Authors: Alicia Dean
“You want me to offer myself?”
“No!” The word came out in a sharp bark. “It would be much too dangerous.”
“But you’re saying I could tempt him to turn human? That he would do it for me?” Funny how they both claimed the other would turn human for her.
“
The only way he can sample your breath is to become human. And that is probably the one thing he’d feel was worth the risk
.
”
He frowned
.
“
But I’ll take care of him without your help. No more innocent lives should be lost. This has to end. Once I’m rid of him, not only will your loved ones be safe, but I can then serve out the remainder of my sentence in peace
.
”
“Your sentence?”
He nodded. “Reapers are required to serve for a hundred years.”
“But you’ve been a reaper for much longer.”
“Yes, well. When we go against reaper rules, they add time to our sentence.”
No surprise that he’d broken rules. “What happens when your sentence is done?”
“I go away. Really go away. Forever. To whatever destiny awaits me. But, if I’ve served well, it will be better than the one that awaited me in my human death.”
A splinter of dread entered her chest at the thought of him disappearing from her life, forever. But that was ridiculous. That was precisely what she wanted. If she never encountered another reaper, she’d be beyond thrilled.
“Trust me,” she said. “I’d be willing to take the risk if it meant getting rid of Gaylen. If I knew for sure it would work, and I would survive.”
“I can’t involve a human in this. It’s my responsibility.”
“So, if he did become human, what then?”
“I become human, and I kill him.”
“What if he kills you?”
His lips tilted in a grin. “That’s not going to happen.”
In spite of the cocky bravado, she saw a flicker of something in his eyes. Uncertainty? Fear?
“But what if it does?”
“Then you’ll still be rid of me.”
She didn’t like the slight ache his words brought. “But Gaylen would still be around. More destructive than ever, because you wouldn’t be here to stop him, right?”
“Right.”
“Not exactly a win-win situation for me. No matter what, I’m stuck with one of you.”
His expression darkened, his eyes looking wounded for a moment, then it was quickly gone. She couldn’t have hurt his feelings, could she? He didn’t have feelings, right? Before she could decide whether to apologize, her phone rang.
She smiled when she saw Shane’s number on the display. “Excuse me,” she said to Dimitri before answering the call.
“Hi Audra,” Shane said. “Just checking in with you. Letting you know I heard from Maria.”
“Did you? Is she okay?”
“She’s good. Still at her friend’s. I told her it’s best not to contact you, or anyone else here, in case asshole’s watching or listening. I figured speaking through me would be safe.”
“Thanks for letting me know she’s okay.”
“I didn’t want you to worry.”
“That was thoughtful of you.”
His voice turned husky. “I have a lot of thoughts. Want to hear more?”
“Are you flirting with me, Sheriff?” She flushed as her gaze shot to Dimitri. His face was averted, but she could see he wore a scowl.
“Guilty,” Shane said.
She laughed, feeling lighthearted and liking it. A nice change compared to the darkness and death surrounding Dimitri.
“I’m kind of in the middle of something,” she told Shane. “Maybe we can continue this another time.”
“Sure. But before I let you go, would you like to go to the costume party with me?
“The hospital party?”
“Yeah. Unless you already have a date.”
“No date.”
“Then?”
“I’d love to.”
“Pick you up at seven. You’ll have to tell me what you’re going as, though, so I won’t take the wrong girl.”
She laughed. “When I figure it out, I’ll be sure to let you know.” She hung up and drew in a deep, fortifying breath. Back to Dimitri and the surreal discussion of how to destroy a reaper.
~*~
The girl clawed at Barney’s hands, to no avail. He held on tight as he rode her. She tried to scream, but his grip restricted her throat, and no sound came out.
Yes.
God, yes. This was it, the ultimate. Not just a street-worn runaway, this one. She was someone’s darling, pampered...protected. She would be missed. His breathing sped up, and he pumped harder, squeezing her neck more tightly with each thrust. Tears streamed down her perfect cheeks. Her big green eyes widened with pain and terror. Her white-blonde hair was drenched in sweat. He’d never seen anything more beautiful.
Too soon, it was going to end. The pressure was building, and he wouldn’t hold out much longer. Nothing had ever felt like this, nothing had given him such a rush...such a high...
There. Yes. He felt the life drain from her body as he drained inside her. He went limp, dropping down on her corpse while he struggled to catch his breath. Not an easy task. He felt as though a boulder was pressing against his midsection.
He rolled off her and clasped his chest. His heart was pounding too fast. That could be dangerous. But so worth it.
For now, he’d rest. Then he’d go through the ritual of erasing his presence. Not the usual procedure this time. No motel room for this one. He hadn’t been able to lure her with promises of a nice, warm bed like he had the others. She had that at home.
He had no fingerprints to wipe away, not out here in the woods. Nowhere to flush the condom, either. Not to worry. He’d get rid of it another way.
For the first time, he’d actually killed someone, right here at home, in Boon Springs.
Risky. Exciting. The thought brought a sharp pang to his heart. He fumbled for his pants and the pill bottle in the pocket.
Swallowing a couple of the small white tablets, he lay back on the grass, waiting until the nitro did its magic.
He turned his head so he could stare at her, while she stared up at the night sky. His chest filled with the wonder of it all. He hadn’t expected to run into her. Hadn’t expected such an opportunity to present itself. But, when offered a gift, you don’t question it. You just accept it.
~*~
“Sorry,” she said. “Where were we?”
“Gaylen,” he nearly growled the word. “No one is safe unless I figure out a way to stop him, permanently.”
“There’s no way other than him turning human?”
Dimitri shrugged. “Or binding him with copper indefinitely. But that’s not a guarantee. Another reaper can come along at any time, turn human, and free him.”
“What if your sentence ends and Gaylen is still around?”
“Then it will be up to someone else to end him.”
She shivered, imagining Gaylen free to take souls at will, without Dimitri to slow his demented quest. “How much time is left on your sentence?”
“Forty-eight years.”
“Oh.” Much longer than she would have thought. She didn’t like the relief that information brought. Relief that wasn’t entirely due to Dimitri’s ability to protect innocent souls from Gaylen.
What was wrong with her? She didn’t need reapers in her life. Not even ones with glorious sapphire eyes, killer smiles, and the ability to incite tingles in every region of her body.
“I know that being aware of our existence has thrown your world into chaos,” Dimitri said. “You don’t deserve this. If I can destroy Gaylen, I’ll get out of your life. I can’t promise it now, because he’s stalking the people around you. I have to be here.”
“But once he’s destroyed, I’ll stop seeing reapers?”
“Not entirely. I can’t make that stop happening now that the door is open. But you’ll stop seeing me. I’ll make sure I’m not assigned to anyone around you.”
“How can you do that?”
“The guy in charge owes me.”
“God?”
He flashed a smile. “No, not
that
guy in charge. The one who oversees reapers. I’ll tell him not to assign me to anyone near you.”
“And no more pop-in visits?”
“No more.”
“Great.” She tried to infuse the word with enthusiasm, but it sounded flat to her ears.
“Admit it, you’ll miss me.”
She tilted her head and a lock of hair fell on her forehead. Dimitri reached up as if to smooth it back. His touch hovered just beyond her flesh, but she could still feel the energy from his nearness.
“Your hair does that a lot,” he murmured.
She nodded. “Yeah.” It was all she could manage. He was too close. His eyes gazed intently into hers, glittering with an emotion she couldn’t identify. Gaylen’s revelation came back to her.
Dimitri’s in love with you...
Before she could consider the wisdom of the words, she blurted, “Gaylen said you’re in love with me. Is that true?”
His jaw tightened for a moment, then he shrugged and cocked a grin. “Come on, Audra. Does Gaylen ever tell the truth?”
“So, you don’t love me?”
“Love is...” He sighed, shrugged. “Let’s just say it’s an emotion I’m not familiar with.”
She nodded, feeling foolish and strangely disappointed. “Oh. The reaper thing. You can’t love?”
A brief, indefinable emotion came into his eyes, and he shook his head. “It’s not a reaper thing. I wasn’t capable of love when I was human.”
The night of the costume party, Audra was inexplicably nervous. She wasn’t sure if it was because she had a date for the first time in a long time, because a reaper was on a mission to steal her breath, or because another reaper had the ability to steal her breath without even trying.
She eyed herself critically in the mirror. Headband, sequined mid-thigh green dress with fringe hanging from the hem, a blonde bob wig. She wasn’t sure she could pull off the flapper look, but it was too late to change her mind.
She was applying thick, black eyeliner when the bell rang. Finishing it up, she opened the door to Shane, wearing a black tux with a crisp white shirt. His dark hair was slicked down, the hints of gray glinting beneath the porch light, making him look debonair.
“Wow.” They said at the same time, then laughed.
“You look…amazing,” he said. “Great choice. The outfit suits you.”
“Thank you. You look pretty handsome yourself. But who are you supposed to be? Aren’t you really just wearing a fancy tux?”
He looked offended. “You don’t recognize me?” He squinted and lifted a brow. “Bond. James Bond.”
She laughed. “I see. Maybe it’s because I’ve never seen any of the Bond movies.”
“You what?” He clutched his heart. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”
“I’m afraid not. That good, huh?”
“Not just good. A necessity. I’ve got them on DVD. We should get started right away. We need to fix you.”
“I tell you what, I’ll think about it. Deal?”
“Deal.”
He led her to his car and they drove to the Wyandotte mansion. It was the oldest home in Boon Springs and had an interesting—if tragic—history. The leader of the bandits who’d led a massacre on the area settlers had had the home built.
Not long after moving his family into the mansion, each and every one of them had been found dead. Back then, autopsies weren’t performed and no one knew how they’d died. It was assumed they’d succumbed to an illness.
Over the years, other families had lived in the house. Many of them had met a tragic end, others had simply moved out after staying less than a year. Fifty years ago, the town had purchased the home and now used it as more or less a community center, allowing townspeople to rent it out for special occasions.
Tonight, the spacious ballroom was filled nearly to capacity with hospital employees and their guests—which was most of the town, considering every resident was related to or friends with someone affiliated with the hospital.
Spider webs drifted from the ceiling with big, fat, authentic-looking spiders dangling from them. Scattered along the walls and throughout the room were pumpkins, life-size Frankensteins, witches, and other creatures. Sadie would be enthralled. In each corner of the room was a cash bar, along with a refreshment table holding a variety of food choices and large punch bowls with fog rising from them. “Werewolves of London” blared from the speakers.
Next to one of the bars, Audra spotted a group of her co-workers and went over to say hello.
Jaxon looked miserable, trapped by Tonya, who wore an ill-chosen mermaid costume. Wilton wore a blond wig and a shirt with metallic, bronze and black braided designs. Around his ample waist was a belt where a large blue-bladed sword was sheathed.
“Who are you supposed to be?” Audra asked.
“Eragon.” At her confused look, he said, “From the book? Then the movie in ’06? Eragon.”
“Sorry. Never heard of it.”
He shook his head as if disgusted with her ignorance.
Audra turned to Jaxon, who looked magnificent. The gladiator costume showed off his sculpted chest, and he wore it like it was made for him. She could picture him riding in on a steed to rescue a damsel, or brandishing a medieval weapon in a coliseum battle while a princess looked on, hopeful he’d rein victorious and claim her hand.
In spite of how handsome he looked, Audra suddenly realized the sight of him didn’t affect her the way it once did. Somewhere along the way, unrequited love had vanished, making way to deep, intense affection and loyalty, a different kind of love, maybe even beyond what she would have felt for actual family.
“You look fantastic,” she said. “But it’s kind of a cold night for such a...revealing costume.”
“Yeah. Did
not
think that one through.” He brought his hands up to his chest. “I swear, my nipples could cut glass.”
“
Friends
and
Larry the Cable Guy
,” Audra said automatically.
Jaxon scowled. “I wasn’t doing the movie quote thing. My nipples could literally cut glass.”
The group laughed.
Audra took hold of Shane’s arm. “You guys remember Shane, right? Sheriff Dunham.” After the handshakes and greetings were over, she said, “I haven’t seen Mary Lou. Is she here?”
Tonya shook her head. “There’s some problem with her daughter. They’ve been fighting. She wouldn’t come home from her dad’s. Something uninteresting like that.”
“Mary Lou’s absence is no big loss, if you ask me,” Wilton put in.
The music changed and “I Put a Spell on You” began.
“Are they playing anything other than Halloween-themed music?” Audra asked.
“They’re mixing it up some, but not nearly enough,” Jaxon said, grimacing. “Shane, mind if I steal your date for a dance?”
“Not at all.”
Jaxon led Audra to the dance floor. “Sorry to drag you away from Marshall Dillon. I had to escape Tonya. She’s brutal.”
“You poor thing,” she said with mock sincerity. “You’d think a big, strong warrior could defend himself against a woman.”
“Yeah, you’d think, wouldn’t you?”
She grinned, relaxing in Jaxon’s arms, relieved that she was free of the emotional grip he’d had on her all these years. She would like to attribute it to her budding relationship with Shane, but she was concerned there was someone else who’d replaced Jaxon in her affections. But she wouldn’t think about him tonight. She wanted just one reaper-free night. Was that too much to ask?
“By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Jaxon said. “Will you be my date for the award ceremony? It’s November seventh.”
“Award ceremony?”
“Yeah, I’m nominated for a humanitarian award.”
“For your work in the free clinic? That’s great. It’s about time you received the recognition you deserve.”
He blushed. “I think they were running out of options for nominees. I was an afterthought.”
“Whatever,” she said. “You’re too modest. You deserve to win. Of course I’ll be your date. I’d be honored.”
The song ended, and Jaxon said, “I’m going to let you rejoin the group on your own. This is my one opportunity to escape.”
“Not a problem. I can find my way back. Good luck.”
When she reached the group where Shane still stood, Tonya craned her neck, looking around and behind Audra. “What happened to Doctor Maroney?”
“He saw someone he knew. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”
Not
, she added silently.
Over the speakers, “It Hurts Me” by Elvis played.
“Would you like to dance?” Shane asked. “If I recall, you like Elvis.”
Audra smiled, pleased and touched that he remembered. “I’d love to.”
~*~
“Hard to watch, isn’t it?”
Dimitri didn’t acknowledge Gaylen as he appeared beside him. His gaze was riveted to the dance floor, where Dunham held Audra so close a straight pin wouldn’t fit between them. The Elvis song ended and, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” began. Shane and Audra remained glued together.
“Come on,” Gaylen prodded. “You can tell me. Must really hurt watching the woman you love with another man. Hey, I get it. Happened to me once, you know?”
“This again?” Dimitri flicked him a glance. “After two-hundred and fifty years, I’d have thought your lamenting would cease.”
Gaylen’s face reddened. “Spoken like a man who’s never loved a woman like I loved Louisa.”
Shane led Audra off the dance floor, his hand resting on the small of her back. Like it belonged there. A band of steel squeezed around Dimitri’s chest. It
did
belong there. After all, it wasn’t as if he could touch her like that. Not very often, at least.
“I wouldn’t think you capable of love, Gaylen.”
Gaylen laughed. “I was, back then. I’ve learned my lesson since, but then I was human...gullible. You took that away that night. I lived another three years, but my humanity died with Louisa. And she died because you had to have her.”
Dimitri tried to ignore the truth in his words, but it was impossible. Louisa’s death was his fault. He’d stolen her from Gaylen—literally stolen the man’s wife—and she’d burned to death in Dimitri’s home. The fire had started from a candle he’d knocked over in a drunken stupor.
Speaking of getting drunk, he wanted a drink in the worst way now, but with all these people around, it would be nearly impossible. How to explain glasses floating in the air, tilting, the liquid disappearing into nothingness?
Gaylen didn’t have the same restraint. For the first time, Dimitri noticed he held a glass. He lifted it to his lips and drained the liquor. Dimitri perused the room, but no one seemed to notice. It was a Halloween party, after all, maybe they’d think it was some kind of spooky trick.
He scanned the crowd until he once more spotted Audra. She and the sheriff were talking to another couple. Dimitri sighed in unwanted relief. At least they weren’t touching. If he had to watch much more of that, he’d throw caution to the wind and have a drink—maybe several—himself.
“That was a long time ago,” Dimitri finally said.
“True. Very true. We’re in the here and now. No use dwelling on the past. No use thinking about Louisa.” Gaylen pointed the glass in Audra’s direction. “Our focus should be on the lovely Audra. Another woman we both want, admittedly for different reasons. Let’s see how you feel when I take her the way you took Louisa.”
Dimitri’s spine tensed. “You’d take Audra just to punish me for Louisa?”
Gaylen threw his head back and laughed. “Come now, my friend. Such a simplified analysis of my reasons for wanting Audra. We both know there’s much, much more. Unlike Louisa, once I take Audra, she’ll be with me forever.” He backed away, tipping the glass to Dimitri.
Dimitri just barely prevented himself from diving into him and beating him senseless. What was the use? It would only provide temporary satisfaction. The problem—the threat to Audra—would remain.
His eyes once more found her, and this time she was alone. A quiver moved through his gut. She was so damned beautiful. He couldn’t let Gaylen destroy her, couldn’t let her spend eternity with a depraved sadist.
Without even realizing he’d moved, he found himself standing in front of her. Her eyes rose to his. Tonight, the emerald dress she wore turned her hazel eyes to a deep, rich green, like the dense foliage in a forest. His body hardened in response to her nearness. He drew in a deep breath.
“Dimitri?” A smile creased her lovely mouth for a moment, then disappeared. “What are you doing here?’
How could he answer that? How could he tell her that he was here because she was? Because every moment he spent away from her felt like dying all over again.
~*~
“I came to enjoy the party.” He inclined his head toward her. “You look stunning.”
Audra’s pulse sped up, and pleasure shot through her bloodstream. She was here on a date with another man—with an
actual
man—and this was the first time tonight she’d felt that giddy soaring of her heart, the thrill of expectation and new love.
Love?
Love
?
Irritation at the unwanted emotions coursed through her, making her want to lash out. “Really? Enjoy the party? What, Dimitri, are you going to socialize? Eat, drink? Dance?” She twisted her mouth. “Oh, wait. You can’t do any of that, can you? You can’t partake of all the normal festivities, because you’re not even real.”
Dimitri flinched, and Audra experienced a moment of regret, before she soothed it with the thought of what he was. What he had done to her life.
“You’re right, Audra. I can’t enjoy all that like you can. Like your date can. Speaking of dates.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and surveyed the room. “Where did yours run off to? That sharp tongue of yours scare him away?”
“I don’t use my tongue on
him
.” Heat shot to her cheeks. The words had sounded much better in her head than they had coming out of her mouth.
Dimitri quirked a brow and laughed. “Pity for him. No wonder he abandoned you.”
Her mouth tensed. Through clenched teeth she said, “You know what I meant. He went to get drinks for us. Would you please just go so he doesn’t return and see me talking to myself?”
“Sure. I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” Dimitri’s intense gaze worked its way from her feet to the top of her head. “He’s a lucky man.”