Page 25 of The Reaper's Vice

9

SERAPHINA

“CLIMBING MT. KILIMANJARO IS A BITCH… OR SO I’VE HEARD”

I stay awakethrough the night. With my eyes closed against the morning light, I run my fingers through Sviato’s fur, listening to the gentle rustlings of Vee as she rises from bed. When I hear her cane tapping closer to the living room, I sit up straight, loosing a yawn so violent it scares Sviato. His yellow eyes widen, his ears flat against his head as he sniffs my mouth, seemingly disturbed by the sound my tiredness drew from my lips.

Savyne hops onto the couch, swatting at her brother’s nose and drawing an irritated growl from his mouth.

“That’s enough, children,” I scold, booping Sviato on the nose. He rears back, his mouth slightly parted at the indiscretion, and his sister uses his distraction to jump on his back. They both tumble to the floor in a mess of fur and claws, and I just shake my head, standing from the couch and heading into the kitchen to wait for Vee.

She smiles when she sees me, though it dims slightly as she takes in the deep purple beneath my eyes. “You didn’t sleep at all, did you?”

A sheepish smile tilts my lips. Vee shakes her head with a tut, shuffling over to the fridge.

“Can I make you some breakfast?”

My stomach rumbles at the mention, but I still shake my head. “I’ve gotta get going. Maggie is probably so worried. I was supposed to sleep there last night, but…”

Vee tuts again. “You worry too much about that girl. You should think about yourself more, Seraphina. Your wants.Yourneeds.”

I frown. “I do.”

Vee raises a brow.

“Okay, maybe I could alittlemore… but Maggie needs me more than I need me.”

Vee sighs but says no more on the issue. “Okay. But I’m sending you there with more tincture—and I don’t want any lip about it,” she adds, grabbing a copper vial from the cabinet and shoving it into my palm. Her fingers fold around mine in a rare moment of contact, and I smile gratefully at the elderly woman.

“You’re too good to me, Vee.”

“Pah.” She waves me off, releasing me shuffling back to the stove. “You’ll be back next week?”

“Like clockwork,” I say, heading over to the tigers and giving them some goodbye scratches. “I’ll miss you guys,” I whisper, tears forming at the corners of my eyes. “If I could take you with, I would.”

Sviato grunts while Savyne paws my face playfully, and I lean down, giving them each a forehead kiss before straightening and heading to the exit. I wave goodbye to Vee, but she’s busy over the stove and doesn’t see me.

“I’ll be seeing you,” I whisper.

If I knew they would be some of the last words I spoke to her, I might have chosen them more carefully. But I don’t.

And I leave without looking back.

An hour later, I’m taking the steps up to Maggie’s and my apartment on the south side of Moriton. I knock twice and press my ear to the door. When I don’t hear any footsteps approaching, I sigh, pulling my purse from my shoulder and beginning the game of “find the keys among all this unnecessary crap.”

I’ve barely shoved my foot through the door before a pair of arms are thrown around my neck, and I stumble back into the hallway to support the weight of my roommate and best friend, Maggie. A neon pink aura bursts from her shoulders, swirling and mixing with beautiful hues of gold around her head, like a halo.

Large pupils ringed with cobalt shine up at me, the beauty of them only matched by the gleaming white smile plastered on her freckled face. “Nina!”

She squeals happily, embracing me once more before pulling back fully. A flaming red curl falls onto her face, and she blows air out the side of her mouth in an attempt to get it back in order. It has the opposite effect, and more unruly strands join the first, covering her left eye entirely and sticking to her glossed lips.

“Stupid mane,” she grumbles, unhooking an arm from my neck and brushing her hair back with a pout. “I’m one more hairball away from shaving it all off.”

“I’d reconsider that one. I’ve seen you when your hair’s wet—you don’t have the head shape for it.” I eye her warily, trying to discern if she’s joking about the hairball situation. Deciding I don’t want to know, I start the process of prying the needy koala from my body.

Maggie continues to pout, the neon pink dimming as she pulls her limbs off and allows me to step into the apartment. The scent of old wood wafts up my nose, and I close my eyes as a sense of calm washes over me.Home away from home. If only the landlord would allow two tigers to live here with us…

“Where were you last night?” she asks, her aura darkening to magenta as she steps over to where I’ve plopped onto the couch. “I thought you were coming here after you saw Ivan?”

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