“Can’t you feel it?” I whispered, my head turning up. “Something’s changing.”
Death’s eyes narrowed, and his head tilted… and with a snarl, he leaned forward and grabbed me by the throat, jerking me close. “He’ll destroy you, Sephtis.”
“I don’tcare,” I hissed and raised my hands, wrapping them around Death’s wrist.
I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I was back in the graveyard.
I wasn’t sure if it was my desire to be there, or the fact that when I looked, there was Vitality spilling from Cole—his chest, his mouth, falling from his eyes like tears…
Or… if it was the man with his hand in his chest.
“Now, now… look who’s breaking the rules.” Aiden’s voice was velvety… and his eyes were wicked when he turned them to Death. “What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing, Fate? You knew spilling that Vitality would call me. It’s hardly fair to set rules when you intentionally mean to break them. Unless…” He grinned, and his teeth seemed sharper while facing Aiden. “Did you miss me?”
Aiden scoffed as Death shook me off as though I was nothing more than a pest. He’d been so consumed with what he was doing before, but now his eyes were only for the man in front of us—the one who had his hand in Cole’s chest.
I rushed to his side, but I didn’t want to touch him. I didn’t want to move him. I could almost feel the way Aiden was holding his life there, the tips of his fingers so capable of destroyingeverything.“Cole… are you okay?”
His lids fluttered open. The emotions that crossed his expression were nearly enough to shatter me. Worry, agony… and then a relief so sweet it made his face crumble. When tears gathered in his eyes and fell with a soft liquid shine, I nearly broke in front of him.
“You’re here.”
“Always.” I repeated my promise from before. “I told you, always.”
That word seemed to resonate, because his lips lifted into the softest smile. “It really has been that long.” His lashes fluttered. “I saw it.”
“Did you hear that?” Aiden echoed, though I noticed his eyes had never left Death. “He saw it. You’re stealing soulmates from me. Tell me, Darling Death, how many rules are you going to break?”
I was careful when I reached out, but Cole’s fingers found mine and squeezed. Just that touch was enough to realign myworld, to make me feel as though the ground was still beneath my feet. Though I noticed… when my palm brushed against his, there was something in his fingers. A red petal.
The same one I’d seen in the Lake.
“As many as necessary when your cupid breaks one of my Reapers.” Death’s eyes swung back to me. “What deal did you make, Sephtis, to let your soul feel?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I wasn’t going to say Wren’s name aloud, and Gethin was blissfully silent behind us. He stood as still as a statue, as though doing so might help him not be seen.
“It doesn’t matter.” Aiden’s voice came dismissively. “They were going to spill Vitality all over this graveyard to get your attention.”
They.
My eyes flicked back to Gethin, and this time Death’s followed. The laugh that spilled behind me was a low, wicked rumble.
“Oh, I knowyou. How many souls have you sent me, Gethin?” Death’s eyes flicked back to Aiden, who was glaring at his wayward cupid.
“Yes, Gethin. How many?”
For his part, Gethin stayed still, his lips pressed together, his eyes wide. It was smart. Especially when Cole squirmed against Aiden’s hold, his voice spilling out for the first time.
“This isn’t about him. This is about us. Me and Sephtis. We’re not running from your damn dogs anymore, and you aren’t taking him from me again.” Cole’s eyes flicked to Death, even though he still had a hand in his chest.
He was brave.
So brave.
He was beautiful in the fading light, and his eyes glowed with the Vitality still clinging to his lashes. If Aiden hadn’t been here to catch it, he truly would have brought the entire city to chaos.
He would have damned the world to save me.
