Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
He nods at that and takes a generous sip of his drink, but I can tell it’s troubling him. I’m all for making a guy jealous, but I don’t want them to be sad about it.
I finish the rest of my beer and then excuse myself to go to the restroom, which is located around a dark corner, in between the restaurant and the hotel lobby. It’s not until I’m walking that I realize how drunk I am, weaving slightly as I go. It could also be that my body is just absolutely tired after taking beating after beating in Inmost. Either way, I think I have to slow my roll, because the last thing I want is to wake up tomorrow with a hangover. I’ve already lost a year of my life here; I’m not losing another day if I don’t have to.
After I’m done, I look at myself in the mirror above the sink. I look a lot better than I did earlier, but I’m wondering if I should stop by a store tomorrow to get some makeup and skincare. We were lucky enough that the hotel had mini teeth cleaning and vanity kits in the room, but it would be nice to have at least a hairbrush.
I tuck my hair behind my ears and step out of the bathroom.
I run right into the drunk mustache guy.
“Oh, sorry,” I apologize, stepping out of the way.
But the guy just steps in front of me again, blocking the way back to the bar.
“Is that guy really your husband?” the guy says, slurring his words. “Or is he an overprotective friend who doesn’t like it when men talk to you?”
I’m about to tell him to fuck off and shove him back against the wall when I see Tuoni approach out of my peripheral.
Death moves like a flash of silver lightning.
Tuoni’s hand shoots out, and he grabs the guy by the throat, throwing him back against the wall, holding him a few feet above the ground so his head is almost touching the ceiling. Unlike what he did with the front desk clerk, I think Tuoni means to kill this guy.
“Stop!” I cry out, keeping my voice down so we don’t attract attention. “Don’t kill him.”
“Where’s your knife to the throat?” Tuoni growls at me, squeezing the man’s neck tighter until the blood vessels in his eyes burst.
“I could have taken care of this,” I say, pleading now. Oh God. Oh fuck. I’m about to witness a murder, aren’t I? “Let him go, or you’re going to kill him.”
“I am the God of Death,” he seethes.
“You are, but right now, if you killed this man and sent him to Tuonela, there’s no telling what might happen to him there. What if it’s already reduced to Kaaos?”
“He deserves that Kaaos then.”
“No,” I say, grabbing his arm. “He’s just a fucking idiot who doesn’t deserve to die or rot in hell just because he hit on me. He’ll get what’s coming to him one day, I’m sure of it, but not today. We don’t kill people here on a whim, even when they fuck up.”
Death grumbles but finally loosens his grip.
The man slumps to the ground.
Dead.
Chapter 15
Death
The Choice
“He’s dead,” Hanna cries out, dropping to her knees beside the pick-up line boy.
“He isn’t,” I say with a sniff. “I would know.”
For further assurance, I wave my hand at him, and the man coughs, which makes Hanna exhale in relief. Then, I pull her up, giving the guy space as he slowly gets to his feet.
He puts his hand at his throat and rubs it as he eyes the both of us with blood-shot eyes.
“You tried to hit on her, and she fought back,” I tell the man, putting command into my voice. “Make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The man gets that glazed look in his eyes, which I now know is the sign that I’m making them do and think things under my will.
The command works. He nods.
“Apologize to her,” I tell him.
He looks at Hanna. “I am so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
“Tell her you’ll never behave that way with any woman again,” I tell him.
He nods profusely. “I promise I will never behave that way with any woman ever again.”
“Very well,” I say with a flick of my hand, trying to keep the anger I still feel bubbling inside me at bay. “Go back to your friends, leave this place, and don’t speak a word of this to anyone.”
The man nods, his hand still rubbing his throat, and then scurries around the corner into the bar.
“Tuoni,” Hanna says to me slowly as she turns to face me. “I didn’t need—”
I don’t give her a chance to speak.
I grab her face in my hands, and I kiss her.
Hard.
So hard, I hope I’m imprinting myself on her soul.