Eighth Grave After Dark

And why tell me what I could and could not do? I could destroy him with even the minute amount of information he’d already given me about my past, about my powers. I decided to learn more while I could.

“Why can I mark people?” I asked out of the blue. “I mean, why me?”

“Comes with the gig,” Osh said, his head still bowed in thought. “Only the reaper can mark the souls of humans. Well, God can, of course, but why would he need to? And I think Michael can. And the Angel of Death, naturally.”

“The Angel of Death? For real?”

“For real.”

“Wow, so what else comes with the gig?” I asked, fishing. “I mean, what other marks could there possibly be?” He’d let it slip once that I had five marks, five avenues of judgment as the reaper. Since I can see into people’s souls, I can see what they did with their lives and how they treated others, I had the ability to judge, jury, and execute. I wanted to know every avenue I had at my disposal.

“You have five marks, and what you say is law. Only God can supersede your decision on any soul.” He looked up at me then, his brows knitting in suspicion. “Why?”

“I just want to know what I can do.”

“You will know,” Reyes said, “when you pass and you ascend to become the grim reaper. If you take the job.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because you are a god. You have an entire universe to run.” He looked away from me. “Why would you stick around here?”

“Good point,” I said, teasing him yet marveling at how matter-of-fact they made it all sound. How everyday.

“What other marks?” I asked Osh.

Osh eyed Reyes a moment before continuing. “You can brand a soul for heaven or for hell. You can brand a soul for termination, which is essentially what you do when you mark one for me. It’s kind of like free game. You can mark one as a wanderer, a soul with no home who must wander the wilds of the supernatural realm, forever considering their mistakes. And you can give the mark of designation.”

“Designation?”

“You can assign that soul a special purpose on earth, and no other supernatural being can argue with your decision.”

“Like when the president appoints a chief of staff?”

“Pretty much. That soul can no longer be touched.”

I was still confused on a couple of points. “So, if I marked a soul for termination and you weren’t here to eat it, what would happen to it?”

“It would burn away over the course of a few days. It would be very painful. So, in a way, I’m performing a public service.”

“Of course you are. And when I found you, what were you doing then?”

“Hey, everyone has to eat, and I can only bargain for souls. They must be given willingly.”

“But you trick them into giving up their souls.”

He spread his hands wide, acquiescing. “That was the old me. This is the new.”

“You no longer trick them?”

“Oh, I trick them. Really, it’s just too easy. But I only trick the bad ones, remember?” he added quickly when I scowled at him. “Child molesters and such. As per your request,” he mocked.

“And people who talk at the theater. Don’t forget people who talk at the theater.”

One corner of his mouth tipped up. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Reyes walked to the window and looked out over the lawn. Even as dark as it was out, we could still see the departed.

“I once ate this woman—,” Osh started.

“Dude, I don’t think I should be hearing this.”

“I ate her soul,” he corrected.

“Next time, open with that.”

“And she tasted horrible, like an ashtray with kerosene in it.”

I fought my gag reflex. “No way.”

“Crazy thing was, she didn’t even smoke while she was alive.”

“Then why? Surely she wasn’t born bound for hell?”

“She was a very feared drug lord. Ruthless. Barbaric. She killed anyone who got in her way. A lot of people died in her crossfire. Even children. We are all tainted by the decisions we make.”

“And the taste of our souls reflects that?”

“It does.”

“Huh. I wonder what mine would taste like.”

“Cherry pie.” He grinned from ear to ear. “Very tart cherry pie.”

“How would you know that?”

He ignored the threatening scowl Reyes had cast him and winked.

“You’ve tasted me? Oh my God, I feel violated.”

“Please, it was just a nibble.”

“I totally should have paid more attention in Bible school.”

“I don’t think they teach about the Daeva. We aren’t important enough to merit a mention.”

I narrowed my eyes on him. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s true. Are there more?” I asked Reyes.

“Exponentially more.”

His shoulders took up the entire expanse of the window, so I nudged against him. He wrapped an arm around me and stepped to the side. He was right. Our shindig had grown exponentially.

“Do you think there are spies among them?”

“I do.” He looked down at me. “But they could be anywhere. Anyone.”

I nodded. “Is that what you and Angel were talking about in the clearing today?”