Page 93 of Death is My Ride or Die

“If you have any questions for Death, you need to leave a message with Glenn,” Leo replied.

“I’ve about had it with this ‘leave a message with Glenn’ game. I want to know what’s going on.”

“Mind your business, mortal,” sneered Blade to my right. “You’re not entitled to any information; you’re a prisoner.”

The rest of the reapers shot him glares of disapproval.

“It’s not like you all weren’t thinking it too,” said Blade. “Why should we walk on eggshells around her and treat her like a princess? She’s beneath us.”

“Blade,” hissed Wolf, “don’tstart.”

“Why don’t you make me,boyo?” Blade challenged.

“Someone didn’t take his meds,” muttered Flash.

Blade turned his fury on me. “Want to know why Death didn’t show up today, lassie? He’s outbeggin’the warlock for forgiveness so that Ace doesn’t lash out and obliterate you for injuring his precious pixie. See, you don’t stand a chance against Ahrimad or Malphas or any of their soldiers. Your silly power is an unpredictable mess. You’re a liability. Death knows it, and we all know it.”

My breath hitched at the fact that none of the reapers seemed to disagree enough to defend me.

“What if you have to take on a demon by yourself?” Blade said as his eyes flickered red. “You gonna throw out your hand andhopeyour prophesized light beam shoots out? Preparation means nothing if you can’t find your block. Nothing.”

“That’s enough,” Leo said, stepping up so that he was between us. “Go cool off.”

“You don’t know me, Blade,” I said. “I don’t give up, and I still have time.”

“Did Death not tell youthateither, lassie?” Blade laughed bitterly. “Weare the ones who don’t have time. Death’s Seven Deadly Sins curse controls our inner animals. Without his scythe, we’re all more screwed with each passing day. Time is the last thing you have. By the looks of it, you’re a walking time bomb. Better start looking for another dick to suck to save you from yourself—”

Leo punched Blade square in the face. Blade’s head snapped backward, and his eyes flared from a dull maroon to crimson. He lashed out, hurling his entire weight into Leo. Black blood splattered the ground as Blade stabbed Leo with a knife.

“Guys, stop!” I shouted.“Stop!”

Denim, Wolf, and Flash grabbed Blade and threw his body against the wall with inhuman force. They held him there, shouting expletives. Romeo and Gunner helped Leo to his feet while at the same time making sure he didn’t go after Blade again.

Coldness darted down my spine.

“Am I interrupting?” growled an accented voice.

Death came forth from a black, swirling mist like a god summoned from the night.

And he waspissed.

XXV

“Why is it,” Death began as he stalked a slow circle around his reapers, “whenever I leave one of youidiotsalone with the girl, chaos erupts?”

When nobody responded, Death glared at Wolf. “Were my instructions not clear?”

“You were perfectly clear, my lord.”

Death prowled past Wolf and stopped at Gunner. “Have I not been a generous and merciful master to you all?”

“You have always been generous to us, my lord.”replied Gunner.

“Are you not all indebted to me?” Death asked Denim, face to face with him.

“We are forever indebted, my lord,”

“Then why thefuck,” Death roared, now standing before Leo, the cords of muscle in his neck protruding like a drill sergeant’s, “did I just walk into goddamn World War Three?”

---