Page 45 of All Hallows Trick

Is that—I began, and drew back, needing to ask out loud. “Is that why you fixated on me, when you saw me… saw me kill Leo Windlow?”

“I was drawn to the madness in you, the violence. A dark ripple of it reached through the mortal world to the realm of the dead. It matched mine perfectly, so sweet I could almost taste it. But also… I watched you bludgeon him to death and thought,that’s a woman who could protect me.”

“Oh.” I’d been haunted by that night forever, its spectre always in the back of my mind no matter what I did, but this was the first time I saw it as a somewhat good thing. “I’m really not that dangerous, Madde. I just hit breaking point and… snapped.”

His eyes flared a little. “You look ravishing when you snap.”

I wanted to argue that I couldn’t do anything against a member of the Russian mob who was so vicious he’d tortured Madde for weeks, but if he was a ghost, that wasn’t true.

“Maybe he’s really, really dead, Madde. Not all spirits end up here, right?”

“Not all,” he allowed. “But if he isn’t here then…”

“Then?” I prompted, my hand flexing against his back.

“Then I’ve wasted a hundred years being afraid of nothing.” He exhaled a loud breath. “Oh, that’s depressing. Well, moving on!”

He tried to pull away from me but I tightened my grip, refusing to budge.

“He won’t get to you again, Madde,” I said. “Not just because I’ll protect you like you protected me all these years, but you’re dangerous, and powerful now. You’re not the same man who was tortured. You’re Madness, a death god with a castle and a fancy statue and really great hair.”

His eyes brightened, a grin creasing his freckled face. “I really do have great hair, don’t I?”

I wanted to kiss him so suddenly that it hurt to let go of him, but I forced myself to step back, pasting a smile on my face.

I began to change the subject, to ask what we’re going to do about the Stalker, but I closed my mouth when Deathwalked around the corner, his eyes gentle as they settled on me. Guilt soured my stomach, like I’d been caught doing something wrong.

“Come here a moment, little one. Madde, stay there.”

“Yessir.” Madde saluted.

My heart a mess, I crossed the hallway to Death, trying to gauge his expression but unable to find anything beneath the soft affection crinkling warm brown skin.

“Hey,” I said quietly, my shoulders slumping when he pulled me into an instant hug, surrounding me in warmth and safety and love. I rested my head on his shoulder and breathed his scent, the sweetness chasing away the worst of my nerves. “Were you listening?”

“Not intentionally,” he replied in a murmur, his lips against my temple. “I came to see if you’re hungry. Tor’s making his ayote picadillo.”

I nodded. I hadn’t eaten since this morning.

Death sighed, ruffling the fine hairs on my forehead. “Cat, kiss the mad bastard and end his suffering.” When I startled back, his lips brushed the tip of my nose. “End yours, too. I can see that it’s eating you up.”

“I feel like I’m cheating on you every time I look at him,” I whispered. “I hate it.”

Death’s lips found my forehead next, lingering for a long moment until my heart hurt. “I don’t want to share you, but I don’t like seeing you hurting, either. And like it or loathe it, he’s important to you. We had a conversation about it, just the three of us.”

I startled. “You did?”

“We did. It’s obvious that there are feelings between you and Madness—”

“I wouldn’t sayfeelings,”I cut in, my heart beating faster.

Death just levelled me with a patient look.

“Not exactly,” I modified, making him smile.

“I’m already sharing you with two men; another won’t kill me. Although if he hurts you in any way, all three of us will killhim.”

“Understood,” Madde called from the end of the hall.

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