Page 2 of A Kiss From Death (Oath of Vengeance #1)

Hopping out of bed, I slide on my favorite long sleeve, black cotton shirt and matching leather pants that hug my lean limbs. They make it easy for me to blend in with the shadows of Misery’s Crossing while working.

Quickly, I run a brush through my long, thick curls, the inky strands covering my back. I decide to tie it back into a slicked low pony to keep it out of my face. I finish off by sliding one dagger into my waistband and another into my right boot for easy access.

Grabbing an apple off the counter, I sink my teeth into it while striding out our front door towards Misery’s Crossing. I hightail straight to our meet up spot on the outskirts of town, crouching around the abandoned tent that used to sell the best mouthwatering pastries.

It’s a real shame a fire started out of the blue two years ago, forcing them to pack up and move shop. I giggle at the memory.

Theo still holds a grudge against me for that one, but we needed a private meet up spot so no one would learn my identity, and I found a solution.

Picking up the giant rock nestled behind the back of the tent, I find the piece of parchment Theo left for me like always. In simple, clean handwriting, it reads:

Princess,

Got a fun one for you today. Rumor has it, some of the healers in Visionary Sector are smuggling illegal drugs from above.

A few of the higher ups aren’t happy about it, I guess.

Something about not wanting it to lead to overpopulation in Fallout due to its excellent healing abilities.

If you can confirm a drop off time and location for me, it would score us a few pretty coppers.

I know Visionary Sector is your favorite, so enjoy yourself today and don’t work too hard.

I’ll bake your favorite strawberries and cream cookies and have them waiting for you when you get home.

Maybe tonight, we can finally paint the walls that obnoxious bright purple shade you’ve been asking for the past year. Stay safe for me, Nyxi.

Location: Healer’s Haven/ Visionary Sector

Love you now and in every life to follow,

-Your Theo

Folding the parchment back up, I slide it securely into my waistband and place the rock back where I found it. Just as I’m about to head out, I notice the handpicked arrangement of flowers carefully placed next to the rock.

When I pick them up, my eyes are assaulted with a rainbow of colors, from bright yellows and deep blues to pastel pinks and purples, all wrapped tightly together by one long clipping of tall grass.

Flowers this vibrant and fresh cannot be found in soul sucking “Misery”, which means Theo must have set off early this morning to gather them for me in the luscious Harmony Hills, located deep in Visionary Sector.

While it’s not illegal for people in Fallout to wander into different sectors, it also isn’t highly appreciated by members in the higher ranking sectors.

Just thinking about the heart attack it would have brought one of the Visionaries if they caught Theo clipping all their precious flowers brings a genuine smile to my face as I tuck the flowers gently into my sack.

Visionary Sector is by far the brightest sector of the five, housing the most creative citizens of Fallout.

The day goes by in a blur, taking in all the vibrant buildings covered in murals and the sweet aromas lingering from nearby cafes.

Live music and singing fills each street I turn down on my journey towards Healer’s Haven.

Everywhere I look, there are people dancing and laughing, and jealousy starts to creep up my neck as I take in how genuinely happy they all are. If I could choose any of the sectors to live in, Visionary would be at the top of my list.

Shaking the intrusive thoughts from my head, I approach Healer’s Haven by midday and set up camp on the stucco roof right above an open window .

I spend three hours camped on the hard, uncomfortable roof until I have enough concrete information to bring back to Theo. Rushing home, I smile to myself at the thought of Theo agreeing to live in a bright purple house with me. That man would rearrange the moon for me if I asked.

My smile immediately runs off my face—the bloodcurdling screams coming from Squatters Village make my ears ring. Panic sets in as I turn my leisurely walk into a full blown sprint towards our home.

The village is in utter chaos, people running in every direction with ghostly white faces full of panic. A body catches me off guard from behind, plowing me to the ground as people stomp frantically around me.

I take two calming breaths, regaining my bearings and wedging myself back into the chaos around me. My heart stops altogether when the deafening scream of a Necroshriek flying above me shatters all the windows of the house to my left.

Shit. Shit. SHITTTT.

Flying around the last corner, I rip open our front door, nearly knocking it off its rusty hinges. I throw my body inside, looking for him, hoping and praying he’s okay, while the smells of freshly baked cookies wrap tightly around me.

I don’t know what I expected to find when I walked inside, but nothing, not even the Empress, could have prepared me to see Theo, my Theo, my only family, my only person, staring lifeless back at me.

I trail my eyes across the river of blood leading me to him.

His once-floppy auburn hair is now painted bright red and slicked against his forehead.

His once-inviting hazel eyes still lay open, entirely unseeing, soulless.

His lifeless body is littered with deep gouges across his face, throat, and abdomen, and he’s still protectively curled around a tiny pail of lavender paint he just purchased, guarding it with his life while dragging his body inside .

My entire existence is over in a flash of an eye, and all that is left behind is red hot rage!

My brain is drained of every thought except one: revenge .

I know exactly how I’m going to get it. They already think of us as monsters down here, so I might as well show them exactly what kind of monster they just created.

I’m going to enter myself in The Reaper Crucible, hosted above in Lunaria. It’s time to unleash the monster they just created. Make no mistake—I will burn everything to the ground in my wake.

They messed with the wrong Vagrant, and now, it’s time they learned who I am.

Death Reincarnate.