So there's this awesome Valentine's Event over at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me and Eleusinian Mysteries. To make things short, I'm going to be defending the swoon-worthy Tod from Soul Screamers. The series, for those who haven’t read it yet, is about Kaylee Cavanaugh, a bean sidhe- or simply, a banshee. And the love triangle? It’s between her, Tod, and Nash- who so happens to be Tod’s brother. Messy much? ;)
So, who exactly is Tod? We already know he’s Nash Hudson’s brother, and Kaylee’s boyfriend. But he’s not entirely human… Tod is not only a bean sidhe- but he’s a dead one. And no, he’s not a ghost- he’s a reaper.
Readers who have made it to If I Die, the fifth book, will surely be able to relate to what I'm saying. If not, then just read on. Readers who've only made it as far to the first two-three books might still be on Team Nash, but please hear me out. You'll soon find out just why Tod's better than his brother.
So just what makes our reaper Tod the perfect guy? Well…
His Looks
Reaper: black hood, skeleton-like, carries a scythe
Is that what you thought? Then I’m sorry to disappoint you, but that’s not how Tod looks like. Tod might be a reaper, but that’s the last thing he looks like. Here’s a direct thought from Kaylee on how he looks like:
“I looked up to find a young man standing in front of the empty chair on my right. He wore faded, baggy jeans and a short-sleeved white tee with no sign of a coat, in spite of the temperature outside. And his fierce expression did nothing to harden cherubic lips and bright blue eyes, crowned by a mop of blond curls.”
An angelic looking reaper? You just gotta love that! And no, he doesn’t wear a black hood, or bring a scythe everywhere, despite what the picture looks like. Tod is just like any other normal teenage guy- except that he’s frozen at the age of 17, he’s a bean sidhe, and works as a reaper and as a pizza delivery guy. So he delivers both death and pizza! How cool, albeit twisted, is that? ;)
His Abilities
So, it must be pretty obvious that our guy here has got some kick-ass powers!
As a male bean sidhe, he can save the life of a person with the help of a female bean sidhe. But that’s not really recommended unless you want some other innocent person to take the place of the one you saved.
As a reaper, he’s got some pretty sweet abilities! He has selective visibility- meaning he can chose who to be visible to. And who can hear him. Which is pretty useful when he needs to say, sneak in a psychiatric hospital, or knock your obnoxious cousin unconscious. Your pick. :)
Not only that, the laws of physics don’t apply to him. He can not only pop from one place to another in a second, but he can travel to the Netherwold and back with a blink of his eye. And he can walk through doors and walls too. Selective corporeality has never been more fun!
Other Worthy Features
So just why is Tod the best guy for Kaylee? Well, he’s fiercely loyal and protective. He’s actually there to comfort and help her when Nash couldn’t. He helped heal Kaylee and make her whole again. If this isn’t proof enough, I don’t know what is:
“Does this make us even, Reaper?” I asked.
In answer, Tod kissed me.
And finally, my heart began to beat.
Come on, isn’t that the sweetest thing you’ve ever read? Speaking of sweet, our reaper has a totally sweet side:
“Will you be there when it happens?” I blurted. “So...will you stay with me until it’s over? Please?"
For one horrible moment, I was afraid he’d say no. Afraid I’d asked too much from a relationship less than eighteen hours old. Then he leaned forward to kiss the corner of my mouth and whisper into my ear.
“Kaylee, I would do anything for the girl who granted my dying wish.”
And when I said he’s fiercely loyal and protective? I wasn’t kidding.
The reaper swung before either of us realized what he intended to do.
Tod's very solid fist slammed into Nash's jaw. Nash's head snapped back. He stumbled into the wall. Tod shook his hand like it hurt. “That's for what you let him do to Kaylee.”
See? Tod punched his own brother for what he did to Kaylee! Who wouldn’t want a boyfriend who will stand up for you no matter what?
And now, for my favorite feature: Tod’s humor. And I quote:
“A reaper with a sense of humor. This should be interesting.”
Tod is beyond funny. He’s sarcastic, snarky, and knows how to make the darkest situation turn light. I mean, even in the face of Death, he still has his humor. Literally.
FUNNY ALERT!!!
Startled, I twisted on the bed to find the child reaper in a waiting room style armchair by a darkened window, his short hair bright red in the glaring fluorescent light. His feet didn’t reach the floor and his smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“Shouldn’t you be getting back to Snow White?” I snapped, rubbing my chest again, still surprised when it didn’t hurt. “No one ever mentioned that death would come in the form of a sucker-punching little dwarf.”
Tod just wakes up- from being dead- and he still has his sarcasm. Here’s some of my all time favorite passages featuring his wit:
The reaper shifted in his seat, but made no move to stand. “That’s what you were buried in.” His careless gesture took in my stiff shirt and the pressed black pants I’d never seen in my life.
I looked like a waiter.
------
Levi shrugged, hands in his pockets. “It may work for a little while. But the more time you spend with them, the harder it’ll be for them to accept your death. Even if they never see you. And beyond that, they will grow old, and when they die, there will be nothing left of your humanity. Death will have you eventually, Tod, and the longer you cling to what you had, the harder it’ll be to let go in the end.”
“So, you reap souls and crush hopes? Is that part of the job, or just a service you offer for free?”
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And when he learns about his abilities?
“So, ‘reaper’ is really just a nice word for ‘covert pervert?’ Is that what you’re saying?”
Don’t worry though, Tod’s anything but a perv. ;) In fact, he’s the complete opposite! He's not controlled by his hormones, and Tod actually cares about Kaylee’s feelings.
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“So, would you say I’m closer to a zombie or a vampire? I gotta know—are my parts going to rot and fall off, or am I forever frozen in youthful perfection?”
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I turned to give him a clear view of my back in the parking lot lights. “Notice the conspicuous absence of wings and a halo.”
Levi actually laughed, the first look of genuine amusement I’d seen from him so far.
He makes a grim reaper laugh. Now does that tell you anything?
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“Just FYI, in your case, I think it’s okay to fear the reaper.”
Don’t worry though- that's reserved for Netherworld baddies who threaten his and his loved ones' lives. Tod’s really sweet; he won’t bite! ;)
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And my personal favorite:
“I said, you’re a smartass, Hudson.”
I grinned. “I recognize no other kind of ass.”
So if you haven’t fallen in love with Tod yet, I don’t know what will. Tod is my perfect (unfortunately) fictional boyfriend, and nothing will ever change that.
Oh yes, and before I end this- here’s one last quote from Tod:
“So what you’re really saying is that kissing me is one of those things a girl shouldn’t die without experiencing, right?”
He has no just how right he is! ;)
Hopefully, I've convinced you on just how Tod's the better boyfriend! So please, click here, or on the banner below, AND VOTE FOR TOD! Go make our reaper happy!
