Page 6 of A Kiss From a Revenant
The Snowlands encourage the worst amongst us to give in to their depraved natures. Their dark souls fester until all those around them are forced to suffer. If only there were something I could do to help them—if only there were someone who could stop men like Butch from hurting their families.
Lord Gunnar was meant to keep order, but he is just as rotten as the rest of the men here. Or was.Was. Someone saved me from my horrible fate.
An idea sparks—a wild and forbidden idea, but once it is there, I cannot unthink it. Glancing across the front yard, the last rays of the evening sun paint the horizon in purples and pinks. If that creature had any sense, he would’ve left town by now, but if he hasn’t…there’s still a chance.
My mother would be turning in her grave if she knew what I planned to do. She was a spiritual woman in many ways—ways the people in this town didn’t understand. In her vast knowledge of herbal remedies and protection charms, she taught me how to do something out of caution. Only in the most desperate of situations was I meant to perform this ritual.
The situation seemed desperate to me, and there was no time to waste. The light was fading fast, and I had a monster to summon.
Snatching up my small bag of coins, I collect my cloak and stare out into the darkening night.
“What do I have to lose?”
What I haveto lose turns out to be a handful of coins and a few drops of my blood.
I pray the wound won’t get infected as I stow my danger and watch the crimson pour from my hand and dot the top of thecoins piled atop my mother’s grave. With her nearby, I feel protected. Even if I can practically hear her screaming from the beyond at how reckless I’m being.
There’s no turning back now. With a deep breath, I close my eyes and recite the words taught to me by my mother.
“Come to me, he who dwells amongst the living. Come to me, he who was born amongst the dead. Come to me, he who will shepherd me at my end.”
Silence follows after my last word. Even the breeze seems to cease blowing. A fresh dusting of snow coats the sparse grass beneath my feet. My breathing is the only sound in this still graveyard.
Then an icy wind blows over me, nearly knocking me to the ground. I manage to withstand it somehow. My heart hammers painfully in my chest. Even without opening my eyes, I know I am no longer alone. His presence overwhelms me. My instincts to run flood my body, but I remain still. This is why I came here—to strike a deal with a demon.
Peeling open my eyes, I am greeted by the gruesome sight from the night before. Glowing eyes stare at me from deep inside his skull. His hood is up, protecting his waxy skin from the flurries in the air. The long cloak is sprawled out behind him like spilled ink.
“I must admit,” he says, voice like a death rattle. “It’s been an age since someone has summoned me.”
His eyes narrow, the bluish glow inside them intensifying.
“You must be even more foolish than I thought.”
I open my mouth but find I have no voice. Trepidation has stolen it from me. I thought I could withstand the sight of him, but every instinct I have is begging me to run. Fear spears claws into my stomach. I’m trembling but not from the cold. I must steady myself and keep my wits about me. One wrong move and I’m done for. I need to play my hand perfectly for my plan to work.
The revenant does not give me a chance to think, however. In a flash, he is before me, nearly making me stumble back. With a swipe of his bony hand, he snatches up the coins atop my mother’s grave, healing them where his nose should be. With a growl, he sucks the gold into his mouth, licking my blood from them with relish. The glow in his eyes nearly forcing me to look away.
He spits the now clean coins into his palm before tucking them away. Before I’m aware of his movement, I feel a cool hand wrap around my wrist. Bringing my injured palm towards his mouth, I watch his strong jaw unhinge and his purple tongue sneak out. My stomach tightens as I watch it lick up the inside of my palm. The warm, wet glide of it sends tingles through my body. It is not an unpleasant feeling.
The revelation wakes me from whatever fear-induced stupor I was in. Snatching my hand back, I glare at him. An unwise thing to do, but I do not take kindly to anyone licking me without permission—man or monster. Glancing down at my hand, I expect to find he’s marred me in some way, but all I see is uninjured skin.
He has magic, something I knew, but now it’s been confirmed.
The revenant licks his pale lips, his skin growing more opaque. A deep chuckle leaves him as he stares down at me.
“What is it you want from me, human?”
His voice is soft and rough at the same time. Planting my feet firmly on the ground, and meeting his intense gaze with one of my own.
“For us to come to some sort of arrangement. If you will?—”
He cuts me off with a wave of his hand.
“I don’t bargain with humans. I’m not that kind of demon.” He snatches my wrist again, tugging me closer. “Even if you are delicious.”
Warmth erupts on my cheeks, but I still manage to thrash in his grip.
“Then you are wasting my time,” I spit, trying to dislodge myself.
