Page 29 of Soul Food

And with that, he left me with a renewed fire. I called her music, and she just breathed life back into me.

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AMIT

I saidmake it happy.

It doesn’t belong anywhere, yet it speaks to everything.

I shuddered and rubbed my forehead as I stepped away from Ruth, mentally replaying all the sappy shit I just said to her.

This soul was making me commit all sorts of firsts.

Yet… I stopped mid-stride and caught sight of her still standing in the middle of the room where I left her. She gripped her fists as they hung at her sides, but she wasn’t present in this room. She was wrapped within herself, and her soul burst to life.

And just like that, I restored vitality to her soul. Music was her shine. And I didn’t doubt that it wasn’t the human’s love.

Humans needed confirmation about things. They would twist and turn and stew on the thoughts of others which I found ridiculous. Why bother with what other people thought? You lived for you, no one else.

I hadn’t even known I would give her what she needed when I brought up music. I smiled briefly as I walked away. Damn, I even impressed myself sometimes.

But what I said about her voice hadn’t been a lie. Her voice wasn’t made for this world. Maybe that was why the heavens let her drown it out in the fierce way she sung. If she dared to let it flow freely, she’d captivate the Devil himself.

I was greeted by three unexpected guests the moment I stepped out the back door of the gallery. I scoffed. I should have known they’d approach me.

The Oppressors were, after all, a rock band of vampires. Vermin.

“I thought I made myself clear,” I spaced my feet apart and glared at their leader. I didn’t know them by name. I just recognized the scent of their filth. To my kind they reeked of decay—like the skin they wore was ancient rubber trying to pose as living flesh. “I didn’t want to see any of you. That was our agreement when I signed the contract.”

The vampire chuckled. “Please. You think we need a contract to get into this world? We just need to compel one big wig and our music will be everywhere.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Then why didn’t you?”

One of them smirked. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“What’s your plans with Ruth?” the main one asked me.

“I think you know what my plans are.” Three sets of fangs lengthened, and the creatures hissed at me. “Put your fangs away. Like your intentions are noble.”

“Fucking soul reaper,” he spat. “Unlike you, we take a bite then leave them alive. What you plan to do will kill her!”

“And…?”

He came toward me, and I grabbed his shirt. “You can’t save her. Her soul is already mine.” And with those words, his fangs went back to normal-sized teeth. “It’s been mine for the last decade.”

The leader yanked his shirt from my hand and stepped away scowling. “Then why is Ruth Thomas even still alive?”

“That’s none of your business.She’snone of your business.” I took a step, then brushed my hand over his shoulder in warning as I growled. “If I catch your fangs anywhere near her, I’ll burn the three of you at a stake.” I pinned them each with a hard glare. “Same goes for both of you.”

The next second, I traded in my human form for my reaping one, and the leader called out. “It’s not her blood we want, it’s her voice. Why do you think we came to Black Hearts? We knew she was close with the company.”

“You want to sing with her?” I chuckled darkly. “Then you better hurry.”

Chapter Nine

RUTH

Bone-chilling weight pressed against me. Cold had a presence, it often compressed against our bones and made our teeth chatter, but this—this was a different kind of weight. This cold held me at the edge of a mountain, and in the distance, I saw the shadow—the demon’s piercing ruby gaze tipping me off the cliff. I recognized his frost, and he blanketed me in it.

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