I swear I catch a note of hurt in Death’s voice, but that’s ridiculous, right? Right.
The horseman binds my wrists behind my back, then hauls me over to the nasty, stained recliner, where he ties the other end of the rope to the chair’s rusted metal base.
This. Is. Such. Bullshit.
“My,” he says, looking me over while I glare at him, “this feeling is so reminiscent of all those times you held me hostage. Unfortunately for you, Laz, you don’t have the strength to free yourself.”
“Don’t call me that,” I grind out.
“Would you prefer kismet?” Death’s eyes drop to my lips. They’ve been doing that a lot since he took me. Despite the fact that I’m spitting mad and he might feel hurt, I still think the horseman wants a kiss. “You seem to have taken no issue with that name.”
I glare at him. “The moment I get out of these bindings, you’re going to regret it.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not.” He touches my cheek, then stands. “Either way, I’ll be back soon. I am … eager to return to your side.”
Death turns and walks towards the door, his heavy boots clinking as he moves away from me.
I jerk against my bindings. “Thanatos, you can’t be serious.”
He ignores me.
“Where are you even going?” I demand.
He turns, and morning sunlight streams through the windows behind him, illuminating him in a corona of light. It’s annoying how beautiful—how celestial—he looks. The look he gives me, however, chills my blood.
“I have work to do, Lazarus. I trust you’re aware of that?”
I go still as his plan falls into place: he intends to travel with me, then keep me caged while he’s off destroying the world.
I feel my face pale. “Death,” I breathe. “Please,” I say. “Don’t do this.” This is what I’ve been whittled down to—begging. Pointless, powerless begging. “You do enough damage between cities as it is.”
“I’ll see you soon, kismet,” he says. With that, he’s gone, the door creaking shut behind him.
Shit, shit, shit.
I need to get the hell out of here, now.
Chapter 24
Pleasanton, Texas
January, Year 27 of the Horsemen
Fuck that motherfucker.
For the hundredth time I pull against my bindings. It’s useless. My wrists are wrapped too tightly at my back for me to undo the knot at the base of the recliner. Not that I haven’t tried. I’ve also attempted to drag the piece of furniture out the door. That only resulted in the thing tipping over and crushing me, and then me panicking, memories of being trapped flittering through my mind.
So now, despite the fact that I’ve managed to get myself out from under the recliner, I’ve decided to stop struggling. At least until Death gets back. Then, I’ll happily set myself loose on him.
I’m painfully hungry, and I’m pretty sure that I’d give up orgasms forever—okay, maybe for a month—for a nice, cold glass of water.
At least I don’t need to go to the bathroom. That’s a perk of not eating or drinking for extended periods of time.
I bang the back of my head against the musty recliner, bored and frustrated.
In the distance, I hear galloping.
I tense, even as my heart begins to race.
He’s already back.
Shit, that was fast. It took him what—an hour? Two? And in that time a city was annihilated. My righteous anger burns like poison in my veins.
The moment I’m out of these restraints, I’m going to throttle the horseman with my bare hands, the bastard.
I strain my ears, listening to Death’s approach.
The hoof beats come to a stop a ways away, and then I hear the thicket Thanatos grew around the property now rustle. The hoof beats start up once more, galloping all the way to the front stoop.
Outside, I can hear Death dismount, his armor clanking together.
I am eager to return to your side.
My stomach clenches.
“Knock, knock motherfucker,” a deep voice calls stepping up to the door.
A voice that most definitely does not belong to Thanatos.
My breath catches in my throat.
Well, shit.
BOOM!
I flinch as the hinges screech and wood splinters, the door caving inward. The man kicks it again, and the last remnants of it smash apart. It hits the ground with a dull thud.
Then there, standing in the doorway is the thing of nightmares.
Another horseman.
Chapter 25
Pleasanton, Texas
January, Year 27 of the Horsemen