Page 2 of The Reaper's Mate

The dazzling glow cuts through the crowd, as if Annabelle is heading straight for me.Too soon, love. She has a few hours before she’ll feel the sting of my blade.

A blonde in a devil costume begins to shake her ass against me. I move with her, following her hips as I let myself go. Pretending I’m not a reaper. Pretending I’m not stuck in this godforsaken calling for the rest of my immortal life. The blonde is small, but she’s got moves. I grab her hips and sway to her rhythm, though my eye keeps returning to Annabelle’s sparkle. She’s only a few humans away, drawing my attention as if she’s a blinged-out reaper lure.

I turn, dragging the blonde with me as I lean over to get a look at Annabelle. My hands drop, and my body stills. Annabelle’s aura blinds me for a moment. When my eyes finally adjust, I see an angel. She’s tall with chestnut brown hair, deep blue eyes, curves that make my mouth water, and a perfect pout of a mouth. Dressed in white, her feathery wings shoot out behind her.

Something in my chest begins to burn. I’m stunned. Could it be? A mark sears into the skin over my heart, the scorching sensation unmistakable.Fuck me.

It’s her. She’s the one. The outline of Annabelle’s soul binding to mine singes into my flesh, and I know I’ve finally found her. Eons spent alone, millennia spent wishing for more. And now she’s here.

I can’t tear my gaze from her. She’s my mate, but she’s fated to die before the night is out.

CHAPTER TWO

ANNABELLE

“ARE YOU SHITTING ME?”I push past a pair of goblins who may or may not be fucking on my dance floor.

My earpiece crackles and Vera’s voice comes through, “No. Only two cases of champagne left. The rest is on a truck out back, but the driver padlocked it.”

“Where the fuck is he? We need to get into that trucknow.”

“I don’t know, boss. But we think he went over to Bourbon and got trashed. Maybe picked up a trick. We haven’t seen him for hours.”

I press the heel of my palm to my forehead. “Where’s Luigi?”

“Can’t find him.”

“Marco?”

“He took a chick upstairs.”

“Do we have any staff that can break the lock on the truck?” I fight the urge to tear up. “Any staff at all that isn’t too busy dicking around on the job?”

Vera stays silent for a moment. “Maybe if we had a bolt cutter or something, but you and I are the only ones available, and we aren’t strong enough.”

“I don’t care. Meet me at the truck. We’ll figure something out.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

The crackling stops, and I try to calm down. If we run out of champagne, Mrs. Trevor, my client, will make sure no one in town hires me again. I can’t let that happen. I steel my spine and turn on my heel to make my way to the back of the venue.

Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees dance over to me, blocking my way.

“Guys, let me pass.” My voice is drowned out by the music. At least the DJ I hired is doing his job.

Michael Myers presses against my front as Voorhees tends the back forty.

“Guys!” I don’t have time for this.

Voorhees grabs my ass and tries to press his hips into me. I push him, but Myers presses his plastic knife to my throat.

I’ve had it. I lift my foot to stomp the shit out of Myers’ foot, but he’s backing away. No, he’s being dragged away by the biggest man I’ve ever seen. The giant tosses the guy against the wall next to the DJ. A plume of plaster covers the spot, and I think I can see light from the hallway on the other side of the wall.Holy shit.

The giant turns around and points a long finger at Voorhees. The boy squeaks and starts to back away. That’s when the pungent smell of piss hits my nose. The giant barrels toward me, passes me, grabs the shrieking Voorhees by the neck and slams him on the ground. The drunken guests point and laugh, but don’t stop dancing. This is New Orleans; a party isn’t a party without a fight.

“Stop!” I run over and grab the giant’s arm. It’s thick and hard, muscle layered on muscle. He turns to me, and I almost fall out of my heels. His eyes are like nothing I’ve ever seen. Sparkling light blue irises and midnight pupils that swirl like a galaxy.

He stands, towering over me and stealing my breath away. I release his arm and scurry backward. He moves toward me, covering three of my steps with one of his.Jesus.

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