Liam called out, “Despite what I said, if you need us . . .”
Without stopping or turning around, I said, “I know.”
Feeling like I was walking a deadly path, I forced my feet forward. The closer I got to the conference room, the warmer it grew. Sweat covered my forehead and dripped down my back. As I crossed the threshold, I peeled off my jacket, wishing I could crack open a window too.
Across from me, on the far side of the table, sat a huge figure. At first glance, I nearly mistook the man for Roman Bishop. He was just as debonair and just as mysterious as the mage. This being, however, was as tall as any hellhound but much wider. His charcoal-gray suit, dark shirt, and matching tie were immaculate and appeared to be tailored just for him. He lifted his chin, and I noticed the chiseled, broody features and eyes so dark they resembled pools of ink. A too-bright toothy grin spread over his angular, clean-shaven face.
“I’m assuming you must be the one called Monte.” His voice was gravelly and deep like a death knell—appropriate, considering the circumstances.
“I am.”
Death extended a large hand and pointed his finger to a chair at the end of the table. “Please, sit. We have a lot to discuss.”
Part of me was defiant, wanting to hold my ground. But my grandmother’s advice played in my head—success comes with politeness. Reluctantly, I pulled out the seat, turned it around, and straddled it.
“How did you find her?” I asked.
“Valid question. Let’s just say I received a tip.”
Shade.
“He is my employee, after all.” Before I could say anything else, Death held up a palm. “This will go quicker if I go first.” He studied me for a long, uncomfortable moment before continuing. “Are you aware that Takara broke the law?”
I was prepared for Death to play unfairly. He’d use whatever tool he could to get what he wanted. My role was to act accordingly and let him think I would capitulate. Problem was, I didn’t want to be nice or act dumb. When I remembered that Pandora was counting on me, I forced the words out of my mouth. “What law would that be?”
“Shinigami aren’t permitted to leave the realm unless they are on assignment,” he informed me. “No one approved her departure.”
I clenched and unclenched my jaw a few times, struggling to keep control. “I was under the impression that she’s on a personal holiday.”
Death’s thin lips curled up. “Her kind do not have the luxury of such things.” He paused for a beat or two, then waved his hand in the air. “But that’s neither here nor there. Even if it was possible for Pandora to enjoy a vacation, I assure you, her former boss wouldn’t let her.”
“Former?” Since when did Pandora not work for Madame Death?
“Takara is no longer an employee of Izanami.” He stared at me. “She belongs to me.”
My hand balled into a fist. “Pandora is nobody’s property.”
Death moved his head up and down. “I see what’s happened. Tell me, shifter, are you accustomed to fucking another man’s bride-to-be?”
The entity was pushing the boundaries of decency. It took every ounce of strength I could summon to keep from going off—and probably getting my ass killed.
“So does that mean you properly proposed to Pandora? Did she accept your ring?”
Death barely flinched. “Touché. I could ask the same questions of you. May I call you Monte?”
“It doesn’t matter to me. Not like we’re about to become friends.” Enemies? Most definitely.
“True, but I do like to appear approachable to those who oppose me. What is the saying so common these days?” He tilted his head to one side and ran a hand over his perfectly coiffed black hair. “Ah, politically correct? No, I don’t believe that’s right either. Amicable? Yes, that’s the word.”
“Like I said, it doesn’t matter.”
What mattered was getting this farce of a meeting over and done. Just being in the room with Death challenged my patience and common sense.
He thrummed his long fingers on the table for a few moments. “Trivial concerns might not be important to you, but they do mean a great deal to me. You’ll find that the survivors of your beloved town will share an interest in minor issues once I decimate this haven. People will ask if I extended the fucking olive branch before I wiped Havenwood Falls off the map. I’d like them to think I did.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. It was obvious he wouldn’t answer my questions. Maybe I should just say what I had to say and take it from there.
“I’d advise against that course of action,” Death announced. “It’s always best to consider every word that comes out of your mouth. And before you ask, I heard your thoughts. I’ve listened to them since your arrival by that infernal means of transportation you’re so fond of. Frankly, your constant rambling is giving me a major headache.”
For the sake of all that was righteous, I let that revelation slide. There were more important things to discuss.
“Don’t you care about Pandora’s happiness?” I asked.
Death laughed—a sound that sent an icy chill down my spine. “This isn’t about her happiness. She’s a damned death spirit. Happiness isn’t something she’s entitled to.”
“What is it that you really want, Death? You could have your pick of thousands of souls crossing the veil daily. What would it take for you to strut your ass back to Hell and leave Pandora the fuck alone?”
Death folded his hands on the table and leaned forward. “I want what is mine, shifter. You could have your choice of any of the single ladies in this town. Why not choose one of them? And for the record, I don’t plan on strutting my ass—as you put it—back to Hell without Takara.”
The door swung wide, and Pandora stepped in. Her gaze darted from me over to Death and back again. “Are you okay, Monte?”
“I’m good.”
“How sweet,” Death said, slowly clapping his hands. “It’s endearing that my property is concerned about a common, shit-for-brains shifter.”
Pandora whirled around with her hands on her hips. “Get something straight, Death. I belong to no one!”
Death patted his jacket, removed a document, and placed it on the table. “According to this paperwork, you are mine to do with as I please. Do not consider me a heartless bastard, though. I shall give you twenty-four hours to settle your affairs before we are married.”
Reaching for the parchment, I scanned the details. It spelled out, in legalese, the surrendering of Takara a.k.a. Pandora to Death. The document, surely forged in an infernal courtroom, also mentioned their upcoming nuptials. As far as I was concerned, the paperwork wasn’t legal anywhere but Hell. I pushed it back to the entity.
“I don’t care about your deadlines or that document,” Pandora said.
Death shoved the chair back, stood, and smoothed his hand over his suit as if it were dirty. He straightened his tie and then walked toward her. “You will care soon enough. See you tomorrow, Takara.”
He held out his palm. An eerie blue light sprung up and twisted into a circle. The flat shape grew wider, took on dimension, and became a swirling vortex. Death glanced over his shoulder as he stepped through the chasm. Once he cleared the threshold, it collapsed around him with an audible pop. My brothers rushed into the room.
“Are you okay?” Hunter asked as his eyes bounced around the space.
“Death returned to his realm.”
Savage whipped his gaze toward me, his shoulder-length hair flying around his head. “Why?”
Pandora stared up at the hellhound. “Death is giving me twenty-four hours to settle my affairs. He’ll return tomorrow to take me to Hell.”
“Not happening.” I looked up at Liam and Savage. “Death has some fucking-ass paperwork claiming he owns Pandora.”
“Death can shove his paperwork up his ass,” said Savage, pacing the floor.
Pandora gazed at all of us. “Monte, can we leave?”
Liam gave me a solemn nod, an
d we walked out.
* * *
Silence—and Hunter—followed us back to my house. My friend wasn’t in a hurry to leave me alone. Instead, he wanted to make plans. Personally, all I wanted to do was get my hands on Shade—rearrange his bones or some shit.
Shortly after I got home, Izzie arrived with the excuse of wanting to keep Pandora company. I was grateful for the shifter. Whether it was her intention or not, she gave me a chance to speak with Hunter in private. We grabbed a six-pack from the fridge and went to the garage.
My friend twisted the cap off the longneck, took a swig, and then said, “What the fuck are you going to do, Monte?”
“Beat Death at his own game.”
“Huh?”
I removed another bottle from the carton. “I plan on outsmarting Death. You’ve heard the expression cheating death?”
“Sure, but how?”
“We’re going to let him think he’s won.” Unfortunately, I didn’t know how to get one over on the entity.
Chapter 15
Monte
Two hours and a six-pack later, we were no closer to formulating a real plan against Death. All we had was a fail-safe should things go south.
“What if we contacted Roman?” Hunter suggested.
“No,” I said. “Help from him comes at a price too steep to pay.”
The door to the garage creaked open, and Pandora entered. “Do you know what time it is?”
Hunter glanced at his phone. “Shit. It’s after three. Izzie’s gonna—”
“No, she’s not,” Pandora said. “She fell asleep on the sofa.”
“Go home, Hunter. Take Izzie and get some sleep. We have time before Death returns. I’ll talk to you later.”
He nodded and quickly walked out.
“You should sleep too,” Pandora said.
“I’m not tired.” I held my hand out to her. When she grabbed it, I pulled her closer. “There is something you should know.”
She gave me a tired smile. “What’s that?”
“No matter what happens tomorrow, never forget this moment.” I cupped her face and kissed her deeply, trying to pour every emotion I felt into the kiss. I’d made my decision, and Pandora was the path I wanted to be on.
Breaking away first, she gazed into my eyes and pushed the hair off my forehead. “I want to be on that path with you, but if—”
“Shh.” I covered her lips with my finger. “None of that matters.” I glanced down for a moment, looking for the right words. “Pandora, it’s been a long time since anyone made me feel the way you do. Some would say it’s too soon, while others would swear I’m rambling like a dying man, but I love you. Wherever you end up—here with me or in Hell with Death—don’t forget that. I won’t stop fighting until I find a way for us to be together again.”
A tear slipped from her eye. “You’re not rambling or dying, Montezuma Tayute. I have waited for you for over a century. We’ll figure this out.”
* * *
PANDORA
Monte was gone when I awakened. For a moment, I panicked and thought he’d abandoned me. After I took a deep breath, I realized that it was fear motivating my thoughts—a deep-seated fear of what was yet to come.
I made myself a cup of coffee and called Hope. Fortunately, she picked up on the first ring.
“Hi, Pandora,” she said sluggishly.
“Are you okay?”
“Just tired. I’ve been doing double duty without you here.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Madame has paid well for the extra work. How are things going with you?”
“Monte met with Death last night.” I took a sip from the mug and curled up into the corner of the sofa.
“How did that go?”
“Did you know Izanami terminated my services?”
“She did?” Disbelief slipped into Hope’s voice. “I didn’t know that was possible.”
“Well, Death had the paperwork.”
“What kind of paperwork? Did you see it?”
“No. Monte did. Why?”
“Pandora, either get a look at it yourself or check with Toshi. I don’t believe Madame would—or could—sign over an employee. We’re not property.”
I disconnected the call, and immediately contacted Toshi. After the phone rang for a solid minute, I almost hung up.
“H-hello?”
“Toshi?”
“Yes.” He yawned. “Who is this?”
Shit. I must have gotten him out of bed. “It’s Pandora.”
He exhaled loudly and static hit my ear. “You’re fortunate that I like you, Takara-chan. It’s way too early for phone calls.”
I set my cup on the coffee table. “Then I’ll make it quick. Death claims that Madame terminated my services and gave me to him.”
“I'm afraid someone’s lying to you. I do all of Madame’s record keeping, and I promise you that no such document exists. Besides, such an agreement implies that you’re property to be bought and sold.”
“Will you check for me?”
“Hold on.”
I heard shuffling in the background and then the repetitive click-click of typing. “You’re fortunate that I keep my laptop close.” More typing and then he said, “Mm-hmm.”
“What?”
“Like I said, the paperwork is false. You were created for Death. No documents were necessary.”
But Death said . . .
“Takara-chan, did you see these so-called documents? Maybe it was a license for marriage.”
That had to be it. Of course, Monte didn’t know that. Death was using the paper for his benefit. Suddenly, I had an idea. “Toshi, I need you to tell me everything you know about the entity, including what he does for entertainment.”
* * *
As soon as Monte came home, I practically pounced on him. “I might have an answer.”
He hugged and kissed me before setting me on my feet. “If it includes—”
“Get your head out of the gutter.” I took his hand and tugged him over to the sofa. “Death is cheating. That paperwork he showed you wasn’t real.”
“How do you know that?”
“I phoned Madame’s assistant. Toshi handles all her business deals.”
Monte grinned. “So how do we use this information?”
“Do you know how to play blackjack?”
“Does a fish swim?”
“Huh?”
“Never mind,” he said, ignoring my confusion. “I’ve been playing since I could count. Why?”
“Death enjoys playing the game. He claims that he can’t lose.”
Monte scoffed. “That’s because he reads his opponents’ thoughts. I count cards, but that won’t hold up against mind reading.”
“It will if you shield your thoughts,” I stated.
“I never learned—”
“But you can learn. You’re smart, Monte.” I squeezed his hand. “Call Hunter. I’m sure he’ll help.”
* * *
MONTE
At midnight, Death met Hunter, Pandora, and me at the clubhouse. He sat in the same spot with the same shit-eating grin plastered on his swarthy face.
“Takara, I trust your affairs are in order, and we can leave soon?”
“Not so fast,” I said. “I have a wager.”
The entity sat taller. “Do tell.”
“Blackjack. Five hands. Winner of the fifth hand takes all.”
“And what do you have to offer me?”
I glanced at Pandora, and she nodded. “My life. But if I win, I get Pandora and your deal with Madame Death is null and void.”
“Interesting, but let’s do three hands. I don’t like waiting around for my prize.”
Hunter nodded as he removed a pack of cards from his jacket. I would have played one hand, but I didn’t want to appear cocky.
My friend shuffled the cards while I constructed a wall around my thoughts.
Hunter glanced from Death to me. “Ready?”
“Problem?” I asked.
“No, no.” He rubbed a hand over his lips, scrunched his nose, and said, “Deal.”
I knew what his issue was, but I couldn’t dwell on it. Hunter dealt to Death first. Carefully, I watched. My opponent had an ace of spades displayed. He checked the other card and said, “Hit me.”
Hunter dealt my hand—another ace. The card beneath was the jack of spades. “Hold.”
My friend smiled and flipped over the dealer’s cards—twenty-three. We both looked over at Death as he turned over his hand. “The win goes to the shifter.”
Death grumbled. “Again.”
Once more, Hunter shuffled the deck and dealt the cards. And just like the first time, Death lost.
“This is the last hand, gents. Winner takes all,” Hunter said and began dealing.
“Stop!” Death flicked his wrist and a brand new pack of cards appeared on the table. “Use these.”
My friend gathered the ones he’d already dealt and put them aside. He carefully studied the ones provided by Death. “These seem legit.”
Counting cards didn’t require a specific deck, but playing more than one hand from it was necessary. Instead of focus, I would have to rely on skill and hopefully a little luck.
Death ended up with the two of hearts as his top card. “Hit me.” He checked his hand. “Again.” He looked again, and a smile crossed his face. “Hold.”
Death had to be bluffing. Chances were slim that he’d hit with that amount. Hunter dealt my hand—I had twenty. “Hold.”
My friend shot me his lopsided grin. “What happens if dealer wins, and the two of you lose?”
I turned to Death.
“He’s your friend. I’ll let him call it,” the entity said.
That was shocking.
Hunter flipped his hand over. Twenty-one.
Death revealed his hand. He had nineteen. Gladly, I turned over my cards.
Flirting With Death Page 10