The Savage Grace: A Dark Divine Novel(54)

“You’re something greater than that. I really think you’re like an—”

“Angel?” He shook his head and looked out the window instead of at me. “I don’t think so.”

“Daniel, I really think you can use your powers for good. I thought that before you were even cured. I know you’re skeptical, and I know you’ve always felt that being an Urbat made you a monster. But Gabriel told me about the original Urbat, and the good things they were created to do. Like protect people. Like we’re about to do now. I think, together, we can be heroes.”

“Didn’t the quest to become a hero almost get you killed?”

“Only because I was trying to do it alone—or not exactly alone, but with the wrong help. But now that I have you to be a hero with me, it could totally work.”

A bubbling of hope trilled up my body into my heart, and I suddenly wondered, if I could convince Daniel that his powers could be blessing instead of a curse—that he could become a hero—then maybe there was a chance to convince other Urbat, like Sirhan’s pack, that they could do it, too. I could help them reclaim their blessings—just like Gabriel had said I could.

“I’ve never seen myself as a hero,” Daniel said.

“Maybe it’s time you start.”

I could tell Daniel was about to protest, but he then suddenly sat up in his seat. “He’s here.”

I looked up just in time to see Pete Bradshaw, looking all too alive, slink through the line of teens gathered outside the entrance gate. A couple of burly-looking guys stood aside to let him enter the farmhouse.

“Bouncers,” I said. “I didn’t think an Akh party would have bouncers.”

“I’m sure they’d want to keep people like us from crashing their fun.”

“Right.” I took in a deep breath and let it out in a puff. “So this is it? The end of our story with Pete Bradshaw? As much trouble as he’s given us, I never thought I’d be the one to kill him.”

Daniel put his hand on my arm. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“I’ve killed a demon before. He was a Gelal, but according to Talbot, Akhs die the same way. They just explode into dust instead of burning acid. It should be cleaner, I guess.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Daniel looked me right in the eyes. “I know Pete isn’t really Pete anymore. But we still knew him. You guys were friends once. Killing a demon wearing the face of your old friend, that’s got to affect you differently than just killing some random Gelal. And we both know what happened last time.…”

I bowed my head. “I know.” The first, and last, time I’d killed a demon, I’d experienced such a power rush that I’d almost lost control and given in to the wolf. “But I think I’m ready. I need to clean up the messes I’ve made.”

Because deep down, I knew Pete’s undeath had happened, ultimately, because of me. Even if I wasn’t the one who killed him the first time, it was my responsibility to do it now.

“Either way, I want you to wear this. Maybe it will help you avoid any side effects.” Daniel removed his moonstone necklace and handed it to me.

“Thanks,” I said, remembering what it had been like to go into battle against a demon without one.

Daniel opened the weapons pack that April had sent us with. He handed me a stake bedazzled with bright pink and orange gemstones, and he selected for himself a stake that had a gold wolf’s head attached to the end.

“Sure you don’t want the sparkly one?” I dangled my stake in front of him.

“I don’t do sparkles,” Daniel said. He cracked a smile for the first time since we left April’s. “But the whole ensemble looks pretty darn hot on you.”

“Wait.” I pulled down the black mask, adorned with three matching pink gemstones at the temples, over the upper half of my face. “What do you think now?”

“Cute, but I prefer seeing your face.” Daniel tied his own black mask over his eyes. Luckily, his was free of any sparkles. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

I nodded. “What about you? How’s your shoulder?”

The way he’d been carrying himself all day, I’d almost forgotten about the bullet wound. I realized that it might not be the best idea for us to head into battle with one of us injured.

Daniel rolled his shoulders. “It stings like crazy, but I’ll be okay. I think it’s even started to heal a bit.”

“That’s good.”

“Let’s go.” He reached for the door handle.

I put my hand on his arm. “Thank you.”

His dark eyes blinked behind the mask. “What for?”

“For not suggesting that I stay in the car while you go in and take care of things for me.”

“We’re partners in this.”

“Good,” I said.

We got out of the car. The lost boys, wearing various Halloween masks, fell in behind us and we made our way toward the farmhouse through the crowd of teens who were clamoring to get past the bouncers. Some of the partygoers were dressed in costumes, others just in assortments of black, camo, lace, and leather. I wondered if they were eager to get inside the trance party because they knew what was going on in there—or because they didn’t have a clue. Part of me wanted to shout at them to run away.