I part my lips to spit out a scathing retort when the Reaper suddenly crosses the room in three long strides and grabs my arm— “Hey!” I yank against his hold.
With his other hand, he picks up his scythe. Then, giving me a swift jerk, he drags me up against his chest.
“What are you doing?” I demand.
Outside the rain is coming down in torrents, battering the house and pelting the floor through the open windows and doorway.
“This is called payback, tootsie.” Famine says softly into my ear. “You wouldn’t understand.”
I open my mouth to respond when the Reaper’s lethal scythe comes up to my neck.
“I wouldn’t move if I were you,” he says softly. “I don’t plan on hurting you, but if you do something foolish—as you humans so love to do—well, at least it will be a fast death.”
“You bastard, I thought you wanted my help,” I say. Famine doesn’t know that I can’t be killed, which makes this situation all the more twisted.
“Oh, I’m fully convinced those self-preservation instincts of yours will kick in and you’ll be an obedient little woman.”
“Fuck you,” I hiss.
“Hard pass on the offer, but consider me flattered.”
I growl out a response, but the press of that blade keeps me from struggling.
The rain has turned into hail, and off in the distance I see a flash of lightning. Death’s wingbeats grow louder, and then through the doorway I see his malevolent form lower to the ground. His wings fold up and his gaze lands on the open door.
For an instant I swear I see—surprise? Panic? Whatever it is, it’s gone as soon as it comes. He drops something in his hand and storms forward, up the entryway. Thanatos pauses when he gets to the doorway.
THA-BOOM! Thunder cracks and lightning lights up the sky. For an instant, Death’s features flash, a winged skeleton flickering over his face and body, then the illusion disappears.
Immediately, Death’s eyes find mine. They only linger for a second before dropping to the bloody scythe at my neck and, finally, the man wielding it.
“Famine.” There’s a terrifying note to Thanatos’s voice, one that even in our worst moments, I have never heard him use before. And the look Death gives him is downright lethal.
Behind me, I can sense the Reaper practically bursting with giddiness.
He really is a deviant.
Famine’s grip on my upper arm tightens. “Isn’t this a familiar situation?” he says to Death. “Only last time our roles were reversed.”
Ah, fuck.
Whatever’s going on, this isn’t just end-of-the-world stuff, this is revenge stuff. And I’m caught in the middle of it.
Thanatos prowls forward. “I didn’t know you had a death wish, brother.”
In a more menacing tone Famine says, “Come any closer and I will slit her throat.”
Much to my shock, Death stills.
Why is he not coming any closer? He knows I cannot truly die.
The Reaper leans his mouth against my ear. “Look at that, tootsie,” he says. “My brother seems to have a heart, after all.”
To Death, he says, “Painful, isn’t it? Finally you, all-ending Death, know what it’s like to be vulnerable.” His voice is openly gloating.
Thanatos doesn’t look vulnerable. Just full of wrath.
“You don’t think I’m aware that our brothers are a mere mile from here?” Thanatos says, his voice chillingly calm. “That the three of you have been trotting about the globe? Do you think I’m unaware of your plans? Let Lazarus go, and I’ll spare you all—for now.”
Famine sighs, and for one second I think he’s making a show of this just so he can drag the blade across my neck and make the whole thing overly dramatic. But then he removes the blade altogether and shoves me forward.
I stumble just as Thanatos strides forward and catches me. The horseman brushes the hair back from my face.
“Are you okay?” he says softly, ignoring his brother altogether. I look up at his depthless eyes, eyes that are peering at me with concern, as though he hasn’t deliberately and violently ended my life several times.
I nod, more rattled than I thought I was. Now that I’m not about to immediately die, I relax in his arms. Death, too, seems to relax, and I have so many conflicting feelings about that.
His gaze moves to Famine, and I can see dark promise in his expression.
“You are going to regret this,” Thanatos says, his voice feather light but filled with menace.
“Am I now?” the Reaper says, raising his eyebrows. He still appears to be enjoying himself.
Thanatos releases me, moving forward to confront his brother.
“Last I saw of you, coward, you were fleeing from me,” Death says, beginning to circle the Reaper. “Tell me, how is Ana?”
Ana?
My eyes widen when I connect the dots. This Ana must be the woman Famine loves—the one he wants to give up humanity for.
The Reaper begins to move as well, the two men circling one another.
“When was the last time you talked to her?” Thanatos presses.
Now Famine isn’t gloating. He isn’t smiling either.
His upper lip curls. “If you dare—”
“If I dare?” Death says imperiously, his eyes blazing. “You are the one who has dared much. You were supposed to help me. Instead you dragged our brothers out of their dull, mortal lives and forced their aging bodies to go up against me.
“Aw,” Famine pretends to pout, “you still think the world is fair?”
Death smiles. The sight of it gives me chills. “No, I finally see it for what it is. It’s you who seem to still cling to this idea of fairness, or have you forgotten my reach, brother? Your dear Ana is never safe.”
At those words, the Reaper lunges, swinging his scythe faster than my eyes can follow.
Who decided fighting inside this cramped space was a good idea?
Oh, right, that psycho Famine, who apparently makes many, many awful decisions.
Death steps back, dodging the blade with an ease he should not be feeling.
Quick as lightning, Thanatos lunges forward, grabbing the hilt of the Reaper’s sheathed sword. He withdraws the blade, and then the two of them are swinging their weapons.
The scythe and the sword lock, the metal grinding together.
I watch them carefully as I edge my way around them and towards the door.
“Tying your girl up was a nice touch, Thanatos,” Famine says, leaning his weight into his scythe. “But I hope you don’t think you’re special. That’s the one kink we’ve all done.” Famine smiles slyly at his brother as I skirt around them, moving slow enough to not draw attention to myself. “And I must say, hypocrisy looks great on you.”
With a zing, their blades slide apart.
“I didn’t realize you wanted to get hurt again,” Thanatos says.
Famine spins his scythe and he looks like he has the upper hand when, out of nowhere, Thanatos lunges forward. I don’t even see him swing his sword, it happens that fast. In one fell stroke Death cleaves off Famine’s arm.
I bite back my scream as the horseman’s severed appendage flops onto the ground.
Jesus.
Famine bellows, and then he’s on his brother in an instant.
Swords clash and blood sprays.
The earth beneath us bucks violently, throwing me to the ground. Outside, I see the sky flash as rain continues to pelt down from the heavens.
The floorboards beneath me groan ominously. Seconds later, they begin to splinter apart, and mutant plants rise from the ground, growing by the second. Just as quickly, they die, but more are coming and the earth is shaking, and I swear I hear the distant boom of thunder.
My eyes return to Death. His cheekbones seem as sharp as blades, his wings tense behind him. He looks unearthly and he moves with supernatural speed. I have fought this man many times, and never did it look like this. Only now am I seeing the truth.
He went easy on me.
“You hit like a pussy, brother,” the Reaper says. His face, however, is pinched with pain.
“Still can’t control your emotions or the weather, can you, Famine?”
They goad each other as they chop one another up.
I think they’ve forgotten almost entirely about me.
Now’s your chance, Lazarus.