Page 73 of Death Trap

“Believe me, this isn’t normal.”

Something was definitely up here.

“So, where is this guy?” she asked, stepping farther into the room.

There were two doorways, one that looked like it led to a kitchen and dining area, and one that must have went to bedrooms. The water sound stopped, and a shadow moved across the kitchen door. I pointed straight ahead.

“Hey! Hello? Anybody home?” Tamara shouted suddenly, making me wince.

The shadow in the kitchen stopped for a long moment.

“Tamara,” I whispered sharply. “Really?”

She shrugged, unbothered. “We don’t have time. Your charm is starting to fade.” She pointed to the choker around my neck.

I lifted the pendant and noticed the gold tarnishing before my eyes. That must have meant the last of the magic was draining from it. Tamara was right. I was almost out of time.

Not good. Not good at all.

When I glanced up again, there was a man standing in the doorway, eyes wide in shock. Something told me he wasn’t expecting any visitors. Whatever was left of his gray hair was on top of his head like wisps of cotton candy. Barely there at all. He wore a button-down Hawaiian shirt stretched tight over his round midsection and tan cargo pants, as if he were a man residing in one of Florida’s retirement communities instead of living amongst demons and condemned spirits.

Thiswas Benjamin Tanner? This was the centuries-old reaper I’d replaced, the guy who held all the answers I needed?

Or had I gotten his door confused with someone else’s overly tanned, pudgy grandpa?

“Who…who are you?” His voice shook with apprehension as he glanced between me and Tamara. “What’s going on here? How are you here?”

“So many questions.” Tamara shook her head. “How about we start instead? Who are you?”

The man swallowed roughly, his Adam’s apple jumping. “Benjamin. Benjamin Tanner.”

But was it really him? Had the microphone got it wrong somehow when I’d asked for Benjamin the reaper?

Tamara turned to me as if to ask if this was the man I had come all this way to see, and I nodded a silent yes.

“Were you at any time a reaper working under Azrael, the Angel of Death, at Styx Corporation?” I asked.

His head tilted, intrigued. “I was. Yes. And who are you?”

At that moment, the magic covering my skin from the perception charm dissipated completely, and the necklace’s pendant blackened entirely when I looked at it again.

Benjamin’s eyebrows shot up instantly. “Jade?” he croaked as his pale gaze roamed over me. “Jade Blackwell? Is that really you?”

Guess I looked like me again. No hiding it now.

When I glanced at Tamara, she was staring at me, seeing my true self for the first time. I realized then I hadn’t even told her my name before this moment. She was truly meeting me now.

Uneasiness crawled over my skin.

“You remember me?” I asked Benjamin.

“Of course I do.” He moved farther into the room but made sure to keep some distance between us, as if he were still unsure. “You’re the reason I’m in Hell.”

How the heck was I supposed to reply to that?

“Er…sorry about that, but that’s also why I’m here. I don’t know why you were put here after your Release. I was hoping you could tell me.”

He gestured for us to sit on the couch. Tamara did, but I waved the offer off. I was more comfortable standing. Especially in a stranger’s presence. Benjamin took the seat on the other side of the sofa and put his feet up on the coffee table with a pleased groan.

---