A Grim Love: Can't Fight Time (17 page)

Do Reapers ever have carnivals?
Nina wondered, then realized how stupid that was. Here she was, seconds away from marrying Death, with her homicidal father waiting on the other side of a portal to kill her, and a pissed-off ex-fiancée who looked like she wanted to rip Nina’s skin off and make a coat... and she was thinking about carnivals. Would wonders never cease?

Turning away from her chaotic jumble of thoughts, Nina tried to bring her focus back to Uri. He was avoiding the question and she wanted to know why.

Swallowing down her panic, Nina saw the altar looming in front of her. She only had a few more seconds before she sealed her fate. “Uri, if you know something’s going to--”

They stopped, and Uri drew Nina aside and bent down to her. “Everything will be fine, Nina,” he whispered softly as his cool lips brushed her cheek.

For some reason, his words calmed her. Amongst the swirling of her violent insecurities, Uri was there to bring her back and reassure her. If she’d met him first, maybe she would have fallen in love with him. Maybe. But right now, she was just happy to call him a friend.

Nina smiled up at him, before she leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek. “Thank you, Uri.” Her voice was soft, and held only the slightest tremble. “I’ll see you later.”

Nina pulled back only to feel strong arms grip her and spin her around. “Thank you, Brother. I think I’ll take it from here.” Grim growled warningly as he tucked Nina’s hand into the crock of his arm and walked them up to the alter.

Grim was decked out in full Bloodspurn regalia: pressed black pants, a stark white shirt, a black silk tie, a crimson waistcoat, and a gold and red threaded cloak on top. Nina hadn’t seen anything like it, and wondered if she could actually get it off of him.

As if Grim couldn’t get it off himself.
She chuckled to herself, feeling a flush of heat. n.

The king didn’t look much different, aside from the gold crown on his head embedded with the same vials behind him, and a broach with the Bloodspurn insignia on it secured to his cravat .
Talk about a king who cleans up nicely,
Nina thought with a mental catcall.

Beside the king stood an exquisite woman, dressed in a flowing green gown that looked like it had been poured over her body, and a green velvet choker with a brooch carved with the Bloodspurn insignia hanging from it. Thick, wavy red-locks flowed down her back, and a crown similar to the kings was on her head.

“Is that--?” Nina began to ask, but Grim bumped her hip and the queen shot her a look that clearly said “eat shit and die painfully.”

Nina bit back a smile, having never seen Grim’s mother in anything other than a black velvet cloak and ivory bones. The transformation was truly shocking, though the queen looked less than pleased.

“Welcome, welcome, welcome, friends!” Tuoni spread his arms wide, swaying a little, with his voice in a sing song melody. “I am so pleased you all could be here on this auspicious occasion to witness the marriage of my son, Grim.”

Tuoni smiled a bit too widely, and Nina felt Grim’s muscles harden beneath her hand. But then the queen stepped forward and smoothly interrupted whatever Tuoni was going to say. And he let her.

“The service will begin. Everyone please take your seats.” Her voice was a sultry purr, even if her tone and her eyes were a bit hard. Nina couldn’t help but be proud of Grim’s mother, despite her own reservations about the marriage she was still here and willing to help.

Taking a calming breath, Nina tried to focus as the ceremony began. Grim had told her that the ceremony wouldn’t be anything like a human wedding ceremony and he really hadn’t lied.

The entire process was extremely intricate, and between the exchanging of blood and power, Grim turning into his skull and bones look, and Morrigan calling on the Bloodspurn ancestors, Nina got lost. Her head was practically spinning when they finally got to the actual ring part.

Morrigan turned to Nina and then  to Grim; “The rings, please.”

Behind Nina was one of the maids who didn’t completely hate her guts. Nina had been able to choose her own bridesmaids and maid of honor, but due to her reputation as a human, that left very, very few reapers to fill those positions.

A few weeks before the wedding she’d even asked Uri to track down Iris, but the woman had vanished. Uri had said it was a large kingdom, and since Iris was a messenger, she could have been anywhere.

Mentally shaking her head, Nina tried to remember the name of the reaper maid that was standing in as her entire bridal party, but she just came up with a blank space. How sad was it that she couldn’t remember the only bridesmaid she had?

The maid reached into her gold clutch and pulled out Grim’s ring. Nina smiled at the small creation: it was a platinum band with the words “forever and always yours” carved into it.

Uri had helped her commission it and make sure it was Grim’s size. It looked absolutely perfect, and Nina hoped Grim would love it as much as she did.

“Thank you,” Nina said softly as she took the ring in her hand and turned back to Grim.

They’d agreed not to show each other the rings, but Nina had made the platinum band a rule. Of course, their engagement had been a little different: instead of proposing with a ring, Grim had opted to give her both the engagement ring and the wedding ring at once. In fact, the man had been so confident that she’d say yes that he’d started making the ring a couple days before she’d said the word. Talk about cockiness.

“Samuel Bloodspurn, first and only son of Ivona and Tuoni Bloodspurn, heir apparent to the throne, do you take Nina Marie Strathmore to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Morrigan asked and then followed it up by asking the same thing in a language Nina had never heard and she was pretty sure had died a long, long time ago.

Morrigan had been doing so most of the ceremony, switching between English and the other language. She wasn’t sure if that was because the other language was more common, or because it was part of the ceremony; Nina assumed the later, because every reaper she’d spoken to knew English and about a hundred more languages.

Nina would have liked to know what exactly Morrigan was saying, but she knew she had to put her curiosity on hold until later. It was, after all, her wedding.

“I do.” Grim said loudly and clearly.

A thought struck as Nina slid the ring on Grim’s finger and felt his power curve over her and stroke her body. Even if the man wasn’t touching her, his power always was, stoking the flame within her to a roaring fire. At one point, Grim’s power had actually brought her to orgasm, one of the most intense ones of her life. Screw knowing how to use his hands, the man knew how to use his power.

Giving herself a mental shake, Nina came back to herself. Morrigan hadn’t asked if any one opposed their union. That was the big thing in most of the television wedding shows Nina was addicted to, but the queen seemed to have just skipped over that part. It was a little strange, considering she'd mentioned just about everything else.

Lifting her head, Nina met Grim’s blue-diamond eyes and her question was instantly answered. Reflected in those depths was the assured knowledge that anyone who disturbed their union would have to deal with Grim. And Nina doubted the way Grim would “deal” with them would be humane.

It sent a chill down her spine, knowing that the man--reaper--in front of her didn’t conceal his lust, rage, murderous intent, or love from her. All of his emotions were laid out for Nina in the hard gems of his eyes.

“Nina?” the queen asked her impatiently, clearing her throat in anger.

Turning away from Grim, Nina looked out over the sea of reapers. Grim, dark, and gloomy faces stared back at her, all eyes devoid of any kind of happiness and encouragement. No one looked like they were actually happy about the wedding and she wondered if that was because they were reapers or because of Grim’s choice of bride.

It couldn’t have been more than a couple of seconds, but for Nina it felt like forever. She was fighting with herself again, wondering if she was making the right decision. What was the point of the wedding? What was the point of doing all of this if the end result would always be the same?

Nina was spiraling, being sucked down by her own negativity and worry. She needed an anchor, something to pull her back from the brink, something to remind her why she was going through with this debacle.

The memories that she always tried to forgot began to creep in, wanting to overwhelm her, take her when she was at her lowest, even if she didn’t realize it and drag her back and down.

But Grim was there, drawing her back with the cool comfort of his hand, his power rushing over her, curving around her like a security blanket. The memories faded, until they became dust.

Pulling her gaze away from the sad faces, Nina spied Felicia smiling wide and waving at her. The girl was probably a few lifetimes ahead of her, but she dressed like she was her junior. Still, even with the friendly wave and the innocent clothing, something about Felicia left a bad taste in Nina’s mouth.

Gripping herself, and steeling her resolve, Nina turned away from the distraction. It was now or never, make or break time. Before it had been one word, and now it was two. Nina blew out a breath to calm herself before turning back to Morrigan. “I do.”

How she managed to get it out, she wasn’t sure, but the words were food for the wind now. She’d said them, she’d meant them, and there was no way Nina was taking them back.

Cool metal slipping onto her finger brought her back to Grim as he slid on the rings. Nina looked down at the blue diamond, cut in the shape of a heart and set on top of a platinum band. She barely recognized the other ring as she looked up into eyes the same color as the diamond on her finger.

“So you can always have me near you,” Grim said quietly as he raised her hand to his lips and kissed the ring.

Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes and threatened to spill, but Nina blinked them away. She didn’t want to ruin her makeup; it was immaculate, and if any pictures were taken she wanted to look stunning.

Morrigan began speaking again, and before Nina could blink she was suddenly wrapped in Grim’s arms and being tilted backwards. In the distance she could hear Morrigan switching to English, but then Grim’s lips were on hers and she didn’t care anymore.

It was just like that first kiss, just as intense, if not more so. She couldn’t breathe past Grim, couldn’t think past him. He was everything to Nina, all she’d ever wanted, and the only thing in the world she couldn’t have.

So she gave herself up to the kiss, gave everything she had to the man she loved, even though she’d said she wouldn’t. Her father might take her life, but she would give Grim her heart.

“...kiss the bride.” Morrigan finished as Grim tilted her back up and let her breathe.

“Ready to start the rest of our lives together?” Grim asked as he pulled her closer, blue-diamond eyes dancing with barely contained heat.

Nina didn’t hesitate, didn’t show any of her sadness or remorse over the lie. She loved Grim, probably more than she’d ever loved anyone. That was all that would ever matter. “Yes!”

He’d never let her go voluntarily, no matter how right it was. This needed to happen. Time wouldn’t stop for them to have a honeymoon, start a family, and grow old together. There was no point in trying to deny it, trying to fight it and call it by a different name. She couldn’t fight fate.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“It’s time.” Uri’s voice was soft, his footsteps quiet on the rugs scattered around Grim’s study.

Over the course of a few months this room had become like a second home to her. Aside from their bedroom, Nina spent most of her time scouring through books, learning as much as she could. Not that there was a point to the knowledge, it was just for fun, a thing to pass the time.

Shaking her head Nina spun in a slow circle, keeping the tears at bay as she tilted her head further up until her muscles strained from the effort. Millions of books lined the walls, climbing so high she couldn’t even see all of them. It was amazing, and useless.

Nina hadn’t even realized what she’d been doing every time she opened a book, every time she scoured through pages; she’d been trying to find a way to stay with Grim, a way to stop time. It all seemed so silly and useless now, all the knowledge crowding her brain made her almost angry.

Sighing loudly, Nina dashed at the tears leaking from her eyes and steeled herself. “I’m ready.” Her voice was resigned but strong.

Turning away from the library, she stepped into Uri’s arms and felt them close tightly around her. Unlike the other times, she was prepared for the sudden roller-coaster-flight that took them from the study to the portal room in less than a second.

For a few stomach churning moments, Nina held onto Uri and felt all her organs fall back into place and the bile that had coated her throat disappear. “Never gonna get used to that,” Nina muttered, the words tasting like sawdust as she let go of Uri and took a few steps back.

The first time she'd come to the Underworld, she’d been too concerned with Grim not killing them to really take inventory of the room. Surprisingly the portal room was small, about the equivalent of a walk in closet lengthwise, with a giant mirror thing in the center.

“It was meant to keep a hoard from trying to jump through the portal. The kingdom wasn’t always this calm.” Uri smiled his boyish smile, trying to break the obvious tension between them.

Nina turned and smiled reassuringly. None of this was his fault, and in fact, Nina was extremely grateful to Uri. The prince had given her something she’d never thought she’d get--even in the human world--a chance to love, and be loved back.

“I’m fine, Uri.” Nina said as she looked back at the mirror. It was about fourteen feet high and oval-shaped. Around the frame were shimmering designs in a language Nina was sure she’d never heard of. The entire piece thrummed with a sort of power, an otherworldliness that called to Nina.

“Who made this?” Nina asked running her fingertips against the frame lovingly.

“Yin and Yang. Every kingdom has one, so that they can move between worlds. Pretty, isn't it?” She felt Uri’s power slide over her back as he drew closer.

“It’s beautiful,” Nina whispered reverently, tracing the language.

Pulling her hand back, she turned away from the portal and looked directly at Uri. It was time. “Everything has been arranged?”

Uri nodded and reached inside his pocket. “Yup, everything is taken care of. Here.”

Nina accepted the phone and slid it into her skirt pocket. Her hands slid over the fabric reverently, the simple gesture giving her strength. It was her first present from Grim, along with a full wardrobe and half his closet. She could still remember his sultry voice whispering to her from their bed: “I was serious about wanting you, Nina. Not just in my bed, but in my life. I can give you everything you will ever need.”

A sob stuck in Nina’s throat as she pulled away from the memory and felt the material crushed between her fingers.
You’re doing the right thing.
She reminded herself as she forced her hands to unclench. “Great, Uri. Thank you again.”

Before she could blink, she was suddenly engulfed in a bear-hug, its force almost crushing her. Nina didn’t think twice as she wrapped her arms around Uri and hugged him back fervently. “I’ll miss you bossing me around,” he whispered into her hair, the words lost in the tangle of curls and coils.

Nina felt Uri’s arms close tighter as he shook his head. “I’m so sorry, Nina. If there was another way...” he let the sentence trail away as his emotions took over, and Nina felt his power all around them like they were in an ocean, the ebb and flow reminding her of waves.

Squeezing him tight one last time, Nina drew back and slowly Uri released her. “It’s not your fault.” Her voice took the edge of a steel blade. “Besides, I refuse to give my father the satisfaction of killing a broken girl. I’ve come too far, done too much, to let fear consume me.”

A flash of pain and shame crossed Uri’s face, but it has gone too soon for Nina to be sure she hadn’t just imagined it. “But if it does… Just know that this will always be your home. You can come here anytime,” Uri’s voice was rough.

Nina nodded, her throat constricting tightly.

“Well, if my father suddenly has a change of heart and decides not to kill me, I’ll definitely come back. Then you can finally show me where that reaper bus is,” Nina joked.

Uri visibly relaxed and showed his first genuine smile of the night. “Sounds like a plan.”

Turning away from Uri, Nina went to the mirror and placed her hand against the cool glass... only it wasn’t glass, but some other material, almost gel-like. Below her fingers the portal began to shift and move, like small ripples and waves, and then suddenly her hand went all the way through and Nina gasped and snatched her limb back.

“You okay?” Uri muttered as she looked over her shoulder at him.

Nina turned back to the rippling mirror and rubbed her hand, laughing nervously. “Oh! That startled me.” She gulped and clenched her fists at her side, head held high. “I’m ready.”

Forcing her feet to move, Nina pressed her body against the glass and let it ripple and give way. She pressed forward as the glass-like-substance closed around her hands, arms, chest. Taking a deep breath she pushed the rest of the way through.

Nina could have sworn she heard Uri mutter something that sounded like “see you later,” but she couldn’t be sure, and suddenly it didn’t matter as she was hurtled through time and space. The first time she’d done it, she'd had her eyes closed and had been hanging onto Uri like a baby koala, but now she was alone, and the feeling was completely different.

A blinding light flashed, probably killing her retinas just before a stygian blackness enveloped her. It all happened so fast that her eyes couldn’t process the change--then just as quickly as it all began it stopped.

Nina’s eyes adjusted to the darkness around her, and brought the landmarks around her into focus. A stone bench, a bubbling water fountain, Nina recognized it all and knew instantly where she was. She was in the maze inside the chapel, exactly where she’d been when Uri had first marked her hand.

Gasping in cool, crisp air, Nina looked at the maze. It was completely different and exactly the same, all at once.

“Well, okay then,” she muttered, brushing invisible mirror-stuff off herself.

A sudden disturbance behind her, made Nina whirl and come face to face with...Uri? “What are you doing here?” Nina asked loudly, surprised.

“Forget something?” Uri gave her a cheeky smile and reached for her hand. A sharp pain seized her, and Nina snatched her hand back, looking at the smooth skin that used to have Grim’s mark.

It was yet another reminder of her death. If not for the blue diamond engagement ring and platinum wedding ring on her finger, Nina would have felt completely alone. But as she rubbed her fingers across the diamond, she knew she wasn’t. Grim was still with her, would always be with her no matter where she went when she died.

Looking up from her ring, Nina smiled gently at Uri, forcing back the tears that were clawing at her eyes. “Thanks.”

Uri flinched back, opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but he just gave her a rueful smile, turned sharply, and disappeared. The portal closed behind him, and the silence rang with a finality Nina didn’t need.

Taking a deep breath, Nina went and sat on the stone bench beside the fountain. Reaching deep in her skirt pocket, she pulled out the phone and then dialed the number for Detective Thompson. Before Grim had come and worked that weird mind trick, the woman had given Nina her card and told her to call her if anything happened.
Well, I know I’m about to get murdered by my father, so I think that counts for something.

The phone began to ring, and Nina hoped that the detective would pick up. She had no clue how much time she had before her father came. Every crime show Nina had ever seen had the murderer going back to the scene of the crime, and since he’d killed a girl here and also knew Nina hung out here, it was only a matter of time.

“Hello?” a groggy female voice asked.

Nina pulled the phone back and looked at the time. It was almost midnight.
Damn.
“Sorry to disturb you, but is this Detective Thompson?”

Some rustling, a curse, and then the detective spoke. “Yes, who is this?” her voice was much more awake.

“This is Nina Strathmore. We spoke a few... days ago about the murder at the chapel. Do you--”

“Yes, I remember you. What can I do for you, my dear?”

“I--” Nina paused. For some reason everything she’d planned to say, the lie that she’d crafted suddenly felt stupid. Truth was always stranger than fiction anyway.

Steeling herself she continued: “My father is the Sweetheart Killer, and he’s planning to kill me tonight. I have some important things to tell you, so please listen. My father’s name is...”

***

“Nina?” Grim mumbled as he came awake and reached his hand out for her.

Cool sheets greeted his hands, and Grim shot up straight in bed. He cocked his head and listened for any sound that Nina was in the room. Silence.

He stretched his power out and tried to feel her presence in the castle, but he felt something else. A wave of barely suppressed power hit him, and Grim ducked and rolled off the bed as the doors swung wide and broke off their hinges.

Castoff guards began filling the room as Grim grabbed a sheet and wrapped it around himself, still crouched in a defensive position. “What’s going on here?” his voice dripped venom.

Tinkling laughter heralded Felicia’s entrance, as the Lolita bitch entered his room. “Good evening, Grim. So sorry to disturb you and your--” she looked around, and a frown tugged at her glossy crimson lips. “Oh! Where is that lovely, charming human of yours?”

Grim growled warningly as more guards filed into his room until the power they were emitting felt like breathing underwater. There were only two ways out of the chamber, and Felicia and her dogs were blocking one of them.

It was obvious enough that they were not there to protect him, but capture him. “Whatever you plan to do will surely start a war, Felicia. Is that what you want?” Grim’s tone was severe.

All he needed to do was get to the fireplace on the other side of the room. There was a secret passageway that would get him to where he needed to go. Just a few steps, a flick of his power, and he’d be safe.

Felicia scratched lightly at her arm, a small frown marring her brows. “The war already started, Grim. It started the minute that your whore of a brother brought that human here.” Her voice never lost its childlike cheeriness.

A reaper in full body armor with the Castoff coat of arms branding his chest stepped forward. The reaper looked suspiciously familiar but Grim couldn’t place him. “Samuel Bloodspurn, by decree of the Castoff king, you have been charged with breaking the laws of the three sovereign kingdoms. You are hereby to be taken into custody by Her Highness Felicia Castoff, and will be taken to the Castoff kingdom until you are sentenced to the true death.”

Grim looked around his bedchamber, and weighed his options. There weren’t many.

He could try and escape, but even he knew his limits. One reaper, even a king, managing to defeat and escape twenty-some guards and a crazy princess successfully? No. Then again, he could always call his own guards. Grim frowned. Why hadn’t they--