Page 107 of Devil Inside

“You ready?”

“Take me home.”

Home.Where is home?

In me?

In hell.

I look straight ahead. The road before us is two lanes, one heading in each direction. There are no cars. The traffic light down the block is red, a single cigarette singed into the night, seething brighter as if whoever’s smoking just took a long drag.

I don’t know if I can do this. I am afraid.

I am so afraid.

I tempted death for so long, until it finally found me. Took me. Dragged me to hell. Now I’m back with a second chance and what do I do? Fall right into the arms of a devil. A fucking goddamn demon. As if my soul couldn’t keep away from the cinders.

Faith, she said. Lilith has faith... in me. A demon who found faith.

I’m definitely no angel.

“Ready?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, then,” I say. Take a deep breath. “Here we go...” I lift my foot up from the street and immediately bear my weight down on the pedal, pushing us off. The bike darts forward.

Lilith’s arms constrict around my chest as we wobble. I have to counter by leaning forward. Find our balance. Gravity is already reaching for us, greedy, ready to take us down.

But I won’t let it. Gravity can’t have her. She’s mine, all mine.You can’t have her...

I can do this. I can. All I need is a little faith.

Seven blocks. That’s all. We can take it slow. I don’t need to push it too hard. This isn’t a marathon. It’s just two people, sharing a bike, riding home through Richmond.

I can do this. I can. I’ve done it—

a lifetime ago

—before and I can do it again. My breathing deepens as I pick up our pace, pumping my legs. I’m out of practice. Out of shape. Already, I can feel the ache in my joints. Muscles protest, clenching up. Some even scream. The loudest sound, however,is right there in my head. All the doubt. The fear. It’s simmering up to the surface of my skull. It won’t let me go.

I can’t do this. I can’t.

Faith.

I feel Lilith’s hand slide across my chest. She’s found her way under my shirt, the gentle scrape of her fingernails over my bare skin. She finds my nipple and pinches.

“Hey now,” I say. “No distracting the driver while he’s driving.”

“Am I distracting you?”

“Just a tad.”

“Forgive me. I thought I was offering moral support...”

“It’s not my morals that need supporting.”

We don’t have far to go. Through Carytown, then hang a left. We’ll be back at my place in no time.