"Hey, Zoe."

I stopped mopping the floor and glared at the vampire in his cage. Apparently being the Grim Reaper's servant meant cleaning up after everyone instead of practicing my newly-learned death spell. It's been months since that Halloween night when I accepted his offer—but was it really necessary to make me the bus girl?

I threw the mop down and crossed my arms. "What, Wren?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Reaper wanted you in the kitchen."

"Probably wants me to make something for him," I grumbled, and stomped away to the kitchen. My heart ached for the chore-free life in my clan, reading books and laughing with Kristen. What was her excuse for my disappearance? Maybe she'll think my mission was a success, and that I joined the Moon Goddess in her nightly rounds.

It's definitely better than thinking I died.

I slumped against the wall when I reached the kitchen, my hands and feet sore. Master eyed me and hung his scythe on a hook above the stove, his black cloak rustling as he moved. "Zoe," he started carefully. "I'm going away on an important mission, and I want you to come with me."

I raised an eyebrow. Six months ago I couldn't have done it, but serving the Grim Reaper definitely needed practice. "Oh, really? Then who will clean when I'm gone?"

He waved his pale, veined hand dismissively. "I'll hire a bloody house-sitter or something."

He was serious! Energy poured into my veins, making a smile burst on my face. "Yes!" I exclaimed. "When do we go, when do we go?"

"Tomorrow, early in the morning. I suppose you should head to bed early today, so you won't be tired on the journey. Now, make some dinner so we can eat." He left me shaking, trying to hold back a scream. Finally, I was going with the Grim Reaper on one of his journeys!

I flicked my hand, and a pot lifted into the air. When I was pouring spaghetti into the pot, Wren sauntered into the room and leaned against the counter.

"Out of your cage, dog boy?" I sneered.

He grinned with canine teeth before answering, "Let me out a little before dinner, to see what I can't have."

"Well, I'm not cutting myself open for you."

He brushed his overgrown hair out of his eyes and glanced out the window. "Do you want to bet?" he asked.

I smiled humorlessly as I stirred the contents. "Nah, I don't like being on guard all the time. Gets boring. Besides, seems a little unfair, as to you being locked up."

Wren laughed and threw his head back, and kept on laughing like there was no tomorrow. "I could break out of that dumb old cage with a snap of my fingers if I wanted to," he assured me.

I rolled my eyes. "Really comforting, vampire."

He snorted and turned around. "Like you learning death and torture spells is?"

A grin crept onto my face, and my body felt jittery again. This vampire was just too much. "They're not for you, but act up around me and I might change my priorities," I teased.

"You're still pure, Zoe. Reaper says he's tamed you into one of his black mages, but he ain't got nothing on you." With that, Wren skulked out of the room like he was a spider instead of a filthy vampire.

"Wait, "one of his?" You mean there are more?" I called out, my ears perking up. If there were others, any others, I would do anything to find them.

It doesn't matter, since you're Master's house servant now, The Voice piped up. The voices in my head had been silent before now, making my ears buzz but my brain sing with relief.

She wants to make friends and not live out Cinderella's tale, so shut it, another argued.

Guys, I thought, gnawing on my lip, but more and more started clamoring and shouting at one another. I gritted my teeth and tended to dinner again.

Later, I sat down at dinner with the two of them and began to eat. Master smirked at the vampire and gestured to his plate full of food. "Jealous, vampire?" He grabbed my chin, and I yelped as his icy fingers dug into my skin. "Seeing us eat food you can't have? I bet you want to drink Miss Schwickrath's blood here, don't you?"

"Stop taunting him," I muttered, trying to pull myself away.

Wren cut me an even glance and returned to gazing up at the carved ceiling. "I prefer more interesting girls. One that screams, and doesn't laugh in my face."

"It's hard not to laugh when you're stuck in a cage!" I objected. Like a punished animal, trapped every day until he dies.

"Well, when I'm not under your master's hawk eyes, I can be very dangerous." He grabbed a knife and started cleaning his nails, face a mask of boredom.

"I'm sure you are, but in this situation, I think I'm going to laugh on." I smiled sweetly at him, but he just sighed and slouched even further into his elegant chair.

Kick the little animal! One of his filthy kind killed me! a voice wailed.

He could've been a human, just like you or me, another one argued.

"They never tell me their names," I whispered to myself.

The Grim Reaper glanced up sharply. "What did you say?"

I shook my head. "Nothing, sir."

He shifted in his seat and studied me for a few seconds before announcing, "I think you better head to bed, Miss Schwickrath. After all, we do have an important journey, and I'd like to speak to the vampire for a bit."

If it was even possible, Wren's face grew more shadowed. However, I just breezed right past him and bounded up the spiral stairs to my bedroom.

I never liked the Grim Reaper, but at least he puts the right people in their places, the first voice spoke up.

Don't trust him! He killed so many of us! the second urged me.

My head throbbed and pounded as I changed and flopped down onto the bed. "Please stop this," I attempted, but they kept arguing and yelling so loudly that I pressed my pillow to my ears.

Your master is going to slaughter a lot more people soon, Zoe, and you're the only one who can stop him, a feminine voice suddenly murmured in a second of silence.

My eyes flew open, but something lured them closed and drew me into a lulling sleep.