Pray For Me, Then Kiss me

CHAPTER 10: The Deal

The hunter met us in the bookstore.

Afternoon. Sun through the windows. Customers browsing. And there he was. Same man from the church. Scar on his throat.

"Last chance," he said. Voice low. "Give us the Shadow, and the priest lives. Church gets to keep their saint."

Elias stepped in front of me. Instant. Like a shield. "No."

"Then you both die." The hunter pulled out a dagger. Holy iron. It hummed. "Simple math."

People were staring now. I grabbed Elias’s sleeve. "Take me," I said. "Please."

"Ash, no—"

"Elias, listen." I turned to him. Cupped his face. "If I go, you live. You preach. You save people. That’s what you’re supposed to do."

"I don’t want to save people," he said. Voice breaking. "I want to save you. You’re the only prayer I ever had that was answered."

The hunter lunged.

And Elias did the one thing no priest should do. The one thing that would damn him.

He prayed backwards.

Instead of asking God for healing, he asked for strength to curse. For power to hurt.

Black and gold light mixed. Exploded from his hands. Hit the hunter in the chest.

The hunter dropped. Didn’t get up.

Elias collapsed too. Right into my arms.

"What did you do?" I caught him. He was so light.

"I chose," he whispered. Eyes fluttering. "You. Always you."

His eyes closed.

And I realized: to save him, I’d have to give up the last piece of my Shadow.

I’d have to become human. Or watch him die.

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To be continued...