by Nicky Graves
“I thought no one has seen or heard from the guardians,” I said.
“That doesn’t mean no one knows how to make their alcohol,” MacLean replied.
“What exactly do they guard?” I asked. “I mean, I know they guarded Treble. But what else?”
“Everything.”
“Everything, like as in the Earth or the dead zone?”
“As in all creation. The universe.”
I stared at the gold liquid. “If they guard everything, is it wise for them to drink?”
Vance shook his head. “Listen Saint Riley, every race needs alcohol to survive.”
“That’s stupid,” I said.
“Just wait another two hundred years. And then tell me if I’m wrong,” he said, drinking the gold liquid and setting the glass back on the bar. His pale skin glowed in a golden hue for several seconds before returning to normal.
MacLean and I drank at the same time. I coughed at the potent drink.
MacLean pounded me on the back. “It’s a strong drink for a strong race.”
I was pretty sure the gold liquid was burning me from the inside out. Hence Golden Fire.
“Nasty!” Treble blustered. “Nasty stuff. Drink the pink. Drink!”
I quickly drank the pink potion that made my body and Treble happy again.
“The fourth is from the elders. They make it out of berries in the Lost King realm.”
I glanced at the purple shot. Berries might not be so bad. Couldn’t be worse than the black death or the gold fire.
MacLean and Vance drank theirs quickly and gave a shiver. Maybe it wasn’t good.
I reached for it, but my hand swayed to the right.
“Are you drunk already?” Vance asked.
“I’m tipsy,” I said. “But that was Treble. He doesn’t want me to drink it.”
Vance glanced at Treble, who crossed his arms.
“Interesting creature,” Vance said.
“Nasty vampire,” Treble returned.
“Treble, what if I drink the berry thing and then drink the happy juice?” I asked.
He frowned but then reluctantly nodded.
I quickly drank the shot and regretted it immediately. I was hoping for a berry taste, but it tasted more like acid, stripping my taste buds.
“Nasty! Nasty!”
I quickly drank the happy juice, appeasing Treble. However, I could tell I needed to be careful. I was tiptoeing closer to getting drunk, and I didn’t trust Vance to help me should I need it. MacLean seemed a decent sort, but I didn’t know him well enough to trust him either. The only one I could trust was Treble, but that was only because if I got hurt, he got hurt.
Plus, I had to speak to Lawson. Preferably sober.
“The last drink is called the Reaper’s Elixir,” MacLean said.
It was an amber color. “What’s it made from?” I asked.
“It’s an old recipe,” he said. “Made from grains. Meant to be very strong.”
“Very strong,” Vance stressed.
“I’m already tipsy,” I said. “I’ll wait a bit to drink this.”
“Drink the happy juice,” Treble said.
“I’ll wait for that as well.”
Treble made me reach for it.
“Treble, stop it,” I said as my hand brought the glass to my lips. “I’ll spit it out.”
But apparently Treble could make me drink it as well. Vance looked on in fascination as I drained the glass and plopped it on the bar and asked for more.
“I don’t need more,” I said quickly.
“More,” Treble said. “More happy juice.”
“You’re like a spoiled toddler,” I said. “You’re not getting anymore.”
He looked thunderously at me. “I said more.”
“I said no.”
“More.”
“No. You might be able to make me do things, but you can’t make Raven.”
He turned his attention to Raven with a menacing expression. Before Treble could do much more than scowl at her, Raven reached over the bar and touched my hand. Treble’s scowl fell from his face as Raven worked her succubus magic.
“This is hot and disturbing at the same time,” Vance said as he shifted his gaze between me and Treble. “So, if you’re turned on, so is he?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said. I decided to drink the last shot so I could leave. I didn’t want Treble demanding more happy juice. Using my free hand to reach for the glass, I downed it while Treble was distracted as Raven drew little circles on my palm. Treble’s eyes rolled back. Seriously, it was bad enough that I was stuck with him. I didn’t want him to have perverted thoughts.
As the drink hit my stomach, I was sure I was going to be sick.
“Nasty!” Treble declared, breaking free from Raven’s charms.
“Agreed,” I said, still coughing.
MacLean smacked me on the back, pitching me forward on the bar. I righted myself only to have him smack me back down. “You’ll be fine,” he said. “It’s got a kick. You should feel it in a moment.”
“The burning in my stomach?” I asked.
“No . . . you’ll know.”
Vance and MacLean polished off their last shot.
“How come you guys are okay with each other?” I asked as the floor wobbled. Or was that me wobbling? “I thought reapers and vampires didn’t like each other.”
MacLean and Vance looked at each other and shrugged.
“Not everyone hates me,” Vance said.
“Most reapers hate you,” MacLean said.
“But not you?” I asked.
“I don’t like vampires,” MacLean said, “But Vance is less revolting than most.”
“That’s almost kind,” Vance muttered.
MacLean shrugged. “If you didn’t make our jobs harder, then you wouldn’t be on our most hated list.”
“There’s a list?” I asked.
“Not an official list. But if there was, vampires would be on it. And blank reapers. And demons.” He scratched his chin. “Probably a few more, but those are our top three.”
“Treble is on my list,” I said. “I was told to try to work with him. But how do you work with a tantrum-prone toddler?”
Treble used my own hand to slap me.
“Treble!” I rubbed my cheek.
He sighed contently.
Vance raised a brow.
Either the room was spinning or I was spinning. “I think I feel it now. Is the room supposed to do that? Do you hear it?”
“Hear what?” Vance asked.
“I can hear it,” I said. The underlying bass had the bar pulsing with dance music.
“She’s feeling it,” MacLean said with a laugh. “She’s hearing music.”
“Why can’t I hear music?” Vance asked.
“Only she can hear it,” MacLean said. “Every reaper has a different reaction.”
Music was my reaction? I guess it could be worse.
“What’s your reaction?” I asked MacLean.
“Numbness.”
“Sounds horrible.”
He shook his head. “It’s perfect.”
“What about Vance?” I said, looking over at him as the music continued to play in my ears.
“He’s a vampire. Their bodies don’t process alcohol the same,” MacLean said. “It’d probably take a keg to get this guy drunk.”
“Really?” I stared at Vance. “You got me beat. Five shots and happy juice, and I think I might be drunk.”
“You were drunk three shots ago.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
“You’ve been slurring your words.”
“I have not. I’m speaking perfectly fine.” However, now that I thought about it, my tongue did feel heavy and sluggish. I touched it, wondering if there might be something wrong with it.
“What are you doing?” Vance asked.
“Making sure my tongue isn’t broken.”
“I have a better way to test it.”
>
I might or might not have been drunk, but I definitely heard the proposition in his words. I looked at him. Or tried to. His face kept shifting from one side to the other.
“Stop moving,” I said. “And stop trying to kiss me. Treble wouldn’t allow it anyway.”
“I wasn’t trying,” he said, and then he paused. “You said Treble wouldn’t allow it. But would you?”
I stared at him, trying to decide. Yes, he had tried to bite me. But someone owed me a kiss.
He raised a brow when I didn’t reply right away. “Maybe your tongue really is broken. Or maybe you’re thinking of kissing me right now.”
“Try it, and Treble will flatten you.”
I wasn’t expecting Vance to actually try it. But one moment his face was shifting from one side to the other, and then the next, his lips were on mine. And nothing happened. Treble didn’t make me punch him.
I tried not to be shocked. I mean, what was there to be shocked about? That Vance was kissing me? That a vampire was kissing me? Or that I was actually enjoying a vampire kissing me? I mean, maybe it was just the alcohol or maybe it was Vance, but the kiss was good. Really good.
It was hard to think clearly.
And, really, I didn’t want to think. I was content to let Vance kiss me. It wasn’t as unpleasant as I thought kissing him might be. For one thing, I still had all of my blood.
But why was Treble allowing this?
I broke free of Vance, whose eyes glittered red. Glancing over at Treble, I realized why Vance was still standing. Treble had passed out on the bar.
“He’s passed out,” I said. “Did the reaper drink do that?”
“Most likely,” MacLean said.
I was going to ask how it was possible, but my gaze tripped on Lawson. He stood just beyond the bar, glaring at me. Like rage glaring.
Crap. I was in trouble.
10
“He looks mad,” I whispered to Vance as I eyed Lawson.
Lawson didn’t move from his spot at the end of the bar, but I could feel his anger from across the room.
“Ignore him,” Vance said, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Yeah, I don’t think I can actually do that.”
Vance’s lips grazed along my neck, and I watched as Lawson’s glare turned lethal.
“Riley, outside!” Lawson stated with a definite growl. “Now!”
I peeled away from Vance and walked over, avoiding eye contact with everyone. I didn’t know why I felt guilty. It’s not like Lawson and I were dating. But maybe it’s because I liked Lawson and I knew he hated Vance. And Lawson didn’t want me to come to Charlie’s. And here I was at Charlie’s with Vance.
This had gone terribly wrong.
He pulled me out of the bar and into the dead zone. “Have you lost your mind?” he demanded.
“So, this looks bad. But I was stuck in some strange realm, and Vance helped me out. I was going to come find you, but—”
“You were too busy sucking his face.”
“No. I mean, yes. But, no. I actually didn’t think Treble would let him kiss me, but then Vance did and Treble didn’t punch him.”
“Because you’re drunk, and Treble is passed out on the bar. A life stone is drunk! Did you think any of this through?”
“No. I didn’t expect any of this to happen.”
“Now everyone in that bar knows your weakness.”
“What weakness?”
“Everyone here now knows a way to take Treble out of commission, leaving you vulnerable.”
“There are only a handful of people in the bar. Hardly the sinister place you made it out to be.”
“Riley, this is bad. You’re way in over your head, and you need to start taking this seriously. If any of this gets back to Azrael, he can use this information against you.”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“We don’t have time for this now,” he said. “You’re being summoned to the Elder Council.”
“Why?”
“You let a soul turn into a poltergeist.”
“That guy today?” I asked. “His house sucked me into a different realm. I couldn’t escape. Vance helped me.”
“Then that’s what you have to say to the elders. But leave Vance out of it.”
“They don’t like him either?”
“No one likes him.”
“I do. He helped me today.”
“And he also tried to bite you.”
“That was awhile ago. He can’t kill me now.”
“And that makes it okay?” Lawson’s jaw muscle twitched.
“No. But it’s not like I sought him out. He happened to be walking by when he heard me call for help. And then he helped me. I think that counts for something.”
“It counts for nothing, especially if he’s going to take advantage of you when you’re drunk. If he was so helpful, he should have never brought you to Charlie’s, and he should have never gotten you drunk.”
“It was MacLean who gave me the drink tour, not Vance.”
“MacLean?”
“He’s a reaper.”
Lawson shook his head. “We don’t have a MacLean.”
“Then who is he?”
I followed Lawson back inside. Vance was talking to Raven over Treble’s passed-out form.
“Where’s MacLean?” I asked.
“He left,” Vance said.
“I didn’t see him pass us,” I said.
“There are other ways to leave Charlie’s,” Lawson said. “Especially if you’re a demon.”
“MacLean’s a demon?” I asked.
“Vance could have told you that. Or Raven,” Lawson said.
“Why didn’t they?” I asked.
“Good question,” Lawson said, scowling at Vance.
“Maybe you should take better care of your reapers,” Vance said nonchalantly. “Especially a tasty little bite like Riley.”
“This whole thing was a setup. You were in on it,” Lawson accused. “You set her up.”
“Not me,” Vance said. “But yeah, she was set up. I just happened to get an unexpected bonus.” He sent me a wink that had me sobering quickly.
“You knew I’d be in that realm,” I said.
“MacLean pays well. And all I had to do was rescue a reaper who isn’t being trained properly and play along. I can honestly say that I didn’t mind the playing.” His tone was silky, but it grated my nerves.
I wished Treble was awake. With the rage that filled me, I had no doubt I could tear Vance in half.
“I’ll deal with you later,” Lawson said to Vance. “And believe me, I will make up for many things when I do.”
Lawson pulled me back out to the dead zone.
“That guy is a jerk,” I said.
Lawson eyes flashed at me as if he was thinking of throttling me.
“Let’s go,” he said, holding out his hand. Normally when he held my hand, it was soft, gentle. Now it felt cold and crushing.
We shifted, and my next view was of a lush green land surrounded by a hillside. The stone Elder Council building sat like a troll in the middle of it.
We walked past the large fountain with the twenty Elder Council statues. Twenty statues for twenty council members. The one in the middle had changed.
“Why is Buzzarly in the Supreme Elder spot?” I asked.
“He was promoted.”
“What happened to the other guy?”
“Azrael killed him.”
“What? When did that happen? Is there some kind of reaper communication that I missed?”
“We don’t have time to discuss this now. We’ll talk later.”
Buzzarly was the Supreme Elder? That was not good for me. I remembered the time I had been brought to the council before, and Buzzarly was a vocal opponent of bringing me on as a reaper. I think his main objection was that I was female.
When we reached the front entrance, Lawson walked past the robed guards. Their gazes flicked to him, then me, then back to the
landscape.
The main entrance was all cold stone and heavy iron lamps. But the hallway to the council chambers was marbled and lit by ornate sconces. I was once told there was a prison somewhere in the building as well, but it wasn’t often used because they needed as many reapers working as they could get. Small infringements were waved so they could get back to work.
Was allowing a soul to turn into a poltergeist a small infringement? I couldn’t see them locking me up for that, especially since I was still training.
“Be honest with your answers,” Lawson said as we walked down the hall. “They will have someone there who can sense if you’re lying.”
“I’ll be honest,” I said. “I was attacked by a house.”
“We can figure out how that happened later. Right now, let’s just get this over with.”
“What if they don’t like my answer?”
“You’re new. Don’t worry about it,” he said, but I could tell he was tense.
Boomer was at the end of the hall, leaning against the wall. When he saw us, he pushed off from the wall and handed us both black robes.
“I never had so many issues when I was new,” Boomer muttered.
“Maybe because you had a competent trainer,” I said.
“How hard is it?” Boomer asked. “Dead person. Grab soul. Take it to the transitioning room. Done.”
“You never told me there’d be walls that would suck me into another realm.”
Boomer raised a brow at Lawson. “Is she drunk?”
“I’m not drunk.” Although, if I was honest, I was still a little lightheaded from the alcohol. However, getting called in front of the council was sobering. And I wasn’t sure if Treble was still passed out on the bar. Would he wake up and find me? I should have thought to somehow bring him.
The heavy mahogany doors that led to the council room were closed. We waited a moment before a reaper opened the door and let us inside.
The elders all wore black robes in the council chamber, but this time their hoods were pulled up, hiding their faces.
“It’s a full judgment,” Boomer whispered to Lawson, who gave a stiff nod.
“What’s happening?” I whispered.
“Riley Graves,” a voice said. “Proceed to the judgment area.”
I looked at Lawson.
“The platform in the middle of the circle,” he said.
The platform was a new addition as well.