Free Unreap My Heart (The Reaper Series) by Kate Evangelista Page B

better at his job than he thought? She tempted him to keep going, to open the wound a little more.
    Maybe next time.
    He wouldn’t let his guard down just in case. He focused on what they had to do next instead. This detour into Granmare Baba’s territory was unplanned. On good days Granmare Baba maintained a surly attitude. She became downright killer when annoyed. Walking in on her uninvited would raise her hackles, but if Arianne wanted to survive, she needed to get rid of her residual energy scent, and the only creature capable of masking energy like that was Granmare Baba. The last time he visited her, he managed to leave without much damage to his person. Then a thought hit him. Why did he never leave a place without pissing someone off?
    He pushed away the question. “When we get to Granmare Baba’s place there are a couple of rules you need to remember.”
    For the first time, Arianne waited for him to continue. This disconcerted Balthazar more than her reaction to their almost kiss that never happened. He pushed through the feeling and ticked off the rules by raising a finger for each one.
    “Don’t talk to her unless she first talks to you. Don’t be rude.”
    She snorted—an almost perfect imitation of the one he did.
    “What?”
    Arianne rolled her eyes. “You expect me not to be rude when you’re the one who insults people with every breath you take?”
    “Of course I won’t be rude to her. Much.” The last part he added under his breath. “And last rule, don’t—under any circumstances—leave anything. A lock of hair. A fingernail. Anything she can use to control you after you leave.”
    “Okay, so I won’t remove my braid and cut my nails. Seems easy enough.”
    “This isn’t a joke, Arianne.”
    “You actually used my name for once.”
    He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Just do as I said and we’ll leave there not dead.”
    “Why do I get the feeling dying isn’t the worst thing she could do to us?”
    “Because it’s not. Trust me.”
    “Why should I when you don’t trust me?”
    Reaching his limit for this stretch of the conversation, Balthazar turned on his heel and marched away. He reminded himself to slow his pace—the last consideration he’d give her. He needed to feed soon. He felt the hunger, not in his gut, but in his chest, a pull that helped him locate the nearest source of life force. He hadn’t been lying when he told Arianne he didn’t consume residual energy. The time he’d spent in the Nethers had changed his appetites. Now he preferred something stronger. He hadn’t planned on the need to feed, sure his energy supply would last him until they reached the Voyeur. Arianne’s unscheduled romp among the Sorrow Flats had forced him to use his reserves to yank her out of a very powerful hallucination.
    Angel’s tears were the worst. Instantly addictive. No one trapped in their hold ever escaped until they wasted away. If he hadn’t pulled her out and given her the Angel’s blood, she’d have died within hours.
    Walking by her side in silence, Balthazar glanced at the red thread trailing behind her. A part of it had frayed. The hallucination had done a number on her. The Angel’s blood only cleansed someone; it didn’t fully cure them. If he didn’t get her to Granmare Baba soon, she would start jonesing for the tears again. Now he had to trade the witch three things instead of the two he’d initially planned. Being with Arianne was costing him more than a year of her life was worth. He should have asked for more.
    “You said you have a solution for my questions,” she said when they’d finally cleared most of the flats.
    Balthazar gave her a sidelong glance. She seemed fine, but her twitching fingers told him otherwise. She didn’t seem to notice that they moved involuntarily.
    “Granmare Baba has the ability to upload some information into your head. Basically, we’re asking her to help you understand a few things about the Underverse. You’re