Page 66 of TBR: Dead But Well Read

“No,” I huffed. “Maybe. I’m more of a think-on-my-feet person.”

Saul’s chest vibrated with laughter. “But you know martial arts?”

“What? No! Why would you think that?” It was my turn to laugh.

“Because instead of making fists, you flattened your hands when you brought them up to fight.”

I shrugged. “That’s what they do on TV.”

“That’s probably why you lost the boxing match with the Easter bunny.” Saul swept me up into his arms and spun around just in time to catch the scythe aimed for his back.

“You remembered?” It was a ridiculously trivial thing, but he hadn’t forgotten.

Saul yanked the scythe from the reaper’s hand, spun it around and slammed the handle into the man’s stomach, knocking the wind out of him. “Of course I remembered.” He turned to the gathered audience. “Does anyone else want to take a swing or a shot at me?”

“Attacking a fellow reaper is a punishable crime. It is natural that these two would come to Zacharias’ defense when you were strangling him.” The ancient reaper sniffed.

“But Saul wasn’t holding Zacharias when goon number two tried to stab him in the back, literally,” I pointed out.

Saul pinched my butt. “Such a naughty pet.”

The ancient one turned a strange eggplant color and hissed, “You are not a reaper, so you have no voice to be heard in this matter, ghost.”

“Do not insult her,” Saul warned. “I have something to say, and when I finish, I want you to pass my message to the rest of the paranormal world.”

Hooking two fingers in the collar of his shirt, he pulled it to the side and angled his head so the purple scythe on his neck was visible.

“A soulmate mark?” the ancient reaper barked. “That’s impossible!”

I searched the room for Lochlan, wondering how I was going to explain this to the collectors. They’d been the ones to encourage me to follow my heart, but I doubted they wanted me to follow it in this direction.

“Yes, it’s a soulmate mark.” Saul’s eyes glowed and pride practically radiated from him.

“But there are no female reapers alive! Unless you both bear the mark, it is a false bond,” the ancient reaper who I decided to nickname Rip Van Reaper protested.

“Maybe it’s a tattoo,” another reaper suggested.

“He’s a showman who has mastered tricks. That’s all this is,” Zacharias croaked from the floor.

“I suggest you remain quiet so I forget you’re still alive,” Saul responded, his voice reverting to his icy, calm tone that was scarier than if he were shouting threats.

Saul leveled a stern look in Rip’s direction. “She bears a matching soulmate mark, etched on her skin during our claiming.”

“Prove it. Present this female and let us judge the mark for ourselves,” Rip demanded, and the rest of the gathered reapers slammed the handles of their scythes on the floor in what seemed to be the reaper way of agreeing.

Alright then, it was my time to shine. I dematerialized and teleported myself a few feet from Rip. Soft gasps rippled around the room.

Rip’s brow creased. “I don’t understand. You’re a ghost. You can’t disappear from the ghost realm.”

Since I didn’t have answers, I didn’t respond. Angling my body to the side, so Rip could see the mark, I pushed the fabric upward until the slit in my dress reached the top of my hipbone.

I could’ve used some energy to make my skirt longer, but my nerves were frazzled and I was afraid I’d end up making it shorter—or worse, vanish. That meant I had to fight with the two flaps of fabric as I tried to keep my important bits covered.

I’d wanted to appear strong in front of the reapers, rather than hiding behind Saul, but there was no denying I was relieved when Saul stepped behind me. His frame blocked anyone from catching an accidental peek of my bare butt.

Saul rested his hand against my stomach, moving it slowly south until his large palm held the fabric in place and covered me. Even though I was as nervous as a porcupine in a balloon factory, and strangers were staring daggers at me, the heat radiating from his skin had desire bubbling in my belly.

It was pathetic the way the four men could drive me crazy without even putting in effort.

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