Soul Screamers Collection. Rachel Vincent

both eyebrows and donned a mischievous grin. “Don’t worry, I turned around when you changed.”

      I couldn’t help a laugh. Tod might flirt with me to bug Nash, but he obviously really cared about Addy, beyond whatever crush they’d shared in school. “I’m glad to hear you’ve retained at least a little moral fortitude since your unfortunate demise.”

      “I reserve it for special occasions. And people I like.”

      I threw my pillow at him.

      “So is this all because you’re late?”

      “That, and because I wouldn’t tell him where I’d been. I’m grounded for a week.”

      Tod frowned. “But you’re still coming after school tomorrow, right?”

      I cocked my head at him, eyes narrowed in mock confusion. “What part of ‘grounded’ don’t you understand?”

      “The part where it gets in the way of my plans.” But I knew from the serious cast of his scowl that it wasn’t really his plans he was worried about. It was Addy’s soul.

      Since we hadn’t gotten there in time to stop Regan from selling out or even to identify the hellion who bought her soul, we were back to plan A: hoping someone at the Demon’s Breath disposal facility would be willing to help us. But we had to get there first, which would be difficult without a car.

      At least now we had something to bargain with, once we found the hellion. Fortunately, Tod could hold Bana’s soul much longer than a reaper could hold on to a lungful of Demon’s Breath. Not that I was exactly eager to enact that particular part of the plan.

      “Look, it’s your fault I’m grounded,” I whisper-hissed at Tod. “None of this would have happened if you hadn’t dragged me into this in the first place. What do you want me to do?”

      “Sneak out.” He shrugged, as if that should have been a no-brainer. But that was easy for him to say. He was dead. What else could they do to him, take away his birthday? “If you get caught, I’ll make it up to you. I swear. Please, Kaylee. We can’t do this without you.”

      “Yes you can!” I switched to a whisper again, in case my father woke up and heard the single most incriminating words I’d ever spoken. “You have Bana’s soul. You can make the deal on your own.”

      His face fell, and he stared at the pillow in his lap for a moment before meeting my gaze again, frustration flaring like flames behind his eyes. “No I can’t. I’m still a rookie reaper, Kaylee. I can only carry a limited amount of cargo to the Netherworld at a time, and I’ve already got Bana’s soul to deal with. Even if I can take Addy, too, I need you to bring Regan. And Nash. I have a feeling we’re going to need him.”

      I felt my eyes go wide, and my reflection in the mirror looked as terrified as I felt. “Can I do that?”

      “Can’t you?” Confusion flitted across his features. “Isn’t that what my mom’s supposed to be teaching you?”

      “I don’t know! She hasn’t shown me a syllabus. Can she ferry people?”

      “Yeah.” He nodded firmly. “And you have to get her to teach you how. We can’t do this without you, Kaylee.”

      I sighed, and the bleak weight of responsibility settled almost physically over me. I had no choice. But my dad was going to kill me when he found out, and the collateral damage would likely include both Nash and Tod. And Harmony, when he discovered her unwitting assistance. But hopefully that wouldn’t be until after we’d returned Addy’s and Regan’s souls to their rightful bodies.

      “Fine. But you owe me. Starting now.”

      “Absolutely.” Relief half relaxed his features, and the reaper leaned forward in my chair. “Whatever you want.”

      “Can you get my phone out of my dad’s room without waking him up?”

      “No problem.” He was gone before I could warn him to be careful.

      Several seconds later, as I sat frozen on my bed, irrationally afraid to move in case the squealing springs woke my father, Tod popped back into my room, cradling my slim red phone in one palm.

      He shot me a crooked grin, blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “Did you know your dad sleeps in boxers?”

      “Ew. Thanks for the visual.” I grabbed my phone and scrolled through the menu to check my missed calls. Five from my dad and four from Emma. We must have hit a dead zone on the highway, and I hadn’t checked my messages.

      I selected the last voice mail Emma had left and held the phone to my ear, one hand on my hip as I glanced at Tod. “I need my books from my car, then I’ll need you to put this back wherever my dad left it.”

      Tod gave me a mock bow. “Anything else? Can I fan you with a big palm leaf? Feed you grapes while you write your homework in my blood?”

      “Shh!” I hissed, waving him off as Emma’s voice spoke to me from my phone. “You said you owed me!”

      He frowned and popped out of my room in time for me to hear most of the missed message. “… tried to cover for you, but he called the theater first, and they told him you weren’t working. You better call him and do some damage control, Kaylee. I’ll see you tomorrow….”

      The phone beeped in my ear as her message ended. She’d tried to warn me.

      Tod popped back into my room holding my chemistry text and a notebook as I pressed a button to call Emma back. She answered on the third ring, and I gestured for him to set my stuff on my desk.

      “Kay? It’s twelve-thirty in the morning,” Emma mumbled. It sounded like she had her face buried in the phone. “What’s wrong?”

      “Sorry, Em, but it’s kind of an emergency. Can Nash and I get a ride to school tomorrow?”

      “‘Course.” She sounded a little more alert, and springs squealed as she sat up in bed. “What happened to your car?”

      “My dad took my keys and my phone for a week.”

      “Ouch. I’ll be there at seven-thirty.” Which meant seven-forty-five, in Emma-land. We’d be late to school, but that was better than riding the bus with the freshmen.

      “Thanks. You’re awesome.”

      “I know,” she slurred, already half asleep again. “Bye.” The phone clicked in my ear and Emma was gone. I spared a moment to hope she remembered us in the morning. Then I sank onto my bed, suddenly very sleepy, now that the immediate problem was resolved.

      “Tell Nash to be here at seven-thirty if he wants a ride.” I’d driven him to school most mornings since we started going out. I glanced at the textbook on my desk, briefly considering my homework. But I was too tired to mess with that. I’d do it at lunch. “So what’s the plan for tomorrow?”

      “We go downtown and find the disposal facility, then start asking questions until we hear what we need to know,” Tod said, slouching in my chair again.

      “Simple. I like it.” I sat on my pillow and slid my legs beneath my covers. “When?”

      “After school?”

      “Nope. My dad’ll call, and if I’m not here to answer, he’ll … I don’t know. Call the cops or something.”

      Tod scowled, an odd look on his cherubic features. “You’re not looking at the big picture, Kaylee. Addy’s soul is at stake. I’ve traded two hospital shifts in a row and will probably have to do it again tomorrow. The least you can do is drop off your dad’s radar for a couple of hours after school.”

      “Okay, first of all, we’re not out of time just yet. Tomorrow’s Wednesday, and Addy’s not supposed to die until Thursday. And we can’t do this until I learn how to turn myself into a Netherworld ferry.” Which meant I’d have to convince my father to let me go for my