Page 25 of Hopelessly Teavoted
Vickie tensed. “You brought me a hit list.”
“Now, now. These folks are already dead. And to be clear, they’re dreadful people. It’s angelic, really, that I’ve identified them for this. It will make the world a bit better, not having them.”
She crossed her arms.
“How can I be sure of that?”
“I’ll walk you through it. Here, the first one. In life, he lobbied for less gun control. Part of the group that prevents digital records of any gun ownership so that it’s hard to cross-check when people have a history of violence or some other good reason not to have a weapon of human body destruction.”
Uncrossing her arms, she nodded. “Okay, yes, I can get behind that.”
Lex ran a hand along her countertop, and then rolled up the sleeves of his suit jacket, casually, as though he knew exactly what his muscular forearms did to people.
She tried not to notice too much, but she only saw the dead; she wasn’t dead herself. And damn, those forearms.
“Shall I go on?” He smirked, watching her closely.
“Yes,” she said.
“The next soul is a woman who runs a drug ring. A witch, but not a good one. You’ll know as soon as you meet her spirit, I’d warrant. She’ll feeloff; it’s the repercussion of a lifetime using magic for evil. She’s responsible for many terrible things. Nothing plant-based or harmless, either: she’s about the big-league drugs. The kinds that beget assault.”
Vickie frowned, and he did too. “See, pet? I’m not a monster, unless you count being a monstrously good lover.” He winked.
“The third soul?”
“To be determined.” His brow creased. “I can’t put my finger on who yet, but there’s someone meddling in Hallowcross, someone I don’t know, but I’ll know them when I smell them.” He frowned. “I’ll substitute someone else if we can’t find out who in time. It’s someone tricky. Someone who’s bargained with a creature stronger than me, if you can believe it. They’re shielded. But there have been signs.” He grinned wickedly. “Don’t worry, dearest. I’ll find them.”
She ignored the sharpening of his smile, and the way it made the hairs on her arms rise. “Signs? How can you not know?”
“Talk to your witch friends. They’re investigating. Therehave been magical disturbances. And it’s not my deal, so I can’t track it the way whoever is behind it could. But I will, and you’ll help me, because the alternative is too awful.”
Vickie swallowed. “What’s the alternative?”
“Well, you could renew your contract with me.” She frowned at that. “Fine, fine,” he continued. “We can find a different soul to reap if we must. But I don’t like to reap who we don’t have to reap. Your gift, when used for good, sends a spirit to its final plane of existence. Reaping is only for special occasions. Souls who deserve torture or terrible accidents.”
“Accidents?”
He grinned. “They do happen. Still, don’t worry. This is why I don’t make bargains like the one I made with your parents more than once a century. You’re my only girl with death powers.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls.”
Lex stepped closer. “I most certainly do not. But I can arrange for other types of deals, with less… permanent bonding. Or other types of bonds, if you’re interested.”
She bit her lip. She wasn’tnotinterested.
“What types of deals would those be?”
He smirked, violet eyes flaring.
“Why don’t we start with telling me what you can imagine?”
It was normal to imagine it, and she was free to tie herself, figuratively or literally, to anyone, and yet, she wasn’t ready to close the door on the man who still haunted her, years later. Maybe later, but not yet.
“What I imagine is you getting back to business, me repaying my debt, and you moving on to torture the next unsuspecting mortal.” She said it as firmly as she could, and Lex pouted.
For a moment, hurt flickered across his face, but he shook his head.
“You think on that, pet. It doesn’t make a difference to me.” His voice was cool, but there was an edge to it. “I can’t say I get many rejections, though, in the end.” It was downright icy now.
