Page 62 of Death Trap

When we clashed on the street, I dropped low as the thing jumped up. Its hands snagged in my hair as it soared over me. I screamed as it yanked me to the ground and landed.

The back of my head slammed against the ground, and pain ricocheted throughout my skull, making my vision blur.

I rolled, trying to detangle myself from its grasp, only to find a chunk of my hair in its claws when I stood up again. I touched the tender spot on my head, and in the empty pit where the memories of my life once lay, something joggled. Not enough to reveal anything, but enough to cause anger to flare to life. Quick and all-consuming.

With it, my fingers glowed as my power surged.

“You bastard,” I growled. The power was whipping through me like a cyclone as my temper hit a peak.

The Halfling peered down at its hand, which was full of my hair, and a smile split its lips.

My entire body trembled with rage. I couldn’t control it anymore. The light emitting from my fists illuminated the street all around us.

A blast of freezing air rushed by, throwing my hair all about and making me stumble. The Halfling screamed. Its upside-down head swiveled side to side, obviously disliking the sudden cold. Before I could recover, another whoosh of chilled wind threw me and the Halfling back. I locked my knees to prevent myself from falling over. Claws scraped against the pavement as the Halfling struggled to do the same.

When I squinted through another icy blast, I spotted a woman—no, a girl—marching from Divine Magic toward us with her hand extended out. A spinning cloud of air hovered in front of her palm, ready to be shot out again.

“Get away from here.” The girl’s voice was commanding despite her age. “Before I make you into an icicle.”

This had to be Arianna. The almond-shaped eyes, cutesy face, and caramel-colored skin was identical to Marla’s. But the Metallica tank top and ripped skinny jeans screamed rebellious youth. Not to mention she went a little too heavy on the dark eye makeup. The tips of her hair had even been dyed red.

I wondered if her look of choice came before or after Marla’s death. Marla didn’t seem like the type of person to allow it—not with her being so prim and proper. My guess? After. Definitely after.

“I’m warning you.” When her gaze sharpened on me, my stomach flipped. Not only could she see me, but she thought I was some Hell creature, too.

Ouch. That one stung. I hoped to God I didn’t look like that thing. It was vomit-inducing.

If she could see me, that meant using my power had caused me to switch again. Become temporarily “alive” or whatever this state was. I still didn’t have a word for it.

Another gust smacked into me, this one so cold and strong enough to rattle my teeth. The Halfling skidded backwards five feet. After its crooked head whipped toward me, as if debating whether or not I was worth it, it spun around and raced down the street, then disappeared into the shadows of an alleyway.

Looking back at Arianna, another swirl of arctic wind gathered in her palm. “If you were smart, you’d follow that creature,” she said, gaze hardening. If I wasn’t already mostly dead, she might have intimidated me.

I was constantly introducing myself and what I was to the spirits I reaped, but this felt different for some reason. It was like I was staring into the eyes of a bull about to stampede. How was I supposed to convince her not to trample me when she had already made up her mind?

Best to cut to the chase, then. Forget the whole “My name is Jade and I’m a reaper” thing to start.

“Your aunt sent me,” I said, the slight waver to my voice surprising me. This witch might’ve been young, but it was obvious she was powerful. “Because I need your help.”

She said nothing for a long moment, and I wondered if I should ramble some more. But before I could open my mouth again, Arianna spoke again.

“Why was there a half demon on my doorstep?” she snapped.

I shrugged, which probably looked too nonchalant for almost getting my ass handed to me by one of the Halflings. But I couldn’t stop staring at the icy power Arianna held at the ready. “It seems they keep finding me.”

Boy was that an understatement.

Her expression told me she wasn’t buying what I was selling.

What was that ridiculous thing Marla told me to say? Yellow duckie?

Oh yeah. “Rubber duckie,” I said.

Her brow creased. Unsure. “What did you just say?”

Now I just felt like a fool. Was Marla playing some kind of joke on me?

“Uh…rubber duckie? Marla told me to say that so you’d know…”

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