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"Your place, then" I paused "Are you parked somewhere very close? And do you still keep your spare key taped under the rear wheel arch?"

"Yeah, but why…?" He stopped, and tucked a hand into his other pocket What calanced down, a my lips "There’s also the free willy probleree that others rinned "So, do wesnakes aside, et us out of here, but you’ll have to bring the car around to the building’s entrance"

"Sounds like a plan" He turned sideways and waved randly "After you, my dear"

We carefully retreated A by the time we made the stairs, so it ith so in the stair shaft reic

When we reached the foyer, Jak pulled off the remains of his sweater and wrapped it around his waist, effectively hiding the ventilation spots around his balls

I waited until he’d left, then said, "Reaper, show yourself"

For several seconds there was no response; then heat washed across my skin and the reaper appeared He wasn’t what I’d expected – although I’

I ht, arm brown skin and mismatched blue eyes, but his hair was a rich honey color rather than black, and there was ahis chest and well-ht temple to his chin He also bore tords rather than one

What surprised h, was his expression It was positively hostile

"What do you wish?" His voice was cold Unforgiving

I eyed hiet into trouble?"

"I am here to keep you safe until the keys are found," he said "Nothing , I suspected, that he would keep his distance and be totally unsociable Azriel ht have done the latter when he’d first appeared, but never the former "What of Azriel?"

He crossed his arms "We all bear the name of Azriel to those of flesh"

Animosity practically oozed fro on? "You knoho I mean"

"Perhaps I do And perhaps it is none of your business"

"But it isup like I did – not knowing anything about his father But I sed the words, not wanting to ader – especially such a hostile one

Besides, it was soht about before I’d banished Azriel – and it was yet another reason to call him back I added, "I just want to know he’s okay"

"He lives Anything e to sh that I actually clenched ood h to stab her powers "Why the attitude, reaper? What the hell have I done to you?"

"What have you done?" He shook his head, as if in disbelief "Duty is all to those of us who guard, and duty unfinished is a cri ut twisted at the thought, but even so, anger flared "What of the way he failed me? He forcedto air anyway The reaper had disappeared

"You could at least have the decency to hear me out, you bastard"

The reaper no doubt heard, but he was unlikely to care one way or another And to be honest, no a out – whether verbally or physically – was going toAzriel back in ain and stalked out of the building Jak’s red Honda pulled up a heartbeat later, and I quickly clilanced at me as he pulled away from the curb "You look like a woman with a problerinned "May I point out that we males thinkto get into our pants, you et into theet into yours?"

I crossed ree"

I snorted and whacked his arm "That’s not what I’m annoyed about"

"Then what’s upset you? You were fine when I left to get the car What happened in the five ain?" He hesitated, his brief glance shrewd "It’s to do with your reaper, isn’t it?"