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he mocked her, like she should have known better.
    She bit down on her tongue. The pain broke the spell cast by staring at him. She yanked back, but she had a feeling he let her go because he wanted to. Her wrist still felt his fingers circling it. Not bruising, but strong enough that her puny yank wouldn’t have dislodged the hold. His level stare said as much.
    She turned on her heel and faced Tomas. “Are you sure I can do this?”
    An expression really close to uncertainty crossed Tomas’s face before he hid it beneath a blink. Then he nodded once. “You’re the only one who can.”
    “Balthazar knows where to find the Voyeur,” Death said from behind her, his breathing ragged like his lungs struggled to take in air. She had to force herself not to cover her ears.
    “I don’t remember saying yes to baby-sitting, D.” Balthazar stepped back and crossed his arms. “Maybe I’ll let you get sucked dry instead.”
    In a flash, Tomas had Balthazar by the scruff of his jacket and pinned against the wall. Arianne followed them with her gaze. She didn’t actually see Tomas move from where he stood, just that he already had Balthazar pinned.
    “Tomas,” Death said. Although the warning sounded weak, it still brought goose bumps to Arianne’s arms.
    “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, old man.” Balthazar grinned down at Tomas. “I might just enjoy mopping the floor with you.”
    Arianne’s gut told her Balthazar shouldn’t be goading the Reaper of California. Tomas might have looked all refined, but something about the way he stood now, pinning someone as tall as Balthazar against the wall, said he could take care of business if he needed to.
    Arianne understood then. In that room she might be the most insignificant. Yes, they needed her to find this Redeemer, but in terms of being able to protect herself, she played in the little leagues. Maybe even on the special team only.
    As much as admitting she needed Balthazar’s help seemed like the worst thing she could do, she forced herself to speak. “Tomas, please, we’re wasting time. Tell me what I need to do and how I’m supposed to do it, and I’ll go with Balthazar. The sooner I go, the sooner I can get Niko out of that coffin.”
    As if he had to force himself, Tomas let go of Balthazar and backed away slowly.
    Balthazar adjusted his coat and pulled on his fingerless gloves. Then he grinned at her. “You don’t know what you’re saying, little girl.”

Chapter 5
    SOL
    “I W ILL H ELP Y OU ,” she said, sky-blue eyes shining with fear and determination, “but on two conditions.” She didn’t shrink away from D’s deadly grin. Balthazar knew that grin well, having been on the pain-filled receiving end of it.
    “I see you’ve learned something from our last encounter,” D murmured. He grew weaker by the minute.
    Like a shark, Balthazar scented blood in the water. Well, more like the life force he fed on. D’s smelled oh so powerful. He suppressed his instinct to circle and hunt only because the conversation going on between a puny human and the Master of the Crossroads intrigued him. Shit. The girl had backbone.
    He watched them both closely from his corner of D’s office—soon to be his office. He flicked his gaze at Tomas. Damn the old codger for thinking he could threaten him. He’d get the Reaper of California for that when he took his rightful place as the new Death. Balthazar relished the thought for a second before he returned his attention to the dueling fools in front of him.
    “Name your conditions,” D said.
    Arianne took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She looked so tiny dressed in that ridiculous black robe. As a human in the Crossroads, she wore nothing underneath. Balthazar pushed the thoughts of her nakedness away with little interest. Teenage girls weren’t his drink of choice. He’d scare her more than attract her, so why even try? But when she spoke, he listened.
    “When I find this Redeemer and bring