Grave Mistakes (Hellgate Guardians #1)(36)

“You’re a demon,” he argues. “We just assumed…”

I rub my temples, too tired for this argument again. “So where the hell did the scythe come from then?” I ask, ignoring the whole demon thing for a little longer.

No one answers. They shrug and look back and forth at each other like somehow that will solve the mystery.

“Where is it now?” Jerif asks, looking around where I’m sitting like he just noticed I don’t have the inconvenient weapon with me.

“In my umbrella holder at home.”

Jerif’s fire-flickering stare fixes on me for a beat like he can’t compute what I just said. “You left a sacred and incredibly rare weapon of Hell in the umbrella holder at your house?” he asks, his fire flickering eyes going all judgy and his full lips flattening with exasperation.

“Yep,” I chirp back, popping the p. How the hell was I supposed to know that I shouldn’t let it out of my sight? It’s not like it came with instructions.

Jerif goes straight up grandpa mode and rubs his face with his hands while mumbling about young demons and how they have no respect for anything these days. He looks like he’s not much older than I am, so I find the display even more ridiculous.

“We’ll pick up the scythe later and have a look at it, but from the sounds of things, you only have yourself to blame for your new sight,” Crux explains casually.

My head snaps in his direction. “Excuse me?”

He doesn’t look even slightly affected by my fury. “We didn’t give you the scythe, so you must have called to it somehow. I suspect it must be the key to all of this, but either way, it doesn’t really matter.”

I stare at him aghast. “Doesn’t really matter? I called to it?” I sputter, too pissed to coherently talk anymore. “I am not Thor, and this is not a Marvel movie. I didn’t call shit. And in case you didn’t notice, this is just my life you assholes are fucking with. It absolutely matters!”

“She’s even hotter when she’s pissed,” Echo comments randomly, his black eyes mischievous, and I suddenly feel the need to scream and then...maybe make out with him a little. Because fuck, this is confusing and scary, and I’ve always been impulsive when it comes to sex. I like to use it to forget about all the fucked up shit going on in my life, because I need a way to work off the rage somehow. But I stab those thoughts with an imaginary scythe and try to get a grip on myself and my impulse control issues.

Luckily, Iceman cuts in before my traitorous body can do something I’ll regret. “We’re not saying your life doesn’t matter, Delta. But what also matters is getting the Gate under control. We can barely hold it as it is, which is why we’ve been frantically searching for a fifth. You’re here, and like it or not, you took the job. We could really use your help.”

Oh, now they want my help? “Then why didn’t you assholes track me down?” I demand.

He shrugs. “We figured we’d give you some space to think things through.”

I open my mouth to argue about just what in the hell that means, but Jerif cuts me off. “We still need to induct her as a Guardian and figure out what Ring she is.”

Iceman nods. “We need to go to Hell.”

As soon as he says that, it’s like my brain just shuts down. After the day I’ve had, shit, after the week I’ve had, I just can’t deal anymore.

They all keep talking back and forth, but I can’t pay attention. My head is a mess with jumbled and frantic thoughts. I want to run, but I know I’ll just wind up right back here, and that’s if I’m lucky again. Sweep the leg might not be so effective against the next demon attack, and then what the hell will I do? I don’t even know why those green scumbags attacked me in the first place. I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place, and both are trying to fuck me with no lube.

I squeeze the bridge of my nose and breathe deeply so that I don’t do something crazy like scream bloody murder or cry. “I need a shower. And new clothes. And another sandwich. I need...time to process all of this,” I announce, my suddenly small voice cutting through the demons’ discussion like a jagged knife.

I feel like cold hard reality just bitch-slapped me across the face, and I’m dizzy and struggling to stay on my feet and to keep from getting hit again. The four demons look over at me, no doubt noting the dejected tone in my voice.

“We can give you anything you need,” Iceman quickly offers, and I nod my head appreciatively.

“I’ll take her up,” Crux offers, only for Jerif to hook his arm out, stopping Crux in his tracks. “Not you. You’ll try to fuck her as soon as you get her alone.”

Crux looks pissed for a half a second, and then he just nods. “Fair enough.”

My eyes widen. I thought Echo was the predatory one, not Crux. “I look like the Swamp Thing with rug burn,” I point out, confused as to how he could possibly be attracted to me in my current state.

Crux’s eyes drag up my body, making my cheeks instantly heat. “Still fucking hot, though.”

Echo steps in. “I’ll take her,” he declares, walking over to me. “Jerif, you’ll just piss her off.”

I look at Jerif. “He’s not wrong,” I say on a shrug.

Jerif rolls his eyes. “Whatever,” he says before stalking off.