Page 10 of Reapers Don’t Ride

I studied him and then nodded. “You would be good at cards. If you can play words, you can play cards. What’s your favorite?”

“Card or word?”

“Blood type.” I raised a brow. “You know I meant card type, but now I want to know your favorite blood type. I’m too ancient and delicate to be disappointed.”

He flashed his teeth in a quick smile that was too beautiful to be real, but so was this conversation, words that didn’t hurt, intentions that were pure. “I’ve only had angelic, but I’m not opposed to trying something else the next time I have a blood transfusion.”

I shook my head and threw back the last of my glass. “No blood transfusions for you. Your blood is staying in your veins where it belongs.”

“And spades. My favorite card game.”

“And word?” I asked, trying to remember what spades was. Did I have the cards for it? Was it a special game?

“My favorite word is home. What is yours?”

“Home? It’s a good word, but sad.”

“Because your ferret isn’t here, but I’m sure he’ll turn up. Ferrets are magical that way.”

“You’ve never seen a ferret in real life, have you?”

“I’ve never seen lots of things in real life. I’m very young, you know. No more than thirty-five. Probably much less, but who keeps track of such things?”

“Thirty-five? Why aren’t you married? Oh. Perhaps you are.” That would be good. Very good, because one thing I'd never do was seduce another woman's husband.

"I'm not married because in this angelic blood there is a streak of diabolical goblin. Now you know my deepest, darkest secret. In fact, because of that goblin blood, you probably wouldn’t even go into toxic shock if you drank from my vei⁠—”

I grabbed him and slammed him against the wall, glowering at him while he stared at me, interested but not threatened. “Never, ever tell a vampire that your blood isn’t toxic. Ever. That’s the only way I’d ever take you into the Vampire King’s castle. Swear it.”

He blinked at me, then his features softened. “I swear that I won’t tell another vampire about the content of my blood and its possible lack of toxicity.”

We were pressed together, and he smelled so incredibly good. I slowly lowered him to the deck and then backed away, trying not to smell him, to not think too much about my reaction, my threat that he’d taken so easily.

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“I appreciate you letting me know. You’re already an asset to the team.”

I glanced at him. “One way or another, I will be.”

Change Your Stripes was the cheapest commission shop in Singsong City. Inside, I hesitated when I saw the skunk and smelled the musky apple cider scent.

“Can I help you?” the grumpy owner said, sporting green and purple stripes from head to toe. Somehow, it didn’t look hideous on her.

“Yes. I need several ballgowns for the Vampire King’s ball.”

She studied me for a long time. “Ballgowns?”

“If you have any.”

“Do you have any idea how much space ballgowns take up? Of course not, otherwise you wouldn’t be here to buy several.” She looped her elbow in mine and dragged me towards the back. “Who are you going with?”

“An angel,” I said, feeling an odd fluttering in my stomach, almost like I was excited to go to a ball with an angel. “We aren’t romantic, just working together to destroy a demon.”

“Of course. Nothing says destroying a demon like going to a ball.” She released me once I was in a stall and then gave me a scary smile. “Take off your clothes while I gather up the possibilities.” She swooped the curtain shut, leaving me alone in the small cubby.

Were we truly going to do this? Was I actually taking a sweet, innocent, young angel into the Vampire King’s hall? Yes. Because otherwise, he’d take himself, and there was no way I was letting him get into that kind of trouble without me.