Page 148 of Finders Reapers

Just as the thought crossed my mind, Oriax flicked his wings once, and his body surged up to the sky.

Rome swore. “It was a longshot.” He shrugged, surprisingly calm. “We can’t swing a scythe in this car, and the second we get out of there, we’re going to be angel food cake.”

Maddox turned to me, gripping both of my shoulders and forcing my face to meet his. “What did Ollie do to you? Did he explain why? Why he’s working with Mr. Bub?”

I shook my head, but with so many questions flying at me, it was clear that Maddox didn’t know which one I had answered. The car lurched forward as something slammed into the trunk.

Jamal! I tried to scream his name, but the only thing that came out was a barrage of random syllables.

Maddox had the same idea as me, as he unclipped his seat belt and grabbed the shelf between the car and the trunk, punching it until it bent, and Jamal’s sweaty face was revealed.

“You fucking owe me. I’m never riding in the trunk again.” Jamal snarled. “Whatishappening?” Jamal didn’t wait for an answer, as he turned at the waist and watched as Ollie’s face appeared in the back window. “He’s alive?” Jamal shrieked, not wasting another second as he heaved himself into the backseat, leaving no space for Maddox and me to move.

The car tilted as Ollie began to lift it.

“Vallie?” Jamal turned to me.

I shook my head frantically. I had no idea how to begin to explain.

“What the hell happened?” Jamal brushed my hair away from my face, and I hadn’t realized until that moment, but I was painted in blood just like Oriax was.

I turned back to the angel as he lifted the car, and we tumbled back; the only thing stopping all three of us from falling were the front seats. Fletcher and Rome remained strapped to their seats as the car tilted further.

Oriax shook the car like a salt shaker. “Valentina! You are dead! Dead!”

“What did you do to him?” Fletcher called out from the front seat.

I, obviously, couldn’t answer. I couldn’t very well explain that I was the one that had torn Oriax to pieces because I was part of an extinct caste of demons.

“You’re going to wish you’d laid still and let me finish!” Ollie shrieked, lifting the backend of the car higher. “You tore me to pieces, you worthlesswisp!”

Welp. The cat was out of the bag.

Oh god. That sounded bad. I glanced at the others in the car.

“Youdid that?” Jamal gaped. “We thought that Beelzebub was trying to frame you.”

I shrugged.

Jamal whistled, impressed.

Oriax dropped the car, and we bounced as we hit the asphalt. My head knocked against the ceiling. My teeth clacked together as we all rose off the seat. I bit my tongue as Maddox, Jamal, and I crashed together.

“Does anyone have a gun?” Jamal shouted frantically as Ollie circled the car, his wingspan cutting off the sunlight that filtered through the windows.

We all turned as one, unwilling to put our backs to the crazy angel. Waiting for our death.

Ollie’s fist reared back as he approached the window closest to me. Maddox reached forward and gripped my elbow, pulling me closer to him, but it was no use. Oriax had me. His skin burnt mine and the scent of burning flesh filled the car. An inhuman scream forced its way out of my mouth as I tried to scramble away. The word turned white with pain.

Maddox and Jamal grabbed at any part of my body they could find, but Ollie was stronger. He wrenched me free from their grip and flung me from the vehicle like a sack of potatoes.

The world moved past my eyes quickly, the streaking image of sand and scruff, before I landed in the rocky dirt. My skin was torn to shreds. My mouth filled with blood from where I had bitten my tongue.

Reapers weren’t built for combat. They had no reason to carry guns and no reason to defend themselves. The universe was their shield; it made Reapers invisible and inaudible to all that would threaten them—the universe was nowhere to be seen at that moment. It couldn’t protect me.

I struggled to push myself to stand. My hands shook, and my arms buckled as I lifted my head.

Ollie’s feet were bare as he strolled towards me, not paying any mind to the rough terrain as he got closer and closer.