Page 36 of Vexed
Those men… they wouldn’t just face death. They would faceme.
I knew where they were. Lily’s fear and pain had left a trail, a dark echo in the fabric of reality itself. I followed it, each step fueled by a burning need to tear them limb from limb.
Tonight, I wasn’t just the Grim Reaper. I was something far more dangerous, and I was coming for them.
It didn’t take me long to find them. They were chatting and drinking in a playground a few blocks from where I found Lily.
I watched the playground, a smirk forming on my lips. How ironic.
I slowly walked over, the gravel crunching softly under my boots. They didn’t even notice me at first, too engrossed in whatever drunken bullshit they were spewing. I cleared my throat, a low, rumbling sound. They all looked up, bleary-eyed and confused.
“Gentlemen,” I said, my voice smooth. “Having a good time?”
They squinted at me, trying to gauge my presence. “Who the hell are you?” one of them slurred, a big guy with a ratty beard.
I offered a small, almost polite, smile. “Let’s just say I’m here to collect a debt.”
Their confusion deepened. Good. Let them be confused. Let them regret everything in their last moments.
Before any of them could string together a coherent sentence, I freed my robe. It was almost effortless. The shadows, always lurking just beneath my skin, surged forward. Like liquid night, they detached from me, snaking across the playground towards the nearest guy, a skinny one with a nervous twitch. He yelped, a strangled sound, as the shadows coiled around his legs.
He tried to scramble away, but the tendrils were too fast, too strong. They tightened, pulling him, inch by agonizing inch,towards me. The others finally snapped out of their drunken state.
“What the...?!” the bearded guy roared, scrambling to his feet. But it was too late. The shadows had their grip.
They dragged the skinny guy closer and closer, a look of pure terror contorting his face. He clawed at the dirt, his fingernails scraping uselessly against the metal of the climbing frame. He was thrashing violently now, but the shadows wouldn’t let go. They were an extension of me, of my will, and they were unwavering.
He was halfway to me by now, the others scrambling back from the terrifying display.
“Help me!” He howled, his voice cracking with fear.
I just watched, my expression unreadable. The remaining three were paralyzed, a mixture of terror and disbelief etched on their faces.
As the shadow dragged him to my feet, I looked down at the pathetic creature, his eyes wide with a plea I would never answer. The air around us crackled, filling with a cold, antiseptic scent. He opened his mouth to scream, but I cut him off.
I forced my hand into his mouth, grabbing a hold of his tongue before ripping it out. Blood splattered all over me and I couldn’t help but relish in the power that courses through my veins.
Multiple screams from the others echo through the air as they start scrambling, trying to get away.
There’s no escaping me. Not tonight.
I let go of him and he falls to the ground with a thud. I toss his severed tongue beside him before locking eyes with the bearded fucker. His eyes widen as he realizes he’s next.
As he turns to run, I materialize in front of him and he crashes into me. Without giving him a second to plead, I grip both my hands around his neck and rip his head right off his shoulders.
The fury running through me is blinding me for any reason. They hurt her. They fucking hurt her. Now I’m going to do the same.
It’s against the Reaper Code for any reaper to cause harm to a human, and I know that there’s no going back after this—but no one lays a finger on her and thinks they’ll get away with it.
Revenge is fucking sweet.
I turn my attention to the last two cowards running down the street, screaming for help and a sinister smile widens across my lips as my shadows catch up to them, wrapping around their throats, silencing them before dragging them back.
Their terrified gazes lock on me as they’re dropped at my feet.
I flash them a wicked smile, “Tsk, I’m not done yet.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
