Gods & Monsters (Gods & Monsters, #1)

by Janie Marie

Losing people was all she knew, after all.

Not that she wished her nightmares on him, but it hurt that he never noticed hers.

She wished she didn’t resent so much about him and their relationship. While she loved him, and knew he loved her, it always bothered her they weren’t what they should be.

Life really was a blur sometimes. Again, like something wasn’t right inside her—something was missing.

Jane squeezed his hand to show her thanks and teared up further when he didn’t return the gesture; he never did.

Jason suck he’s a bad husband

She’d try for them because she never wanted them to be like her. She wanted them to be what she would not be.

“There. Maybe I can keep you alive.”

“I’m never better,” she said, feeling her eyes prick as the adrenaline pumping through her veins faded. “But for a tiny moment, I believed I wouldn’t fail.”

Jason always managed to make her feel so bad about herself, but he was always right, and that’s what killed her. She wasn’t a warrior or anything special. She was a woman who had to take pills to control her moods. She had so many more they’d given her for other things, but she had stopped taking those because they made her feel how she felt right now: out of control. Like she was suffocating as the world fell to ruins around her.

Natalie looked at the guns before smiling. “Good job, Mommy.”

There were no monsters, or fear of failing as she fell into a deeper sleep. That night she dreamt of a dark figure holding her. Then the mysterious being wiped her tears and placed a kiss on her lips.

No matter how much suffering he might endure, he would not leave her.

“Don’t leave me—please, Jane,” he whispered, caressing her hair with his bloody hand. “I can’t lose you.”

“Please, my love,” he whispered. “I only just found you.”

“Good morning, Sweet Jane,”

“I don’t want you to hurt because of me.” He caressed the side of her face. “Sweetheart, the only way you could hurt me is if I were to lose you.”

“I don’t know what to do. But I won’t give you up.” He grinned and turned his face to kiss her fingers. “You don’t have to, Sweet Jane. I’m yours to keep.”

“I cannot ask you to choose me or anyone, but I will follow you wherever you go. Even if I have to watch you from afar, I will be with you, and I will come when you need me most. I am yours no matter who you choose.”

“I love you.” He lifted his head. They made eye contact, and she watched the emerald color of his eyes swirl violently. He pulled his gaze from hers to watch her tears. “I know you do and that is enough.” His fingers followed the path of her tears. “I will always be here, Jane. Whatever you need me to be—I will be.”

“I’m going to fight for her. She’s mine.”

She peeked down and gasped. David chuckled and nuzzled her cheek. “I was made for you, my love.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “I’ll fit.”

“You know, she reminds me of a violin. She’s sad but beautiful. Powerful and fragile—all at once. No matter how dark, sad or light, she will always enchant us. So lovely.”

“That’s a good girl. Come to me, and I will make everything better. Nothing will ever hurt you again. No more pain. No more sadness or fear. Nothing. You will feel nothing.” Jane stared up at him. “Nothing,” she said softly.

Her only hope was to let Lucifer numb her. She would let him take her away. She would become nothing so they could have a chance, so they could have everything. Everything but her.

“You forget, babe”—he turned to face the swarm then looked over his shoulder one last time—“I’m Death.”

He smiled when she held her breath, but instead of kissing her waiting lips like he so badly wanted to, he kissed the tear on her cheek.

“He loves her more than you can imagine,” Dagonet said abruptly. “It is neither of their faults what they feel for one another. They were destined to meet, and they are destined to love one another.” Jason was surprised by the bold statements and turned back to see David shaking his head at Jane as he flipped the safety on her rifle. She pouted and received a kiss on the temple as David gently pushed her back to her spot. Jason ground his teeth together. “I don’t believe in destiny.” Dagonet chuckled and put the car in gear. “Whether or not you believe in destiny, it exists, and they share one of the most important fates of our world.” Jason scoffed, and the car began to move. “You believe what you like, but Jane is my wife. Our marriage is important to her; she won’t walk away from me.” “She is loyal and takes her commitment in marriage to you seriously,” Dagonet said, turning the wheel but not looking at him. “So my question to you is, did you honor her when she was at her lowest—when she needed you most?” Jason stared at the side of Dagonet’s face in shock. “Have you loved and cherished every moment with her? Have you proven your love to her or taken her presence for granted?” Dagonet chuckled. “A good and loving husband would not feel the way you are feeling at this moment, and she would not crave his affection if she had been given it in the first place. You see her happy—something I have gathered she has not been in some time—but you are angry to see her that way.”...