she was gone.
I opened my eyes and saw Nina bite her lip, thinking. “So, if Sophie is the Vessel, then ... how do we get to it?”
Alex was silent, avoiding my gaze. “Alex?” I asked.
“The only way to possess the Vessel in this”—Alex’s eyes wandered over me, met mine—“form, is to release it.”
“Release it? What does that mean?” Nina asked.
I swallowed, the truth washing over me. “Death,” I said, my eyes fixing on Alex’s. “He has to kill me.”
Now you know what Alex was thinking this whole time.... He gets close to you, you fall in love with him, trust him ... and he kills you.
“No,” I murmured under my breath.
“Sophie?” Alex asked.
“That’s not true,” I whispered.
You think he really cares, don’t you? You don’t think he knew what you were all along? Come on, little sis, grow up. Alex is only after one thing. He’s a fallen angel. He’s no better than I am.
I clenched my fists, feeling my nails dig little half-moons into my palms. I felt the sting of sweat on my upper lip.
Alex put his hand on my thigh, leaned close. “Lawson, are you okay?”
“It’s Ophelia,” I whispered. “She’s in my head again.”
“Block her out. You have to.” Alex’s eyes were wide, insistent.
I pressed my palms against my ears. “I’m trying to.”