Page 133 of Death is My Ride or Die

We approached a fountain at a fork in the pathway leading to the mausoleum. An overpowering metallic odor filled my nostrils. I peered down into the dark water, a chill slipping down my spine.

I looked across the fountain at Death. “Mortal blood,” he said. “It’s fresh.”

Wolf’s nostrils flared. “The scent lingers all over the ground.”

It was too quiet. With every uncertain step, my boots crunched over dry leaves. The ominous feeling that we were being watched made my heart pound. I kept searching for Death’s looming frame ahead of us, finding a sense of security that he was in sight.

“I was starting to think you wouldn’t show.”

Morax and his Fallen soldiers drew their swords, and the reapers readied their weapons. Leo and Wolf moved to either side of me, but Death remained unruffled, calmly turning to face Master Vampire Duncan. Duncan stood with an arrogant confidence that he was in control of this situation, his hands clasped behind his back. He wore no armor and had no visible weapon.

“Look at what you’ve brought me,” Duncan said, gesturing with open arms. “A whole little militia to pick apart!”

“We want proof of life,” Death growled. “Show us the warlock.”

Duncan laughed, his elongated canines prominent. “You’re getting ahead of yourself, Grim. This cemetery is so magnificent at dusk. Especially tonight when the scent of mortal blood overpowers the decay. Can you tell I started the party already? Apologies, I would have let you watch the massacre of the mortal hogs, but my newborns were so . . . thirsty.”

“We didn’t come to chitchat,” I snapped, drawing Duncan’s cynical eyes toward mine. Wolf gave me a swift pinch on my left arm that told me to keep my mouth shut, but I ignored him.

Figures that I hadn’t noticed before shifted in the night, darting in and out behind gravestones, leaping down from trees and hovering in the dark surrounding us.

Blade flicked out his hands. Two blades popped into his palms as he fanned out to the left with Gunner trailing right behind him with a crossbow. Gunner aimed at the approaching figures, and the beam of light attached to the rim of the bow illuminated the chilling faces of oncoming vampires. Unlike Duncan, these vampires were gruesomely ugly. Drool seeped down the corners of their mouths.

“Hate to be cliché,” Duncan said, “but you’ve fallen right into our trap.”

His smile was broad, smug.

Blade’s lip curled up in disgust as he nudged Romeo. “The hell is up with this guy’s smile?”

“It is a bit of a quirky smile for a villain,” Romeo said. “Very odd . . . and gummy.”

Death snickered darkly. “Hardly saw any teeth.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my smile!” Duncan shouted. “Screw the bunch of you. You’re all imbeciles. Slaves to Lucifer and his corrupt ideals of how the creatures of the night should live.”

“You fail to recognize the importance of the balance,” Leo said. “Good and evil must have common ground. Without that, the mortal realm will fall into complete anarchy.”

“Lucifer does not care about the balance or fairness,” Duncan argued. “Otherwise, he would never have smothered the voices of vampires. We were here first. Yet, for nearly four hundred years, vampires have been forced to comply with Lucifer’s reign.”

“And for good reason,” Wolf said. “Vampires have caused more turmoil between species than any other. Quarreling among lycans and shapeshifters.”

Duncan cocked his head and laughed. “Lycans are filthy, despicable creatures jam-packed with stupidity from inbreeding—” His mouth parted, and his silver eyes widened slightly as he feigned realization. “Ah, wait. Aren’t you that Seven who used to fuck a legendary alpha’s mate? Until he found out and put her down, of course.” He tapped his chin with a sharp nail. “Say, didn’t he rip out her spine and feed her bones to his devotees? What a shame. But it is a dog-eat-dog world.”

Wolf lunged for Duncan’s throat before Flash and Gunner grabbed him and hauled him back. “At least shehadbackbone, you spineless tick!” Wolf snarled.

Duncan continued. “Vampires have beenforcedinto hiding,forcedto live on limited territory, andforcedto hunt on certain grounds, all while the Seven and Death’s Fallen live like spoiled royalty.” Duncan’s eyes darkened as they swung to Death. “And you, Death, are responsible.”

Vampires emerged all around us. Dread churned my stomach as they surrounded our much smaller army. The reapers and Death’s Fallen prepared to fight.

“More vamps coming from the east.” Leo’s eyes glowed as he held his sword out in front of him. “My lord?”

Death laughed darkly under his breath. “Blood is the only thing that keeps your life essence animated. And you wasted it, decorated this graveyard with it.” His voice gradually rose with each word, beckoning everyone to listen. “All to create the illusion you’re in control and not Ahrimad’s pawn! As if you aren’t already a hostage to your own undying hunger, as if your body isn’t unbearably thrumming right this second, begging for you to wet your dry mouth and taste the blood seeping into this ground.”

A few of the vampires around Duncan became distracted and flicked their hungry, beady eyes to the ground and to their shoes, stained with crimson.

Energy crackled in the air like static electricity, and I could have sworn the ground gave a slight tremble. Shadows slunk across the ground beneath Death, unfolding from the darkness, consuming the pathway to the mausoleum.

“Tonight,” Death said, his voice booming over the graveyard, “you have soaked this graveyard in your demise. The mortal lives you have slain shall not be wasted. Not with a god in your company.”

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