Page 76 of Demon's Bluff

“Is it National Orange Juice Day?” the woman said as she hesitated, waiting to see if we wanted anything else. “There’s a guy at the bar who ordered the exact same thing.”

“What?” I stiffened, leaning to look past her.

Newt beamed, drink in hand as she saluted the bar. “You aren’t the only one who can see the future,” she said cryptically, and then I froze at a familiar pained cough.

Kisten?

My heart hammered and I flushed, even as my knees went watery and my gut flip-flopped. I stood, recognizing the hunch to his shoulders, the way he sat at the bar with his back to the stage, his foot on the rest. His hair was damp from a shower, and he was in a faded pair of sweats from Nick’s closet. I had left him at Nick’s place to go make a deal with Piscary, only to wake up in the church thinking Kisten was still there.

I couldn’t move. It was Kisten. He was there. Alive. Hurting. Beaten bad.

But it would be worse tonight.

“I left him…” I whispered, unable to look away. I couldn’t breathe. I wanted to go to him. I knew better, but he was right there. I wouldn’t warn him. Just say good-bye. I could not sit down and pretend I hadn’t seen him.

“Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me with her!” Elyse begged, one of my hands in her grip.

The server had walked away. It was all I could do to stand there. “He’s supposed to be at Nick’s apartment,” I whispered, numb with indecision.

Newt sipped her drink. “If you look forward far enough, you can see the past. But you seem to have learned that lesson already.”

“Excuse me.” My words were breathy. He was there. He was hurting. Sometimes, it was that simple.

“Don’t.” Elyse yanked on my wrist. “You’ll screw up the timeline.”

I pulled from her, angry. What if I did? What did anyone care? “You’re only worried about yourself.” There was a small bag at his feet. Was he running?

“Rachel, no!” Elyse whispered, her eyes haunted as they fixed on me. “You walk away, and she takes me! You know it. You promised.”

It was as if someone had hit me in the gut. Breath held, I turned to Newt, reading the surety of that in her smug confidence. “You knew he’d be here,” I said, voice shaky, and she shrugged, content to wait and see.

And though it hurt like a thousand knives, I sat down. I had loved Kisten, but Elyse needed me right now. Here. And I had promised.

It felt as if my heart was breaking all over again.

“Thank you,” Elyse said, voice ragged, and then Kisten lifted his head.

I stared, my heart hammering as he turned on the barstool, following the server’s pointing finger to me. I couldn’t seem to get any air.

“Rachel, please,” Elyse begged. “Don’t change anything. Just pretend you’re you.”

“It’s too late,” I whispered when Kisten got to his feet, clearly in pain as he picked up Nick’s borrowed overnight bag and came over. An unsure smile was on his freshly shaved face, as if we had been caught playing out “The Piña Colada Song.”

“How did you know?” he said, and I blinked fast, trying not to cry as his voice rumbled through me, sparking memories. Lacerations decorated his arms and face, and his cheek was still swollen from the beating he’d taken this morning, but it was him. “I wanted to be sure I had a safe way out of here before I called you. Everyone knows your little red convertible.”

He thought I was me, and I stood, shoving past Elyse to give him a hug.I can do this,I thought.I can pretend to be me. Nothing has to change. I just want to hold him. Say good-bye.

My God. It hurt.

“Kisten,” I whispered, and then I had him, hands trembling as I pulled him tight enough to make him grunt in surprise. Vampire incense puffed up between us, and I almost lost it. It was him. He was alive, and I couldn’t let him go. “You were supposed to wait for me at Nick’s apartment,” I choked out.

“You were right,” he said, low voice pulling through me, and I closedmy eyes, breath held until I knew I wasn’t going to cry. “I called my cousin. He’s going to meet me here. Let me borrow his car.”

He pushed me back, and I gazed at him, soaking him in as I carefully touched his bruised face, remembering him, remembering every little thing. “I missed you,” I said, voice soft so I wouldn’t cry. “I missed you so much.”

My heart was aching. I didn’t care what was going on behind me at the table. All that mattered was this moment. This now.

Oblivious, Kisten wiped my eyes. “Love, it’s only been half an hour. It’s going to be okay. You’re right. Even an hour is better than nothing, and maybe they won’t find us. Maybe.”