Page 86 of TBR: Dead But Well Read

The words had an eerie calm settling over me, as though I had a plan and the skill to execute it. All I had was the inability to stay down when I was knocked on my butt, and rapidly reproducing energy I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with.

Wait.

Zacharias began to laugh. “This is so rich. You have been such a nuisance, it’s truly satisfying to know I was the one who killed you.” He kept his scythe on Saul’s neck as he delivered a savage kick to my soulmate’s ribs.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The barometric pressure in the room plummeted, and the lights from the hallway exploded.

Now.

I didn’t need to be told twice.

My foot connected with Zacharias’ scythe, sending it clattering across the room before anyone realized I’d moved.

Oh, yeah! I could get used to running if it was easy like this.

I slammed my shoulder into Zacharias, knocking him backward. Pulling energy from the swirling orb inside me, Ileaped onto Zacharias’ falling body and released the energy straight into his chest.

Zacharias teleported away from me, clinging to the wall to stay upright. His chest had twin burn marks, and each breath he took was a struggle.

Good. He’d left Philetus to die gasping for air. Let him taste firsthand what that was like.

“I will not be beaten by a damaged ghost!” Digging deep, Zacharias called his scythe back to his hand and charged at me with the impressive speed only reapers could manage.

Until now.

I ran at him, reveling in the weightlessness and freedom of being a ghost, but equally enjoying the pure energy flowing through every molecule of what made me, well… me.

Zacharias grinned in anticipation as he lifted his scythe and swung it down, intending to slice me in half.

The clang of metal on metal as his scythe slammed into mine echoed around the room.

His eyes were wild as he stared at me. “How?”

“Philetus,” I hissed. “You tried to steal his power so you could level up, but even as he lay dying, he found a way to keep it out of your hands so you couldn’t hurt people with it.”

“You are human! Reaper energy would have killed you instantly!” Zacharias protested, unable to accept that I, a defective ghost, had the thing he’d been willing to kill for.

“I guess it was a good thing you took care of killing me, huh? Philetus hung on long enough to time the energy transfer right as my heart beat its last and I began to separate from my humanity.” I let the energy fighting to be released flow into my scythe, and watched in awe as it began to glow.

“What are you?” For the first time, I saw fear in his eyes.

“I don’t know. Death’s pet? Girlfriend to the Knights Baudelaire?” I mused.

“Will you marry us?” Lochlan shouted from where he was helping Saul to his feet.

“Yes!” I grinned and turned back to Zacharias. “Correction, Fiancé of the Knights Baudelaire, smut reader extraordinaire, library ghost, Saul’s soulmate.” I shrugged. “But those aren’t the ones you need to worry about.”

“I’m not scared of you.” Zacharias’ muscles flexed as he tried to force me to lower my blade.

“You should be, because today I’m fighting to avenge Philetus.” I sent my energy pouring into the scythe, heating the weapon until it glowed hot.

Zacharias’ blade groaned and cracked as his scythe shattered.

“You tried to take Philetus’ scythe, so I’ve taken yours!” I shouted in victory, proud to have honored the man who’d unknowingly given me a second chance at life.

His power had merged with my ghost form, giving me the ability to produce new energy like a reaper. It was the reason I hadn’t faded like every other ghost. I was guessing it had altered my body’s makeup, allowing me to move in the reaper realm, and to give Saul a soulmate mark.

---