Page 15 of Death Match

Annoyed, I rubbed my forehead. “That’s great and all, but what was so funny in the elevator?” I could hear the words coming out of my mouth—heard how stupid and childish they sounded—but I couldn’t help myself. The greened-eyed monster kept spitting out nonsense. “I’d worked with you for close to two years and I’ve never seen you laugh likethat.”

Simon stared at me blankly, shocked by my sudden hostility.

“I-I’m sure you have,” he replied, but the stammer in his voice revealed he really wasn’t certain.

“Nope. Never.” The stabbing sensation only increased, as if I were harboring an angry hornets’ nest behind my ribs. “And besides, he wasn’t even in line to be put into the reaper cycle. He had to have gone to orientation, too.”

“The rules have changed. After Azrael used the cycle to interfere with angel matters, it seems they’ve changed the way things worked. Reapers are now recommended. Not chosen at random. After their souls and lives have been thoroughly scanned through, I’m given the list to choose from. Kyle was one of the possibilities I was given.”

“How fucking convenient.”

“Jade.” Simon’s tone was sterner this time. Scolding. “I don’t understand what’s gotten you like this. From the looks of it, you liked Kyle. And he had lots to say about you. You were the first person he asked for when he was brought to me.”

“That only raises another question,” I said. “What happened to the memory wipe? Was that nixed, too?”

“No, that stayed. But for some reason—one I’m still trying to figure out—the memory of you stayed.”

Had to be the angel thing. That was going to be my excuse for everything now. Some kind of unexplainable power? Angel thing.

Can’t dance? Angel thing.

Shoulder aching? Angel thing.

Allergic to gluten? Of course it was an angel thing. Modern science would say differently, but why would it be caused by anything else besides flying naked people in the sky?

“Kyle is a good young man,” Simon went on.

“I know that,” I snapped and then huffed out a breath to calm myself like Simon had done. Except I sucked at it. “I know,” I said again but more calmly this time. “I just…” Rubbing a hand over my face, I realized my jealousy came more from me missing Simon. Not so much from being replaced by Kyle.

Man, Hell had to be freezing over. I’d never thought I’d see the day I’d miss being a reaper.

“Forget it.” I shook my head. “Kyle’s great. I’m sure he’ll do the job a hell of a lot better than I did.”

“He’s young, but he’s willing to learn.”

“Go easy on him, okay? You’re right. He is young, and he’s going to see a lot of fucked-up shit in this line of work. Ease him into it.”

A smile flickered across his lips but vanished as quick as it had showed. “I will.”

There was a moment of silence between us.

“You didn’t show him your house yet, did you?” I asked, peeking up at him.

He shook his head. “That’s my haven. Only my closest personal friends have been there.” His brows rose, and I knew what he was doing. He was silently telling me I was a part of that small, selective group. Maybe the only one.

“Okay, good.”

“What are you planning on doing during this little excursion of yours?” he asked, as we began to walk down the hall. “I’m assuming you haven’t completed the Trials yet?”

“Not yet,” I said. “And I’m just here to say hi…well, and maybe bye to everyone before I go.”

“Goodbye?” Simon frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Michael told me I’m going to have a lot on my plate once the Trials are over. I may not have time to pop in and out like I wanted to.”

“Ah, well, I’m sure we’ll see each other again. Not right away but soon. You have some very important matters to attend to.”

“Don’t keep reminding me.”

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