Deadly Kisses (15 page)

Bee sat up, her body went stiff. The features of her face distorted.

“What’s wrong?” Jaleb propped himself on the pillow.

“I think it might be related.”

Jaleb shifted, uneasy.

Bee placed the blood stone on the bedside table. “No, hear me out. Sabrina said Heaven had a plan. What if Hell already knew of Heaven’s plans and created their own plan? I bet you the Devil knows and wants us.”

The thought of that raised the hairs on the back of my neck and it reminded me of what Ivar had said. He was convinced that Bee already belonged to them. If that was true, why did he make a contract with me?

“All we know for certain is that in a couple of hours we’re making Halloween costumes with the twins and tonight the Ancients are coming for you. I technically have only four more days until Aiden’s clock expires. We’re in a heap of trouble.” Bee sighed.

I focused on letting my shield down, unblocking my emotions. The darkness slid from around me and I appeared in the room.

Bee gasped. “You almost scared me to death. I thought you were Ivar.” Her aura cooled, returning to its normal color.

My eyes were fixed on hers. Could I convince her to touch my scythe?

Jaleb got up and left, but not before giving me a stern look.

“About before, when we were at the cemetery, I’m sorry I lost it and scared you. I would never hurt you. I just wasn’t sure what was going to happen and I didn’t want you to see it.”

“I know you would never hurt me. I was more upset you didn’t want me there to help you.” She looked away.

I lifted her chin until she looked into my eyes. “I’m sorry. That won’t happen again. I always want you there. Please, please forgive me.”

“Only if you explain to me what happened when I left.” She started folding up fabric that was lying on the bed.

“May I?” I pointed next to her.

“Sit, but don’t crinkle the fabric. It’s for the twins costumes. Jaleb and I are going to help my aunt make them. It’s our goodbye to them.”

I sat down, rubbing her back. “I’m sorry. When Sabrina forgave me at the cemetery, I lost it, I almost ascended. I didn’t want to ascend. I want to stay here and help you. I won’t leave you alone. We’re in this together.”

“You should ascend,” she mumbled.

I took her hand in mine. “No. Not without you. I promise you this. I’ll wait for you when it’s your time, and I won’t ascend until you’re ready. You hear me?” I kissed her hand frantic, but her skin went pale and my breath was too cold.

“I’d . . . I’d like that. I’d like it a lot. Now help me fold the rest of the fabric.” Bee handed me black fabric with hot pink polka dots, smiling.

“I learned how to materialize.” I gave her a lopsided smile.

“I saw that. Well, I’d say you’re becoming a real Grim Reaper then. There’s nothing like traveling like a super star. If only we could all travel like that.”

“Bee, there’s something you need to do for me and don’t overreact.” My hand shook, making the fabric look like a lumped ball.

“Spit it out before the cows come home.” She laughed, taking the fabric from me, shaking it, and refolding it in a square.

“Reina thinks you can use my scythe. It must have happened because our souls became tangled. I want you to touch it again, fully powered, to see if it’s true.” I bit at my thumbnail watching her face distort in worry.

“If you’re wrong, I’m toast! I knew when you came to reap my soul you had turned down the power of your scythe. I knew I was only likely to get a tiny zap, which I did.”

“I turned it down because it was you. I wasn’t thinking, and I wanted to prolong the Kiss of Death.”

“How nice that you wanted to kiss me to death.” She laughed.

“How did you know my scythe was lowered down?” I questioned.

“I don’t know they just hum with energy, I guess. I figured that out when I was about ten. I startled a Grim Reaper. He was sitting eating an apple under a tree. It was when I wanted answers to my questions. I asked him if he was real. He grabbed his scythe, and the hum got louder. I ran away from him.”

“Huh, you’re full of surprises.”

“Back to the point. Why risk me touching your scythe? Does it have to do with our souls or with Jaleb being marked?”

“Both.”

She stood up her eyes fixed on me. “How do you mean both?”

I pulled her down on my lap cupping her face in my hand. “If you can touch my scythe, we can unravel our souls and then I can save one of you.”

“I’m sorry, Reina. That’s awful. I’m going to help you. Not just because we made a pact, but because you’re my friend.”

She smoothed her hair down, smiling. “Thanks. We should go to Grim City to see what more we can find out about this blood stone, so we can learn to use it to bind Kessler to the ground. Yes?”

I didn’t want to go, I wanted to run to Bee and apologize. I wanted to take her in my arms and put my lips to hers. I wanted to hug her and run my hands through her smooth black hair. Worse, I wanted to save her. “I’ll go, but in my gondola. Do you have an extra cloak I can put on?” Reina threw one at me and I slipped it over my head, but it was short.

“Ha. You lead and I’ll follow you in my own gondola, thank you very much. I just had it redecorated in pink. There is no way I’m leaving it docked in countryville.”

“Fine.” I tapped my scythe twice and the door opened to darkness. Dampness rolled out of the crypt door as we entered. I walked past the stone coffin and down a hill before getting to the rocky shore. Moans erupted from the river, and I stepped into my gondola. “Try to keep up, Reina.”

“Please, I could beat you blindfolded, mister. I can’t believe it took you this long to figure out how to use your scythe and to materialize. Isn’t materializing into a house way better than breaking into one?”

“I wouldn’t rub it in because at least I don’t go rowing around in a pink gondola and have rainbow streaked hair. Your poor souls must want to jump out and get pulled to the bottom of the river rather than sit in there with you.”

“It’s very fashionable.” Reina smirked.

“Only to Paris Hilton. You would be a perfect Grim Reaper for her.”

“Paris who?”

“Sorry, after your time. Google her on your phone sometime.” We rowed past the quartz rock formation and went left to dock at the city. The water lapped at the edges of the shore. Other gondolas were docked for about a half mile down the river.

I liked materializing. I envisioned sneaking into concerts. “So, I should only materialize at night to blend in, but it can be done during the day and only into buildings?”

“Yup, and trust me when I say a tent does not count as a building. We are talking about wood or rock, that sort of thing.”

“Thanks for the tip. While we’re at the archives I have to look for more information about intertwined souls.” I followed Reina off the dock into the city.

“There is a book there that might help you. I’ll show you. I told you I’ve been researching for you,” She said, staring into the water.

I had never been to Grim City. Its name suited it well. It was carved from granite rock and was dimly lit through quartz stone. There was no color throughout the city, just shades of gray and black. Small cave structures lined narrow streets.

The close confines sent a clammy sweat that spread over my skin. Reina came next to me.

“Like the view? I’m still considered a newbie so my place is at the end of the cave, up against ‘the boulder,’ as we call it. When it rains above it seeps down the walls, but if you roll old cloaks and line them against the wall, it ain’t so bad.”

My brow furrowed at the drab rock. “Nope, I’ll take living in solitude. I have to say this place is the pits.”

“Like it or not, it’s a Grim Reaper’s home. If you lived here you wouldn’t have to deal with Abe every two seconds. The older Reapers teach you things at the academy a book can’t tell you. They have the Art of Death classes once a month where we practice new techniques.”

“I think I’m doing fine on my own.”

Reina laughed an annoying cackle. She clutched her stomach. “Okay, you keep telling yourself that. I’ve never heard of a Grim Reaper accidently trapping his assignment’s soul in his body. Kudos to you, ancient one.”

I threw my hand in the air and took my hood off, staring at her. “I didn’t ask to die, I didn’t ask to kill someone I know, and I certainly didn’t ask to be tangled up with the Ancients.” I pushed back hair that clung to my sweaty face.

“Hence, why you’re a Grim Reaper. Come on, follow me and I’ll get you a drink. And don’t worry, I won’t take you into crowds,” she said and pretended to shake.

Reina crawled under my skin like worms because she was always right. “Can you see why we would never work out? You’re driving me to drink and I had an alcoholic mother, so I’m not keen on the stuff. Besides, I don’t like you drinking that firewater.”

“Oh, you know you love me. Opposites attract.” She looked toward a larger cave dwelling, trying to avoid my gaze. “And I haven’t had firewater since you got angry with me. You’re right not to go near it. It lets the darkness completely in. The preservative agent in it isn’t worth the aggravation.”

I didn’t expect that response. “I’m glad.” I followed Reina into a narrow alley with a cobblestone walkway. “And don’t kiss me again unless you’re asking for trouble.”

“Noted,” Reina rolled her eyes.

A short stout Reaper waved to her.

“Hey Earl, I heard your mother’s haunting you from the other side.”

Earl snorted. “After three hundred years, she still won’t get the hint that I’m not joining her in Hell.” His laugh echoed off the stone buildings.

Reapers walked everywhere, like in a mall. I cringed when a guy with half a face passed us. His brain was rotted and exposed.

I nudged Reina. “He’s a sight.”

“That’s Half-Faced Bob. His brother blew his face off with a gun. Stay away from him. He’s always bargaining with Death Dealers.”

“This was a bad idea coming here. Maybe I should go back to Bee and make sure those creepy, ancient, aura thieves keep away.”

“They can’t touch the marked ones yet, so chill for now. Grim City isn’t as bad as it looks. You’ll get to know everyone.” An old lady about one hundred walked by, holding the hand of a ten-year-old. Reina waved.

“Is that allowed?” I pointed to the kid.

“Anything goes, so get used to it. Don’t tell your assignment anything about your bargain with the Ancients because she has you whipped. It’s sickeningly gross if you ask me. She’s a busy body, and you don’t want her to know too many secrets that she could tell the other side. You know they’ll find a way to make us do evil things.”

“I’d rather be bribed by a demon than an Ancient any day.” I looked around the small space.

“True. Sucks to be you, buddy boy. I’m trying to help. Anyway, here’s my place. Come in, have a drink, and then I’ll show you the Grim Reaper archives.”

Reina went to a wooden box and took out two glass bottles of cream soda and handed me one. I hadn’t drunk soda since the night I died.

“You never did tell me what you bargained with to get the Ancients off your back.”

I took a big gulp and looked past her. “I gave Ivar my soul.”

Reina dropped the bottle, shards of glass scattering on the floor.