Death's Dilemma (DHAD #2) (5 page)

Our spot, tonight.

Well that put a wrench in my plans. Originally I’d thought I’d start snooping around looking for some way to get in contact with dad, to just ask him what the hell he meant that day at court. That was, after all, what I always did on my days off. I’d wander about all over the place, hoping to get some idea of where he was. I’d known since I started guarding Lacie that he was no longer back home in limbo because, when I went there, everything was ransacked. I would have heard something from the Guardians by now if he’d been jailed, so I assumed he took off. My fault again. What a strange web I’d spun for myself, and now with Reapers after me, it would only get more complicated. No way was I telling Trevor about Drake being there today. I’d let him know that Reapers were apparently trying to kill me as it could prove a danger to Lacie, but I didn’t need to get into specific details.

Chapter Six

Interrogated

“Where have you been?” Trevor asked as I ported to the back porch.

“Where were your Guardians, is a better question” I rebutted.

“Lacie was home, so they thought it was best to protect here.”

“Really? Even though we have like twenty million freaking Guardian Angels at home?” I raised my voice

“What happened after you ported her, Cendall? All they said was that you saved her life again, and then once she was ported, they left.”

“Nothing happened.”

“Then why did you stay there so long after?”

“If you already know the answer, why are you asking the question? Testing me again?” He slanted his eyes. “If you must hear it out loud, then listen up. After I saved Lacie, some of my old colleagues thought it was their duty to teach me a lesson.”

“And if I hadn’t asked, you weren’t going to tell me about this?”

“If you’d let me finish a thought, I may have eventually got it out.”

“What happened, Cendall? You know if they’re around, it’s a danger.”

“Well, after your last Guardians decided to leave me, I was attacked, and that was that.”

“Did you kill them?”

“No.”

“Why not?” He and Drake had the same mindset. Who would have thought?

“Because I easily handled them. I needed to question them, and by doing so, I found out that they were just after me. Not Lacie.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes. They attacked after she was gone and made the lights fall to get me alone.”

“So they’re just into killing people now to get to you?”

“I guess so. It won’t be an issue. We just need to step up her guard.”

“I have to tell this to the council.”

“Be my guest. Maybe they’ll set me free,” I said as I put my hands together and flapped them like birds wings. He let out a frustrated breath.

“You know if I could have left her side, I would have. You had me,” he paused, “…just don’t do that again please. Just port back next time, and then we can fight them together. She needs us both, you know?” He turned away from me and went inside the house. Not wanting to see everyone yet, I sat out on the rocking chair.

“Listen, you idiots. If that ever happens again, I will assign a whole new team and have you all working as researchers. She has saved this girl more than everyone one of you combined. Fucking think next time. Some go with Lacie and the others stay and help. It’s not that complicated. If we lose her, our chances of completing this mission seriously diminish. She is the only one who can stay that close to her at all times. I can’t believe you fucking idiots.” Trevor went on screaming. I’d never heard him say “fuck” so much in one conversation. I might be rubbing off on him.

“Screw off, Trevor. If you were that concerned, why didn’t you just go help her? We told you where she was.” I heard a loud thud and looked inside the window. Trevor stood over Brock’s body as Brock lay unconscious on the floor. Trevor turned to the face the rest of his brothers.

“You all know I am not allowed to leave Lacie’s side. If it wasn’t for me having to meet with the council today, I would have been there anyways. It’s pathetic that the one time I can’t be in Lacie’s shadow, you guys are given a chance to make a decision, you make the wrong one. Do anymore of you have an opinion on anything I’ve said here?”

“No,” they said in unison. I didn’t try in the least bit to hide my smirk as I walked past them to get to my room upstairs. It was usually me that was getting lectured, so it was nice to see someone else on the tail end.

When I got to my room, Lacie was sitting on the bed in tears.

“Thank god,” she said as I came into the room. She rose off the bed and gave me a bear hug.

“What happened after I left?”

“Not a whole lot…just found out that I have a bounty on my head, and some of my old class mates are trying to collect on it.”

“Oh no. Drake?” she asked.

“Not yet.”

“How do you know?”

“Well, he told me.”

“So he was there but didn’t attack you?”

“Right. Weird, I know.”

“Too bad I didn’t get to stick around. I would have liked to see his face again.” She laughed, and it was nice to see the smile come out of the tears.

“I’m sorry about your friend.”

“Thank you. I didn’t know him super well, but either way, he didn’t deserve that.” She began to choke up again. “Is it terrible that I’m use to this now?” she asked, and I shook my head. She’d lost everyone she’d ever been close to except for Trevor and me. “So, does this mean we have to leave again?”

“I don’t think so. It seems they were just after me, not you yet. As they only attacked after all the Guardians left me.”

“Assholes. They really need to get over this grudge they have towards you.”

“I doubt that will happen. It’s hard to erase years of hate that quickly.”

“You did.”

“That’s different.”

“I don’t really see how. You were supposed to collect my soul, and you didn’t, and now you’re working with people you were trained to fight against. It’s the same. If anything, it’s easier for them as they’re still doing the same job where yours has changed completely.” She had me with the last point; I was the one who changed career paths.

“I work with them, but that doesn’t mean I like it, and it was all only for you because I know you’re not supposed to be on my list. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have flipped sides. I haven’t really even flipped sides. When it comes to anyone other than you, I still hold my values.”

“So you’re saying if you were given a list of souls right now, you’d collect them?”

“In a heartbeat.” She laughed

“Well, don’t tell them that.”

“I won’t as long as you don’t tell Trevor I saw Drake today. I didn’t want to get him even more worked up. He’ll go all into, he’s a distraction, blah blah.”

“Like you did with Catherine,” she rebutted.

“That’s different. They actually dated. Drake and I have never even been friends.”

“But you did make out.”

“Lacie…”

“Fine, I’ll let it go.”

“Thank you.”

“So because of what happened today, does that mean you’re staying with me tonight?”

“Yes, but I wanted to ask you a favor.”

“Anything.”

“I got a note from Dave today. I think he might have information on my mom. Can you help me convince Drake to have you guys go with me today? That way, I’m not leaving you alone, but I can still see what he wanted to tell me.”

“Sounds good to me. Trevor will be an issue though, but I’ll think on it a bit.”

Chapter Seven

Family Fun

“You’re seriously leaving her side?” Trevor accused when he saw my outfit. I was back in my normal Reaper gear that I always put on the second I walked through the door. It was just so much more comfortable, and it reminded me of being home.

“Yes, but I’ve decided to let you guys come with me. If you behave, that is.”

“Behave?” he asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“Yes, behave. I have a friend joining us.”

“A Reaper?” he asked, and I nodded

“Absolutely not. You’re not bringing Lacie around a Reaper. Did you forget that Reapers just tried to kill you?”

“It’s not just any Reaper, it’s Dave. So relax”

“I don’t care who it is.”

“Well, either you come with me or I leave alone.”

“I want to go,” Lacie chirped in. “We owe it to Cendall to help her brainstorm on this.”

“Brainstorm on what?” he asked.

“Seriously…do you guys not talk?” Lacie laughed. We really hadn’t spoken much since before I’d saved his life. The only thing we ever really discussed was Lacie. Could be my fault for telling him I didn’t want to be his friend, but I didn’t. It just complicated things. “We’re going to try and help her figure out who her mother is.”

“Your mother? I thought you told us she died during your birth?”

“I did, but at court, my dad told me that I needed to find out more about her in order to find out more about myself.”

“Do you think it has something to do with why you have Guardian powers along with your Reaper abilities?”

“Yes, figuring it out could help me better protect Lacie. Once I know who she was, then I might know exactly what powers I have. I can use them to better protect her from the Demons and, myself, from my colleagues.” That would get him, anything to enhance our mission.

“Fine.” Bingo. “But not for long. I thought Alicia was supposed to be helping you with that?”

“So did I, but she’s been busy I guess.” I’d asked her once if she knew anything about my mother, and all she said was that she probably came from her side, but that there were so many Guardians who were killed in protecting souls from Reapers and Demons that she wouldn’t know where to start. She said that, even though that seemed like the most obvious answer, my mother could have been half-human, half-Guardian and not known about her Guardian side. As, sometimes, when Guardians mate with humans, the child’s Guardian traits remain dormant. The same happened to Reaper children sometimes, but it was rare, and that child was always left to be raised on earth, never knowing it was half-Reaper. So, that left the possibilities of who my mother could be in the thousands. Like every other encounter I’d had with her, Alicia was vague and left me more confused. In fact, she hasn’t returned since that conversation.

When we first got there, Trevor insisted on taking Dave’s scythe. Dave gave it to him with ease. He never liked tension anyway.

“I’m so glad you agreed to meet with me,” Dave said when I arrived. “I’ve missed you, and so much has happened”

“I’ve missed you too, but do you seriously know how much trouble you can get in for associating with me? Apparently, I’m a wanted woman these days.” I laughed, trying to brush it off

“Yeah, Drake told me about that. Good thing he didn’t accept, then I
might
have been worried. I was quite pleasantly surprised he said ‘no’. When he said no I gave him the note figuring he’d eventually give it to you and then let me know. Luckily I was right. Maybe he’s still hoping to take you down the aisle.”

“Not funny,” I said as he squeezed me up into a hug. I sank into him, and a wave of ease rolled over my shoulders. His hugs always did this to me, making me almost feel like I was home.

“I think it is.” He smiled, breaking away from our embrace and bringing me back to my hell on earth. “Speaking of weddings, I’m totally ready to get down on one knee. Chloe is so wonderful. I love everything about her—her eyes, smell, taste, and even her laugh. I would have already asked her, but she just graduated, and apparently, it’s not normal for people to get married at eighteen on earth,” he swooned.

“I’m glad to hear that. Means at least one of my bad deeds was worth it.” Chloe and her sister were two of the souls on my list that I didn’t collect. Unlike Lacie, they were probably supposed to be there, but I just couldn’t do that to Dave. When I saw his class ring on her finger while her family’s car was falling over the bridge into the river below, I panicked and returned one of the many favors I owed Dave. Growing up, he was my only friend, and the only one who didn’t pick on me. I think I’d known subconsciously that I was never going to collect Lacie’s soul, so what was one broken rule in letting Dave’s girlfriend live?

“A millions times worth it. I still owe you so much for that. I will forever be paying you back for that.”

“Don’t worry about it. If we really tallied it all up from how many times you defended me back home, I owe you at least forty more girlfriends’ lives,” I laughed.

“Well, I’ll only be requiring one, but we’re not here to talk about me. So, I came today to help brainstorm on who your mother was. Tell me what you have so far, and then I’ll let you know what I’ve been working on. ”

“I don’t even know where to start, and I’m starting to really wonder what the point of this really is. She’s dead.”

“She might have had some family though. I’m sure they’d want to know you,” Lacie chimed in.

“Meh… I don’t know. Normally, I wouldn’t have even bothered with this. I mean, I went eighteen years without really having a clue about who she was.” Secretly, I think I was mad at her for being so stubborn that she didn’t have me back in our realm so I could have had a mother. “My dad, though, he wouldn’t have said that at the court house that day if there wasn’t a point to it. He wasn’t one to waste words.”

“That’s what I was thinking too, which is why I’ve done a little bit of digging since all of this happened, and I found some clues. They’re not much, so don’t get too excited, but I figured any little bit could help.” Dave looked at Trevor.

“Of course, go on,” Trevor said as I watched his shoulders finally relax. He’d learn to trust Dave; it really was just unnatural not to. Just the look of Dave made you want to squeeze him. He had big, soft, teddy bear brown eyes and a short, stocky frame. His short dirty blonde hair was cut short and neat, just like his appearance. Despite his stockiness, nothing about him was intimating. He was just one of those people you could take a look at and know you could trust him.

“Well, as Drake told you, Cendall, since the trial, no one seen your dad, so I thought I’d start there. I started asking my dad about his childhood, since he and your dad were close, so we could maybe get the timeframe of when your dad met your mom. At first, he was hesitant, but I stressed how I only wanted to know because it would help me grieve over the family I grew up with. That got him talking. He said he and your dad grew up together. He said after they’d collect souls that, sometimes, they’d go out to bars and such, and he went into a couple of long, crazy night stories. The thing that was weird though is that he said Herald use to go with them.”