Page 40 of Bound to Death

Her body visibly stiffened before she came over, clicking her tongue. “I never thought I’d see you like this. I guess we all become something changed when we fall in love.”

I didn’t bother to respond. She was already working on the mark. Light bled out of her hand as she touched Asha’s wrist. In seconds, the mark was gone, and my pulse came to life when my little raven sucked in a surprised breath.

Asha’s eyes shot open, confused to be in my arms with Michael leaning over her. Her skin glowed with renewed health, and I couldn’t find the words. I didn’t know what to say. How could I possibly express how relieved I was to have time to convince her to be mine?

But first…

My eyes shot up, carefully helping Asha to her feet. I secured one arm around the disoriented woman for both protection and in case Michael did anything after I followed through on my part.

Asha’s eyes skipped over to my face after realizing where we were. “Is it over?”

I opened my hand, and Mysra’s soul bloomed inside my palm before snaking through the air and forming a beautiful, ethereal outline of the angel. Michael took her lover’s hand, and her body was solid again, free of the Underworld’s chains that kept her translucent and controlled.

“Now that everything is in order…” I brought Asha closer and peered down at her. She was enamored with Mysra’s angelic form, but we couldn’t stay. I didn’t want Michael to get any ideas now that our deal was finished. “We’ll take our leave.”

Michael opened her mouth, but Asha cut in, “Thank you for saving me. I know you did it because…well, just thank you.” Everyone in the room was surprised, including myself. “Than, can you take me home? I need to…the letter—I don’t want Emily to find it, and I need to make sure she’s okay.”

The desire to kiss my little raven and take her away crowded my throat, but I agreed because I knew how much she cared for Emily. Whatever she desired, I’d give her. Even if it meant I wasforced to smother the urge to keep her all to myself for a little while longer.

I caught sight of Michael before the shadows consumed us. Something about her expression was off, but I didn’t pay it any mind because I finally had Asha back in my arms. I’d keep her safe until the danger was over, and then I’d convince her to return to my realm.

Chapter Nineteen

Asha

Ihadn’t expected to wake up. When I slipped into a boundless darkness, I thought for sure that was the end of my story. So,when I woke up with Thanatos holding me and Michael hovering over my face, I couldn’t believe it. He’d done it. He saved me.

But at what cost?

I worried about it before I realized that Emily would find the letter I left if she hadn’t already. If I could help it, I wanted to make it back home, check on her, and then get rid of the damning evidence that I'd nearly kicked the bucket. I’d worry about the supernatural-world consequences of what Death had done to save me once I got the real-world consequences of what I'd tried to do resolved.

A girl could only do so much at once.

When we appeared inside my living room, Thanatos didn’t wait. His lips came down on mine so hard I tasted blood in my mouth. His tongue pushed inside, coaxing mine to tangle with his. The desperation of his kiss was so sudden that I couldn’t get my thoughts together. He held me so close, so hard, that I couldn’t get away, so I just kissed him back and hoped Emily wasn’t home.

When I finally pulled free, the God of Death stared at me in that dangerous way of his. Like he’d consume me whole after chasing me. Like he couldn’t wait to rip my clothes apart and fuck me until I screamed.

Gah!I wanted it, too, but I stole a look at the window. It was daylight. Either Emily was asleep or already at work. Either way, I didn’t have time to get distracted by the gorgeous soul collector. If he caught me with another kiss like the first one, I’d be his before I did the one thing I’d come to do. I’d get lost to the all-consuming current of his caress.

“One minute,” I pleaded with my finger in his face when he moved forward, ready to attack. “I’ll just get the letter and then…then I’m all yours.”

Thanatos’s lips lifted impishly, and my heart hit harder against my chest. “All mine? Aren’t you already?”

“You know what I mean, asshole. I—just give me a minute!” I rushed to say, then headed for my room with my pulse pounding in my ears.

I tripped over the rug and barely saved myself from a faceplant. Shit. My legs were already jelly after one fucking kiss. It was the first day with him all over again. I couldn’t get my pulse under control. My body was ramped up, ready to be his in every way it could. Again.

I nearly died a few minutes ago. I’d dodged death, but that didn’t mean I wanted to evade Death himself. Fuck that. I wanted to jump his bones and show him how glad I was to still be here; that we’d been given more time. But first, I’d remove all evidence that I’d been close to breathing my last.

With a happy grin distorting my face, I opened the door to my room and walked over to the bedside table. The letter was where I'd left it. The back was still sealed. She hadn’t seen it. Thank fuck. After tearing it to pieces and throwing the mess into the drawer so I could discard it covertly later, I turned around. I thought at first Thanatos had followed me in, but it wasn’t him in front of me. It was someone else. Someone I hadn’t expected to see in my room. But with how dark it suddenly was, it took me a minute to figure it out.

I chanced a look at the door, but it was closed. “Wait…why are you here?” I asked in a startled whisper as wings spread out with brilliant light, no longer a fluorescent shape but fully solid beams. The feathers were unmistakable and damning.

My heart hit harder and acid rose into my throat.

Why would she be here now?

With the curtains drawn, I couldn’t see anything else but the glimmer of her smile. “Nothing against you, human. I need to make good with God. You understand, right?”

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