Page 12 of Reapers Don’t Ride

“She was going to run into my protection wards and get burned. Instead, she’s dead. One more death to add to the list you keep in your head.”

I blinked at him. “You have protection wards?”

“Of course.”

I smiled up at him and slid my hands over his shoulders and behind his neck. “I like that.”

His eyes narrowed. “I see. At some point you’ve started thinking that it’s your job to protect me. The poor, helpless baby angel is going to get killed if you don’t watch him very closely. That is going to get you killed.”

I hesitated, then shrugged. “I'm already dead."

"No, you’re undead. You have to protect yourself and your soul, or I can't trust you."

I relaxed more fully, letting him hold my weight entirely. “You can't trust me. I'm a killer. You seem incapable of understanding that."

He grabbed the back of my neck and lowered his head until his forehead was brushing mine, glorious eyes burning into me. His low voice was a dangerous caress. "I've killed more. And I will keep killing, because it's a necessary part of life to destroy those who deal death and misery. I've read your file. I've memorized your file. I know every carefully catalogued death, and you, Miss Ruby Blood, are not a killer. You are an executioner, not a soul who relishes the kill. I need to kill, but you don't even take live blood. You dealt an unnecessary death, imperiling your immortal soul and putting our mission at risk, and for what? If you don’t want me telling any vampires that I’m edible, then you guard yourself and your soul."

Oh. This is what I’d done to him in Song, pinning him down so I could lecture him about safety. He wasn’t going to kiss me, however much it felt like it. Good. I hadn’t kissed anyone since I became a vampire. I wasn’t about to start now. That would be ridiculous. Then again, my entire existence was based on idiocy, so what was one more? I could kiss him so easily, just lean in, brush my lips against his and taste his skin, his breath, his goodness.

“I hate to interrupt…” drawled an elegant voice that cut through the madness enough for me to pull back before I kissed the angel, thumping my head against the wall.

I struggled to escape Gavriel’s grasp, but as I tried to escape, his strength matched mine. I stared at him while this weird satisfaction rose up inside of me. He was as strong as I was. He released me as I relaxed back into his grasp. I had no will to fight against him. He stood away, arms crossed while he glared at the newcomer.

“Herald,” I said, because that was either his title or his name. He was old enough for it to have been either.

“Blood. But I hear you’re going by Ruby these days. How delightful.” He held out an elegant white envelope that was far more dignified and expensive than my cherry blossom one. “I have an invitation to the King’s ball for you both. And I assure you, there will be blood bags as well as more angelic fare.”

I stared at the envelope, not trusting it or him.

Gavriel took it, looking between me and the vampire with an odd intensity. “You two are friends.”

He said, “Of course! Blood and I are very good friends. She kept me from being killed by Tralcon, and I returned the favor by introducing her to the miraculous technology of bagged blood. What greater friendship can there be? Pity I haven’t seen you since you exited the service of your very late master. You completely disappeared once you were in Mr. Good’s company.”

I studied the vampire for another long moment, trying to smell his intentions, his levels of corruption, but I was standing next to an angel whose scent still engulfed me. “Is there anything I should know?”

He raised his brows, then looked from me to Gavriel, then back again.

“Since we’re such good friends,” I added, with a raise of my own brow and a slight smile.

He blinked at me. “That smile is very persuasive, Young Blood. You did kill one of the Vampire King’s court, very publicly, on a train, but she was threatening what belonged to you. The angel does belong to you, does he not?”

“He does.” I placed a hand on the angel’s chest, right above his heart, a threat that he didn’t seem to notice.

“Hm. She should have known better than to test you. But now everyone is well-educated. You don’t have a master holding your leash. It will be interesting to see how you dance.” He bowed and turned, gliding away until he was gone the next moment.

Gavriel sighed. “And you said that you don’t have any friends. I see. You’ll be friends with a vampire, just not with an angel. That’s prejudiced, Miss Ruby.” He picked up my trunk and went to the door, waiting for me to open it before he carried it in. I followed, still caught up in the feel of being pressed against him, and being presented with an invitation from the King. He wasn’t actually king of any country other than his estate and a great number of vampires and other dangerous monsters. Like Mr. Good.

“I’m worried about the invitation,” I said, closing the door firmly behind me. It was the presidential suite that took up the entire side of the building. It must have been expensive, and I’d already spent quite a bit of his money on clothing. The cream and blue were the height of elegance and taste. I should probably decorate my apartment. If I ever got out of jail legally. What kind of place did an angel like Gavriel like? Did he prefer the lofty ceilings and gilded corbels, or a more cozy, simple structure?

He carried the trunk into the bedroom then came out and handed the invitation to me. “Is it poisonous? You did write to him, requesting an invitation.”

“Of course.” He didn’t need to know the particulars. I’d sent the letter as a threat, and he’d taken back power by making it his invitation. Those who accepted his invitation accepted a set of rules that he laid out. His rules. His ball. If you crashed it, there were no limitations.

“Then why are you worried?” His voice was low, and he moved closer, which was completely unnecessary since he could have heard me from the other side of the room. Maybe he wasn’t finished pressing me against walls. Of course he was. Just like I was finished being pressed against walls.

“He’s very good at power plays, manipulation, and managing extremely dangerous elements. If he wanted to kill me and take you, I’m not sure I could stop him.”

“Well, that is worrisome. Fortunately for you, I could.”