“I think I’m in love,” Mason swoons dramatically as I pick out a few last minute figurines to add some more fun to my room. Anything to turn it from an asylum room into a home.
“Took you long enough to tuck the TV away,” Liam teases Mason. “Maybe I should do the next round.”
I wince. “Was it hard to move that big ass box through the portal? I’m sorry.”
“No, it was fine. I made another stop before coming back.” He doesn’t seem bothered in the least as he places my big stack of items on the counter. “We need the latest Playstation and Xbox as well,” he tells the clerk. The guy places one of each on the counter before looking at us.
“Is that all?” he asks with a raised eyebrow. I look at the stuff on the countertop displays and throw on some gummy candy and point out the Switch as well.
“Now that’s all!” I declare happily. He laughs and gives me the grand total. I swipe my new favorite possession and he bags everything up.
“Now I’m really starving,” Mason complains. “Let’s throw this stuff through the portal and get some food.” Liam nods dramatically and takes the bags I’m holding before they both power walk to a shrouded corner to open a portal. I don’t know how I ever shopped in my human life without this fancy reaper trick. It’s so ridiculous but these little moments actually make it easier to not have regrets about dying. They had been right about letting go of my past; it won’t help me here, and moving forward is easier this way.
Despite how quick they’ve been so far today, my body tenses the moment I’m alone in the mall. I suddenly have an awful feeling of dread that I can’t shake. When they step back into view I can feel some of the tension leaving, but I still have that anxiety balling up in the pit of my stomach.
“Guys, I have a strange feeling I can’t shake. Like something awful is going to happen,” I hiss as I look around, not wanting to sound like a crazy girl to the people passing by us.
“It’s called being hangry, come on,” Liam jokes as he pulls me away. Everything in me screams I shouldn’t ignore my instinct but I sigh and give in. If all I have is a weird feeling, there really isn’t anything for me to do, and the guys know these powers better than I do anyway.
Food is quickly forgotten as gunshots ring out through the mall. My heart starts to beat wildly as both men pull me down to the ground and lay over me protectively. I’m not sure if we can even die as reapers but I’m too terrified to get the words out to ask. I try to see around me, but the horde of people running and screaming is blocking our view and if not for the guys pulling me toward the wall we’d have been trampled completely.
My ears are still ringing from the loud blast of the gun. Another wave of shrill screams fill the air and security is calling out at someone, though I can’t see through Mason and Liam to see what’s actually going on.
After a few moments I push the guys off of me and try to find the wounded. I’m trained in first aid, so I could at least attempt to help.
“Only one victim. We need to take them back,” Liam says solemnly. That has me stopping in my tracks and glancing around.
“My chain is right on my bed. Can I please take her?” I ask quietly as my eyes spot the poor teenage girl. Her lifeless body is sitting in a pool of blood.
Mason is already running away. I don’t see him coming back, but I feel the familiar cool chain pressing into my hand. I wrap my hand around it and walk closer to the poor girl, knowing she’ll be the only one to actually see me now that I’ve got my chain.
“Why is her soul different?” I ask quietly. Mason has his own chain in hand, so at least he can hear me.
“She’s not a regular soul.” He sounds so confused I can’t help but stop and look at him. They’re Master Reapers, how would he not know what’s going on? He notices my stare and clarifies. “She’s almost a mix between a reaper soul and a regular soul. I’ve never seen anything like this. She hasn’t even left her body yet.”
“What do I do then?” I was never taught how to handle a reaper soul.
“You touch her soul with the chain like the others and we bring her body along with us. When she’s in the City of Souls, we touch her body and soul with the chain, at the same time, to rejoin them,” Liam explains, lifting her broken body into his arms.
The girl looks at me as I step to her side, but for some strange reason she doesn’t seem surprised. There’s a sense of recognition in her eyes so she must already know what we are. How is that even possible?
“Luz. I wondered when you would find me. Just didn’t wager I’d be dead when we met,” the girl says, letting out a long sigh.
“Will you let us help you?” I ask her, holding out my hand so I can lead her through the portal.
“Of course,” she replies, laying her hand on mine. The chain glows but doesn’t wind around her arm. I give her an encouraging smile before calling my portal.
Only when we’re safely traveling through the portal do I let my body relax for a moment. I’ve been tense ever since we left the game store and her using my name without hearing it first has me more than a little unsettled.
Getting her to the city is top priority. Her body will need time to heal like mine did.
Then I’ll demand answers.
If she hasn’t already forgotten.
ChapterEight
Luz