Page 70 of Death Raiser

Instinctively, I reached for my bond with Gregor again and felt nothing. The connection had faded too much.

I was stuck here with no way home.

Leviathan tilted his head and waited. He didn’t know my bond had faded, and he probably still wanted to use me for something. Maybe I could get him to send me back to the living realm. Maybe I could swing this in my favour and somehow survive.

The only downside to my newly forming plan was whenever Leviathan opened portals for me, they were always to my last location, and I had no desire to return to Murder Island while Steve continued to hunt me.

“Our date?” I asked. “Of course. How would you like to start our date with a little role playing?” I held up my arm. “You could be my hot and talented doctor.”

Leviathan flared his nostrils and flashed his teeth. Maybe waving my damaged, bleeding arm at a supernatural being with long fangs, unknown origins and a hankering for death magic wasn’t a great idea. He might stop considering me dating material and start looking at me as a midday snack to appease his appetite.

“I happen to be very good at tending to wounds.” He stepped back and waved graciously at the path leading to the front entrance of the castle. “Do you need me to carry you?”

Probably, but I couldn’t bring myself to admit it. “I need you to promise me safe passage.”

Leviathan sighed and clucked his tongue. “I’m hurt you feel the need to request such a thing.”

I shrugged and held my breath. I really had nothing to barter with except that he really wanted me here and had no idea I couldn’t pull myself back to the living realm.

“You have my word I will not seek to harm you unprovoked. I will also return you to the living realm when you wish to return.”

I tried not to sigh in relief.

And failed.

I nearly fell to the ground. The blood loss had left me lightheaded.

“I know you don’t have enough of Gregor’s blood to anchor you with a bond. I can also deduce from your mangled arm, torn shirt and wet clothes that you found yourself in a dangerous position in the living realm and most likely travelled here to escape,” Leviathan said. “A last-ditch effort at survival.”

Damn. He was good.

“I will heal you and provide you with safe haven. In fact, I think I’d like to call in that favour.”

I narrowed my eyes. I was already at his mercy. He’d already promised me safety and a return ticket home. Why would he waste the favour I owed him now?

He smiled, his gaze flashing.

Nothing in my research suggested the Lord of the Veil could read minds, but now I definitely suspected he had the ability.

“What is the favour you’d like to request?”

“I request you stay here, let me heal your arm, and then go on a date with me.” He waggled his finger at me. “The favour is that you give me a chance. This will be a genuine date. You need to be open minded and allow yourself to get to know me.”

Kang’s face flashed in my mind, and I swallowed. I didn’t know if I could do what Leviathan requested, but if it meant I was off the hook for owing Leviathan a favour and would solve all my immediate problems and the threat to my life, maybe I could fake it.

And Kang?

He’d want me to survive.

“Know the man, not the myth?” I said, my voice sounding hollow even to myself.

He considered me for a moment, scanning my face with that eerie dark gaze of his before answering. “Something like that.”

“Well, that’s something I can do.” I looked over my shoulder even though it wouldn’t reveal a window to the living realm. “Just so happens, I need to kill a bit of time.”

* * *

The wrought iron castle gates loomed closer and closer with each step. The pain in my arm intensified and my head spun. Something howled in the distance, the sound splintering the silence. It wasn’t like a wolf howl; it was deeper and rougher and made all the hairs on my neck stand up.

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