Page 62 of A Shadow in the Reaping
"Not this time, vampire," Ashen says. "This promise is just like you. There is no measure of time, no realm that can stop it. It is elemental."
Ashen's kiss and his touch follow every word into the last threads of the night. But I know the truth. That the only immortal promises in life and death must be paid in blood.
Chapter 27
"Do you ever actually sleep? I haven't seen it happen," I say as I slide onto one of the barstools in the kitchen and pull my damp hair into a ponytail. "Every time I wake you're already up."
Ashen pours my coffee, passing pitchers of blood and cream across the island before he returns his attention to his heavily buttered piece of toast and his newspaper. The faint smell of cinnamon drifts through the room, traveling on the gentle breeze of the open window. "It's hard for a demon to sleep soundly next to someone with angel rabies, you know."
"Well, at least it's that and not sleep farting."
"Oh no, it is definitely that too. I am just too much of a gentleman to mention it."
I grin. He smiles. We stare.
This should feel really fucking weird, sitting across from a Reaper and thinking about all the things I love about him. His humor. His wit. His beautiful cognac eyes that seem to capture me, holding me hostage. But it doesn't feel weird. The more I let go of my guard, the more it feels right. The danger seems to dissolve, leaving only desire behind.
Ediye is going to have a fucking field day with me.
Fuck.
Fuck shit fuck.
Ediye.
She's expecting me back soon and I haven't touched base to let her know I'm safe in the Living Realm.
I tear my eyes from Ashen's and reach down to my bag, pulling my phone from within the front pocket. There are six messages from Ediye, all emojis. There's a lady vampire. There's the planet Earth. There's a shrug. There's a wave or a slap, I'm not sure. There's a knife, which I think means she's going to kill me. Lastly, there's a ghost, which means she's definitely going to kill me.
I send her a devil face and a line of eggplants.
Ediye's response is immediate. It's a line of cry-laugh faces and a skull. I'm not sure if that means she's died laughing, or she's still coming to murder me. Maybe both.
"Hmm," Ashen murmurs. I look up to find him engrossed in the newspaper, a frown embedded on his face. He slides the story across the table to me.
"Family asks public for support to find missing local man," I read aloud. My eyes fix on the picture of a familiar face. "Jessie Fucking Bates."
"The man from the alley, correct? Your meal?"
"Yeah. Major douchebag," I say, my voice thin as my thoughts are consumed by the words on the page. There are the usual details about his height, age, eye color,yada yada. How he's such a wonderful person beloved by all. Such bullshit. Fortunately, he'd made it home from Sanford and was last seen at his house in Newbury. When he didn't show up for work, his brother went to check on him but the door of his home was ajar. Nothing was taken, nothing seemed out of place. Even his Audi was in the driveway, the keys still in a dish at the entrance of the house.
"A little too coincidental, I'm afraid," Ashen says as I slide the story back toward him.
"You think this is Semyon's doing?" I ask as Ashen folds the paper and takes a sip of coffee, his eyes pouring over my face.
Ashen sets his mug down and watches me as he turns it across the granite with a thoughtful expression. "Probably."
"Why?"
Ashen shrugs as he glances down to the image of Jessie's punchable, smiling face. Even as a missing person he comes off as a dickhead. "Maybe he thought you might have other... interests... in this particular human. Or maybe he's trying to send you a message. That he's watching, waiting."
I barely manage to stifle a snort. "Interests. Gross. That guy was only good for one thing. Eating."
"When you left me in the alley with him, are you sure no other werewolves were left behind as well?" Ashen asks as leans forward and locks his gaze to mine. Tiny buds of flame blossom in his eyes.
"I know that face," I say with a sly smile as I sit back on my stool and cross my arms. "That's your interrogation face. That face sucks."
Ashen gives an incredulous laugh as his gaze flicks to the ceiling. When his eyes meet mine again they burn with a hotter flame. "My facedoes notsuck."
