Page 29 of Reapers Don’t Ride

“Of course. What else do I do with my life?” I scowled at him.

He glanced at Gavriel and then flinched. “Oh. You’re pretty.”

Gavriel smiled at the demon, looking dangerous. “That’s what she says, and she never lies.”

“Oh, she lies, but it’s mostly to herself. Are you two together?” Apricots looked so shocked, so fascinated, like it hadn’t ever occurred to him that I’d actually be with anyone.

“Yes,” I said, taking Gavriel’s hand and glancing at him, feeling apologetic. But we were together, both geographically and psychologically. We were a team. We were together in our mission.

“How terrifying. And you, angel, trust her to touch you?”

“Of course. I trust her with my life.”

“But she’s death. She’s blood and misery, and…”

Gavriel grabbed the demon by the throat and raised him to his eye level while the demon’s eyes bugged and his tail lashed. “Do you want to see death, blood, and misery?” His eyes flickered with death, and the air around us grew shadowy and cold. Everyone around us was staring, holding their breath while they stared at the death angel.

We were getting too much attention. How could I possibly distract him from his kill? Apricot had so much blood on his hands. He would be a worthy execution, but you couldn’t just walk around goblin market executing people. Not even I was that blatant. It made the prey skittish.

“Gavriel, put him down,” I said, touching his wrist and tugging. His arm was immovable. What would shock him enough to reset his easy calm?

Without thinking it through, I followed my instincts, leaned close, and kissed his lips. The feel of his silky skin mixed with the scent and taste was enough to curl my toes and make my whole body extraordinarily awake and alive. That is, not alive, but aware of every particle between us.

His lips moved beneath mine and I forgot absolutely everything else in the world. There was him, and nothing else. No demon, no goblin market, no catcalls and whistles as his hands came around my waist, and he kissed me in earnest. He was so strong, powerful, intent on me, like I was his blood bag he was desperate to devour.

I sank against him and let him take over. He’d clearly had more experience kissing than me. It had been a hundred years, and even then I’d had no idea what I was doing. It may have continued forever, but I tasted his blood as my fangs cut his bottom lip.

The taste of his blood was so sweet, so pure, so heavenly, it shocked me enough that I pulled away, hand over my mouth, because I wasn’t sure if I could keep my fangs from burying into him. He was too sweet. Irresistible. But somehow I had to resist.

The demon had vanished.

Gavriel took my hand, kissed the back of it and smiled, only the faintest cut on his lip. “Misery? No. Maybe a little blood.” He winked at me, tucked my hand in his arm and then led me on through the winding walkway while I followed, incapable of resisting anything.