Page 5 of Torn Ivy
“Fuck,” I groan, pushing myself up to sit. My body aches all over, like I’ve been hit by a truck. As my vision clears, I see Torin and Bram sprawled nearby, still unconscious.
“Welcome back to the land of the living, Mr Blackwell,” a raspy voice says.
I whip my head around, wincing at the sudden movement, to see the creepy pale-faced creature from before standing in the shadows. Up close, he’s even more unsettling, with skin like parchment stretched over bone, eyes sunken and ringed with darkness, mouth stretched in an unnaturally wide grin.
“Who the fuck are you?” I snarl, trying to summon my magick. Nothing happens. Panic flares in my chest.
The creature’s grin widens impossibly further. “I am Death, Mr Blackwell, and you three have become quite the thorn in my side.”
I stare at him, my mind reeling. Death? As in, the actual personification of death? What the fuck have we got ourselves into?
My mind races, trying to process this impossible situation. Death himself is standing before me, and he’s pissed at us. What the hell have we done to attract the attention of a primordial force?
“Where’s Ivy?” I demand, pushing myself to my feet despite the wave of dizziness that hits me. “What have you done with her?”
Death’s skeletal face twists into something that might be amusement. “Miss Hammond is no longer your concern. She belongs to me.”
White-hot rage surges through me. “Like hell she does,” I snarl, taking a step forward. “Ivy doesn’t belong to anyone.”
“Oh, but she does,” Death says calmly. “She made a deal with The Syndicate long ago. Her soul is mine to claim.”
The Syndicate—the name chills my soul. I never imagined the Syndicate was connected to Death himself.
Behind me, I hear Torin and Bram starting to stir.
“What do you want from us?” I ask, trying to buy time for the others to regain consciousness. We’re going to need all our strength to get out of this.
Death’s grin widens impossibly further. “You are a distraction to my greatest asset. I need you out of the way until she decides to see things my way. Running was a mistake. There are very few places where I can’t find her.”
She ran from Death?My soul fills with relief at that comment. She didn’t leave us. She was scared.
“Where is she now?”
Death’s grin fades slightly. “That is none of your concern. Miss Hammond will fulfil her contract, one way or another.”
Behind me, I hear Torin growl as he pushes himself to his feet. “The hell she will,” he snarls. “We won’t let you force her into anything.”
Death turns his eerie gaze to Torin. “You have no say in the matter. The contract is binding.”
“Fuck your contract,” Bram spits, stumbling to stand beside us. “We’ll find a way to break it.”
Death’s laughter echoes off the stone walls. “You foolish creatures. You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
I clench my fists, desperately trying to summon even a spark of magick. Nothing. Whatever this place is, it’s blocking our powers completely.
“Let us go,” I demand. “Let us find Ivy.”
“I think not,” Death says calmly. “You’ll remain here until Miss Hammond returns to complete her task.”
“And what is that, then?” I ask, having a sinking feeling about it.
“To kill you three, of course.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. That’s why she ran, to protect us from herself.
“She won’t do it,” I growl.
Death’s skeletal grin widens. “Oh, but she will. One way or another. Either she’ll complete the contract willingly, or I’ll claim her soul, and you will die anyway.”
