Turning pink in embarrassment, she said coyly, “Is that a new outfit? You’re as cute as my little sister in those tights.”
The way she said it made it sound like I was three, and I fumed, thinking I might make a hundred copies of the shot with her mouth open catching flies and her nose swollen and blue—then post them in the high school’s halls.
Len hadn’t moved, and Josh stepped closer. “Why don’t you grow up?” he said tightly.
Seeing the picture in Josh’s grip, Len leaned forward. “Let me see,” he said, grabbing it, and Amy snatched it in turn.
“Oh, isn’t that precious?” she mocked. “How many did you take of him, sweetie?”
My lips pressed together, but a soft rustle of leaves drew my attention up to see a black wing ghost overhead and move on. Eyes wide, I felt the whisper of my heart start up.Not here. Not now!
Amy must have thought I was afraid of her, because she jumped from the truck and sashayed closer.
“The team’s going to the Low D, Josh,” she said. “Everyone will be there. You’re coming, right?”
Her unspoken “you, but not her” was obvious, making me angry. Josh took the photo back and reached beyond Len for the truck’s handle. He opened it with a yank hard enough to send Len stumbling forward. “No,” he said as he tucked the photo on the dash and shoved his bag under the seat. “Why don’t you go take a shower, Amy? You’re sweating like a pig.”
Her mouth dropped open, and I snickered loud enough for her to hear.
Len had tried to make his lurch look like it was planned, but he had lost face and he knew it. Even his laugh didn’t help. “Come on,” he said as he put his hands in his pockets and started to move away. “I’m not wasting any more time here. Let’s go. Parker?”
Amy draped an arm over Parker’s shoulders to lead him away. He looked like he wanted to say something, but all he did was shrug when Josh met his eyes. Josh shrugged back.
I tried to get my heart stopped as Amy and Parker walked between Josh and me, and I forced my hands to unclench. They were three cars away when Amy called out to someone else, and they angled that way. In the distance, the band started up again, loud and enthusiastic.
Josh looked pissed. His neck was red as he got into the truck and started the engine.
Anxious to be away, I turned to go around the back of the truck, jerking to a halt when a lithe shape dropped out of the tree and into my way. My breath hissed in. Nakita.
“You?” I stammered, trying to realign my thoughts. But it made sense. Nakita was the only dark reaper who would be able to recognize me by sight—and since she knew I had Kairos’s amulet, Kairos had nothing to lose by sending her after me.
“I told you it was a reaper!” Grace shrilled. “Get out of here, Madison!”
Nakita took a step forward, eyeing the angel. Her smile deepened. “I think Ronwants your soul destroyed. He left a first-sphere to watch you? She’s not capable of stopping me.”
I stumbled back. “Josh! It’s a reaper!” I shouted, and I heard his truck creak as he got out.
With a soft, confident smile, Nakita took off her sunglasses and threw them aside. She was wearing long pants and a skintight top, all white. A gold belt hung about her hips, and she sported a white, luminescent duster, its hem dragging on the matted grass. The gem on her drawn blade glinted a rich, violet hue, matching the amulet around her neck. Death was walking—looking for me. “Hello, Madison,” she said, naming me as she tossed her long black hair back. “You’re a hard soul to find.”
I backed up, gripping my camera like it might help me. Crap, where was Barnabas when I needed him?
I could not claim Nakita’s amulet because she was a reaper—how was I supposed to do this? I had to figure out a way to take it from her. But how? I had to do it fast.
Josh was suddenly beside me, looking scared but determined. Grace hovered over us. I heard a rustle from the tree—black wings. “Do it!” Josh whispered intently.
I might as well try and see what happened. If I didn’t, Josh was dead. I had nothing to lose. Handing him my camera, I took a deep breath to bring the mental image of my amulet into my mind and wiped every line I could see that was connecting me to the present. I staggered, almost falling from the dizzying sensation of going insubstantial. Grace was abruptly visible, and Josh was backing slowly away. In my grip was my amulet, but it felt like I didn’t really have it. Grace was looking right at me, her expression scared. A little voice in me was saying that something wasn’t right, but I didn’t have the time to think about it, and I reached for Nakita’s amulet.
“Madison, no!” Grace shouted, but it was too late.
“Hey!” I yelped when Nakita casually snatched my wrist with her free hand. “You’re not supposed to be able to see me,” I said stupidly, shocked as I looked up at her.