Unreap My Heart (The Reaper Series) by Kate Evangelista Read Free Book Online

lip before she said, “For your protection and help in finding the Redeemer, I give you a year of my life.”
    “Done!”
    The word echoed around the room. A sense of finality settled on everyone’s shoulders. Balthazar dropped his hold on Arianne’s hair and shifted his gaze to Tomas.
    “We should get going. I want to take advantage of the few hours in the day I have left to get as far away from here as possible.”
    Arianne looked at her robes. “Can I change my clothes first? I don’t exactly want to run around bare-assed and with no shoes.”
    For the second time that day, Balthazar laughed. Tomas led her out of D’s office without a word and he followed. But before he reached the double doors, he looked back.
    “Are you sure about this?” he asked D.
    D breathed in until his shoulders stopped drooping. He sat back as if he didn’t have a dagger sticking out of his chest and said, “Is it the best situation? No. But it’s all I’ve got to work with.”
    “Death painted into a corner.”
    “Protect that girl, Balthazar. She is an innocent in all of this.”
    “Why does she want Nikolas to gain his humanity?”
    “She believes they are in love.”
    The absurdity of D’s words hit Balthazar square in the gut. He would have doubled over if he didn’t find the reason pathetic. Thankfully, he managed to keep the laughter in his head.
    “Love? Nikolas?”
    D nodded then turned thoughtful. “You know that he forced the Fade?”
    Yet another ludicrous idea. “Nikolas? Reaper of Georgia allowing the Fade? I’ve been gone too long. I really should take your place, D. You’re losing your edge. A thousand years ago you wouldn’t have allowed such a thing.”
    “Maybe I am getting too old for this.”
    From the lack of wrinkles on D’s face, Balthazar doubted that. But he did understand the impulse. Sometimes the job could wear on you. It was a testament to D’s increasing weakness that he’d admit to Balthazar what sounded like a desire for replacement.
    “You’ll regret you said that to me, D,” Balthazar said before he turned on his heel and followed after Tomas and Arianne. The double doors closed behind him and the darkness returned. The cloak would protect its master. But for how long?

Chapter 6
    POV
    I N T HE R OOM with no furniture other than the bed, mirror, and painting, Tomas snapped his fingers and several tables appeared. A table with clothes. A table with supplies. And a table with weapons.
    Arianne moved toward the clothes first and picked out soft leather pants. Her dad told her once that leather didn’t need washing as much as jeans did. Plus she’d always wanted to get a pair but they stayed out of the price range of her allowance. Now seemed like as good a time as any. Then the voice of her mother in her head said, Light layers. You never know how cold or how hot it will be where you’re going. It was a memory from a vacation they took before her sister, Carrie, got really sick and had to stay at the hospital twenty-four seven. Arianne’s heart twisted. How long had she been gone? It felt like weeks, and she missed her parents something fierce.
    She picked out several tops and a badass looking jacket. “Aren’t my parents going to start looking for—” She stopped herself. The word “us” almost came out. That word led to thoughts about Ben. When she could finally go back to her world, her best friend wouldn’t be there with her. She pushed away the oncoming grief. She’d mourn him, she promised herself, but not now. “—me.”
    Arianne looked up at Tomas just in time to see him shake his head. “Time moves differently here. You don’t have to worry about that.”
    “What about my body?”
    “Niko’s Caretaker will watch over it.”
    Arianne briefly imagined the crotchety ghost butler hovering over her still form. She liked Sickleton. When Niko had faded before her eyes, it was Sickleton who’d helped her bring him to the basement filled with souls. She shuddered