Page 81 of Death Deals

“I know breakups are always hard,” he said with fake concern. “If you need a shoulder to cry on…”

I spun and threw him a hard glare. “Nice try, but I don’t think so.”

He shrugged, the chains clanking together from the movement. “A half-demon, a vampire, and a Guardian… I’m not one to judge, but it appears you have your hands full.”

“What can I say? Near-death experiences ended up being the milkshake that brings all the boys to the yard.”

He laughed. “Seems so.”

“Now that we’re finally alone, I have another proposition for you,” I said and stepped closer to the circle.

His brows lifted, suddenly very interested. “You want to make another deal?”

“That’s your thing, isn’t it? We both are at a standstill now, so I have something that might benefit us both.”

He smiled. “I’m listening.”

“You leave Cole’s body—”

“Naturally,” he said, expecting my side of the deal a mile away.

“Right, you leave Cole and do so completely intact, healthy and alive, and I’ll go with you.”

Monnie searched the basement, noting that we were actually alone. “Your Guardian isn’t going to like this,” he said.

“It’s not up to him,” I said. “It’s my soul.”

“I do love an independent woman.” He glanced up at the ceiling as if lost in thought. “So you get something you want, while I get what was originally promised to me in our first deal. That hardly seems fair to me.”

“A dealyoutricked me into,” I said through a tense jaw. “But it also gets you out of here, and without a Guardian spear in your chest.”

“Hmm… That is true.”

“Going once,” I said and held up a finger. “Going twice.”

“You’re catching on.” His grin stretched. “Alright, I’ll take your deal. This skin is getting too uncomfortable anyway.”

I swallowed roughly, knowing I was about to regret the next words out of my mouth. “Before I let you out, there needs to be a kiss.”

His head perked up at that. “I like where this is going.”

“Don’t get any ideas.” As much as thinking about kissing the Greed demon again made my skin crawl, I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice and trust him to hold up his end of the bargain. If a kiss was what I needed to bind him to the contract, then that’s what I had to do.

At least it was Cole he was possessing. Maybe that would make it less repulsive?

Yeah, right.

Making sure I avoided the symbols of the trap, I stepped into the circle and leaned forward. Monnie tugged against his chains, wanting to grab for me, but couldn’t reach.

“Say your bit,” I told him.

His red eyes flashed. “I’ll leave the half-demon without any more damage than you and your little friends have already done.”

Not liking his specific add-ons, I glared at him

“I can’t heal his wounds,” he replied bluntly. “That’s on you.”

“Fine,” I growled and then started my side of the deal. “And in return, I’ll let you out of this demon trap and follow you willingly.”

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