goes slack. He pushes my overnight bag onto the floor and sits on the opposite bed. “I didn’t know that’s why Boss Man sent you to collect her. You really think she has the ability to cancel out our seals?”
I nod.
“What are you going to do?”
I place a hand on my forehead. The truth is I don’t really know what I’m going to do. I’ve proven to myself that I can push Charlie to sin. And I’ve already sealed her soul once. But how am I going to do it enough times to collect her in less than ten days? The weight of this assignment suddenly feels like it’s sitting on my chest, like a fat walrus just hanging out.
“Honestly? I’m not really sure,” I say. “But I’ve been thinking. Out of us six collectors, I’ve always been the top performer. I’ve brought Boss Man more souls in two years than others have in ten.” I look at Max. “No offense to the other collectors.”
He shrugs. “Ain’t no thing but a chicken wing.”
I laugh. Leave it to Max to make anything into a joke. “Anyway, I’m thinking Boss Man will spot me a few extra days if that’s what I need.”
The goofy grin on Max’s face falls. He runs a hand through his hair and turns toward me. “You’re not seriously thinking about asking for an extension.”
I shrug and pull my lips together as if to say. Why not?
“Dante, Boss Man will have a conniption fit if you don’t bring this girl in. He doesn’t want to chance a Judgment Day. It’s why he’s stuck you on her. So you gotta figure something out.”
“Like what?” I need him to have the answer, because right now, I feel clueless. Max is right; if Charlie died before being collected for hell, she’d go to Judgment Day, and she’d be a shoo-in for heaven.
Max rubs his chin and then the sides of his face, which aren’t as perfectly shaven as usual. “The Assistant gave me something.”
My heart stops beating for the second time in my life. Nothing good comes from Boss Man’s assistant. Whenever he’s too worked up to deal with something himself, he passes it off on her. And she does whatever’s necessary to get the job done.
Max stands up and reaches into his navy-blue sports coat. I feel my skin prick with sweat in anticipation. When he pulls his hand back out, he’s holding rolled-up pieces of paper. My muscles relax, and I release a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
It’s only paper. How bad can it be?
Max hands me the parchment. A red ribbon is tied around it. For a moment, I enjoy this simple pleasure, my fingers touching the silky red ribbon. Such a great shade of red.
I unroll the document and glance at Max. His face is contorted in an I share your pain kind of way. I glance down and read the first words that catch my eye. I realize I’m not breathing again. I’m not doing anything besides staring at the jumble of letters that open their nasty mouths and scream
SOUL CONTRACT.
I drop the contract in my lap. It’s useless. Someone like Charlie would never agree to an exchange. “Did you read this?” I ask him.
He pulls his mouth up on one side. That’s a yes .
“I didn’t know we used these anymore,” I say.
“Apparently we do,” he says gently.
“Have you ever—”
“No.” Max shakes his head. “Never.”
I stand up, and the contract drops to the floor. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t show her this. I’d have to expose myself. I’d have to expose all of us.” As I say this aloud, I wonder if it matters…if she already knows who we are. “She’ll freak out. She’ll think I’m lying. It’ll push her away.” I cross the room and stop in front of the hotel room window. “There are a thousand reasons why this is a bad idea.”
“I’m right there with you,” Max agrees. “But what can you do about it?”
“I’ll bring her in on time. The right way. There’s no way I’m risking our asses for this girl.” I turn from the window. “Besides, even if I needed to use it, it’d never work. This girl
I nod.
“What are you going to do?”
I place a hand on my forehead. The truth is I don’t really know what I’m going to do. I’ve proven to myself that I can push Charlie to sin. And I’ve already sealed her soul once. But how am I going to do it enough times to collect her in less than ten days? The weight of this assignment suddenly feels like it’s sitting on my chest, like a fat walrus just hanging out.
“Honestly? I’m not really sure,” I say. “But I’ve been thinking. Out of us six collectors, I’ve always been the top performer. I’ve brought Boss Man more souls in two years than others have in ten.” I look at Max. “No offense to the other collectors.”
He shrugs. “Ain’t no thing but a chicken wing.”
I laugh. Leave it to Max to make anything into a joke. “Anyway, I’m thinking Boss Man will spot me a few extra days if that’s what I need.”
The goofy grin on Max’s face falls. He runs a hand through his hair and turns toward me. “You’re not seriously thinking about asking for an extension.”
I shrug and pull my lips together as if to say. Why not?
“Dante, Boss Man will have a conniption fit if you don’t bring this girl in. He doesn’t want to chance a Judgment Day. It’s why he’s stuck you on her. So you gotta figure something out.”
“Like what?” I need him to have the answer, because right now, I feel clueless. Max is right; if Charlie died before being collected for hell, she’d go to Judgment Day, and she’d be a shoo-in for heaven.
Max rubs his chin and then the sides of his face, which aren’t as perfectly shaven as usual. “The Assistant gave me something.”
My heart stops beating for the second time in my life. Nothing good comes from Boss Man’s assistant. Whenever he’s too worked up to deal with something himself, he passes it off on her. And she does whatever’s necessary to get the job done.
Max stands up and reaches into his navy-blue sports coat. I feel my skin prick with sweat in anticipation. When he pulls his hand back out, he’s holding rolled-up pieces of paper. My muscles relax, and I release a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
It’s only paper. How bad can it be?
Max hands me the parchment. A red ribbon is tied around it. For a moment, I enjoy this simple pleasure, my fingers touching the silky red ribbon. Such a great shade of red.
I unroll the document and glance at Max. His face is contorted in an I share your pain kind of way. I glance down and read the first words that catch my eye. I realize I’m not breathing again. I’m not doing anything besides staring at the jumble of letters that open their nasty mouths and scream
SOUL CONTRACT.
I drop the contract in my lap. It’s useless. Someone like Charlie would never agree to an exchange. “Did you read this?” I ask him.
He pulls his mouth up on one side. That’s a yes .
“I didn’t know we used these anymore,” I say.
“Apparently we do,” he says gently.
“Have you ever—”
“No.” Max shakes his head. “Never.”
I stand up, and the contract drops to the floor. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t show her this. I’d have to expose myself. I’d have to expose all of us.” As I say this aloud, I wonder if it matters…if she already knows who we are. “She’ll freak out. She’ll think I’m lying. It’ll push her away.” I cross the room and stop in front of the hotel room window. “There are a thousand reasons why this is a bad idea.”
“I’m right there with you,” Max agrees. “But what can you do about it?”
“I’ll bring her in on time. The right way. There’s no way I’m risking our asses for this girl.” I turn from the window. “Besides, even if I needed to use it, it’d never work. This girl
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