“Did I ever tell you that Keith and I have exercise ball wars when we drink?”
“What?”
“You know, those big exercise balls. We each take one and run into each other. The point is I’ve been hurt worse from that. I just never realize it at the time. I broke a coffee table once. You should have seen the bruises.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any less bad. I almost killed you.”
“You didn’t almost kill me. I played dead. I watched you running toward me. Hunter stopped you before you even touched me.”
“Oh, okay.” I turn back to Ethan. “But I did hurt you.”
“Your throat punch was impressive,” he says with a smile. “Playing the blame game isn’t going to help. You were under a demon’s influence.” He runs his hand over my hair. “We need to come up with another plan fast. Xozon is going to come back, and he’ll have thought of something else.”
“I’ll set up the circles again and make sure I don’t get close this time.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening,” Nikolai says and crosses his arms. “I’m happy you didn’t attack me but probably won’t get so lucky next time.”
I can’t refute that. “Then I don’t know what to do.”
“He used the mirror to get away,” Ethan muses out loud. “Maybe we could trap in there.”
“And then never be able to look in a mirror again for the rest of my life?”
“Just to buy us time.”
A heavy silence falls over us and I run my hand over Hunter. He tackled Xozon but didn’t succumb to his influence. It hits me then that Xozon’s power is only over humans.
“I have an idea,” I start, saying each word carefully. “You’re going to hate it but hear me out.”
“Okay,” Ethan says. “Let’s hear it.”
“X will make any of us go insane if we get too close. Because we’re human. We need a group or a pack of non-human and expendable—” I add with a wince “—creatures who can take orders and kill.”
“Who in the world do you know who could—” Ethan cuts off, realizing I’m talking about the reapers. “No fucking way.”
“Do you have a better idea?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Trap him in the mirror.”
“He’ll just get out! My plan will work. It was my original plan, actually, I just didn’t tell you because I knew you’d act this way.”
“They’re not even close by,” he counters.
“Well, they might be.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” Ethan sets his jaw.
“It wasn’t me and Hunter who killed the scrappers. It was a reaper, and she did it to defend me.”
Ethan stares at me, unspeaking, for a good thirty seconds.
Rene tentatively steps closer. “Anyone want to clue me in?”
“Reapers demons. They can kill Xozon. Their minds are already messed up with homicidal thoughts. The worst he can do is make them think they are soft and fluffy.”
“I remember the reapers. But why would they kill Xozon?”
I bite my lip before I spit it out. “Because they think I’m their alpha.”
“What?” Nik sputters. “How in the ever-loving-green-earth did that happen?”
“I kill their alpha after he drank my blood, and then some of his blood kinda spurted all over my face when I put an ax through its neck.”
“You exchanged blood.” Nik slowly shakes his head.
“Unintentionally. One showed up recently, and I’m telling you, they will defend me.” I look around the room. “It’s worth a shot.”
“I’m with Ethan on this one,” Nik agrees. “It’s too dangerous. You’re bringing more demons into a demon issue.”
“My reapers listen to me.”
“My reapers?” Ethan shoots back dubiously. “Since when do you feel possessive of the reapers?”
“Since one saved my life!” I tell him, my voice raising. I take a breath to calm down. “I know how crazy this sounds. All I have to do is get them here. Then X threatens me in front of my reapers and boom—he’s dead.”
“No offense, Anora,” Ethan says and rubs his forehead. “The last time you had an ‘easy plan’ it didn’t quite pan out, and you tried to kill me.”
“That’s because I didn’t underestimated X and I got too close. I should have done this the whole time.”
“Can you really control them?” Rene asks.
“Every time they’ve come around, I’ve been able to. And the last time I even got one to help me burn and bury demon bodies.”
“Then I agree with Anora,” she says.
“Two against two,” Ethan points out. “Back to the drawing board.”
“Hunter’s on my side. So three against two. Reapers it is.” I slowly get to my feet, pushing my shoulders back.
“Hang on.” Ethan stands too, taking my hands in his. “You lost a lot of blood. You really should go to the hospital. You might be anemic right now.”
“I did a double plasma donation around Christmas time, remember? I was fine.”
“Yeah, and didn’t the Red Cross people tell you to take it easy the rest of the day? They didn’t say summon an army of murderous demons to go after another, more powerful murderous demon.”