The Poisoner’s Last Breath (en Inglés) - Deborah J. Martins

He’s waited in the dark for her to look back. Now she’s called his name and he’ll never let her go.

"Come out, come out, little reaper"

bargain with Death, obsessed hero, morally grey heroine, historical fantasy, standalone in a shared world

Death

I’ve spent years waiting in the dark while Giulia tries very hard not to look at me. To her, I’m the red eyed shadow man, the one thing she’s always hidden from. She doesn’t know I watch over her every night while she sleeps. She doesn’t know how long I’ve been watching. And when she finally calls my name, she’ll have no idea what I’m really after. I’m polite, I’m patient and I always ask before I touch her. But I have never, in all of eternity, let go of what I claim.

Giulia

For twenty years I’ve sold poison to women trapped with violent men and six hundred of those men never made it home. Then the Inquisition catches me. They want every name and all I give them is no. So I do the one thing I’ve avoided my whole life. I say a prayer to Death and Death doesn’t disappoint. With red eyes and a gaze that lingers too long, he offers me my freedom if I’ll hunt down three souls that slipped his grasp. When I ask how long I’ll be working for him, he tells me the truth. Forever. He doesn’t know I’m planning to run the second I’m free.

As I drag each soul back into the dark, the biggest danger is that Death is after much, MUCH more than three pesky little souls.

Book one of Deadly Bargains with Wicked Gods and a standalone with a happy ending. Each book in the series can be read on its own.