Free Reaper's Dark Kiss by Ryssa Edwards Page A

map on the screen. The moving blue dot, Harli said, was Sky. As long as she had her phone with her, Julian would know where she was. A gadget just like it was hooked up to the Jeep’s GPS system.
    If Marek knew Julian was tracking a mortal like this, he would be facing exile, probably to the Gobi Desert.
    Rattling around in the Jeep, Julian nearly dropped his ringing phone when he pulled it from his pocket. As soon as he saw Private Number on the screen, he knew who it had to be. “Hello, Christian,” he said.
    “You have a hell of an unlisted number.”
    Sky’s brother either had an instinct for when his sister was in danger, or he had near-perfect bad timing. Focusing on keeping his voice calm, Julian said, “Didn’t think it would be a problem. I hear you’re good at finding things.”
    “I told Sky I wouldn’t check up on you,” Christian said. Julian could feel the roiling anger under his even tone. “And I don’t break my word to my little sister. You understand?”
    The engine whined as Harli raced around a curve. “This call never happened.”
    Christian shot his first question at Julian like a barbed arrow. “Why don’t you have a last name?”
    Because he was an immortal with no credit cards, no driver’s license, and no one in his life who questioned it. Until now. “It’s a long story, Christian.”
    “Tell me the short version.”
    I’m fallen. I’m undead, Julian thought. I’m a reaper. To Christian he said, “I’m a soldier. Just like you are.”
    “You’re not like any soldier I fucking know,” Christian said. Anger made his words come out in staccato bursts, like gunfire. “You don’t fucking exist. You were never fucking born. What the fuck do you want with my little sister?”
    Christian talked like a warrior. Julian smiled at that and gave him the honor of addressing him like one. “I’m in love with Sky. If I ever do anything to hurt her, I expect you to come after me and rip my insides out.”
    “I wouldn’t ever stop looking,” Christian said, “and when I found you, I’d make sure the last thing you knew was how loud you can scream.”
    Christian was honorable, Julian saw, a good brother to Sky, not the overprotector she’d made him out to be. “Wouldn’t want it any other way,” Julian said.
    “I have to get off the phone,” Christian said, sounding a little less like he’d kill Julian on sight. “But I’m not done with you. When I get back, you and me talk face-to-face. It’s up to you to find a way to keep Sky out of it.”
    The connection went dead.
    By Shadow World law, Christian would be Julian’s brother soon. The Jeep took a brutal leap, then crashed to the road, swinging right. Julian’s head bounced off the roof. “We don’t have time to heal broken bones,” he said to Harli. “Drive like you can see where you’re going.”
    Undisturbed by the hard edge in Julian’s voice, Harli said, “Sorry,” and for a few seconds, slowed down to less than lethal.

Chapter Twelve
    The flight took roughly forever. As soon as they landed, Julian flew, under his own power, from the airport to Sky’s place.
    From their posts, hidden from mortal eyes, the sentinels standing guard silently signaled Julian. No trouble , their steady gazes told him. He dismissed them, then took the steps two at a time. Inside, he took the fire stairs up to the fourth floor.
    He knocked.
    Waited.
    Nothing.
    He was ready to break down the door when it swung open and Sky flung herself into his arms. She buried her face against his chest. Julian felt how badly she’d wanted him here and damned himself for leaving her.
    “I can’t believe it,” she whispered. “What are you doing?”
    Claiming what’s mine.
    Putting his arms around her, he said, “This isn’t the place for the thirty-nine pizzas?”
    Sky laughed, but she smelled of fear. “How did you get here so fast?”
    “On a jet,” Julian said, moving past Sky. She was going to be his. No point in any more