Page 16 of The Reaper's Mate

When I close my eyes, I see my angel—her eyes, the plump lips, the beautiful soul that I called mine for only a spark in time. I rub the mark on my chest. It no longer burns, no longer evinces the heat that I felt reflected in Annabelle.

A knock on my door has me turning away and burying my face in the pillow.

“Mathieu?” Gaius pushes into my room. “Come on man.” The bed shifts as he sits at the foot. “You have to get up, get moving.”

“No.”

“She wouldn’t want you to wither. You could return to earth, you know? You’re mortal now. Staying here is wasting what little time you have.”

“You don’t understand.” Bitterness darkens my tone. “You’ve never met your mate.”

“No.” He sighs and we sit in silence for several moments.

I know he’s right, that my time is limited. Hell, I may be thrown out of my reaper digs at any moment, given that I’m no longer one of them. I lost my love and my family in the blink of an eye. I am nothing, no one.

After a long while, he stands. “I’ve got a dozen jobs lined up. Gotta go.” He stands and shuffles toward the door. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry how it all went down. If I’d known …”

I turn to him, and the sadness in his eyes reflects my own. “I know. You were doing what you had to do. I don’t blame you.” The words are hard to say, but no less true.

“I’ll check back in with you when I’m done.” He draws his hood up and strides away toward the stairs. “See you in a few days.”

“See you.” I close my eyes and dream of my angel.

“Matt.” Her soft voice floats on the stale air of my bedroom.

“Angel?” Tears threaten at the thought of holding her again. But I don’t open my eyes. I can’t let this dream get away from me.

“It’s me.” A delicate palm trailing along my cheek.

I grab her wrist and kiss her palm. The mark on my chest burns like a brand. Still, I don’t open my eyes.

She leans down, her sweet scent like a balm as she presses her lips to mine. I taste her and run my hands over her delicious curves. I never want the dream to end. Pulling her on top of me, I lay back in my bed and drag her down with me. Her large breasts press against my bare chest, and I catch her mouth in a searing kiss.

Her soft moan scorches its way down my throat, and my cock hardens. She moves against me, her small hands pressing against my shoulders as I kiss her the way I should have kissed her every moment I was with her.

Something drops on my cheeks. Water. No, tears.

I open my eyes, and blink the disbelief away. She’s here but different. I can’t put my finger on what’s changed, but I don’t care. She’s in my arms. “Is it you?”

She nods and cradles my shaggy face with her hands. “It’s me.”

“How?” My heart feels like it might burst, and I’m almost certain such a thing would kill a mortal.

“Your mother. She took me somewhere and pled my case,ourcase.”

“To who?” I run a lock of her silken hair between my fingers, feeling every strand.

“Him.” She looks upward.

I could ask more questions, but I don’t care about the how. Having her alive and warm is all I need.

“I thought I’d lost you.” I stroke the tears from her cheeks. “I’m so sorry—”

She silences my apology with a kiss, and I’ve never been happier to shut the hell up.

I reach around her back to pull her closer, but touch a familiar shaft of elm wood. “What is this?”

She pulls back and sits up. Only then do I notice she’s wearing the signature reaper robe of deepest black.

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