Part 10 (1/2)

We walked in silence again. I wished Matt and I could go back to the way we used to be, when we were just friends. I missed him, and this tension between us was unbearable. We decided it wasn't safe for both of us to go inside the gas station to get the bathroom keys, so Matt went alone, while I stayed outside and worried that someone would recognize him.

A few minutes later, he came back holding two keys. ”No problem. The kid working the register didn't even look up from his phone when he gave me the keys.” Speaking of not looking up, Matt was having trouble looking at me now. Just great. This was going to be extremely awkward.

I took the key and opened the bathroom door, going straight for the sink. Seeing Liz's face stare back at me in the mirror was the weirdest feeling. I shook it off and turned on the cold water. I needed something to shock myself out of whatever it was I was going through. I splashed water on my face, but it didn't help at all.

I stared at the tag on the jeans. Squeezing myself into them wasn't going to be easy. I held my breath and tugged them on. It felt like someone was strangling my waist, but I managed to b.u.t.ton them. They actually reminded me of the jeans Melodie had made me buy. The ones I'd worn on my date with Matt. Being human again was making me tap into all those memories I'd tried to put in the back of my mind when I became the leader of the Ophi. I wondered if my Ophi memories would fade while I was here. I couldn't imagine Alex becoming nothing but a memory.

A knock on the door made me jump. I took one last look at Liz's reflection-now my reflection-and stepped outside.

Matt held his hands out at his sides. ”Well, what do you think?” He had on a deep orange s.h.i.+rt. I used to love him in that color. Something about his dark hair and eyes against the rich orange was really ... s.e.xy. But Matt wasn't a brunette anymore. He was a blond. The color didn't have the same effect on his features.

”Looks a little snug.” I stuck to safe comments, ones that didn't comment on how hot I'd thought he was-the real Matt, at least.

”Yours, too. Though I remember the jeans you wore on our date to that nightclub, Serpentarius, were killer on you. This girl doesn't...well, she's not you.”

Yeah, I knew what he meant. Not that I was complaining about Liz. She was pretty fit, but too teeny tiny-though not as tiny as these size-zero jeans. I wasn't exactly big, but I had a few inches on her-not to mention a few curves.

I fidgeted, feeling uncomfortable, which was ridiculous considering I wasn't even in my own body. ”Um, I guess we should figure out where we are.”

”Already found out. When I was in the convenience store, I checked out the paper. We're in some town called Springfield.”

”That doesn't exactly narrow it down. There are a ton of Springfields across the country.”

”Not a problem. Did you really think I'd leave it at that? I checked out a few brochures they had for activities in the area. I'm pretty sure I know where we are.” Of course he did, because Matt was perfect. He thought of everything.

”How far from home?”

”I'm guessing about four hours by bus.”

”Bus?”

”Yup. Next one leaves at six. We've got two hours.”

Alone with Matt for two hours waiting for a bus. I would've killed for this opportunity a few months ago. Now, it terrified me. Even when I wasn't a threat to him, I was still afraid to be around him. ”We don't have any money.”

Matt looked away as if ashamed. ”I sort of stole some money from the register.”

”What? How?” Matt wasn't the type to steal. I couldn't imagine how he'd pulled this off.

”I told the kid the coffee maker was empty, so when he went to refill it...” He shrugged.

I couldn't complain. We needed money, and Matt had done what he had to in order to get us out of this town. He was protecting me, even if it meant doing something completely out of character.

”We should go to the bus station and try to get some sleep.” Matt c.o.c.ked his head at me. ”What is it? Why do you look like you lost your puppy?”

How did I explain this to him? Well, Matt, after splitting my soul, I feel like a complete psycho with a split personality. I still love Alex, but looking at you, I just want to throw myself in your arms and kiss you.

”Just tired, I guess.” Yeah, that was a better answer.

”The cas.h.i.+er said the bus station was two blocks down on the left.”

A car pulled into the parking lot, so we decided to leave the bathroom keys in the door locks instead of risking going back inside the store again. The fewer people who saw us, the better. While we walked, I kept my hands shoved in my pockets. I wasn't afraid of Matt trying to hold my hand. I was afraid of me wanting to hold his. I loved Alex, and if I was fully in the underworld with him, it would be his arms I'd want around me. His hand I'd be holding. But this part of me-my completely human soul-had never been with Alex. Matt and I had a history together, one based on me being normal, not Ophi.

We stepped into the bus station and found the bus we needed. Matt pointed the way, gently placing his hand on the small of my back. He used to do that all the time when we walked down the halls at school, but now...

He looked down at his hand. ”Sorry. Old habits and all that.”

I shook my head. ”It's okay.” No, it wasn't.

I looked at the empty wooden bench. It wasn't exactly sanitary.

”Here.” Matt sat down and motioned for me to join him. ”You can put your head in my lap so your hair doesn't stick to whatever this substance is coating the bench. My guess is year-old chewing gum and...well, I don't want to know what else.”

Put my head in his lap and sleep? That was way too intimate.

”Jodi.” He frowned at me. ”You know you can trust me. I'm not going to do anything to you while you sleep.”

He wasn't the one I was worried about. ”I know that.” It was four in the morning, and I was exhausted, so I curled up on the bench next to him and rested my head on the edge of his lap, not daring to touch any more of him than necessary.

I closed my eyes and wondered what Alex was doing.

Chapter 13.

Heat p.r.i.c.kled against my skin as I led the soul past Tony and Ethan and into the depths of Tartarus. He cowered behind me, not wanting to follow but unable to stop his legs from moving. I knew the feeling. Hades had done the same thing to me on several occasions.

”Please, don't make me go. I'm sorry. For everything. Please.” He grabbed my hand, squeezing it with every sobbing heave of his body.

”I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. Once the judges make their decision, I have to follow their judgment. They said to bring you here. I'm powerless to change your fate.” Even as the words left my mouth, they felt foreign. I was going through the motions down here. The only reason I was aware of what my body and Ophi soul were doing in the underworld was because my human soul was asleep. When I tuned out one soul, the other took over.

The man, Henry Something-or-Other, continued to wail. Knowing what awaited him in Tartarus, I couldn't help feeling sorry for the guy, even if he had done terrible things in his life. I wasn't really one to judge.

”Oh, good. Another one.” Abby smirked. ”Who knew there were so many d.a.m.ned sinners in the world?”

”You're one to talk. Your punishment didn't end too long ago.”

Her eyes burned into mine. ”And it will be time for yours again soon.”

I turned away, not wanting to see Henry's horror or the look of pleasure on Abby's face, and headed back to the palace. As I pa.s.sed the Fields of Asphodel, I felt a pull in that direction.

”Jodi.”

Alex. I fought the urge to run into his arms. I had to be careful in case Hades was watching us. We never really knew where he was. Ever since we'd made the deal with him, we'd seen him less and less. It was strange, but the second I tuned in to my Ophi soul, I had access to all my memories in the underworld. I just had to be careful not to access them all at once. Between the torture and bringing souls to their own personal forms of h.e.l.l, it got overwhelming really quickly.

I walked slowly to Alex, looking around for signs of Hades. ”Hey.”

”You came.” He looked deep into my eyes. ”It's you. How? Did you release your soul already?”