Iniquity (The Premonition, #5)(110)

“So, you can open a door to Paradise with this whenever you want to?”

“I could, in theory, but there are strict rules regarding how or when I can use it.”

“Which are?” I ask.

“I’m not allowed to tell you.”

“Of course not.”

“But,” Reed grins, “this job comes with some perks.” He tugs me with him as he walks backwards so he can still face me. I follow him.

“What perks?” I ask. “A 401K?”

“No.”

“A retirement plan?”

“Nope.” He brushes up against a huge door. Twisting the handle, he throws it open. Inside the brightly lit room that is similar to the one we just came from, Buns and Brownie are arguing about who has the best destination getaway idea for my binding ceremony. Zephyr is killing Russell at chess. Anya is snuggling a gray kitten in her lap. And Preben is arguing with Phaedrus over what, exactly, a miracle entails.

“The best perk of the job,” Reed says, “is that I get to have a team to help me protect the key.” I stare inside the room, unable to move right away.

Buns and Brownie notice us. They squeal while bouncing up from the elegant sofas they were lounging on. Crossing the room, Brownie leaps at me and hugs me in a death grip. Sparing Reed less than a glance, Buns throws her arms around Brownie and me. “You finally decided to visit us, Sweetie! I’m so happy! I missed you!”

“Me too” Brownie agrees. “Buns has been so hard to live with since you’ve been busy.”

“I was,” Buns admits. “I was super hard to live with, but that’s about to change now that you’re finally here!”

The Reapers let me go, passing me off to Russell who picks me up and gives me a hug. I rest my head on his shoulder, trying not to cry. It doesn’t work, a few tears sneak out of the corners of my eyes. Buns takes Reed by the hand and pulls him inside the room, shutting the door behind them and leaving us alone.

Russell finally lets me go. When I’m back on my feet, he shoves his hands in his pockets. “So, Detroit, huh?” he says with a grimace. “You couldn’t have picked a warmer climate? You know it makes it hard to come back to Earth, knowin’ I might freeze to death when winter rolls around again.”

“You came back,” I whisper, wiping away tears with the sleeve of my shirt.

Russell reaches out and tenderly wipes a tear away with his thumb. “Yeah, I sort of had to, I missed my best friend. Nothin’ is the same without you.”

“Anya didn’t mind coming back?” I ask.

“Anya has to do a rotation on Earth as karmic retribution for disobeyin’ Heaven when she escaped Paradise to be with me—blah, blah blah.” He swipes his hand through his tawny hair. “I didn’t have to come with her, but Reed was offerin’ us this key job and it was a way to be together and see you. I mean, I’ve had worse jobs, right?”

“Oh, for sure,” I agree with a tear-streaked smile. “There’s that time you were a messenger—”

“Do not bring that up!” He laughs. “Anyway, what would I do in Heaven when everyone is here? I’d be bored, Evie. After the lives we’ve lived, I don’t think I could hang there for more than a decade before I’d need to get back into the game. And we don’t have inescapables anymore. No more Emil to ruin our lives.”

“Your inescapable is gone too.”

“Good riddance,” he says harshly, not at all unhappy that his evil counterpart has been destroyed.

“I don’t even know what it will be like not to have Emil around.”

“You still have to deal with demons all the time.”

“Yeah, but at least I know what they are now and I’m not at their mercy anymore.”

“Aren’t you?” he asks with a sad expression.

“No. I’m not. The faeries I’ve been living with aren’t demons anymore.”

“But you have to rescue souls from Sheol. That’s a dangerous job.”

“I can handle it.”

“If anyone can, it’s you,” Russell says. “Anyway, I know Reed’s glad he’s here. He hated Paradise. For a guy who once pined for it, he couldn’t wait to get back here.”

“He’s been in the game too long.”

“So have you.”

“I am the game.”

Russell smiles ruefully. “Truer words were never spoken, Red. I think he also missed you too much. So, when are you movin’ in?”

I’m spared from answering that question when Zephyr throws open the door. He picks me up and hugs me. “What is Sheol like? Reed would not tell me. He said that I had to ask you.”

“I’ll tell you everything you want to know,” I promise.

He sets me on my feet. His ice blue eyes search mine. “Is there any way you’d consider taking me with you on a redemption run to Sheol to rescue souls?”

“Umm, I don’t know. I don’t see why not.”

“Excellent,” he replies with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Reed takes my hand and leads me into the room. I settle on the sofa next to him. Leaning against his chest, he wraps his arm around my shoulder, teasing strands of my hair between his fingers. Buns, Brownie, Anya and I discuss all the things Reed and I can do for our binding ceremony. Buns get Phaedrus to agree to perform the rites again. We spend hours chatting. I listen to their stories of Paradise.