He steps in far too close to me, his presence stifling. I can still remember that lethal hand on my cheek.
Death is huge and muscled like Famine—truth be told, he might be slightly bigger—and he has that same sharp beauty that is somehow too pleasing to the eye to be fully human. His skin is pale, his cheekbones are high and his jaw is sharp. Those deep eyes of his are old—so old I can’t bear to look at them for too long—but his lips have a rueful curve to them. His hair is so dark I imagine it shines blue in certain light. Now however, the rain has plastered that hair to his face.
Where Famine is capricious and conniving, Death seems solemn … and ancient. … He’s beautiful in an enigmatic sort of way.
My gaze moves back to Famine, and for a moment, I simply stare at the two of them. They are leviathans, and I am nothing.
But that’s not true.
Death hands the reins to Famine. “Mount your steed, brother.”
The Reaper looks at the proffered rein for a moment before taking it. I can practically feel the weight of Famine’s task falling back on his shoulders.
An aching sort of despair fills me. This is all because my life means more to Famine than everyone else’s. If that suddenly weren’t the case, maybe the Reaper wouldn’t agree to Death’s terms …
My gaze cuts to a dagger sheathed at Famine’s side.
For about two seconds, I consider doing something self-sacrificing for the benefit of humanity, like falling on Famine’s blade, but … I’m not that broad.
I’m a bar-fighting, pussy-hustling, scrappy-ass bitch, and I’m not going to just go along with this quietly.
So I grab the hilt of Famine’s sheathed dagger and withdraw the blade. Weapon in hand, I spin on the other horseman beside me. Then, I do to Death what I could never do to Famine.
I stab that motherfucker.
Chapter 56
Thanatos stares at me for several seconds, an odd, surprised look on his face. I’m still holding Famine’s blade, even though it’s embedded itself into the horseman’s abdomen.
“Ana!”
I ignore Famine’s alarmed voice, focusing all my attention on the horseman in front of me.
Death’s hands go to the wound just as I withdraw the blade.
He hisses in sharply and gazes down at the wound. There’s not much to see, other than a growing wet stain on the black shirt he wears.
“Ana,” Famine says again, only this time he grabs me by the arm and drags me away. “What have you done?”
My gaze is still locked on Death.
I should feel some remorse. It’s odd that I don’t. Then again, my cheeks are wet and maybe it’s the rain but maybe it’s my eyes. I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s been a weird, awful day.
“If he thinks we should all die, then it’s only fair he knows what it feels like,” I say, staring at the final horseman as though in a trance.
Death makes a choked sound, his hands moving to the wound, and I smile.
I fucking smile.
It took an apocalypse, mass murder, and a few near death experiences, but I think I finally lost it.
Using Famine’s dagger, I point at the wound. Blood is slipping down Thanatos’s fingers. “That’s for taking my parents. And everyone else, you fucker.”
Famine drags me back with his good arm, and I can feel him trembling. He grabs the blade from my hand, wipes it on his trousers, then sheathes it at his side once more.
Beyond the Reaper, Thanatos sways, then drops to his knees. He’s making pained noises, and even from here I can see his limbs shaking, undoubtedly from the pain.
“You’ve never been on this side of death, have you?” I call out to him as the Reaper hauls me onto his horse the best he can. I can still remember with perfect clarity the awful sensation of the blades that entered and exited my own body. “Feels like shit, doesn’t it?”
“Ana, stop,” Famine says.
Thanatos focuses his gaze on me. I expect him to look angry, but those ancient eyes are agonized. Reaching out, Death angles his palm at me.
“Brother,” Famine says sharply, “stay your hand. We have a deal.”
“Her … stabbing me … wasn’t … part … of it,” he rasps out.
The Reaper’s hand settles on my thigh.
He stares down at his brother. “And like you said, this place is not fair. Welcome to the land of the living.”
Famine clicks his tongue and, turning his horse around, the two of us take off.
Chapter 57
“You little firebrand,” Famine says once we’re out of earshot. And then the wicked love of my life laughs. “Remind me never to cross you.”
Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, I’m beginning to shake. In response, the Reaper pulls me close.
“Are we really just going to leave him back there?” I ask, looking over my shoulder.
I’m beginning to feel the first tendrils of remorse. Or maybe it’s fear.
The Reaper gives me a look like I’m the most insane human he’s ever crossed paths with. “You stabbed him. Would you like to go back and see how forgiving Death is?”
A shiver works its way down my spine. “No thank you.” I’ve already died enough times today.
The two of us cut past our house, which looks a little worse for the wear, now that it’s endured several earthquakes and a supernatural storm. Famine doesn’t bother to slow. I barely get a moment to glance at it before we pass it by and head for the nearest road.
Oh God, we’re really doing this.
I take a deep breath, but there’s no bracing myself for all the traveling and killing that lies ahead of us.
“Where are we going?” I ask, dreading Famine’s answer.
There’s a long pause.
Then—
“We’re going to get my brothers. It’s time this ended, once and for all.”