Page 51 of Villains Never Die

Rook: I look forward to it. Dinner this week?

You cook?

Rook: No, but I’m good at ordering take out.

For fuck’s sake. I’m not eating questionable food from cartons. Come over Saturday and I’ll cook something.

Rook: See you then.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I told Gray. “He’s an insufferable idiot and I don’t have time for those things. It’s just dinner.”

Gray laughed, his shoulders rolling beneath his leather jacket. “I never implied he was your boyfriend.”

“Good. He’s not.”

“Noted. I’ve got everything covered here if you want to go,” he said. “I’ll get the inventory typed up. Go have dinner with your…whatever the hell he is.”

It was only Wednesday, but I didn’t tell Gray I wasn’t having dinner tonight. If he thought I was with Rook, it bought me a few hours to sort through my online research until I had the grimoire in my hands.

***

I’d convinced veilknight to log on to chat at a scheduled time so that I could talk to him in real time instead of waiting for his messages to come through. I arrived in the chat five minutes early, but he was right on time.

veilknight has entered the chat.

j-aust13:Hello.

veilknight:Good evening. You must have a lot of questions. Where would you like to start?

j-aust13:For starters, how do you know so much about Death?

veilknight:I’m somewhat of an expert on the subject. It’s a life’s passion.

j-aust13:Tell me about the ritual. What do I need to kill her?

veilknight:Why do you desire to kill her?

J-aust13:A private grudge.

For a moment, no message came. Then:

veilknight:When summoned with the grimoire, Death will take her corporeal form and become trapped in a ritual circle. That’s when you have a window to kill her.

j-aust13:Do I need a special weapon?

veilknight:The blade that kills her must be coated in your blood and tears of grief, and the spell requires a sacrifice of love. Are you the sort of man who loves things?

j-aust13:I’m not sure what you mean.veilknight:Figure it out.

j-aust13:What do you get out of this?

veilknight:I have a personal interest in Death and those in her orbit. That’s all you need to know.

j-aust13:You’re an obnoxiously cryptic man.

veilknight:Bold of you to assume I’m a man.

j-aust13:Cryptic woman then. What if I have more questions?