Black City Read Online Free PDF

prolonging the final moment of their death.”
    I stared at him, knowing what he said was true, but everything I was inside fought against it.
    “I can’t stand by,” I said, yanking my hand away. “I have to use my gifts to help those who have none.”
    “So you can make yourself feel better? So you can sleep at night?” Nathaniel asked. “So when you close your eyes you can see the grateful face of the person you rescued at the last moment from a demon, never wondering what became of them after you disappeared into a swirl of smoke?”
    “When I close my eyes I see Azazel’s sword cutting outGabriel’s heart. I see Gabriel falling into the snow, surrounded by his own blood,” I said, my voice hard. “Don’t presume that you know me, or what drives me. If I save someone from a monster only to have them get hit by a bus fifteen minutes later, then at least I did the right thing when I had the opportunity. I wouldn’t walk by a pix demon eating someone just because a vampire might be right behind.”
    “Even if it means you risk your life for no purpose?” Nathaniel asked.
    “You’re not human. You wouldn’t understand.”
    “I have seen plenty of humanity. The vast majority would not help their fellow neighbor unless forced to do so at gunpoint,” Nathaniel said.
    Our argument was interrupted by Samiel’s return. She’s two floors below here.
    I rubbed my forehead, practicality warring with unfinished business. “Samiel, you and Jude go get Chloe and then get out of the building. Nathaniel and I will track down the pix.”
    Samiel looked doubtful. Every time we split up something bad happens.
    “I need to know that the three of you are safe,” I said.
    What about my need to know that you’re safe?
    “I’ll be fine,” I said. “I’ve survived worse than a pix.”
    You died once.
    “And I came back,” I said, giving him a half smile.
    I wouldn’t count on that happening a second time.
    Jude barked in agreement.
    “Please, just get Chloe out and get home. Trust that I can take care of myself.”
    Samiel looked at me for a long moment. Finally, he nodded. I’ll text you when we’re home.
    “Okay,” I said. The world went wobbly for a second, andI realized my eyes were filling. I swallowed hard, willing the tears away. If Samiel thought I was worried, he wouldn’t leave. But I’d had a strange feeling for a moment, the feeling that one of us was not going to make it home.
    Jude nudged my leg with his nose. I kneeled down so I could look him in the eyes. I could see his reluctance as clearly as if he’d shouted it. Jude fancied himself my protector, and he’d never completely trusted Nathaniel.
    “Take care of Samiel and Chloe,” I whispered, and put my arms around his neck, burying my face in his fur. “I will be home soon.”
    He rubbed his nose across my cheek, and then the two of them disappeared into the stairwell. I knelt on the floor, staring after them, hoping I hadn’t made a mistake. Hoping I hadn’t sent them to their deaths.
    “You cannot be responsible for everyone’s lives,” Nathaniel said quietly from behind me.
    I stood and faced him. “That’s what love is. When you love someone you’re responsible for them, and they you. Until you understand that, I’ll never believe you when you say you care about me.”
    “I do understand it,” he said. “But you are the only one that has ever made me feel this way.”
    He seemed bewildered when he said this, like the feeling was some foreign disease that had invaded his body. I was all too aware of the fact that we were alone, and that he was not Gabriel.
    “Let’s kill that demon so we can go home,” I said abruptly. “Beezle will probably have eaten everything in the pantry by now.”
    Nathaniel didn’t say anything else as we silently agreed that further discussion on this topic was just going to make us both uncomfortable.
    We took the stairway to the next level, peering cautiously around the fire door. There