Page 15 of Shadow of Death

Did you want to speak to me?she asked, using a strange tone, like she’d been watching theStepford Wivesmovie and practicing for just this moment.

“I need you to fix this.” I pointed to my leg, the pain intensifying as if to emphasize my issues. The sharp, relentless ache was almost unbearable and doing nothing for my patience with her games—and boy did she like her games. She was worse than a ten-year-old in an arcade with an unlimited budget.

Why would I do this?She stared at my leg, dumbfounded.

“Why?” Was I really going to have to drag this out? Sheknewwhy. Anyone with common sense would know why. “Because you want me to be your vengeance on earth. That’s why. You think people will take me seriously if I’m limping along? Who am I scaring this way?”

I’ll fix it when you need it,she said, her voice completely flat.

“You won’t fix it now?” It was an idiotic question, since clearly she wasn’t going to. Shock forced me to ask anyway.

No. I think you’re getting too reliant on my digging you out of your issues. I’ve decided that you need to learn to be more self-reliant.Her chin went up. Thankfully, it was only a small movement she was trying out.

Dig me out? This had nothing to do with digging anyone out of anything. She’d saved Kicks, but not because she wanted to help. She’d extracted a price I was going to be paying for possibly decades.

I tried to sit up straighter. “You’re being spiteful because I’m not groveling? Is that what this is about? You want me to behappy to go to Scotland and upend my life? Kill all your targets with a smile on my face?”

You’re so off the mark it’s stunning. This isn’t about groveling. I want Kicks to go, and you don’t want him to. Now he has to, no matter what you want.

“He was already coming,” I said, almost yelling.

Yes, in spite of you.

“So that’s what this is? You won’t fix me because you’re in a snit over my trying to leave him behind?” My leg began to throb in time with my pounding heart. I wasn’t sure why I’d even called her. I should’ve known she’d do this.

She shrugged, giving me a fuck-you look while she did it. The gesture was beyond creepy.

“And while we’re at it, you have to stop doing…that.” I waved a hand at her. “You’re not doing it right.” Instead of stopping, she did it again another ten or twenty times, so rapidly that I got nauseated watching her. It was almost like watching a strobe light.

Am I doing it right now?she said, shrugging again at normal speed.

“No.” She wasn’t, but even if she had been, I might not have admitted it. I was more likely to punch her than give her props. “Now, are you going to fix me or not?”

Maybe if you give me what I want.She stared down her nose at me, which made not being able to stand even more infuriating.

“Which is what, exactly?” He was already coming to Scotland, so what she wanted now wasn’t all that clear.

I want you to fuckhimso I can feel what it’s like, and you keep ruining it. You ruin everything. You don’t want to have any fun.

Any second I expected her to try to stick her tongue out. Who knew how grotesquethatwould be?

“Can’t you go insert yourself into someone else’s body and get your rocks off another way?” I said, my patience wearing thin, the throbbing in my leg depleting what little was left.

If I had options, do you think I’d have chosen a prude?She stepped closer.And even if I could, I wanthim.The possessiveness in her voice sent a chill through me.

I nailed her with a stare. “I might’ve made a bargain with you, but he was never part of the deal. You don’t get to touch him, not even through me.”

Death’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach her eyes.We’ll see about that.

Kicks walked into the cabin a few minutes later, and I was glad that Death was gone. I couldn’t stop her from being near him, but it put me on edge anytime she was. The way she looked at him made me want to do utterly insane things, like try to kill Death herself.

He carried a box of medical supplies, his expression one of determined focus as he put them down on the table beside me.

“I’ve got cast supplies, unless…” he began, trailing off as he took in the sight of me with my foot propped up awkwardly on a pile of pillows.

Yeah, he’d had the same idea I had, and neither of us had been right.

“It’s still broken, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to stay that way.” Actually, I was positive it would stay this way.