Predestined (Existence Trilogy #2)(13)

“So she has to live with you? Like in your house? Please tell me you lock your doors because she looks insane. Maybe you should just sleep with your mother. I mean, honestly Pagan, she has probably been in jail or,” Miranda gasped and covered her mouth, “I bet she has. Ohmygod I so bet that is why she’s here! What did she do? That is so unsafe--”

“Miranda, calm down,” I interrupted her babbling and grabbed her arm. “She hasn’t been in jail. She’s harmless. She just likes to draw attention. Now stop making up insane scenarios and relax.”

“She’s kind of funky looking,” Wyatt piped up. I shot him a “shut up” glare and hooked my arm in Miranda’s.

“She’s eccentric but she’s fun. You’ll love her once you get over her appearance and colorful language.”

“Colorful language? Oh no, she curses a lot?”

I nodded, “Yep and it’s amusing. She could put a sailor to shame.”

“I like her already,” Wyatt said glancing back to the corner where Gee had walked around. “You don’t think she’s going to the Teacher’s Lounge do you? Because that’s the only vending machine that way.”

I sighed and tugged Miranda toward our first period class. “That’s probably exactly where she’s going.”

“That’s just badass,” Wyatt replied in awe, then a very loud “umph, ow baby,” followed. Miranda had gone for his ribs with her pointy little elbow.

I laughed for the first time all morning before I remembered Leif and the mark on my soul. My smile quickly faded.

Chapter Six

Dank

“You know, I’ve been thinking,” Gee said as she appeared beside me. I walked through the desert taking the souls from fallen soldiers. I hated wars. They took up a lot of my time.

“Ooo, you missed one,” Gee pointed to the soul standing beside the body he’d once inhabited.

“I didn’t forget one Gee. He doesn’t want to leave,” I snapped, annoyed that she was here when she was supposed to be with Pagan. “Why are you here?”

“Well hello to you too Dankmar, geez chill, Pagan is safely eating dinner at her friend Miranda’s house. Miranda doesn’t like me. I’m positive she’s terrified of me and is waiting on me to drink blood or something.”

I snorted, “Ya think? Try to look less scary.”

“Whatever, listen, why is it that you can’t just go say ‘Yo, stop haunting my girl you stupid ass piece of shit’ and then be done with it? I realize you’re hanging with the humans these days but Dank, you’re Death. What’s with all this angst?”

I finished with the last soul and then we were walking down the smoke covered highway into a pileup of cars that had just happened. Ambulances were just arriving and the traffic was backed up for miles.

“I can’t just tell a Voodoo spirit to stop and expect them to stop. I have no control over a Voodoo spirit lord. His power comes from humans. It’s an evil spirit. Not a human soul.”

Gee sighed, “This is ridiculous. What the hell did her mother do?”

Jaslyn, another transporter, appeared and I sent the souls taken from the wreck to her and she waved at Gee before vanishing.

Then we were inside the house of another celebrity. America would mourn this in the morning. But unfortunately, this was a regular occurrence. The pill bottle lay open and empty beside the bed and the soul came out looking confused. I turned to Gee, “Take this one, then get back to Pagan. I’m almost done and you’re just slowing me down.”

Gee snarled and beckoned the soul before they both vanished. Thankfully. I needed some peace and quiet. Besides, I had hospitals left to visit.

Pagan

Gee hadn’t wanted to hang around and eat at Miranda’s. Which was probably a good thing since she would have scared Miranda’s mother senseless. I was reaching to open my car door when suddenly the hairs on my arms stood up. Glancing up at Miranda’s front door I thought about sprinting back to it and rushing inside. But my feet felt heavy. Whatever was here wasn’t going to let me get away that easily. Where was Gee when I needed her?

“It’s just me, Pagan,” Leif’s voice surprised me and I managed to slowly turn around. Sure enough. It was Leif. Looking as normal as when he had been standing in my kitchen doorway. But he wasn’t normal. My body hair standing at attention proved he wasn’t normal. He’d never caused that to happen before. Was it because I now knew what he was?

“Leif?” I croaked out, waiting to see if the boy I’d trusted would morph into some strange demon before my eyes. God, I hoped not.

“Can we talk?”

That would be a bad idea.Voodoo wasn’t cool. And I was positive their spirit prince of the dead wasn’t either. Where was Gee and what did I do about this?

“Um... well... you kind of scare the crap out of me so I’m not sure I want that.”

He chuckled and I almost relaxed. I was familiar with that sound. Leif’s chuckle always made me smile.

“There’s nothing to be scared of. I would never hurt you.”

I rubbed at the hairs on my arms thinking that my body begged to differ and he shrugged, “That I can’t help. Not anymore. I’m not in a human form any longer. You’re going to react to me that way.”