Death Trap (Reaper Reborn Book 2), page 26
And I’m sure there was probably a much better, more practical way to handle taking down Azrael then throwing us both out the window.
I couldn’t think of anything else at the time, or even now. I had acted on impulse, which was my thing, and ultimately got myself killed. That didn’t sound heroic to me. It sounded idiotic.
“I didn’t know you could die again after already dying. Seems like overkill, doesn’t it, Lisa?” Wyatt said, looking at her over his shoulder.
“Sure does.” She smiled at him, her expression so full of love it made my chest warm. And pinch with jealousy. Watching their interaction sprang Cole into my thoughts, and I hastily shoved him aside.
I forced myself to look at Eli. He was watching Wyatt and Lisa’s exchange with wishful eyes, too, and my heart ached.
Man, this entire thing was fucked up.
But I had a chance to start over, didn’t I? Eli had assured me he’d wait as long as it took for me to come around, and I believed him. I just didn’t know if I’d ever be ready.
Hesitantly, I slid my hand over his. When he looked up, his lips lifted at the corner in a silent agreement.
Beside me, Marla cleared her throat, and when I glanced at her, she whispered, “I like him,” before taking another sip of her drink.
I chuckled. She’d hated Cole, so to her, anyone was an improvement, I’m sure.
Wyatt plopped down a shot glass in front of me, the clear contents of it spilling over the sides a little.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“A thank you,” he said. “For getting Lisa out of Hell and bringing her back to me.”
“Wyatt, you already thanked me.” I gestured to the line of empty glasses I had in front of me. “Several times.”
It was a good thing I couldn’t get drunk in the afterlife, or else I’d be on the floor by now.
“Anything you want. Anytime. No charge.” He grinned. Lisa came to his side and placed a hand on his arm. “We owe you more than that.”
I waved my hand. All this praise was making me uncomfortable.
“Isn’t there no charge for anything here? We’re dead, after all,” Marla pointed out.
He shushed her sharply. “For you, I’m running a tab.”
She lifted her two fingers, a spell hovering on her lips, only to close her mouth and shake her head a second later. It seemed the resulting fight wouldn’t be worth it.
Lisa laid her head on Wyatt’s shoulder. “But seriously, Jade. Thank you.”
Again, I waved the comment away. “Don’t mention it.”
Ever again. Please.
Pushing out my chair, I stood.
“Leaving already?” Wyatt asked with a frown.
Eli rose, too.
“Yeah, today’s the day, remember?” I said.
When Wyatt’s face wrinkled in confusion, Lisa answered for me. “The day she has to go to Heaven with the lovely Eli, here.”
“Heaven?” He laughed. “Oh, I thought you were fibbin’.”
“If you’d told me that a few days ago, I would have said the same thing,” I replied.
“I knew you were something special the day we met, but an Archangel… Damn.” Wyatt rubbed the side of his face, the shock of the news still lingering. “After a life like mine, nothing should surprise me anymore, but that one threw me for a loop.”
Me too, Wyatt. Me too.
“But you’ll be back,” Marla said, worry on her face as she glanced at Eli for confirmation. “Right?”
Eli nodded. “Once Jade completes the Trials, she’ll be able to pass through all the dimensions whenever she wants.”
Marla sighed in relief. “So, I won’t say bye, then. Just…I’ll see you soon, instead.”
I liked that. “I will see you soon,” I said firmly. Mostly to convince myself of it, too.
As Eli and I walked toward the door, I turned to the bar and gave everyone a small wave.
“You stay out of trouble while I’m gone,” I called back to them with a sad smile.
“No promises!” Wyatt shouted back, only to be smacked playfully by his wife.
I forced myself to walk out of the bar and away from my friends, my heart as heavy as lead in my chest. Eli’s hand found mine again, and he linked our fingers.
Together, we started walking down the street to the transportation portal beside the bookstore.
“I didn’t know leaving the afterlife would be so difficult for you, but it seems you’ve made a lot of friends here,” Eli said gently.
I know he was just trying to lighten some of the uneasiness I was feeling, but all his words did was make my sorrow grow. After considering myself alone for so long, I was realizing that I had made a solid group of friends. Me, of all people. And now, I had to leave them all.
“You’ll be able to come back, Jade,” he assured me. “You just need to complete the Trials, and there will be no more restrictions on things. No spirit doors to draw. No unpredictable powers…”
“You make the Trials sound like they’re as easy as a first-grade spelling test or something.” And I knew better than that. There was no way they were going to be a piece of cake.
When he grimaced, it only confirmed my suspicions. “It’s not, I’m afraid. The Trials are meant to challenge you in the most possible way. Because they’re meant to gauge your virtues and strengths, they have to be.”
I swallowed roughly, suddenly not feeling so good. Reaching the portal, Eli helped me onto the symbol.
“Styx Corporation.” The moment Eli said the words, the magic swirled around us, tossing my hair about and drying my eyes. The scene before us blurred and changed shape, and soon we reemerged in front of the tall Greek temple that was Styx Corp.
Even though it’d been a few days since we’d faced off with Azrael, it felt like yesterday. The sky around the building was a beautiful shade of blue, the clouds just as white and fluffy as ever. Not a speck of lightning or a storm cloud in sight.
All the cracks in the marble columns were fixed, and everything was back in its normal place. If I hadn’t seen the destruction for myself, I would have never guessed the structure had been so close to collapsing in on itself.
We walked up the stairs to the front door. Before entering, I paused.
“Will I be able to stay at my apartment?” I asked, the question suddenly popping into my mind. My place wasn’t anything spectacular, but it had been my home for almost two years, and I liked it for how simple it was. Most of all, I liked the location. Being in Fairport, near the harbor, and close to Kay were what made it worth living in such a cramped space.
Even with how ludicrous my question must have sounded, Eli regarded me with a sympathetic look. “It may be a bit of a commute issue,” he began, “but you may be able to. We have a place waiting at the Holdings, but if you’d rather be in the afterlife, I’d ask Michael when you see him.”
I realized then what my resistance to staying with him in the Holdings must have looked like. Like moving in was too much too fast. And it was, honestly, but that hadn’t even been my first thought. I liked the little afterlife I had created here. Being an Archangel was still new. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for the change.
It was a new start, I reminded myself. I’d finally found a part of myself I’d been missing. I should be embracing it, not running off scared.
Apprehension skittered through me, but that was part of facing the unknown, wasn’t it? Time to buck up, be brave, and face it head-on. That’s what an Archangel would do.
At least, I thought so.
Eli opened the door, and we walked inside. To my relief, the lobby had been zapped back to its pristine, modern-looking appearance. Even Maryanne’s head popped up from her spot behind her U-shaped desk, and she scowled like she always did when seeing me.
It was nice to see some things never changed.
“Jade.” She half snarled my name as we drew closer. When her gaze fell on Eli, her disgusted look instantly changed to what I assumed she thought looked sweeter. I’d say she looked constipated. “Ethan.”
Eli gave her a polite nod at the fake name and a smile.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, her drawn-on eyebrow raised. “Simon hasn’t requested a meeting with you.”
I halted, making Eli do the same, and turned to her. My grin was wide as I approached her desk and rested my elbow on it.
“We’re not here to see Simon, actually,” I said with fake sincerity. Boy, I was going to enjoy this one. “We’re actually going to Heaven’s elevator.”
“Jade.” My name rumbled low in Eli’s throat as a warning.
I ignored him. This was going to be too good, and I couldn’t resist.
On cue, Maryanne’s eyes widened in shock. “That’s impossible.”
“Ah, well, you see, that’s where you’re wrong. It may be impossible for someone like you, Maryanne. No old toads allowed, I’m sorry to say. But for us… We’ll be allowed right in.”
She balked at that, her mouth opening but no words coming out.
Had I made the great Maryanne speechless? Wow.
“You may be thinking why that is. Well, I’ll tell you.”
Eli gave me a sideways glare. Again, I ignored him.
“We’re angels.” I pointed to my angel mark and Eli’s Guardian mark on his bare chest. “See these? These are our ticket in.”
Maryanne just stared between me and Eli, still unable to form a sound.
“Looks like you were wrong about me,” I said, my grin widening. “I got a fucking promotion.”
I slapped my hand against the desk, making her jump in surprise, before turning around and striding toward the elevators. Just imagining the dumbstruck look on her face as I walked away had me happier than I’d ever been before.
Take that, you old crone.
Eli hurried to my side, and when we were far enough away, he whispered, “Was that really necessary?”
I laughed. “Did you see the look on her face? Fuck yeah, it was.”
“And the cursing?”
“Hey, you’re the one who claims I’m an Archangel. I’m the one who told you there’s nothing angelic about me. This is me, buddy. Heaven can take it or leave it.”
To my amazement, he chuckled.
When we reached the golden elevator leading to what was now Simon’s permanent office, I paused. He had his own hands full tracking down Benjamin, Releasing him, and recruiting the new reaper to take his and my old place.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going to miss him, too. Maybe most of all.
But I’d see him soon. I had to keep reminding myself that this move wasn’t going to be forever. Just something temporary. Hopefully, when I came back, I’d know everything I needed to and be a better version of me.
We turned to face the elevator to our left—Heaven’s elevator—and Eli glanced at me.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
Me going to Heaven? Who would have thought?
I drew in a deep breath to calm my scattered nerves. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
He placed a hand on the metal door, and it opened obediently. The inside had elegant cherry wood walls with a simple gold railing around the sides. We stepped inside.
As I turned around to face the doors, I took one last look at the hallway, the gold doors, and the Hell elevator.
I hadn’t expected this to be as bittersweet as it felt. But I couldn’t help the thought that I had come into the afterlife as a reaper, and now, I was leaving that part of myself behind. Forever. And when I did come back here, I’d be someone different entirely.
It was stupid to think that way, I know. But still.
As the elevator doors rolled to a close, a button just above us lit up, revealing an arrow pointing skyward.
This was it. No turning back. I was going to be playing with the big kids now.
All I knew for sure was that Heaven better be prepared for an angel like me because ready or not, here I come.
Harper A. Brooks lives in a small town on the New Jersey shore. Even though classic authors have always filled her bookshelves, she finds her writing muse drawn to the dark, magical, and romantic. But when she isn’t creating entire worlds with sexy shifters or legendary love stories, you can find her either with a good cup of coffee in hand or at home snuggling with her furry, four-legged son, Sammy.
She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Or visit her website at
www.harperabrooks.com
TRY THESE OTHER BOOKS BY
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His Haven
Harper A. Brooks, Death Trap (Reaper Reborn Book 2)
