White Raven (16 page)

And that was pretty much how the night went, playful bickering and banter. Death was funny, warm, and had a deep belly laugh, all things you would pretty much expect Death not to be.

I loved him.

I loved them all.

Savoring my last bite of sweet and tangy chicken, the button on my shorts was threatening to come undone. It had been a long time since I’d had a home-cooked meal not prepared by me, and I stuffed myself to the point of near combustion. Should have worn elastic pants.

When Ivy offered a slice a pie, I regretfully declined.

“We are going to the docks to watch the fireworks. The island puts on quite an impressive display. You should come with us, if you don’t already have plans,” Zander offered.

None of the Hunters were quiet, but Zander was more reserve than the others. He had barely spoken two words to me since I arrived. It made me wonder if I had done something, or if he was more upset about the friend zone than I thought.

“Say you’ll stay?” Zoe pleaded in a sultry way that didn’t sound like a plea.

I had two options. I could go to the manor and watch the show from my empty, shell of a room, or I could stay. The answer was obvious. “I would love to.”

Fourth of July had always been a holiday I treasured. Sparklers. Smoke bombs. Unity. The Hunters’ family dynamic made me envious and a bit sad. I missed this, having a family, the togetherness. Mine was broken and distant. Being with Zoe and her family was liberating. I felt alive again, and I didn’t want that feeling to end, kind of a poetic justice.

I just had dinner with Death. How many people could say that? And I lived to tell about it.

Freaky.

The docks were only a few blocks south from the Hunters’ house. As we got up to leave, Zander was summoned by his father. I didn’t give it a second thought, because Zane was hovering over me.

His hand slipped under my elbow, slowing my pace. “We’ll catch up with you. Piper and I have unfinished business.”

Zoe turned around and winked. “I just bet you do. Don’t let Zander catch you.”

“This is my hilarious face,” Zane said flatly.

“Whatever,” Zach called as he walked backward in the direction of the water. “It’s your funeral.”

Zane’s lips quirked.

Funny, considering if he died, it could be one of his siblings reaping
his
soul. The thought of Zane dying filled me will terror, rising out of nowhere.

It was the coolness of his touched that pulled me from the darkness. “Hey, you okay?”

The chill that had trickled through me thawed. “Yeah,” I managed. As long as he kept touching me, I would be more than okay.

He cast his eyes downward, meeting mine. “I guess that was overwhelming, meeting my father.”

I pinched my index finger and thumb together so they barely touched. “Just a little. You didn’t tell them that I know the truth, did you?”

He dragged his fingers through his tousled hair. “No. Not yet.”

My heart turned over heavily. “Do you regret telling me?”

Zane’s shoulders relaxed as he let out a resigned sigh. “I should, but…I don’t.”

“Is it really that bad that I know?” I asked, not even realizing I had been leaning toward him.

We were in his driveway, shaded by a thick oak tree. “Depends who you ask. But don’t ask anyone,” he added as an afterthought.

“I kind of figured that out on my own, genius.”

He lowered his chin, the sparkle that had been there for a brief second fizzled. “For both of our safety, we need to be honest with each other.”

“I’m in danger, aren’t I?” I barely breathed.

He watched me intently as he spoke. “You’ve been in danger since you stepped foot on this island.”

I rubbed my heart, but it did little to ease the ache that had started to take up residence. “I don’t understand. Who would want to harm me? Harm my family? I have a younger brother to take care of.”

“You forget I have a sister.”

“And a pack of hot brothers to look out for her.” I closed my eyes unable to believe that had come out of my mouth. I really needed to work on my filter around this guy. It was sad.

“You think my brothers are hot?”

Duh. “That’s not the point.”

He blinked, and I told myself to not get swept away by the intense color forming in his eyes. “So, I can assume you also think I’m hot.”

I made a noncommittal sound. “Like you need me to tell you that you are incredibly good looking.”

A devious grin swooped over his lips. “You’re right. I don’t. But I am the better looking one, right?”

I rolled my eyes, done stroking his ego. He had enough puffery to last him for the next decade. How had this conversation gotten so bizarro? For the sake of my heart, I needed to steer us back onto safe ground. “But you have power. Why would you need to protect Zoe?”

He leaned against a car in his driveway. “Have you met Zoe?”

“Good point.”

His eyes were sheltered, making it hard to read his emotions. “With all power comes responsibility, Princess.”

I hopped on the hood of the car, grinning. “You stole that from Spider-Man.”

Lips curled, he shifted his body to the side, his chest brushing my arm. “Doesn’t make it any less true.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “Do you ever have fun with your power, or is it all just angst and business?”

“What do you know of fun?” There was a playfulness lighting his irises.

My emotions were all over the place, zinging and sending warning signals to my brain. I ignored them. “I invented fun. If you look up
fun
in the dictionary, it says Piper Brennan.”

He laughed. The sound was darkly lyrical. “You are so lame.”

“Yeah, well, at least I’m not boring.”

“I’ve never really liked dull girls anyway,” he said, brushing the hair off my shoulder.

I laughed. “Dull, I am not.”

His eyes flashed. “Your dimple deepens when you laugh. It’s damn sexy and very distracting.”

“I hate to be disruptive,” I said, flirting with danger.

I could just make out the darkening around his eyes as he leaned forward. “I can’t stop thinking about you. You shouldn’t be on my mind at all.”

Those unearthly veins the color of ink encircled his eyes. They should have scared me. Instead, I found them hot—damn hot. My blood was humming, and I couldn’t have made myself pull away, even if the earth was crashing down around us.

We were cheek-to-cheek. I felt him inhale, and then slowly exhale, the warmth of his breath fanning my skin. “You smell of the ocean and lilies. Why am I drawn to you?”

In that moment, I would have given my left arm to know how it would feel to have his soft lips pressed to mine. Just once.

But every fiber in my being told me once would never be enough when it came to kissing Zane Hunter. He was the kind of guy that would never stop with just a kiss.

And that was fine by me.

Chapter 16

He snatched me off the hood of the car so fast that I was still blinking when his arms came around me, his fingers splaying along my lower back.

“What the hell do you think—?”

That was it. My brain clicked off the moment his mouth clamped over mine. Those lush lips ground my mind into mush, and I was helpless to do anything but simply stand there and kiss him.

He should have tasted prickly and sour.

Oh but, he was damn sweet.

When my lips opened on a sigh, he dived right in—wanting much more. Not that I blamed him. He pulled me closer so our bodies became one shadow on the pavement. Sensations swarmed my system in an emotional overdrive, tiny bolts of pleasure spearing through my body from my head to my toes.

Holy hot lava.

There was something different about this kiss, about how he made me feel. Outrageously unique—like Zane himself.

I swore I heard him curse before he changed angles, teeth scraping over the bottom of my lip, and I almost let a whimper of bliss escape. My mind still couldn’t process that he was kissing me, that I was letting him devour me.

The simplicity of a kiss filled a basic need, except there was nothing simple about this kiss. How could it be simple when I was glowing from the inside out, excitement and unease dancing together along my skin? I might have fantasized a time or two about my first kiss with Zane, but sweet baby Jesus, the real deal surpassed any fantasy I could dream up.

I managed to wiggle my hands out from our smashed bodies and dove them into the silky strands of his hair. I had to be out of my mind getting mixed up with a guy like Zane. Really, other than a summer fling, what more could we have? I wasn’t staying; this wasn’t my home. Not to mention, he was a weapon of death. Any relationship we had was doomed, but not even the prospect of our downfall could diminish the power of his lips.

His hands slid down my back and over my hips. Soft lips, firm body, skilled technique, and just a hint of mint on his tongue tangling with mine, that was what he offered. I felt myself sinking. All those awful thoughts I’d ever had about Zane, his rude behavior, all of it just disappeared.
Poof
. With his lips on mine, and his hands roaming over my curves, I only had impure thoughts.

His fingers skirted along the edge of my shorts, skimming my flesh. I murmured his name. And if we didn’t part soon, things were going to escalate to an indecent level. Technology saved the day.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, humming between us. The vibrations were like an earthquake, jarring me back to reality. He eased back a little, so our eyes met. Clarity broke through the haze of sexual tension, and just as quick as he had me in his arms, I was not.

Falling back onto the car, I lost my balance, and if I hadn’t immediately missed the feel of his arms, I would have been seriously irked, but I was too stunned by what had transpired between us. Black lines spread out under his eyes, trailing down his cheeks. They made him hotter. I wanted to reach out, pull him back to me.

The phone buzzed again. Retrieving it from the back pocket of my shorts, I thought about tossing it across the yard until I saw Parker’s name across the screen. My heart sunk, reality crashing down around me.

“Let me guess. It’s your boyfriend?” Zane sneered, seeing my face fall.

I stared at the screen. “He’s just a friend.”

“You sure about that?” He couldn’t hide the jealousy burning in his unnatural eyes.

“Don’t make me vomit. One kiss doesn’t entitle you to pass judgment. What, am I not allowed to have a boy for a friend?” I snapped.

His eyes darkened to sapphires. “It complicates things.”

“Whatever.” I shook my head. I could not believe we were going to fight after sharing the most mind-blowing kiss of my life. “This is a stupid conversation. I’m not dating anyone, so can we talk about something else?”
Or not talk at all
, I silently added, my eyes shifting to his lips.

“Do you want a boyfriend?” His hand shot out, tucking a piece of loose hair behind my ear.

I stepped back, needing distance. “My life is too messy and complicated for a relationship.” I would just screw it up somehow.

Challenge glinted in his eyes. “I bet I could change your mind.”

What was going on? I angled my head, folding my arms. “This isn’t a game.”

“If you say so, but if it were…” He sent me a panty-dropping grin. “I’d win.”

I couldn’t prevent the heat from sweeping across my face.
Damn him.
“We should probably go.”

He rocked back on his heels. “You’re probably right. We wouldn’t want to miss the fireworks.”

I coughed.

We’d already made our own fireworks, but I didn’t think it was wise to point that out. His eyes still shone with a glint of disorder. With just the right push, I knew we could be right back where we had been moments ago, his tongue sweeping through my mouth. It would have been a hell of a grand finale.

Get a grip, Piper.

In silence we walked, heading toward the echo of lapping waters. The breeze frolicked through my hair, and beyond in the distance, I could barely make out the sound of voices. We made sure to keep enough space between us so we didn’t accidently touch.

The sand squished under my feet as we crossed onto the beach. It was a good thing he didn’t expect conversation, because my mind was a million miles away. Conflicted. All because of him and his life-altering lips. One minute he was as cold as ice and the next as hot as the surface of the sun. It would make anyone’s head spin.

“Hello, gorgeous.” A gravelly voice interrupted behind me.

I turned around. Zane already had his eyes pinned on a guy coming out from under the docks. Light from the lamppost streamed down on his pale-colored hair, the wind kicking up, blowing the long strands across his forehead. I guessed his age to be in his late twenties.

And, I knew just by looking at him that he was a ghost, a spirit, or whatever they wanted to be called. For a split second, I panicked, not knowing if what I was seeing was real. Confusion scrambled my brain. Zane had clearly seen him, which, if I took a moment to process, would make sense, if
he
was indeed dead.

Shit.

Zane stiffened, and my eyes immediately went to the stranger’s wrists. If there was one thing I’d learned, it was that those little birdy tattoos separated the reapers from the rest of us. Sure as shit, a little blue sparrow donned his left wrist. My brain just barely registered what that meant when I felt tendrils of fear burrowing through my stomach.

He was a dead reaper.

The guy beamed at me. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? I heard you keep lethal company.”

Zane snarled, a ghastly, primitive warning.

He nodded at Zane. “Reaper.”

It was like a come-kick-my-ass invitation. “Zane?” I whispered hesitantly.

“It’s okay,” he assured me under his breath. “He’s dead. A hallow.”

If that was supposed to make me feel better, it failed. My first face time with a hallow, I was uncertain how I should be feeling or what I was supposed to do. Was Zane going to destroy this guy’s soul? Technically, he wasn’t human, the mark on his wrist saying otherwise, so did that mean he had a soul to take?

A sudden rush of brisk air stirred at the back of my neck, and my eyes turned to Zane. I gasped. Cloaked in shadows, he disappeared, only to materialize seconds later behind the ghost of a restless reaper. Zane was going to collect a soul tonight, and I was going to witness the whole thing.

Crap on a stick.

I wasn’t sure I was prepared to witness Death’s weapon in action.

What if I looked at Zane differently?

What if he grew an extra set of pointy teeth and ate the soul like a ravenous beast?

Wow. I needed to lay off the
Supernatural
episodes. This whole night was turning into a page out of a Dean R. Koontz novel. Unreal. Terrifying. Intriguing.

The ghost-spirit thing spun, but not before I caught a glimpse of panic as he realized he was about to lose his soul, the last grip he had to keep him here on Earth. “You’re not the only one with tricks,” he sneered.

Zap
. He was gone.

I rubbed my eyes, determined they were deceiving me and what I was seeing wasn’t real. Inhuman or not, people did not just vanish in thin air.
But Zane could move within the shadows,
my subconscious reminded me. That I accepted, but a dead person bending space didn’t make sense. I might need to rethink how the world worked.

When he didn’t immediately reemerge, I began to think I’d dodged a bullet. Of course, I was never that lucky. Fate had it out for me. What a bitch.

A slight twitch of Zane’s brow was the only warning he gave.

I never saw him, but the moment his fingers wrapped around my throat, I knew I was in deep poo, the torrential life-threatening kind. I couldn’t breathe. Literally, the oxygen was cut from my lungs as I gasped, struggling to fight for glorious air. I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t call for help.

No. No. God no.

I wasn’t ready to die, if it was possible to die at the hands of someone who’d already kicked the bucket, but by the feel of the hands squeezing my esophagus, I assumed it was very feasible. This idiot didn’t know who he was messing with. I wasn’t going to make it easy. Twisting and bucking, I went wild, trying to loosen his hold on me. All I managed to do was send us both tumbling to the ground.

The impact of the coarse sand knocked the air out of my chest, scorching my back in searing pain.
Son. Of. A. Bitch.
But at least his grubby hands were no longer grasping my neck. Greedily, I gulped air like it was an all-you-could-eat chocolate buffet and it was that time of the month. The taste was fresh and sweet, but didn’t diminish the stinging burn. I started to cough. If I lived to see tomorrow, I was going to be sporting some killer bruises.

Thinking fast, I shoved the palm of my hand up his face full force. On impact, I heard a nasty crack. Good. I hoped I’d broken his nose. My reprieve was short-lived.

Recovering far quicker than I anticipated, he pulled back his hand, bluish blood gushing from his nose. “You skan—”

Suddenly, the weight of his repulsive body was gone, and the sound of flesh being plummeted overrode the rising and falling of the ocean’s tide. While I had been tangling with dead dude, I had forgotten about Zane. Vibrant, rare blue eyes met mine. A face so striking and so cold I knew I was safe.

“Looks like we’re doing this the hard way. Keeps things interesting, and I’m looking forward to kicking your ass.” Zane held the ghost at arm’s length, those dark veins spreading down his neck and over his arms.

Zane was wicked fast and deadly, his form flickering in and out, turning from shadow to human and back again. Blood pumped through my body so fast as the ground began to shake, trees and cars trembling. Zane threw his arms into the air, and a quick crack sounded, followed by a session of several more.

Good God. I was going to think twice about pissing off Zane.

“I’m going to enjoy ripping the essence from your body,” he growled.

Fireworks exploded in the distance, lighting up the sky, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Zane.

“Piss off,” the hallow hissed. “I’m not ready to let you strip me of my soul, Death Scythe.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate, considering you’re dead,” Zane replied, cloaked in darkness. “You don’t think I can actually let you stick around, do you? Especially after that little stunt you pulled?”

“Change is coming. Can you feel it?” He jerked against Zane’s binds like he was having a seizure and was more than a little coo-coo.

Zane’s eyes took on an eerie glow, and his jaw was compressed. “The only thing I feel is your essence. It’s mine.”

“Stick it up your ass, Hunter,” he spat.

“Now there’s an idea,” Zane smiled coldly, grinding his knee into the hallow’s chest. “You hurt her. You spilled her blood. And now, you will know my wrath. I might have shown you mercy, but now, it won’t be quick or without pain.” He placed his open hand over his heart.

And that was it. The hallow bellowed, unifying with the wailing winds and death.

The air kicked up, sand swirling around us in a tornado, lashing and spinning. A bright light erupted at the center of the hallow’s chest, spreading until I felt the need to turn away, the brilliance blinding. Just at the moment when I didn’t think I could bear another second, Zane’s darkness enveloped the light.

A part of my mind clicked off, and I was moving without thinking. It was a split-second decision. I wasn’t brave. I was intrigued. “Zane?” My hand went through the shadows.

Oops.

I had expected to meet resistance, an invisible barrier, but my fingers skimmed Zane’s arm. Touching him might not have been the smartest choice, not while he was severing a soul from a body. Electric tingles darted down my arm, and I felt something deep inside me. A tug. A temptation. The shadows were cool and soft against my skin. Everything slowed down.