In the darkness I see his silhouette shift. Good. He’s interested, despite his best intentions. “That’s impossible,” he says, though I can hear a shred of hope, laced with despair, in his voice. He wants me to tell him he’s wrong. Which is exactly what I came here to do.
So I start my story, telling him about meeting up with Race and Prim. About the entrance to Hades at the Jersey Shore. About bargaining for my sister’s soul. “There are no guarantees, of course,” I finish. “But if there’s even the slightest chance I could convince Hades…”
“You make it sound very simple,” Jareth says slowly. “But Hades is a god, Rayne. You can’t just smile and wink and vampire scent the guy and expect him to send your sister on her merry way. The man in fiercely protective of each and every soul he’s acquired. And even if you can somehow convince him of your good intentions, he’s going to want something pretty big in return for such a favor.”
I wave him off. “Don’t you think I know that?” I ask. “It doesn’t matter what he wants. Because whatever it is, I’ll give it to him.” I look at him pleadingly. “Don’t you understand, Jareth? I have a real chance at rescuing my sister here. I’m going to make the most of it—no matter what it takes.” I pause for a moment, trying to gather up my nerves. “I would think of all people, you would understand.”
Jareth winces, my words hitting home. “And so why did you come to me? You obviously have already made up your mind. And I know you never ask for permission…”
“Because I want you to come with me!” I cry. “This is going to be the toughest thing I’ve ever had to face. And I don’t want to face it alone.” I stop, my voice quavering as I push down the sobs that threaten to burst from my throat. “Please come with me. Please help me. I need you. Sunny needs you.”
Jareth is silent again and for a moment I think he’s going to refuse me. But at last he nods his head. “Very well,” he says in a dull, resigned voice. “I will come with you. I suppose it’s the least I can do, seeing as my bad judgment is responsible for this mess.” He pauses, then adds, “But, Rayne, you must understand, this changes nothing between us. My coming with you does not mean we’re getting back together. I stand by my initial vow—to remain alone from this day forward. I’ll help you find your sister, but whether we succeed or fail, when we are finished with this quest, I will be gone.”
Everything inside of me aches at the pain in his voice—the anguish he’s trying so desperately to hide. Tears well up in my eyes and I’m grateful, suddenly, for the darkness.
“I understand,” I manage to spit out. “I just want your help with Sunny. That’s all.” The lie burns at the back of my throat but I know it’s for the best. It will take time for him to come around. And all I can do is be patient and not force him to accept what he’s not ready to admit.
Because, in the end, he can pretend to be cold and unyielding and cruel all he wants. I know the real Jareth. I know how much he hurts.
Because I hurt that much, too.
But I will be there for him, no matter how long it takes. No matter how hard he tries to push me away. I will never give up on him, just as I won’t give up on my sister. And someday I’ll be able to prove to him that love is worth even the most immense amounts of pain.
Someday…
“Come on,” I say, reaching out to take his hand in mine and pull him from his dark, self-imposed dungeon. “Let’s go get my sister.”
17
During the summer, New Jersey’s Seaside Heights is a bustling beach community, home to a boardwalk, amusement park rides, cheesy clubs, and sometimes an MTV reality show. But in the chill of winter, it’s very much a ghost town, with only a few shady locals wandering down the otherwise empty boardwalk of boarded-up shops and bars. A fittingly gloomy location, I suppose, for the entrance to Hell.
We park outside a small nondescript cottage, like hundreds of others lining the narrow streets, a few blocks away from the beach. Prim exits the limo first, pulling a long, golden key from his pocket. He’s changed from his hipster drummer duds to the more fitting “black gown of death” uniform, complete with requisite giant scythe.
“Right this way, folks,” he says in the low, menacing voice he’s adopted since beginning the tour. “To the gates to Underworld!”
I guess it’s all part of the show, but still, I can’t help it as a small shiver trips down my back. The gates of the Underworld. It sounds so ominous. And the magnitude of what we’re about to do is starting to kick in big time. We’re leaving the world—the Earth as we know it—to purposely travel into the fiery pits of Hell.
Where I plan to make a deal with the devil. Literally.
I glance over at Jareth, wishing I could reach over and slip my hand into his as I so often used to do. But he’s barely acknowledged my presence since we left the underground vampire encampment and is currently staring vacantly off into the night sky, an empty shell of the boyfriend I love so much. And as much as right now I want to bury myself in his arms and find comfort in his cool, strong embrace, I know for a fact that if I reach out, if I try to make a move toward him, I’ll only end up pushing him further and further away. For now, I must content myself with the fact that he is here—at least a part of him—ready to help me save my sister. Anything beyond that will have to wait.