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The world may be loud, and the future uncertain, but this…this was what heaven felt like.

This woman and her beautiful soul were his heaven.

101

The House of Violet

YVESWICH, STATE OF KER

Cans clunked togetheras Travis rummaged around in the fridge at the House of Violet, grabbing as many beers as he could carry. Tonight could very well be his last night alive, and he didn’t plan on wasting it. No—he planned on getting rip-roaring drunk.

With Jewels.

A shadow darkened the kitchen floor.

Travis looked up from where he was crouching in front of the fridge?—

And rolled his eyes into the back of his head when he beheld the male Reaper standing above him.

“What do you want?” Travis demanded as he added another beer to the pile of cans and bottles in his arms.

“A beer,” Malakai said.

Travis scowled. “Is this a habit of yours or something? Show up when someone has beer, like some kind of fucking beer fairy?” He stood and kicked the door shut. With the glow of the fridge gone, the kitchen was so dark, he could hardly see anything.

“You don’t need twelve beers,” Malakai griped.

Is that how many he had? “They’re not all for me. Some are for your sister.”

He grunted. “I think you can spare one.”

“There’s more in the fridge. You don’t need to steal mine.” He didn’t bother pointing out that the reason there were any left was because he was carrying the maximum.

Malakai opened the fridge and dug one out of the back. “So, you and my sister throwing an end of the world party or something?” He kicked the door shut.

“Yup, and you’re not invited.” He was about to walk away when Malakai spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

Travis paused. Slowly, he turned around, blinking dramatically. “Come again?” If he’d had a free hand, he would have cupped it over his ear.

Malakai sucked in a sharp breath and mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

And then the Reaper gagged so hard, his eyes watered. He turned in a circle, shaking his arms as if to rid himself of chills, the unopened beer in his hand sloshing. “I think I just threw up a little.”

“Wow,” Travis said flatly. “I never thought I’d hear those words. Jewels convince you to say that?”

“Aspen, actually. She said I’m a dick for putting everyone in danger, and I kinda like her, so. You get what you want. But don’t expect it again.” He pointed a finger in warning. “Got it?”

Travis couldn’t help but smile. He shook his head and turned?—

“Don’t think this means we’re friends now!” Malakai called after him.

“Whatever you say. See you tomorrow, asshole.”

Malakai cracked open his beer. “See you tomorrow, dickhead.”

The last sound Travis heard as he walked down the hallway, toward Jewels’s room, was the gulping of Malakai’s throat as he guzzled that beer.