“You may not get that chance, even if I was wrong,” she said. “Watch yourself, Gabriel.”
The resignation in her tone sounded like a farewell. Gabe studied her, uncertain what could stop Death from doing anything she pleased. She was not only letting him go when she shouldn’t, but she was telling him just how much time he had to get Katie out of the underworld. Gabriel knew something was wrong if Death was turning her back on the duty of collecting souls, a duty she normally took such joy in. She’d been unwilling to do that for himwhen their relationship had been at its peak.
“Send me back,” he said.
Gabriel snapped awake. It was still dark, and the moons of the underworld hadn’t moved far across the sky. He sat, uneasy with the dream exchange with Death. A small fire burned between him and Katie, whose pale features and shadowed eyes were showing the effects of both her pregnancy and the toll the underworld took on mortals.
“You need to sleep,” he told her.
“I was guarding you while you dozed.”
He snorted.
“I don’t feel so hot, Gabe.”
“I know. Just a few more days. Get some rest.”
“This place is creepy. I don’t think I can sleep with bugs the size of my hand just waiting for me to fall asleep so they can crawl all over me.”
“If you’re asleep, you won’t feel them,” he said.
“That’s not the point, Gabe.”
As much as he respected the tough little human, he found that she was driving him crazy. He’d spent his life relatively alone, crossing between the underworld and human world as needed. Death had been far from co-dependent, and he’d had free rein. Until two days ago, when he crossed into the underworld with Katie slung across his shoulder. He’d forgotten what it was to have someone completely dependent on him. He didn’t feel up to the task, not when failure meant breaking the man he viewed as his brother.
“I’m never doing this again,” he said.
“You’ve told me that twice. It’s not like I want to be here, either.”
“Sleep, Katie,” he said in a kinder voice. “I’m going to scout around for a bit.”