“Hey, Lauren,” Will called, slipping away from the counter to stand up straight. “Do you like cookie dough?”

I laughed out loud, and both Nathaniel and Lauren stared at me like I was the village idiot.

“Not really,” Lauren said, hanging her coat and purse on the coat rack by the door. “Gives me a stomachache.”

Will smirked at me with a flick of his brow and a teasing curve on his lips.

I decided right then that the next time I caught him sleeping, I’d shave his eyebrows off.

“So what?” I grumbled. “We didn’t wager anything.”

“The satisfaction of proving you wrong is reward enough for me.”

“You cheated. You knew that she didn’t like cookie dough.”

“Maybe I did.”

“What are you talking about?” Nathaniel asked, staring at us both.

“Nothing,” Will and I said in unison, and I broke off a piece of chocolaty waffle cone and dipped it into my ice cream before I gave anything away.

5

REAPERS GAVE ME A NEW REASON TO HATE THE dead of winter. The sun had completely set by six, so the scary things had longer to play outside. Will and I suited up for the hunt, though not exactly in Matrix style, since I wore jeans, sneakers, and a tweed peacoat over my hoodie.

“There’s been a change of plans,” Will told me as I pulled a white wool beanie over my hair. “We’re not patrolling tonight with Marcus and Ava.”

“We’re not?” I asked as we climbed into my car. That didn’t disappoint me; in fact, I felt quite the opposite. Last night had been rough, and Will was good about letting me take nights off. “So then why are we getting ready to go?”

“We’re going to train instead of hunt tonight. They want to see what you’re made of before we take on the nycterids again.”

My stomach turned. Sometimes facing demonic reapers was easier than sparring with Will. He didn’t go much easier on me than they did. And with Marcus and Ava involved—well, I didn’t know what to expect. I hated surprises, unless they involved ice cream. “But Marcus has seen me fight.”

Will’s mouth twitched. “It’s mostly Ava. She doesn’t think we need you.”

My heart sank. What she meant was she thought Will was better off without me. “When did you talk to her?”

“Today. While you were at school.”

Fantastic. So Ava was talking shit about me and talking to my non-boyfriend. “You hung out with her today?” I tried to keep my voice as even and casual as possible, but I was so transparent when it came to Will.

“I didn’t hang out with her. She just stopped by.”

“That’s not helping.”

“Nathaniel was with us. It’s not what you think, Ellie. Trust me.”

I took a deep breath. “What did you talk about?”

“You,” he said. “Bastian and his thugs.”

“Why does she think I’m useless?” My chest was tight as I struggled to stay calm.

“She doesn’t think you’re useless.”

“Isn’t that what you just said, though?”

His smile was gentle and reassuring. “She’s been fighting demonic reapers for a very long time without your help. She doesn’t understand how much stronger you are than any of us or what your angelfire can do.”

I didn’t respond, and my eyes fell as my mind wandered far away from our conversation.

“Ellie.” His voice was firm but kind.

Whenever he said my name like that, I knew he was serious.

He watched me with a calm gaze. “Ava underestimates you, and I don’t blame you for being defensive. But don’t worry. She doesn’t know you like I know you.”

I smiled then. No matter what happened, Will was on my side. I was as sure of that as I was that Ava was wrong about me. A dark part of me wanted five minutes alone with her. I’d wasted way scarier reapers than Ava. What did she have that Ragnuk didn’t have? Killer crazy cat-lady nails?

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

Will directed me to an old factory in a crumbling district of Detroit, much like our old warehouse. As I pulled Marshmallow II into a concealed spot behind the building, a flood of old memories came back to me. Memories of our old warehouse, where I realized I was in love with Will, where he had kissed me for the first time in the middle of its wreckage.

Inside, Marcus and Ava were waiting. They were certainly dressed better for training than I was. Both wore black bodysuits in a material that looked soft and supple, and combat boots that looked like they would hurt if they connected with my face. I felt like a cream puff next to them.

Marcus gave me an easy grin. “Ellie. How are you tonight?”

I pulled the collar of my coat tighter. “Less sore than earlier.”

“All right, Will,” Ava said, her expression stone hard. “Show me what she’s got. Did you even change your clothes after you got out of … school?”

It took me a moment to realize she’d directed that question at me. I didn’t like the way she said “school.” She made it sound like a silly word, like I was a little kid. “I did change. It’s cold out there.”

She watched me with such disdain that I felt very self-conscious. I took off my coat and laid it by the exit, along with my purse. It was bad enough that she said rude things about me and tried to get Will to abandon me. Why did she have to go knocking my outfit? My coat was really cute.