Chapter Eleven
RUTH
I had gone straight to bed after my video chat with Amit last night. My trip to the lawyer was brief Monday, the next morning. And the lawyer’s words still floated in my head around noon.
Lawyer Dean Jude: “Ms. Thomas, not many people write a will at twenty-eight.”
Yeah, Mr. Jude, not many twenty-eight-year-olds have gone without sex for ten years.
Lawyer Dean Jude: “Is there some sort of health issue?”
Only if you count that I’ve resorted to video sex to keep any man interested in me from dying. One hot smolder in my direction and BAM! See you in the afterlife.
Lawyer Dean Jude: I’ll have the will notarized, and you’ll be set without a problem.
If you only knew. My biggest problem—Amit—can’t be notarized away.
I was on my way to the recording studio to see if The Oppressors were hanging out there. I enjoyed their sound a lot and listening to them brought out my own inspiration and since I was aiming for something different, what better way than to listen to a pretty boy rock band?
My mind couldn’t help but drift to Amit as I stepped out of the car, wondering if maybe he had thought about me any since last night. My phone dinged as Rupert opened the front door to Black Hearts for me. It was a text from Jayne.
Jayne: Gonna spill on how the lawyer’s meeting went or nah?
When I didn’t respond, she sent me another message.
Jayne: Chinese again?
I chuckled and replied yes for Chinese and left the other question blank. Reaching into my purse, I grabbed a peppermint and popped it in my mouth. I turned around to Rupert. “Why don’t you and Max take a break?” There was plenty of security here.
He nodded. “Call if you need me.”
I gave him a thumbs up and twisted back around. The elevator was to my left. As I waited, a large shadow approached and filled the wall beside me. The darkness had a heated presence that made me tingle. Tilting my head slightly, I saw that Amit was closer than a person should be waiting for an elevator. The dark gray suit accented his eyes. We were so close that I could have rubbed my ass against his groin with little effort. But he didn’t move. Just stood there with his hands tucked into his pockets, ignoring me. It was like the man didn’t know any other way but to be intimidating as hell.
Recalling last night, I was only slightly embarrassed as I struck up a conversation. “Never seen you at all for years, and now I seem to see you daily.” I watched his face, hoping for a reaction—perhaps an admission that he came to see me.
In my fantasy, he did. But the real Amit gave nothing away—other than his jaw jumping.
“You going inside?”
I snapped my gaze forward, eyeing the elevator. It was open. I stepped inside with Amit practically on my heels. Damn, was this some sort of threat? Or a game of seduction? Please, for the love of chocolate, let it be his weird way of seducing me. There was no denying the throbbing between my thighs.
I wondered if this was too dangerous? Was I putting him in danger? There was no touching, but maybe he was too close? Should I be risking a life to please myself? Since he survived last night, I wanted to assume that what we did was safe from the demon.
The elevator closed, and I took a step to the left since he was crowding my right side. He watched me but thankfully made no move to get closer. This was torturous. I fought to keep my hands at my sides instead of wringing them together. He was overwhelming me with his aura, his heat, something, because it filled up the tiny area surrounding us.
Be cool. Stay calm.
Amit was just a man.
“Did you sleep well last night?” I asked him as I pressed the button.
The doors closed. “No.” Another dull, guttural response. He didn’t make conversation easy.
“I slept great.” I made sure to flutter my eyelashes coyly after I said it.
On cue, his eyes traveled down my body. The elevator dinged then opened. I walked out. “Am I calling you again tonight?” I asked over my shoulder.
He was eating me up with his gaze—skimming up my legs, wandering everywhere. They paused at my breasts. I remembered the feel of myself pinching my nipples for him and let my mouth fall open slightly. He noticed that too. Even with this loose green jumper I wore, somehow, I felt like he still saw me. I liked him looking. A lot. Finally, those eyes met mine. “If that’s what you want.”
Oh, he was making me love those five little words with how he said them. A woman could take advantage. And I planned on it.
The doors began to close. “Aren’t you getting off?” The studio only had two floors.
He didn’t answer as the doors swallowed him from my view.
_______
“You got a thing for me, don’t ya Ruth?” Liam said playfully as Pete set his guitar down and shared an ill-behaved glance with him. They had finished up and somehow caught a whiff of Jayne and I back here stalking them. “Admit it, that’s why you’re always here watching us play.”
“Caught me red-handed.” I popped a peppermint in my mouth as I closed my notebook on my lap.
“What’s that?” Liam pointed toward it.
“Oh,” I shook my head. “Words.”
Liam burst out in a light chuckle. “Funny, but really.”
“Say..” I flicked my ponytail across my shoulder, leaning forward. “How would you guys feel about making music with me? Give me a sound to write lyrics for.” Lyrics tumbled from my heart easily most of the time, I’d never had a problem with words. Making sounds, creating music? Now that was entirely different. Often when I wrote lyrics, I’d either hum in my head or sing aloud as I wrote, but that was as far as I got with creating sounds. I couldn’t play an instrument, but I knew what I wanted inside my head. I just needed someone else to create it. I tried band in the sixth grade but the only thing my teacher offered us was a flute and I blew so bad. I wished I was kidding. I genuinely tried to get better, and it didn’t help that our band teacher would call me out and make me try solo, which was horrible since I sucked so bad. It made me give up. I loved music, but instruments weren’t my calling. Singing and songwriting were.
Liam looked back at Pete and Steve with raised eyebrows and a seemingly surprised yet pleased grin before he faced me again. “Ruth, we thought you’d never ask.” He tapped his wrist with a pen. “What kind of sound are you looking for?”
“Something different. For me.” I held his gaze, letting my musing thoughts creep in as I gave them my idea. “I’m thinking something sensual, yet rough and loud—like you guys. I got to admit, I’m feeling your sound. I’m on the verge of loving it, actually.”
Pete was definitely happy, his lips were almost at his ears as he looked to Liam who was watching me with gratitude lining his pretty boy face. “You’re laid back, Ruth, I like that. Not what you’d expect.” Liam rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“You judge what you see and hear?” I quirked an eyebrow at him.
He shook his head. “Not at all, but you aren’t the first celebrity we’ve encountered. Fame can go to the head.” Now he was shrugging as if to say, just saying.
I sighed in agreement. “I’ve seen plenty of that firsthand too.”
“Your voice isn’t the only thing beautiful about you,” Steve piped in, and I gave him an unladylike snort. “Makes wanting to sing with you that much easier.”
I tilted my head and studied the three of them. “You guys wanted to work with me already?” The sly leers that crept over their features might have frightened anyone else, but I found them adorable. “And here I thought you guys might take some time to come around to working with a rapper.”
“What? Since we’re a rock band, we don’t appreciate other genres of music?” Pete asked me before he got dramatic. “Oh, however do you sit here and listen to us practice every evening, Miss Rapper?” I rolled my eyes as they all mimed each other dramatically with the same gestures, like they were in sync with each other. He had me there, so I’d let their teasing go.
Jayne’s phone rang about that time and instead of answering it, she swore and ignored the call. “That’s the eighth time.”
“She talks.” Liam watched Jayne with hawk eyes. She peered up at him with squinted ones.
“Who keeps calling?” I asked Jayne so she could tear her gaze away from Liam. Even as she faced me, his eyes were eating my tiny PA up. I couldn’t blame him. She was gorgeous as hell, I’d eye-fuck her too if I was into chicks.
“Liz,” Jayne said quietly as she lowered her gaze.
I frowned. “Why are you only telling me now?”
She shrugged. “She’s persistent, I’ll give her that, but I hoped I could get her off your back without having to bother you.” She took a deep breath then gave me one of her tired, droopy grins. “Even if you deny it, I saw how much she gets to you.”
“I’m fine.” I nudged her shoulder. “I’m the Dark Goddess, remember? I’m Liz’s proclaimed downfall, am I right?”
Jayne snorted. “Well, Dark Goddess, how do you want to handle this?”
Pulling her in melodramatically like I was about to reveal some big secret, I told her, “Let’s keep ignoring her.”
Her head fell back as she cackled. “That’s what I thought.”
Yeah, I was twenty-eight. I wasn’t put together enough in life to not ignore someone, apparently, instead of handling the situation, but I was old enough to ignore people that caused me headaches. It was all according to how you viewed it.
“You’re pretty when you giggle like that.” Pete told Jayne, and I could practically see her escaping into her shell. She stopped completely and averted her gaze from everyone.
Steve pointed his nose in the air and took a big whiff. “You smell really good too.” When he lowered his chin and eyed her with a lusty smolder, I couldn’t keep the opened mouth shock off my face. “You smell great too, of course.” He made sure to let me know.
I wrinkled my nose, amused. “Of course.”
“Are you ready?” Jayne blinked at me helplessly for an escape.
“I was actually going to get them to string me up some sounds and see if I got a feel for some lyrics.”
She grabbed her purse and her phone with a red-faced nod and smiled. “Then I’ll go and leave you guys to it.”
“Okay…” I made sure that she saw my I’m-going-to-give-you-hell-for-this-later look as she turned and fled out the door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow if I don’t anymore today.” Her words were barely audible as she rushed out.
The door clicked shut.
Pete whistled. “Oh dear, we’ve scared her away.”
Liam closed his eyes and sighed. “Probably for the best.”
Pete shrugged. “Probably.”
“You fellas do realize I’m right here?” I asked them. “And I adore you guys immensely already and more than anything, I want us to create music together, but my Jayne is off-limits.” Pete started simpering, so I crossed my arms and glared. “I’m serious. Her last man was a shithead, and I don’t want her getting hurt by one of you. I mean, you all are about to hit it big and soon, your heads are going to be too big to tend to the broken hearts you’ll leave behind city after city…”
“Ruth—”
I held up my hand, wanting to get my words out. “I know, one little eye-fuck means nothing.” I squinted at Liam for that one. “I’m just saying if you want to lavish my girl in compliments, go for it. I won’t stop it. But don’t play her, or I might have to bring out the Dark Goddess.”
Pete covered his mouth quickly and his gaze lightened. “You’re just as adorable as your girl was running away.” I glowered. He was quiet a second before he cackled. “Dark Goddess.” He shook his head.
If only they knew.
“All right,” Liam slapped his hands against his knees and stood. “Let’s see what we can do for you, Ruth. Not like we do anything else these days besides music.” I was glad that Liam got down to what I kept coming to them for.
______
Four hours later, I dragged myself through the house after John dropped me off. Using your brain was exhausting. Straight up listening to music and staring at a paper as you slash verse after verse out because nothing sounds right was mentally draining. I wanted something that wasn’t coming easy for me which was all sorts of wrong. Lyrics never failed me and even now, I had the inkling of something great at the very tip of my soul, but I couldn’t reach it. Not yet. A wave of panic slid over me at the prospect of not finding it before next month.
Stop.
Taking a deep breath, I let it go and ventured into my dark bathroom before switching on the light. Moose followed me, poking his head through the doorway finally deciding to grace me with his presence. He pressed his nose in my palm as I stepped over to the sink.
Thirty minutes later, I was showered and lying in bed close to dozing off when my cell phone rang, startling me. Moose was at the bottom of the bed, tilting his head at me as I reached over and picked up the device.
It was Amit.
Heat coursed through my veins just from the thought of him calling me—seeking me out. It slithered up my thighs, spread in my stomach, and finally reached into my heart like fluttering wings. If only I could put into words the magnitude Amit had affected me since meeting him, but there were none—not a simple thing that could explain my attraction to him. He was breathtaking, but I was surrounded by gorgeous men the last decade, and I had no problem staying away after the first demon incident.
But that was it, wasn’t it? I was running out of time and it had me slightly manic and obsessive about my impending fate.
I told myself I was okay with my destiny ten years ago if it meant getting this life and it was. But no one would truly ever be accepting of this kind of end, would they? Even if they said it a million times over.
Ignoring my rambling mind and chaotic body responses over a single phone call, I slid my finger across the screen. “Hello?”
“You’re asleep.” This wasn’t a question. He said it like he knew.
Straightening out my voice, I mumbled. “I dozed off.” I had briefly thought about Amit in the process of falling asleep but exhaustion had been stronger, so I dismissed the thought of calling him tonight.
“How’s the songwriting going?” His question surprised me.
I peeked over at the notepad and pen next to me. Squinting, my gaze bounced around the room searching for Amit like he’d actually be there watching me. “You keeping tabs on me?” I paused. “Why?”
He sighed. “We talked about this at the charity event, remember? I figured you were already working on something since then.”
“That is true,” I mumbled. But still. Just because we briefly talked about music and had a moment there, he wouldn’t have known I was songwriting—or trying at least.
“Besides, why else would you be hanging out with those vultures if you weren’t?” Did he actually raise his voice in anger? It was surprising.
“Vultures?” I snickered. “You mean The Oppressors?”
“Is that their name?” I couldn’t tell if he was being serious or being an ass.
“You don’t know anything about them, yet you know that I’m trying to write a new song. I’m not even one of your artists anymore.” He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t keeping an eye on me. But why? It was hard to tell if he was interested in me or if it was all about the company?
“You were asleep,” he said abruptly, changing the subject. “I’ll let you go.”
“Wait, what did you call for?” I asked hopeful.
“I thought this would be something you’d want,” came his dull response.
“My, how noble, to sacrifice yourself to me like this,” I said sarcastically.
He sighed into my ear. The sound giving away his frustration with me. “Must you always get annoyed? I don’t understand. The lifestyle you’ve chosen has given you plenty of hate. Little things that shouldn’t mean anything are what you’re going to let get to you?”
“Anti-fans are different. They don’t know me. They don’t bother me like you do. I don’t want to drag my teeth over their tongue as I thread my fingers in their hair, now do I?” I bit out unashamed. “No, that’s just what I want to do to you…” I took a second to just breathe after saying all that and waited. He was so deathly quiet on the other end that I had to check if he was still on the phone. “Amit?”
“You can show me,” he finally muttered hoarsely.
“Show you what?”
“You.”
Then he hung up. A second later, he called me via video chat. I bent over and turned on the lamp on my nightstand, glanced down at my silk nightgown, smoothed out my hair before scooting up against the headboard, and answering the call.
Like before, his chest came into view and nothing else. “Just admit it, Amit.” I smirked into the camera, feeling aroused as well as giddy.
“Admit what?”
“That you’re into me too.”
A deep, throaty groan. “If that’s what makes you happy, then go ahead and believe that.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Fine. I’ll live in that fake reality whenever we FaceTime each other.”
He grumbled hotly. “If that’s what you want.”
As much as he said that to me in the week since our first encounter, I was beginning to think there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t let me get away with. I would use those words to my advantage in this lust game with him—at a safe distance. I didn’t want the demon going after him. Amit didn’t seem like the man that would lose his self-control either so it wasn’t like I had to worry about him approaching me any other way than through our camera lens.
“I want to see more of you. It’s weird that you keep it on your chest. I should see your face when we’re talking.” He listened this time. The camera moved up and his sharp features came into view. His gray eyes sliced into me through the screen. His hair looked a bit ruffled like I’d stressed him out and he kept running his hands through it. “That’s better,” I whispered. He held my gaze. “You’re not hard at all to look at.”
Hard, fixated stare; completed with a hard swallow. It was enough to let me know that he was into this like I was even if he wouldn’t admit it. “This isn’t about me.” But then he drew the line right then and there.
Why? I didn’t know why, but it was plain to see he was forcing distance between us. It stung. I wasn’t made of the same walls he was, but it was time I placed one up myself. My attraction was that: attraction. I was dying soon, and I deserved something, anything that made me feel like what my lust for him made me feel. That was all. I wanted to take from someone. Enjoy someone. I wanted Amit, pure and simple.
For what I had in mind I needed both of my hands. Glancing around the room, I noticed the alarm charger I used on my nightstand. Perfect. Placing my phone on it, I positioned myself in front of the camera and lifted my purple nightie, giving Amit a nice view of my legs and other things. After improving the scenery for him, I pushed my hair back and gave my best come-hither smile. Tonight Amit would see everything.
I wish I had music to play, but my phone was tied up in the video so I would have to make do with the silence. Moose jumped off the bed and retreated from the room. I glanced back to the phone then my nightie. “I’ll admit that these video chats are a first for me.” I let my strap fall off a shoulder. “But my heart’s beating with adrenaline, just like it does every time when I’m about to perform.”
_______
AMIT
I could see her nipples through the thin gown she wore—sharp points rising and falling with each pant. Ruth was capable of going solo, she did it every night. She knew how to take care of herself. I’d watched her at every stage, from her highs to her lows. I’d seen all of her—over and over again but not like—the object of her attention.
I had rules I abided by, but I was still a demon and thought nothing of watching her all the time. It was a part of getting her soul.
Control was a must for a demon. You didn’t live in the human world as one without it if you wanted to stay alive. That was why I had rules, and I was the very definition of restraint. I was nothing but control. I breathed it. I slept it. I ate it, and I lived by it.
I didn’t eat more souls than I had to. I didn’t go on killing sprees. I just lived.
But then there was this soul.
And then I truly discovered how much self-discipline I had. It didn’t matter that I was a soul reaper. It didn’t matter that her soul was human, or that she was soul food. There was no watching Ruth Thomas for as long as I had without actually seeing her.
But like I said. Control. I had it in spades, and my soul food thought she could take it from me? The only thing I’d admit was my body had no choice but to respond to everything about her. Ruth was extraordinary, exactly like the soul I wanted to eat. She was my Achilles’ heel, and here I was unable to walk away from my downfall.
She bent her legs and her gown rode up even further giving me a glimpse of white lace. Her other strap fell and slid down further.
My cock lay hard against the side of my leg, straining against the pants I wore. In this form, all I could do was watch as my dick twitched. Hell, even in reaping form she moved my shadowy presence into one of desire and heat. It had no problems that she was food or human. Except I had never had a reaction to any human woman before. I didn’t care about their physical appearance when I only sought out souls. I never looked at one twice. I’d never become so obsessive over any woman—demon or human before her. I’d never felt my restraint so tested like I had every day since finding her. It was a double-edged sword when staying so close to someone for so long.
And right now? Control.
When I was the object her attention was focused on? Control.
The way Ruth watched me steadily—practically eye-fucking me every time she saw me.
But still. Control. This was nothing but a means to making my soul food happy. Nothing more, nothing less.
“I’m waiting.” Fuck. My words almost sounded like a stutter.
“For this?” She brought one hand up to her stomach and tugged at the silk until it pulled away from her breasts. Too bad I never allowed anyone to grab them. There was so much to hold. She’d despise me if she knew the truth. I’d make her soul bright once more before I ate it, and she’d never know anything else.
I held my breath as she caressed a nipple and pinched, then licked her lips lasciviously. She liked this.
She covered herself up. When I felt myself beginning to frown, I immediately schooled my expression. I wasn’t bothered that she hid herself from me. “You too.”
“Me too what?” I hesitated, still eyeing the breasts she had hidden from view.
She arched an eyebrow. “I want to see some of you. Then I’ll show a little more. Amit, give me something to work with.” There was a playful smirk on her lips.
I wish there was more reluctance on my part. Instead, my cock throbbed uncomfortably, completely willing to give her what she wanted. And that was all this was, me giving her what she wanted. With that thought in mind, it was easier to give into Ruth. Not because I was at her mercy, she was at mine. “What is it you want to see?” I asked.
She chuckled sweetly, then covered her face briefly with one hand like she was embarrassed. “Undo your zipper, Amit. Let’s come together.” Right after she said it, she uncovered her eyes and breasts at the same time. I groaned as they sprang free, her taut nipples pulling my attention. She then bent her legs up toward her chest, covering her breasts again and reached for her lace panties, pulling them down excruciatingly slow. My breath caught and my dick grew harder as I watched her torturous moves. The way the white material clung to her hips as she tugged, then inch by inch, slid off her smooth, dark legs until she was bare. When Ruth parted her thighs, heat seeped up my neck as I took in her glistening pussy. She slipped her fingers between her folds, and I felt the flair of need—for her. It consumed me as I swallowed. I was thoroughly fucked up. The fluid leaking from my cock was proof that turning back wasn’t an option.
Sometimes—almost—I felt like my soul food touched me when she wasn’t. Never physically, but her presence… Something about her threatened to overwhelm me. Many times in my reaping form while being near her, I swear I’ve seen her soul shift in her body and reach out to me—I had to imagine it since souls, especially humans, couldn’t move like soul reapers—yet, there I saw and sensed it moving in what I thought to be a sensual pattern. Like it was yearning for me, then the sweet, natural scent of cherry blossoms would send my reaping form into a quivering mess.
Funny how when it wasn’t her soul, her body did the same to me.
Lars possessed her dog at the moment, but he knew better than to stick around. I was free to give her what she wanted. Not because my skin was sweaty with anticipation. I’d show her what she wanted to see because that’s what I did. I gave her what she wanted. I was the governor, the regulator, the controller to her every whim even if she didn’t know it.
Using my free hand, I unzipped my pants. I could tell she heard it. She stopped moving on the screen. I pulled them down—no boxers beneath. The pulse at the tip of my cock grew steadily worse as I revealed myself to her, pointing the screen down so she could see it for herself. I studied her reaction. Her tongue darted out over her bottom lip and her breath hitched. That helpless, aroused look took over her glassy eyes. I further hardened underneath her heavy-lidded gaze as her lips parted and a needy gasp tumbled out.
Sweet, sweet soul food, what I wanted to do to you.
Control, I admonished myself.
“Aren’t you going to grab it?” she practically pleaded instead of asked.
I chuckled. “Ruth, I don’t self-indulge. In any way.” The lie felt bitter on my tongue. While it was true I didn’t jack off, there was something I did get every time I watched her bring herself to climax most nights, even if I wasn’t sure what it was, but it was earth-shattering and profoundly different.
Soul reapers had emotions, don’t get me wrong. A lot of those emotions were the reasons my kind was nearly extinct. Self-indulgence led to death. I was one to believe emotions were beneath me. I simply lived by my own rules. So, the fact that my soul food was on the verge of asking me to partake in masturbation was laughable. It didn’t matter that I fought against this very thing daily because of her. The urge around her was strong and sometimes I questioned my control—how long or when it would diminish and I despised myself for it. I didn’t live this long to shatter who I was completely for…for Ruth.
“You wanted to see it, and I’m showing you. That’s all I’m giving, Ruth,” I murmured slowly seconds after my laughter died out. My mind turned a little hazy as I stared at her through the screen—I was suddenly wondering what if instead of why I couldn’t.
Her eyes were still fixated on my dick when she sighed. “You’re a tough one to crack,” she whispered sadly, giving me another one of those adorable pouts of hers.
“It’s not you. I have my own rules, and I don’t break them.” The last thing I wanted was to send her soul into a state of gloom again. For some reason, she allowed my words to hurt her.
This time, however, my simple words brightened her entire face. They were the truth, but now I was even more glad I said them. “You don’t allow yourself to jerk off despite being hard for me right now?” She blinked and waited.
“I don’t, but my guess is you do enough for the both of us.” It was the truth. Ruth gave herself what she wanted without restraint. It was beautiful and maddening to me—someone who lived and breathed with restraint to see another give themselves so freely to what they wanted.
“Okay,” she relented. “It’s not like I can do anything with that giant cock, anyway. You can put the camera back on your face now. I want to see you while you’re watching me.”
I did as she asked while she grabbed some pillows and made herself comfortable. Her legs further parted, and my carefully wound control nearly unraveled. Her pussy glistened, calling me like a fucking beacon. Every part of me was on fire—my chest, my veins, even my cock. It was like Ruth wanted me to feel that way. Her eyes focused on me while she touched her most private paradise.
Automatically, my tongue flickered over my lips as her fingers slid into her pussy over and over again. As her desire neared its peak, her eyes finally left mine. She laid her head back on the pillow and fell apart.
And somehow, I felt like she was feeling me too. Maybe her mind could reach me if she wished for it hard enough. She came on her finger—mine and her lights flickering in unison as she did. There was no talking, no sounds other than her whimpering breaths as they turned to ragged moans as she scattered apart. But it was all for me, and that was all the thread needed to snap. My ball-sac drew up and I remained deathly still watching Ruth’s back arch. As the head of my cock pulsed, my body pleaded, just this once. I swallowed, told myself no, but then I gripped myself, pumping my palm over my cock once, twice, the third I was biting back my groan as the mess of what I did covered my pants and fingers.
Breathing raggedly, I willed myself to compose myself. I expected to feel different, maybe ashamed and guilty about it, but the only thing I felt was my desire for her increasing tenfold.
There was something far more dangerous in that, the fact that I had busted open a dam that should have never been opened.
When her sleepy eyes met mine for the last time, they were content for now. Adoringly so.
Ruth didn’t say goodbye tonight. She simply looked at me with a satisfied smile and then the call disconnected.
What I hated about this deal was the fact I didn’t mind doing anything when it came to this woman. Nothing at all. I thought briefly once more about why I tried so hard not to let us meet in the flesh. If I thought hard enough, I would discover more than any soul reaper would dare admit.
And now that we had shared this…