Page 47 of Hell Kissed

“I-I got you something.” I feel slightly self-conscious as I shift her weight to one hand to reach into my pocket.

I’ve never given away a piece of my hoard before. Not one single broken spoon. My collection is all I have in my home. It keeps me company to see my mementos of the places I’ve been and the people I’ve met.

But this one… it belongs to her.

Within my pocket, I slip past the dwindling ration of food from home. Then my fingers tangle with thin lacy fabric that surprises me for a second. Confusion tenses my face before realization dawns on me. Right… stole the pink panties that were blowing in the wind back at the temple…

I shove her secret stolen panties aside before finding the item I was looking for.

With a small smile, I lift my hand between us. Her eyes are bright with anticipation, and my heart soars to have her full attention.

My fingers splay open to reveal the tiny gift.

Her mouth does that thing where it falls open, but not in awe.Is she confused? Does she not understand what it is?

I pick up the item and hold it between my index finger and thumb.

“It’s his. That little shit who tormented you,” I explain and wait for her gasp of amazement and appreciation.

Hmm. She isn’t gasping…

“Is that—is that a finger?” she asks with a curl of her lip.

I nod. It should be obvious. Clearly, it’s his finger.

“I got it for you. The ring, I think it’s his family insignia, so you’ll always remember that he can’t hurt you anymore.”

I shove the rigid finger in my mouth and hold it there while I work the metal ring off of the fleshy end of it. She dry heaves strangely and looks away from me as I tear off the shiny ring with a breath of achievement in my lungs. I spit the finger out. It drops and sinks into the snow like a forgotten piece of memorabilia that I’ll never get back, but I have to smooth over this weird disgust that’s lining her pretty features right now.

She hesitantly peers back at me. I hold the now fingerless ring out to her in the palm of my hand, and her eyes brighten slightly.

Ah. So it was the bloody finger that was a turnoff.

Noted.

She takes the jewelry and holds it with both hands. The sunlight shimmers off the edge of the metal and shines across her face in an arc of golden colors.

“You killed him,” she whispers.

I nod as a large smile creeps over my lips.

“For me.”

I nod harder, smirking even harder too.

And then she’s smiling as well.

Her attention is punctuated with a wave of warm magic that I’ve never felt until I met her. Her power trembles through my chest like a second pulse.

She’s special.

Just like Hela said.

And I have no fucking idea how I’m supposed to finish this job now that I know that.

Chapter Sixteen

The Peak