Page 117 of Death is My Ride or Die

“I’m guessing you’re my ride home,” I said to Leo, trying to maintain a nonchalant façade. On the inside, I couldn’t help but feel upset seeing him. Because it meant Death was upset with me.

“Until next time, I must sayadieu,ma chérie.”

“Adieu.”Not knowing if we were at the hugging stage of our friendship, I raised my hand awkwardly for a high five.

Ace made a face and pulled me into a tight hug. “Remember what I told you,mon ange,” he whispered into my ear, “about walking through fire.”

He kissed me goodbye on the cheek, and Leo and I left.

XXXI

“So,thisis what you guys do the night before a mission?” I asked as Leo handed me a plastic cup of peach iced tea. The twinkling skyline of New York City winked back at us like stars. “Party on a rooftop at midnight?”

And not just any rooftop. Death’s rooftop. Which made me think about when Death had showed me his wings.

Leo grinned. “None of us get hangovers, and it’s not like we’d be sleeping right now. We rest during the day. And no, we aren’tvampires, and we don’t sleep in a coffin or on a cold slab in a crypt. This eternal servant of Hell prefers a good ol’ memory foam mattress.”

“You know, I never got the full backstory on you and the reapers,” I said. “Eternal servants of Hell? Sounds like you guys were bad eggs.”

Leo took a long sip of his drink. “Speaking of vampires,” he said, clearly avoiding the subject, “I heard you cuffed a master vampire at the warlock’s?”

“I was a dominatrix in my previous life.”

He choked on his drink. “Easily the last answer I expected from you. Especially after the way you eyed Romeo’s whip the other day. I thought your eyes would pop out of your skull.”

“As would any other woman’s if they interacted with Romeo for five seconds.”

“You know what? Fair.” Leo raised his palm, amusement twinkling his dark amber eyes. “Duncan got what was coming. I’ve been forced to converse with that pompous prick a few times at social events. Gives his species a bad name.” Leo gulped down the rest of his drink. “So, I’m curious. What kind of training did you do with Ace?”

“Nothing too crazy,” I answered. “Broke fine china with my ninja skills, levitated books, fought a bunch of magically conjured-up enemies.”

“Nice. You nailed the ol’ ‘break the vase’ drill.”

Thinking about how far I’d come, I gazed into my cup.

“What’s the matter?” Leo asked, elbowing me teasingly. “You’re not feeling insecure about your ability, are you? I’ve seen you explode an entire bathroom with your power. Although, I think Gunner will do that tonight too, if he keeps it up with those mini burgers.”

“Sit on it and spin,León!” Gunner flipped us off from the table of food thirty feet away.

Leo burst into robust laughter, and I covered my mouth to suppress my own.

“It’s the curse,” Leo explained. “We’re all a little overstimulated tonight. Once we get Death’s scythe back, it will be manageable.”

“No such thing asoverstimulated,” Romeo jested as the pink-Mohawked reaper sauntered over with a drink in each fist.

“Any idea where His Highness went off to?” I asked Leo.

“No. He just texted me to pick you up tonight.”

“Maybe he’s nervous for the mission tomorrow?” I suggested to Leo, Romeo, and Denim, who was now looming over Romeo’s shoulder.

“Doubt it,” Denim chimed in with his booming voice. “Death doesn’t get nervous. We were supposed to meet about the plan tonight. He ghosted me.”

“What’s up?” Gunner asked, looping his arm around Denim and Leo’s shoulders. Denim looked like he wanted to tear Gunner’s arm off, whereas Leo was passive about the embrace. “Why are we all secretly huddling?”

“Seems likeyou’rethe last one who saw Death, sweet cheeks,” Romeo said accusatorily.

“Why does it matter if I saw him last? I’m not his keeper.”

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