Yet here he was, back in town, ten monthsearly.
A chill washed over me as I realized why that might be. He was death, afterall.
I sighed and got out of the truck. If death were here for me, I was pretty sure I’d know it, but since he wasn’t, I might as well find out who was so special that he’d come all this way to collect thempersonally.
The wind was cold and pushy as I strolled over to him. Death watched me, still as a stone, that icy gazeunwavering.
“Afternoon,” I called out all cheery and police officer-like. “Did you read the sign? No sitting on thefence.”
And then a truly weird thinghappened.
Death almostsmiled.
Okay, it wasn’t like he actually curved his lips. But there was a change in him, a charged sort of vibe he gave off, like he wanted to burst out laughing at a joke that hadn’t yet beentold.
“Am I breaking a law, Daughter of Reed, being here, on this fence, on the edge of yourtown?”
His voice was how I remembered it, cool and suave and deep enough to give me chills even while all of me went sweaty. But there was more behind it now. There was power. A power of endings. The power of a great coldempty.
This was the god, Death. This was not the vacationing deity who had opened a kite shop in ourtown.
“Do you see something on the sign that says ‘Stay off the fence, except for you, Death’?” I askedhim.
“Perhaps I am not here for thefence.”
“I’d guess you’re not.” Despite my heart which was racing with fear, because, hello: Death, I moved closer tohim.
He shifted so that his long legs swung over to the side where I was standing, his black shiny shoes touching down into the rocks and tough old sea grass that went instantly brown from histouch.
He wore a hooded cloak, but the hood was pushed back, his dark hair slicked and perfect, his eyes absolutely riveting. Beneath it, he appeared to be wearing an old-fashioned tuxedo, black on black onblack.
The only color on him at all was his skin. White. Pale. Bloodless as ashadow.
The wind stirred his cloak. It was bitter and biting, but not to him. To him, it appeared to caress, to surround, toworship.
“Are you looking for Delaney?” Iasked.
“You would assumeso.”
“I would and do. She’s the only Reed who can bridge you to your mortal self. The only Reed who can help you put down your power so you can stay here. Vacationhere.”
“Perhaps I am not here to vacation, Daughter ofReed.”
“All right. Then perhaps you want to tell me what you are herefor.”
Those eyes, which had seemed cool and distant ticked down to meet my gaze. It was everything I could do not to lookaway.
“I wish to be invited to the Halloweenevent.”
Okay, that got me. I laughed. “Seriously?”
He arched oneeyebrow.
Right.Seriously.
“We...the party that the gods usually throw? That’s not happening thisyear.”
“There is an event. It is planned near theharbor.”
