to keep things casual since Grace kept peeking up at me. At first, Shadow just sat there.
“Anyone want anything to eat?” Axton asked.
I twisted to find him dressed in a new uniform as he dried his short black hair. Grace shook her head, but I accepted. We hadn't eaten since, well, I couldn't remember, and I didn't know when we would get the next chance.
While he had distracted me, Shadow had lifted her little hand and laid it atop mine. The tiny cold patch connected us, and I felt her try to enter my memories.
“I don't think so. If you wanted to know, you should have come with us,” I conveyed. It was difficult to place those thoughts in images, but I managed.
A shot of anger rocketed through me right before she blasted me with a barrage of pictures. Most of them dealt with me, ignoring her. Just my luck. I get a soul that knows how to hold a grudge.
I sent her an apology. When that didn't seem to be enough, I cooed and called her pretty. Eventually, she caved and climbed up my arm to rest around my neck.
When Kian and Trace joined us, Axton passed out a simple meal. Shadow slept on me until I grabbed a quick shower, but she returned the instant I stepped out of my bedroom.
“Ready? Let's go convince Reapers to do things they don't want to by telling them that none of it will benefit them in any way at all. This is going to be fun.” Sarcasm thickened my words so much they barely floated through the air.
“Why can't we just force them to do it? Kian can use his magic word shit, Axton can bore them into it, and I'll look scary.” Trace stood and grabbed his cloak, yanking it off the hook.
“Yeah, you know that's not going to work,” I said, pursing my lips. “I sent the instructions for them to meet us at the DNB.”
“All of them?” Grace asked, the shrillness causing her to clamp her hand over her mouth as she cowered.
The sight of her preparing to be hit or screamed at birthed a fire that roared through me. Once again, the monster perked up. Its sleepy eyes stared upwards, waiting for the meal it just knew would be coming. Unfortunately for it, no hurt or fear would be filling its gut. Not yet, at least. But I would need another couple of tabs to send it back to sleep.
My hand dipped into my pocket as I kept my voice as steady as I could, noting only a slight tremble that revealed it was a facade. “Yes, Grace. All of them. I'm sure they'll be covering the lot outside.”
The container rattled as I pulled it out of my pocket. Axton frowned, but Trace carried it a step further. He bolted up and leaned over the table before snatching it out of my hand. His body screamed his readiness for a confrontation.
Well, if he wants one, I fucking give him one.
Ice coated my words as they shot out of my mouth. “Give them back.”
“No.” That was all he said, and that single word angered me more than a speech ever could.
“You will hand them back, Trace, or you'll lose your soul.” I held out my hand and narrowed my eyes.
“I will not. Think about what you just said. You're willing to separate me, knowing how awful it is over a fucking high. There's something really wrong with that.” His muscles relaxed as if he'd proven a point.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Kian shook his head and sank deeper into the couch. Axton stood as if he would be able to come between Trace and me, somehow stopping me. It was a useless endeavor. Poor Grace would have hidden beneath the couch if possible. Since she couldn't, she did the next best thing and got up, pressing herself against the wall as soon as she reached it.
I didn't worry about anyone except Trace. Stupid pot licker. “Yes, Trace, I know exactly what that feels like. I've endured it for far longer than you've had your cloak. So, you think about this; I never made a sound when Master Akai called my soul to him and kept it from latching back on. Yet, I require these just to function. How badly must that feel for me to need help? Hmmm? What would push me to those tabs and how much worse than separating is it?”