Momma R and Jezze tried every spell they could to restore Sam’s mind. From healing magic and psychic power to spells designed to restore what was lost and let it be found again.

Sam sat in Momma R’s kitchen patiently the entire time, letting them do what they could. Except the more time that passed, the more it became clear that nothing would work.

A knock at the front door drew me to the front of the house and I rushed to answer. Sorsha stood on the porch, a bag of healing supplies slung across her body.

“He’s in here.” I led her to the kitchen. “They’ve been trying well… everything.”

“I feel fine.” Sam’s tone remained patient and innocent. “I appreciate everything you’re trying to do—whoever you are—but I don’t want to be a burden.”

I swallowed hard and stroked his face. My chest burned, not from the sigil, but from the pain of having Sam and yet not. “You’re not a burden, sweetheart.”

Sam took my hand and gave it a squeeze. Somehow, even without his memory, he still trusted me. Our connection went deeper than memories. He was my soulmate, my twin flame. That was something Keller could never touch. But it seemed that even in death, the warlock had managed to get his final revenge.

Sorsha did what she could, passing healing charms over his skin and giving him a restorative amulet. She hoped the amulet would work… eventually.

“There’s no certainty,” Sorsha managed to remain calm even as I internally freaked out. “It might take days, weeks, or years for his memories to return. If they return at all.”

I clenched my fists. “I’m not going to give up.”

“Nor should you,” the healer gave me a sympathetic smile. “After what you survived, when we thought all was lost, I would never doubt you again. But you may need patience.”

She touched my arm, her smile turning sad before she turned away to repack her supplies. She’d done all she could, but it hadn’t been enough to fix Sam.

Nothing seemed to be enough.

And as the day wore on, no matter who I called, there was no cure for Sam’s amnesia.

In the tween.

I had one more card to play. It was a difficult one, but I had to try.

“Can you guys keep an eye on him?” I spoke to Jezze and Momma R as I tipped my head toward my sort-of-mate. “I need to make a call.”

“Sure thing,” Jezze answered. “But a call to who?”

I walked out without answering her—Jezze wouldn’t be a big fan of my next actions. This wasn’t exactly going to be a local call.

I passed through the living room and Bryony spied me from the couch. He was working on his homework with Esmeralda watching him while the rest of us worked on Sam.

“Where you going, Mom?”

I leaned over the couch and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I’m going to get help for Sam.”

Bry glance into the kitchen. We’d only told him that Sam was “sick,” and that we were trying to make him better. I wasn’t ready to explain evil warlocks and memory-grabbing spells to my kid.

“I hope he gets better soon.” Bry looked at me with worry in his eyes.

He’d almost lost me and now the man—angel—he viewed as a kinda-dad was ill.

“Me too, sweetie. Me too.”

With one last kiss, I left and hopped into my SUV. I took back roads out of the city, steadily driving toward an isolated, empty field miles from the nearest house.

I plodded to the center of the field, high grasses and trees hiding me from view from any random passerby. I waved my arm in a large circle and let a quick burst of Hellfire burn away the foliage so I had an empty circle in the dirt. I used my dagger to etch a ritual circle as well as a five-pointed star surrounded by runic symbols.

My own portal to Hell.

I dragged my dagger across my palm to draw blood and then held my hand over the circle until the red droplets splattered to the dirt. The wound closed an instant later, leaving my skin whole and unbroken. Under different circumstances I would have been excited to have my healing ability back at its fullest, but now I had other things on my mind.

A flare of swirling light and a rush of heat preceded the portal’s opening. I called out to the beings I needed. “Mom! Uncle Luc! I need you.”

There was a long silence and part of me wondered if they’d ignore the summons. If anyone else tried to summon Lucifer from Hell, they’d fail miserably.

Or Uncle Luc would appear just to kill them for being so presumptive as to summon the High Lord of Hell. But I wasn’t just anyone. I was family.

The swirl expanded and a great hole tore into the air above the circle. Smoke and ash floated from the portal immediately followed by two figures dressed in all black. Uncle Luc stepped out with my mother on his arm and both smiled warmly at me.

“Caith,” Uncle Luc said. “I’ve been meaning to check in on you. I hope you’re well.”

I smudged the dirt with my foot to break the circle—setting them free so they could travel wherever they pleased. Not that they couldn’t have gotten out on their own—they’re both stronger than me and I couldn’t have hoped to contain them.

After all, Uncle Luc regularly visited on his own using his own powers. I’d only summoned them so they wouldn’t have to strain to get to the tween. That way, they’d be at full strength to help Sam.

“Come on,” I turned and stomped toward the car. “I need your help.”

It only took me a few steps to notice that neither of them followed me. I turned back and leveled my darkest glare. They hadn’t moved an inch.

“Seriously, come on. With all the shit I go through for both of you, you owe me. Uncle Luc, I saved your lover-girl and made sure your kid was born safe, didn’t I?” And let me just say that hadn’t been easy.

Uncle Luc nodded. “Don’t think I’m not grateful, infans. You always do wonderfully and I’m proud of you, but this time, there’s nothing we can do.”

I snorted. “Bullshit. Is this because he’s an angel? Fuck that. Gel or dem, you owe Sam as much as you owe me.” I pointed at Uncle Luc. “He protected your little girlfriend. He’s helped you time and again when he had no reason. It’s time to step up and return the favor.”

My mother sighed and shook her head. “We didn’t say we won’t help, we said we can’t.”

“Why not?” I crossed my arms, glare still in place. “Give me one good reason.”

“For starters, he’s a gel,” Uncle Luc drawled.

I rolled my eyes. “I said a good reason.”

“That’s not a reason I’d use to refuse. He is, after all, your lover.” He curled his lip and I wasn’t sure if it was because his little niece had a lover or that he was an angel. “Our powers won’t work. The power of Hell can only harm a gel, not cure him.”

I wanted to yell and rage at Uncle Luc, but I should have thought of the obvious. I was just… so fucking tired. Tired and worried and scared and… all of it.

“Then help me find Keller. I killed him and I know he didn’t get sent to On High. He’s somewhere in Hell—your domain. Find him and bring him to me. If he absorbed Sam’s memories, I’ll suck those things right back out of his On High damned head.” Then I’d cut off his head. Again.

Mother shook her head. “I wish we could dear, but you see—“

“See what?” I spread my arms, frustration pummeling me. “Haven’t I done enough? Do I need to march back to Hell and drag his ass out myself?”

Because I fucking would.

“It’s not that, infans.” He was using that soothing tone I hated. “It’s far more complicated. You see, Keller’s soul never reached Hell.”

I was going to bring him back and cut him into tiny pieces before putting him back together again. Like, a dozen times.

I lowered my arms. “That motherfucker.” I clenched my fists. “That cock sucking, worthless, soul-stealing sonofabitch!”

I didn’t need them to explain further. Keller had been working to free himself from the bonds of the mortal spirit and he’d absorbed enough spiritual energy to turn himself into something… other. He must have found a way to sever his soul from On High and Hell.

Kinda like I had.

Which meant, in death, Keller’s soul would have gone to purgatory. He’d be adrift between realms where reality was subject to no laws and could be shaped by his will.

I would never find him again.

And given enough time—centuries or millennia—he might grow strong enough to transcend the spirit realm and return. Even after everything I’d done—I’d died to stop him dammit—I still hadn’t truly defeated him.

I’d killed him, not destroyed him.

I spat on the ground. “So there’s nothing we can do for Sam.”

“Don’t give up hope.” My mother came over and put her arms around me, holding me tightly. “I’m sure if you keep looking, you’ll find a way.”

“And if I hear anything,” Uncle Luc added, “I’ll send the information your way. Just because healing a gel is beyond my power, and distasteful, doesn’t mean I won’t help if I can. You’re family.”

“Yeah,” I pulled away from my mother. It felt too weird to hug her. “Fine. Thanks.” I put my hands on my hips and stared at the broken circle. “I guess I’ll send you both home now.”

Uncle Luc shook his head. “Oh no.” He flashed a wicked smile, took my mother’s arm and winked at me. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve been summoned to the tween in my full, glorious power. I’m going to have a little fun while I’m here.”

They walked off together to raise who knew what kind of hell in the tween and I just sighed. I watched them go and then went back to my car.

Maybe I should have felt bad for bringing them to the tween and letting them loose, but whatever. I saved the world from an evil warlock-werewolf bent on destruction and stopped his army of soul-sucking ghouls. The world owed me one. I could unleash a little hell without feeling badly.

I still had free will, after all. Balancing the good I’d done seemed like a fine trade.