A Shadow in the Reaping by Brynne Weaver

Chapter 28

"This is not your territory. Get out," Ashen growls. His wings of smoke billow between us, rippling across the floor. Sparks hiss in their shadows.

"I'm sorry to say, but I come by invitation," the angel replies as the light dims in the room. I hear the edges of his feathers rake the floor like claws. "I was asked to come and check on you when the corridor to your realm was closed."

"By whom," Ashen demands. His voice cuts through the air, sharp as a blade. The angel doesn't answer. I step to Ashen's left and peer around the flow of smoke to look at our guest.

It's not the same angel as the one we saw in Saqqara. I can tell right away. This one is shorter, dressed in the same pristine white but much less Project Runway. There's no veil to obscure his beautiful face, its proportions almost too symmetrical to be real. He has olive skin, darker than mine, but light blond hair in tones of honey and gold. He locks his shimmering blue eyes to mine and smiles.

"Hi," he says, giving me a little wave.

"...hi?" I say back as I give a tentative wave in return with the hand that isn't clasped around my dagger.

"I'm Eryx," the angel says. His smile is still bright and untroubled, as though there isn't a seething demon in the room with us.

"...that's... cool..." I say, turning my confused gaze up to Ashen. His eyes glow as hot as lava. He hasn't taken them from the angel, though I know he feels me watching. I look back to Eryx, his smile still plastered to his beautiful face. "I'm Lu-"

"Lu-" Ashen hisses.

"-and this is Ashen," I continue. Ashen lets out a groan and I can almost hear his eyes rolling. "Uh... what are you doing here?"

"I came to provide my aid," Eryx says, his voice cheery. He sounds legit excited about this prospect.

I take a step closer and Ashen's hand darts out, his palm laying hot against my stomach. It takes me right back to the fight where we met. I look up and he meets my eyes. There's worry there, and urgency. I give him a half-smile but it only sweeps away the layers that shield his innermost thoughts from view. There's desperation in his eyes. There's a deeply buried fear that shows itself when he shakes his head and presses me back a half step. I lay my hand on his and look back to the angel who watches us with interest but without judgement.

I clear my throat and try to smile. It feels more like a grimace and the angel tilts his head. "Uh, that's super nice of you to want to help, Eryx, but... why?"

"To keep the balance of the Realms, of course," he says. Eryx folds his wings back in a show of trust. Ashen does not meet him in this display. Smoke continues to fall around us, coating the floor in a thick black haze. I curl my fingers across Ashen's hand and try to loosen the tension trapped there but he doesn't budge.

"Who sent you?" Ashen asks.

"He said I shouldn't tell you," Eryx replies, a hint of discomfort in his voice.

"Was it Cole?" I ask. Eryx's face lightens in what looks like relief.

"Yes! Good guess, Lu. You're very bright."

"Hear that? The angel said I'm very bright," I repeat to Ashen with a beaming smile. He glares down at me in reply. I crinkle my nose and turn my attention back to Eryx. "About the balance between the Realms part... care to explain?"

"There are some within the Realm of Light that believe the age of humanity has come to an end," Eryx says, his voice deepening in tone to match the weight of his words. "They believe the Living Realm should be left to the immortals to fight over. But first, they demand the Shadow Realm must be destroyed. They aided the werewolves in the formation of the first hybrids. And now we must work together before they perfect their creation and start a war." Eryx gives a sad smile and walks forward through the smoke. For every step he takes, Ashen pushes us in the opposite direction. I watch as Eryx bends and grasps the edge of my fallen stool, standing it upright next to the kitchen island.

Ashen and I exchange a glance. I feel the worry in mine. I see fury in his.

"There are some in the Shadow Realm that would see hybrids made to fight the Realm of Light instead. We cannot let that happen either. We have many souls to protect," Eryx says as he drifts around the island and picks up one of the mugs drying on the rack. He turns the water on and fills it before facing us as he takes a long sip. "Water is the best, don't you think?" he asks with a sincere smile. His feathers clink on the stone like falling knives as he sits on Ashen's barstool.

"No," Ashen says.

"Not really," I say.

Eryx shrugs but his smile remains untarnished by our lack of enthusiasm. "We need to ensure the werewolves don't have another chance to make a hybrid. Lu would be safer in the Realm of Light, out of their reach."

"No," Ashen growls. It's such a small word, and yet it feels filled with feral rage.

Eryx purses his lips in a displeased pout. "Why?"

"Firstly, you just said yourself that there are those in your realm that seek to aid the werewolves."

"Not the House of the Virtues," Eryx says, emphatically shaking his head. "Lu would be safer there than in any realm."

"Forgive me if I don't believe a word you say, anunnaki. Your kind lie more masterfully than any creature to walk the Earth," Ashen seethes. Eryx has a genuine look of shock and dismay as he sets his mug on the counter. "Secondly, the last angel we saw shredded Lu's face. I presume that one wasn't even trying to do us harm."

The color seems to drain from the angel's skin. He looks from Ashen to me and back again, his smile collapsing into a grimace. Eryx swallows but it looks like it takes effort to do so.

How odd, I think. And I'm not the only one that notices.

"That's right, anunnaki. Down to the bone. There was blood everywhere. It was carnage."

Eryx raises his fist to his mouth and clears his throat, his other hand gripping the edge of the countertop.

"That is..." Eryx swallows again. I swear his skin is turning grey. "That is so unfortunate."

"Yes, and it's a very good thing we figured out a solution as your brethren drifted away into the sky without a backward glance. Speaking of which, Lu, you must be famished," Ashen says, looking down at me. I am, actually. I'm fucking starving. "Take more of my blood."

I glance at Eryx and he looks like he might vomit across the polished stone. Ashen gives the slightest hint of a sly smile as he removes his palm from my stomach and raises his wrist close to my lips. "Just trust me," he whispers.

The flowery sweetness of venom blossoms from my fangs as they expand in my mouth. I take Ashen's wrist in my hands and run my thumb down the blue line of the radial artery. My eyes drift closed with the scent of blood beneath skin. I press my lips there, an apology for the pain I'm about to cause. Ashen doesn't move when my teeth slide into his flesh. He stays carefully still as I take the first draw of his rich blood and open my glowing eyes.

Eryx grips onto the countertop as though it's a lifeboat on a raging sea. His skin has taken on a greenish hue. I can see a sheen of sweat on his brow. The hummingbird rhythm of his heart takes flight. I swallow another long pull of blood from Ashen's arm and it floods my veins with its effervescent heat. Fuuuuck it tastes so good. It warms my chest and sparks the engine of desire in my heart, a longing for more than I should ever want from a demon of the Shadow Realm. I take one more draw from his wrist before I force myself to let go.

"I'm sorry, does this bother you?" I ask Eryx in a voice as thick as syrup. I clamp my hand down on the bite. One look at my bloody smile and Eryx tilts off the stool and hits the floor, his wings crashing like a spilled armory of blades across the stone.

"I think that's a yes. Time to go," Ashen says, pulling away to grab a tea towel for the bite. His wings disappear in a blur of smoke and sparks. The hellfire evaporates from his sword. We gather our bags and weapons and rush from the house, leaving the angel passed out on the floor.

"I feel kinda bad for him," I say as I slide into the passenger seat of Ashen’s car and clip my seatbelt closed. "He seemed nice."

"Of course he seemed nice. He's an angel. That's what they do. One moment they're talking about how much they love water, for fucksakes, and the next they're slicing your face up with their feathers," Ashen replies, twisting in his seat as he backs the car up at speed. The tires drift on the gravel as he slams his foot to the brake and shifts to drive. We speed away from the house, the pervasive fog thinning until it disappears at the road.

"We never got to hear his plan.”

"I am sure it was a genius strategy that involved him fainting at the first hint of a fight while you and I saved the realms."

I let out a conspiratorial laugh, which quickly dies as a wave of dread closes my throat. "About that... how are we supposed to do that, exactly?.."

Ashen lets go of a heavy sigh, his grip tensing on the wheel as he stares down the road that meets us. "I do not know, but we'd better come up with something fast. Time is not on our side."

"Well that's a shame, because I'm so fucking hungry I can't even think," I lament, looking out the window as we pass by fields of sheep.

I see Ashen's reflection in my window as he glances at me. He reaches to the back seat of his car for one of the bags. "There's a cooler in there," he says. I give him a half smile and open the backpack, rummaging inside for a bag of blood. I empty it into a thermal mug and sip away but it tastes bland and boring, too cold and flavorless to really sate my thirst, especially as Ashen's blood still tingles in my veins.

"Thank you," I say in a quiet voice. "It's not the same but it helps. But I'll need to eat properly before tonight."

"What's tonight?"

"Andy?.. The movies?.."

I feel Ashen's body tense beside me. I hear the quickening beat of his heart. "You're still going? With the detective with the ugly plants?"

I look out the window to hide my smile. "Well, it doesn't really seem fair to just text him. He's been trying for months to ask me out. I thought I'd go and then friendzone him afterwards." I glance at the steering wheel as Ashen's grip tightens across the leather.

"Can you not just... eat him?" he asks, and I burst out laughing.

"Eat him? No, I can't eat him, Reaper."

"Why not?"

"Why not? First of all, he's a detective. It'd be an uproar if one of the two detectives of Sanford went missing." My smile broadens as I see Ashen scowl at the road from the corner of my eye. "Secondly-"

"Really?"

"-secondly, Reaper. I'm on a douchebag-only diet."

"Seriously?"

"Yes seriously. It's a sustainable life choice. I only kill douchebags. It's not some fake food intolerance bullshit, it's an ethical decision."

We fall into a strained silence. Ashen glares his simmering fury at the road ahead. I look out the window again, hiding my growing smile behind my hand. The seconds tick by and it's harder and harder not to laugh.

"Ashen," I finally chime, unable to keep the amusement from voice as I wrap my hand over the hard muscle of his forearm. "You're jealous of Andy Cartwright?"

"I am not," he retorts, every word clipped.

"Really? Because it kind of sounds like you are."

Ashen scoffs and shoots me a menacing side-eye glare. "I am not jealous of some small-town human detective who thinks rubber plants are a romantic gift."

"It's a peace lily. And he did at least give me a romantically intentioned gift, so-"

"I gave you a sword! Not just any sword, but Tomoe Gozen's sword. Also a journal and pen. So you're welcome."

"Don't get me wrong, Reaper. Both were very thoughtful. I just don't know as I'd call a sword romantic. And the journal and pen were also because it was annoying for you to lip read. So, really, those were practical gifts. Both of which also benefit you."

I don't really believe ninety percent of what I'm saying; in fact, I thought the sword and pen choice were very touching. That said, I'm having too much fun winding Ashen up. He gives the road a death stare and we sit in deliciously awkward silence as I sip my bland drink.

"Well, I still do not think it's wise to hunt in daylight in Sanford," Ashen grumbles.

I take another sip and make a face. I can feel Ashen watching. "You're probably right, but this won't cut it either, unfortunately."

"Take more of mine," he says, and his voice is softer as the irritation from my teasing dissolves.

I scoff and look out the window. I feel heat creeping into my cheeks. I was hoping to maybe avoid this topic, but obviously it's coming for me and it's happening now. "Thank you, but no."

"Why not?"

"This?" I say shaking the mug as the blood sloshes within. "This is like rice cakes. Your blood is like pop rocks soaked in melted chocolate and... I dunno... truffle oil?"

"An intriguing combination."

"It's... decadent. And it's yours."

"So?"

I give him a dead-eyed glare and he glances from the road to me. I wait for the epiphany to dawn in his mind. It's taking longer than expected. I tap my finger on the center console as the seconds tick on. His eyes narrow, probably as he replays my words and tries to forge the connection. Then they go wide and his expression slackens.

And there it is. The realization takes hold.

"Oh."

I close my arms across my chest and turn my gaze to the window. I can almost hear the gears turning in his mind as he cycles through everything he knows about vampire mating behaviors. He probably wishes we could turn around and retrieve some books from the haunted library to refresh his memory.

"But it's not just about taking blood. There is more to the... process..." Ashen says as he reaches across the center console and lays a reassuring hand on my leg. I take his hand and throw it back toward the steering wheel.

"I don't need you to Reapersplain the mating habits of vampires to me. I'm familiar with how the process works, thankyouverymuch."

"I'm merely trying to say that you can still take some of my blood, if you want it. It will be easier than hunting in daylight," Ashen says, sliding his hand down my arm to pull my wrist free from where it's clamped across my body.

And right here, as he gently pries my arm free from its vicelike grip across my chest, I'm sure you're wondering, what the fuck is the big deal, Lu? He's trying to be sweet and you're kind of being a stubborn cow. And yeah, while I totally agree, you need to understand that the more blood that I take, the harder it will be to not want to mate with him. Like, properly. Not just sex but binding myself to him. And I'm already feeling the tug of it in my heart, the whisper of it from the box in my mind.

"You don't understand," I mutter, keeping my eyes trained on the fields and trees out my window, even when he pulls my hand to his lips and lays a kiss on my fingertips.

"You're right. I apologize, vampire," Ashen says, and I can hear the smile in his voice. There's a long pause of taut silence. "When you say you are familiar with the process-"

"Fuck off, Reaper."

"You are an acerbic creature."

"Screw you."

"And dramatic."

"Fuck my life," I moan as I pull my hand away to cradle my head. "It's not even ten in the morning and I feel like I need a bottle of tequila to survive you."

I feel Ashen's warm palm slide across my neck and I close my eyes.

"And I have just the place in mind for that."