Page 19 of Death Wish

“But I get to go first,” I said.

“Fine.”

I shifted uneasily in the seat. Was it me or did it smell like wet dog in here? I didn’t need to focus on that. Instead, I needed answers. There were so many questions. Where to start?

The beginning would be best.

“So, Cole, why can you see me? No other living people can, except Kay that is. But she’s a Medium, so that makes sense. I’ve never met anyone else who can see me.”

“That’s a complicated one to start with,” he said, his gaze flicking between me and the road. Whatever the speed limit was, there was no doubt he was exceeding it. We were whipping in between cars on the main highway and passing others with ease. “I’m not sure I can even answer that one…” He paused. “Is what Xaver said true? You’re a reaper?”

I hesitated. Kay had turned fully in her seat now and was staring at me. Should I tell them? Better yet, would the censor even let me say it? Could this end up badly for me in any way?

So much shit had hit the fan tonight, it was hard to believe I would come out of this unscathed from Azrael at all. Might as well let the truth out and get the information I wanted.

I took a deep breath. “I am…a reaper. Yes.” No twist to my words. No censor. That was odd. I didn’t expect it to be that easy.

“Makes sense on why I’ve seen you before, after some of my kills…” he mused, his eyebrow raised.

So, he’d seen me before, too.

“That makes you a spirit, which is why Kay can see you. But then, how could Xaver see you? And touch you? He was able to throw you halfway across the room.”

I was wondering that one myself. Wasn’t it my turn to ask the question, anyway? “I was hoping you knew the answer to that one.”

“My guess is that it has to do with his demon blood,” he said. “Technically, demons are from the same plane as you, the spiritual plane. Just a different part of it. Am I right?”

I nodded. Sounded logical to me.

“Then that would explain how I could see you, being half-demon myself.”

Did that mean he could make physical contact with me, too?

The thought of his hands on me made a very different feeling spike through my veins. Tangled in my hair, caressing my breasts, gripping my ass. In an instant, desire took hold and tried to run free.

I stomped down my climbing libido and quietly told it to stay put. I definitely didn’t need those kinds of ideas distracting me. Especially with so much at stake.

“Half-demon?” Kay croaked, looking paler than before. “A reaper? That’s why you can get rid of all of those ghosts who follow me around?”

My throat dried. Even though I hadn’t been allowed to tell Kay the truth of what I was before, for some reason, it felt as if I had betrayed her somehow. Like I had lied and disappointed her.

Two things I never wanted to do.

Cole cut in. “Being a reaper also explains why my specialty bullets affected you.” When I threw him a questioning look, he explained. “They’re made of pure iron and blessed in Holy Water, just in case.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Pure iron repels spirits of all kinds. Even fairies. Holy Water is for the more demonic creatures, like demons or vamps. This way I have double the protection.” He grinned.

“You seem pretty damn proud of yourself.”

“I am. They’ve made my job much easier.”

I wondered if Azrael knew about after these types of weapons in the hands of the living. Bullets that could harm the dead? Not good.

Cole took the exit for uptown Fairport a little too fast, sliding me across the back seat and swinging Kay into the door.

“I hope you all are buckled in,” he said.

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