Page 38 of Grim Tidings

Do I tell Gabriel the truth? Do I trust him to believe me?

No, I decide, my panic rising like a bubble. I can’t tell him. He literally just got done telling me I’m the root of all evil. If I let him know I’ve found the soul I’m meant to collect, he’ll shut me out and keep me at arm’s length, determined to protect this man on his own. Death will come for him, and I won’t be close enough to help.

No, I won’t tell Gabriel. I’ll keep this secret and stack it with all the rest.

“Oh, shit. Sorry. I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Nate.” The lanky man grins at the back of Gabriel’s head, who is still hovering between us. I wonder if it’s because he considers me a blanket threat to society. “I’d shake your hand, but something tells me this asshole won’t let me.”

Of course he won’t, I think somewhat hysterically. He thinks I want to eat your soul with a plate of crackers.

I squeeze my hands tighter, my nails biting against my palms, and manage a shaky smile. “Darcy,” I whisper. “Hi.”

I am physically incapable of anything more complicated than that.

“Are you new in town? I haven’t seen you around.”

“Yes,” I reply, telling myself to calm down. If Gabriel suspects any hint of the truth, I don’t know what he’ll do. I manage a smile. “I’m just passing through.”

“Hopefully not too fast.” Nate winks, his hazel eyes dancing, still trying to edge his way around Gabriel. “This place could use a pretty face.”

“Watch yourself,” Gabriel growls, but Nate just laughs.

“Easy, man. No need for the caged-tiger act. I can catch a hint.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “But you should maybe head back to the bar. The peasants are getting restless.”

Gabriel sighs and drags a frustrated hand through his hair. “Yeah, okay. I’ll be right there.” His mouth firms into a line. “Try not to get into any trouble in the fifteen seconds it takes for me to get out there.”

“You underestimate me. It would only take three seconds for me to find something mildly inappropriate to indulge in.” He grins and shifts his attention back to me. “Darcy. It was lovely to meet you. I hope we get some time to chat, just the two of us.”

Gabriel grumbles something under his breath I don’t catch, but Nate does. He laughs again.

“Enjoy the rest of your stock discussion,” he teases. He shoots one last meaningful look in my direction, and then he’s gone, ducking through the narrow doorway that leads back to the bar.

Gabriel and I stand still in the darkness, looking anywhere but at each other.

“Is he, uh, a friend of yours?”

“I suppose you could call him that, yeah.”

“You care for him,” I clarify.

Gabriel nods. “I do. Though I’m not entirely sure he deserves it. He’s a handful on a good day.” He turns toward me and studies my face in the low light. His brows pinch together. “Are you all right?”

A hysterical laugh bubbles out of me. This man just insulted me and questioned my intentions, and now he wants to know if I’m okay. Frankly, I’m too thrown by the sudden appearance of my assignment to care very much about what Gabriel thinks of me.

But it’ll sting later. When I’m alone in a home that isn’t mine, my knees curled to my chest as I do my best to fall into a sleep I don’t need.

“Wow,” I try to joke. “That Guardian guilt complex works quick.”

“I owe you an apology,” he says. “I didn’t mean to—” He makes a short, huffing sound. “I shouldn’t have talked to you like that.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t report you to your Cub Scout leader. Your golden boy reputation is safe.”

His frown deepens. “That’s not why I’m apologizing.”

I turn away, embarrassed. I hate that I cried in front of him. Now he clearly thinks I’m some emotionally destitute immortal being, floating through the afterlife one accusation away from a full break-down. I mean, he wouldn’t be wrong with that assumption, but—

I don’t want him to think I’m not strong.

So I straighten my shoulders and gather up all my tattered edges and tug them close. I hold on to my secrets with a white-knuckled grip. “It’s fine. We’re—fine.”