What Doesn't Kill You by Cate Dean Page B

“No one else is going to die because of that bloody damn deck.”
    “You can’t—”
    “I can.” She punched his already broken nose, and he went down. “I will.”
    Whirling, she ran for the deck, knife raised to stab it.
    Brilliant pain sliced into her left side.
    She gasped, stumbling, her knees giving out under her. She lifted her head, saw James, and the cross in his hands—an iron cross, the base sharp as a knife. Where—I didn’t sense it—I should have—
    His jacket. The one she saw cradling Zach’s head.
    Gripping the knife, she managed to get her legs under her, barely able to breathe for the pain. James hovered over her, lifting the bloody cross.
    “I win.” He smiled, blood staining his teeth. “I always win.”
    She stood, her left side screaming at her. “No, James. The deck wins—just as it always has.”
    “You’re wrong. I control it. I was meant to, from the first moment I saw it.” He pointed the sharp base of the cross at her. It took all her control not to flinch away from the iron. With her injuries, just the proximity burned. “My aunt kept me under her thumb, stringing me along with promises and platitudes. The deck’s power gave us both a long life. Until I strangled her in her sleep.”
    His smile widened, sent a chill through her. Somewhere along the way, he had traded near- immortality for sanity. Claire kept him talking, kept him distracted, so he didn’t notice that his frenetic pacing kept moving him closer to the edge of the cliff. “How many other people have you killed, James?”
    “It was the cards!” He actually pouted. “They need the life force. I am just the conduit. Can’t you see that? But with your power, I can finally take control, make the cards work for me. After so many years of being the slave, I will be the master. I am the master.”
    He twirled the cross, her blood splashing over his face. Sputtering, he wiped at it, choking and cursing. Claire took advantage and whirled, stabbing the knife down. Straight into the heart of the deck.
    “NO!”
    Fire burst out of the cards. Claire recoiled, covering her face, and ran into James.
    He spun her around, fury twisting his face, and swung the cross at her. She let the iron connect, the fury and pain fueling her. With a horrible sense of déjà vu, the sharp base of the cross drove deep into her side as she shoved them both toward the edge of the cliff.
     
    *
     
    “ M om—” Zach choked back the pain that ripped across his right side as he tried to stand. “Mom, no—”
    She fell off the cliff. Taking James with her.
    He crawled across the grass, caught the cliff edge and used it to pull himself forward. Simon was gone—he couldn’t lose her, too—not now—
    “Claire!”
    Eric’s shout told him help had finally arrived. He kept moving, pulling himself closer so he could look over the edge. She was gone, his mind already knew that, but he had to know for sure.
    Strong hands caught his ankle, kept him from going over after her. Part of him wanted to—this was his fault, he took the card, he put them in this spot by following them, being stupid enough to let himself be taken—
    “Zach?”
    The wind-whipped voice stopped his heart. Grabbing the edge of the cliff, he peered over the side.
    Mom hung on to a protruding ledge, clinging like a monkey. Cold wind beat at her, trying to tear her off. His heart stuttered, started pounding again so hard it hurt his chest. Fresh blood heated his skin.
    “Hang on, Mom—” He reached down with his left hand, stretching out his fingers. The tips just brushed her shoulder. His side hurt so bad he could hardly breathe, but he wasn’t going to let her die. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself. “Can you take my hand?”
    “Zach—”
    “Don’t argue. We can argue later. Take my hand.”
    Her eyes widened, silver almost swallowing the blue. Zach expected her to snap his head off, with the demon so clearly close to the surface. Instead she calmly