Page 27 of Death Trap

“Yes.”

Something told me I wasn’t going to like this Guardian Code thing.

“So, if you haven’t been able to follow me into the afterlife, how did you know about Simon?” I asked.

“The night he tracked you to the vampire club.”

I gasped. “You were there?”

He nodded.

Freaky.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this.” Maybe I shouldn’t invite him into the afterlife. If he could follow me on this side of the veil and not the other, did I really want to give up my safe space?

But there was no way I was getting to Hell without him. I needed an angel to work the elevator, and that meant inviting Eli into the afterlife.

“Okay, how do I do this? Do I just say it like I’m inviting you into my house?” I asked awkwardly.

“I suppose so,” he replied. “I’ve never done it before. We’ll have to try and see.”

Not sure what exactly I was supposed to do, I walked over to the glowing spirit door, held out my hands, and dropped my voice to sound more serious. “I, Jade Blackwell, invite you, Elijah, Guardian, to the afterlife.” I wiggled my fingers. “Ta-dah!”

Nothing happened to the spirit door, but I at least got a little chuckle from him.

“You’re funny,” he said.

“I like to think so. But that probably means I’m really not.”

He laughed again. “I’ve missed that.”

Clearing my throat, I gestured for him to come closer to the circle. “Hop on in. But just a helpful warning, the landing’s rough.”

Eli strode over and gave me one last handsome smile before stepping through the door and disappearing.

I waited ten whole Mississippis. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, though. If my pathetic invitation didn’t work, would the portal spit him out or something? But when there was still no sign of him after my count, I assumed what I had said had been enough.

I jumped in, too.

After all the flashing lights and spinning, the landscape took its rightful place around me. Stomach churning, I rubbed my eyes to see Eli standing over me with his hand outstretched for me to take. Maybe it was the temporary delirium that always happened when coming back to the afterlife, but I allowed him to haul me to my feet. Like a true gentleman.

He didn’t appear affected at all by the transition between planes like I did, and I had to admit I was a little jealous. How many times had I done this and still couldn’t stick the landing? Ridiculous.

After smudging the chalk to close the door, I peered up to see we were standing in front of Wyatt’s bar, A.B. I knew he had settled his place close to the trailer on this side of the veil, but I didn’t know they were pretty much overlapping each other.

Was I surprised? Not really. Wyatt loved his son and the life he’d made in that trailer. It’d make sense he’d want to be close to it and Sean—as close as he could be anyway.

I debated going inside and getting a shot before carrying out my plan.

Tricking an angel? This might be my dumbest idea yet. The more I thought about it, the more it sounded like something that could get you sent to Hell permanently. Did I want to risk my afterlife for this?

Quick answer? Yes.

The little voice inside my head was screaming to do it. Whatever it took, I needed to do it. Without truly knowing who I was, could I even enjoy my afterlife? Could I keep living this way, just move forward, like Simon and the other reapers had?

No, I couldn’t. Deep down, I knew it. Finding out what had been taken from me during the mind wipe would change me. And after speaking to Eli, it was clear my past was important. It was the key to everything.

I needed to know.

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