Unreap My Heart (The Reaper Series) (38 page)

His heart sped up faster than his feet carrying him toward the main building. He crashed through the entrance, reducing the wooden door to the size of toothpicks like he’d done at the Voyeur’s mansion. The whisps no longer littered the hallway wailing their tiny lungs out. Instead, they scattered at the sight of him, finally having learned their lesson the last time he’d stomped through these halls.

Order at every turn. The Crossroads had returned to its normal well-oiled machine status. Zakariel had been right, no matter how much he refused to believe the Heavenly Host’s claim before he had actual proof.

A figure materialized in front of him. “Whoa! Where’re you headed off to in such a hurry, Balty?”

Balthazar skidded to a stop in time to keep from colliding with the considerable bulk of the Reaper of Texas and his silly cowboy hat. “Get out of my way, Travis.”

The Texan frowned. “Well, if that isn’t rude.”

Impatient, Balthazar lifted the blade of his scythe against Travis’s neck. The Reaper of Texas shifted his stance, his face losing its good-natured expression in favor of a murderous one.

“I suggest you remove that blade from my throat, Balthazar.”

“Or what?” Balthazar bared his fangs, unwilling to be intimidated by the second most powerful Reaper in the Crossroads. Hell, he’d been angling for a fight. He’d been played and he didn’t appreciate it. Heads would roll before he finished with the Crossroads. Fighting Travis would weaken him, but he estimated he’d have enough juice against a weakened D if he dispatched Travis fast enough.

Travis pinched the tip of the black blade and pulled it away from his throat. Then he stepped back and stuffed his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. The mischievous smile returned to his lips, softening his features. He shrugged.

“Look, on account of being busy, I’ll let you pass for now.” The Reaper of Texas raised a finger pistol at Balthazar and winked at him. “But the next time you dare raise your weapon at me, Balty, it’ll be a different story. You understand me, partner?”

The cowboy disappeared at the exact second Balthazar’s scythe sliced through where his body had been. The blade cut air instead. Balthazar cursed like a drunken sailor fresh from the sea. He even used some of the more colorful language he’d learned from his stint in the Nethers.

His anger still had no outlet, so Balthazar leaped back into action. Each turn he took from the entrance of the main building toward D’s office pissed him off more. He wasn’t officially a member of the Crossroads so he didn’t have the power to teleport from one place to another—something he’d take care off once he resolved this shit with D. Damn his mother for putting a kink in his plans. Dead and still meddling in his life.

Seething by the time he reached D’s office, Balthazar yanked open both doors, tearing them off their hinges. He stormed in, scythe ready to murder anyone inside.

He froze.

The chair at the center of the room sat empty in the midst of all the dried blood. A note with Balthazar’s name scrolled in D’s girly handwriting was waiting on the seat.

Balthazar stomped to the chair and picked up the note and unfolded it. At the center of the white paper a line had been written in the same curly script. It said:

Gone Fishing

Chapter 42

FUBAR

A
RIANNE’S
S
HORT
L
IFE
flashed like a movie in front of her eyes, unlike the time she’d actually died. Now the reality of everything crashed into her like unforgiving waves, pulling her out then pushing her back in. She couldn’t breathe. Death had gotten what he’d wanted from the beginning: her soul. She should have known he wouldn’t let having a Certificate signed against her go, and he’d gotten Ben’s soul as a bonus. She hated herself for what she’d put Ben through. Because of her he’d been put up for auction and had almost become a Wraith.

All the hurt and the pain came flooding back now. She hugged herself tighter. The floor bruised her knees. She’d never see her parents again. She’d never go back to school. And she’d probably never be with Niko. Death had played her. Bargaining with him wouldn’t matter much anymore. What else could she give?

Gentle hands touched her shoulders. “Get up, Ari,” Carrie whispered, tears in her words.

Arianne looked up at her sister’s dry face. Carrie had always been the stronger of the two of them. Arianne guessed that must be why she’d become the Redeemer.

“Everything’s gone, Carrie,” Arianne whispered back. “I have nothing left to give.” Her fingers dug into her arms. She preferred any pain other than the loss she felt inside. When she started this journey, she had thought mourning Ben and Carrie her main concern. Little did she know that she’d be mourning herself by the end. Whoever said the journey mattered more than the destination lied. Arianne hated that person. The destination—death—mattered. Why would people be scared of dying if it didn’t?

“I’m tired, Carrie.” Arianne bowed her head until her chin touched her chest. “I’m so tired.”

“Then rest.”

“You don’t understand. No amount of rest will save me.”

“It doesn’t mean you should give up.”

Anger pinged inside Arianne’s chest. She didn’t think twice about pushing Carrie away from her. She couldn’t stand the pep talk right now. She heard Carrie stumble back, but she didn’t fall. Either she grabbed on to something or Tomas caught her before she hit the ground. Why should she care? Then guilt replaced Arianne’s anger. Of course she should care. Carrie was still her sister.

“I’m sorry,” Arianne said through the bitterness in her mouth. “I just don’t know what to do from here.”

“Let me talk to the Master,” Tomas offered.

Arianne lifted her head again. Tomas had his hands on Carrie’s shoulders. He’d caught her after all.

“And what good will that do?” Arianne snarled. “What else will he ask of me if I bargain with him again?”

Tomas’s face softened. “You brought the Redeemer here. You saved him. I believe that’s more than enough.”

“But what about Niko? That was the bargain. I bring back the Redeemer and he gives Niko his humanity without taking my eyesight and my memories. Reattaching me to my body—or whatever he’s gonna do—that’s another bargain.”

“You don’t know that.”

But Arianne saw the doubt in Tomas’s eyes. Even he couldn’t guarantee what Death would say or do. She might as well accept her death now and get on with the next step. Processing maybe? She didn’t have to be escorted to the Crossroads anymore. And who would reap her?

“Tomas!”

All heads turned to Travis. He’d popped into the room, a panicked expression in his well-tanned face.

“Not right now, Travis,” Tomas said, gesturing for the Reaper of Texas to leave.

“Oh, I think you’ll want to hear this,” Travis drawled, his accent getting thicker with each word out of his mouth.

“Fine.” Tomas sighed. “What now?”

“The Master’s gone.”

“What do you mean the Master’s gone?” Tomas cocked his head, expression unbelieving.

“Check for yourself.”

Travis touched Tomas on the shoulder and they both disappeared. Carrie and Arianne looked at each other, mirroring each other’s confusion. A second later, Tomas returned, his face ashen.

“He’s gone,” he said.

“What do you mean ‘he’s gone’?” Arianne repeated his earlier question to Travis.

Tomas swallowed. “He’s nowhere in the Crossroads. The lockdown is over, which means anyone can come and go.”

“But what about—”

The door to the room slammed open like a bomb had detonated. Arianne and Carrie flinched at the same time. Tomas widened his stance, like he expected something terrible to walk into the room. And he was right.

Balthazar, face blank but eyes blazing, entered the room. White flames covered his body like a wild aura. The flames touched his scythe, giving it an even deadlier edge. The hairs on the back of Arianne’s neck stood while goose bumps covered every part of her body. In their travels together, never had she seen Balthazar this way. He brought scary to a whole new level. The Boogeyman had nothing on him right now.

“Balthazar?” Arianne said after she ripped her tongue from the roof of her mouth.

He kept his gaze on Carrie for some reason when he threw a crumpled piece of paper her way. Arianne reached for the ball and unfurled the note, her face clearly showing confusion.

“Gone fishing?” She looked at Tomas, but the Reaper of California only shook his head at her, the same confusion on his face.

Then Balthazar laughed. The sound should have broken the tension in the room. Instead, it sent a chill up Arianne’s spine. Laughter may be leaving Balthazar’s mouth, but his face remained cold and emotionless. If she’d ever imagined seeing anyone snap, Balthazar painted a perfect picture of what it would look like.

When his laugher died, he pointed his scythe at Tomas. “Your bastard of a Master played me, Tomas. And you know how much I hate being played.”

“I don’t understand.”

Arianne didn’t even see what happened. Balthazar moved too fast. First he stood by the door then a gaping cut ran across the Reaper of California’s chest. Carrie screamed. She ran from Tomas to Arianne and they huddled on the floor together in each other’s arms. Tomas fell to his knees like he couldn’t quite understand what had actually happened. Blood quickly soaked the front of his expensive suit. He touched his chest before staring at his bloody hand. Then he collapsed into a pool of his own blood.

“Wrong answer,” Balthazar growled at Tomas and kicked his prone body for good measure. Then he turned toward Arianne and Carrie. The tips of his fangs touched his lower lip. He tilted his head as if he’d forgotten they were in the room with him. Arianne held on to her sister tighter.

“Balthazar, what happened?” Arianne forced herself to ask. Maybe if she got him to calm down, he’d stop looking at them like fresh meat ready for slicing. No matter how much she wanted to blink, Arianne didn’t dare.

“What happened?” Balthazar parroted back like he didn’t recognize her. Then he pointed at the note.

“I don’t understand.” Arianne lifted the piece of paper. “What does this mean?”

“The one who pulls out the blade replaces whoever the blade has stabbed.”

“You mean Carrie’s the new Death? Is that why Death is gone?”

“What?” Carrie asked in panic. “I can’t be the new Death. I’m just getting used to being the Redeemer. This can’t be happening. Ow!”

Arianne squeezed Carrie’s arm until her sister stopped babbling. “Carrie,” she said without looking away from Balthazar, “I love you, but I really need you to shut up right now.”

Carrie whimpered, but she clamped her lips shut, which Arianne thanked the heavens for. Fear trumped babbling every time.

“Give me the Redeemer, little girl.” Balthazar fully faced them now.

Arianne hated it when he reverted to calling her anything other than her name. It said reasoning with him wouldn’t work. But she had to try anyway.

“No,” she said bravely. Arianne pushed Carrie back until her sister positioned herself behind her. Then she reached back and wrapped her arms around Carrie’s waist. Carrie gripped Arianne’s shoulders until they hurt.

“Oh come now.” Balthazar took a step forward. “The bargain was that I got to challenge Death for ruling the Crossroads when Brianne’s Bitterness had been pulled out. Since the Redeemer is the new Death, she doesn’t need healing. Let’s get on with this.” He positioned his scythe across his front, ready to slash at them like he’d done with Tomas.

“Balthazar—” Arianne licked her lower lip, her breathing shallow “—let’s talk about this.” Her head spun from the lack of air. “I’m sure there’s been a mistake.”

“Zakariel told me about the blade. There’s no mistake.”

Arianne instinctively reached for the belt on her thigh.

“Are you looking for this?” Balthazar reached into his coat side pocket and pulled out the knife Tomas had given her. “You think I wouldn’t take this away from you the first chance I got?”

“Don’t be a jerk, Balthazar. Carrie’s my sister.”

“And I should care because?”

“After everything we’ve been through?”

Balthazar snorted. “Just because we shared some meaningless trip doesn’t make us friends, little girl. I’m here for one thing.”

“The Crossroads, I get it.”

“Then hand over the Redeemer.”

Arianne’s eyes widened at the barely leashed insanity in Balthazar. Then she said the words she’d never thought she’d have to say, “Over my dead body.”

A corner of Balthazar’s lips quirked up. “Suit yourself.” He raised his scythe and pushed off from where he stood over Tomas’s body.

Never taking her eyes away from Balthazar—who’d become a black blur—Arianne prepared to die for the second time since she’d gotten to the Underverse. If it meant saving Carrie, even just for a second, she’d gladly do it.

Why did everything slow down when you were about to die?

The question popped into Arianne’s head without her really thinking about it. She watched Balthazar lift the black blade above his head, his face showing no remorse for his actions. All of Arianne’s hopes shattered. Whatever good she thought Balthazar possessed vanished the second he decided she needed to die for the sake of getting what he wanted. He’d been right all along. He was the bad guy in all of this.