Authors: Alicia Dean
His ears rang, and pain exploded from his shoulders through his back, but he summoned his waning strength and wrenched the bat from Scott’s hands. He pulled the bat back over his shoulder, preparing to swing for a home run. A crack like fireworks sounded, and a searing pain burned through his midsection.
He whirled to find Veronica—a human Veronica—holding a gun. He dropped in a dizzying, pain-filled heap to the floor. Damn her. When he recovered from the bullet wound, there’d be hell to pay.
He lay on the ground, sucking in gulps of air. Veronica loomed in his vision, holding a roll of copper. “Lift him up for me,” she said to Scott.
Scott tugged him upright, and Veronica rolled the copper around him while Dimitri gasped for breath.
After several moments, the pain subsided. The bullet wound had healed. But he was as helpless as before. More so now. The copper insured that.
“What are you going to do?” Dimitri demanded. “You can’t kill me.”
“No,” Veronica said. “But we can keep you here while Gaylen finishes it. Finishes her.”
Panic welled in his chest, but he forced calm into his voice. “You must really want this badly, to turn human like you did.”
Veronica bent down and put her lips to his. He couldn’t feel her, but just knowing she was that close almost made him gag. “I want to destroy her—watch you suffer—more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”
“So, what’s the plan? What’s going to happen?” Dimitri tried to make the question sound casual, but inside he was screaming with fear for Audra. His mind raced to formulate a plan. But he was as helpless as a newborn. Audra was at Gaylen’s mercy.
“What do you
think
is going to happen?” Veronica’s full lips curved into a malicious smile. “Gaylen is finally going to have what he’s always wanted. Revenge on you. And a woman to replace the one you stole from him.”
~*~
Gaylen was waiting for Audra in her living room when she arrived home from running errands.
“It’s time,” he said.
She removed her coat and hung it in the foyer closet. Her fingers shook so badly, she almost couldn’t get it on the hanger. “No. Not yet. I haven’t had a chance to get Dimitri to turn human. You won’t be safe.”
“Oh, but I will. I decided to take matters with Dimitri into my own hands. With a little help from friends.”
“What have you done?” A chill wound through her stomach.
“Not for you to worry about. You and I have our own business to settle.”
She took a deep, fortifying breath and inclined her head in a nod. “Okay. Then this is it.”
“Any last preparations? You have everything in order?”
“I’ve written notes to the people I love.” She hadn’t, because she didn’t intend to die. But she thought it made her sound more sincere. “I’d like to freshen up a bit. Change clothes. I mean, if you’re going to take me, I want to be dressed properly for the journey.”
He laughed. “You’re such a delight, Audra. Eternity with you is going to be fantastic.” He patted her on the butt. “Go. I’ll give you a few minutes, but don’t take too long. I’m running out of patience.”
She left the room and went into her bedroom to change clothes. She dressed in black workout pants and a Brett Favre jersey. She wanted to be comfortable, loose, and free to move quickly. From the nightstand, she retrieved a switchblade and slipped it into her bra. It wasn’t likely Gaylen would search her. He was so egotistical, so beyond the scope of reality, it would probably never occur to him that she herself might try to harm him. In his mind, if Dimitri was out of the way, he was home free.
Dimitri...what had Gaylen done to him? He hadn’t killed him, surely. Dimitri wouldn’t let himself be caught unaware, as a human, and killed by Gaylen.
She couldn’t think about that now. She had other issues to deal with.
When she returned to the living room, Gaylen ran his gaze up and down her attire. “Are you kidding me? I thought you’d wear something sexy for me.”
“This is comfortable. I’m nervous. I thought wearing my favorite jersey would help me relax.”
He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “What do I care? I’m not after your body. Although...” His eyes once more swept over her. “I must say, you do have a lovely body.” He stepped closer and brushed her hair back from her face. She felt it…he’d turned human. With the tip of one finger, he stroked her neck. “This, however, is my favorite body part. So soft, so delicate.” He cupped his hand around her neck. “Pardon me if I seem distracted, but I have to keep track of my breaths, so I’ll know when I’ll turn back to reaper form. Just before, well, you know what happens then. In the meantime, let’s have some fun.”
His touch felt clammy on her skin, repulsive. He reeked of some cloying cologne, although she didn’t know how that was possible. He surely hadn’t been wearing cologne when he died. Maybe it was from the last time he turned human? However it had happened, the smell made her want to puke. She swallowed the urge and said, “Just tell me what you want me to do.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. Just leave it all up to me. All you have to do is stand there and look beautiful. And, open your mouth.”
She shuddered and closed her eyes, letting her mouth open slightly. Still holding onto her, he dipped his head and inhaled deeply. “Ah, yes. Your breath is warm, sweet, exhilarating.” He tightened his hold on her neck. “This is going to be the best night of my existence.”
~*~
Veronica had turned back to reaper form. That meant nearly an hour had passed. That meant Audra was in deep trouble while Dimitri sat, helpless, useless. He clenched his eyes shut. There had to be a way. Had to be something he could do. He couldn’t let Gaylen take Audra.
Veronica bent toward him, stroking her fingers along his jawline. “You could have had it all. I’d have loved you forever. You didn’t need to get mixed up in the human world. There’s nothing for you there but heartache. I wasn’t enough for you, though, was I?”
When he didn’t answer, she reached down and took hold of his shirt, tugging until the buttons popped. She raked her fingernails down his chest, gouging his skin, drawing blood. He flinched at the stinging pain.
Scott slowly circled him, his face twisted in a malicious smile. “You and that bitch will finally get what you deserve. She made me kill Joel. He was like my own son.”
Dimitri laughed. “Even after death, you’re blaming others for what you did, you sick fuck.”
Scott bent down next to Veronica, attempting to infuse menace in his voice. “The only thing I hate is that you don’t get to watch her die. I would really like that. If you had to watch your woman die.”
Dimitri stretched his mouth in a humorless smile. “When I get loose, asshole, you’ll be my first.”
“First? What are you talking about, first?” He looked to Veronica, whose lips were pursed in amusement. “What’s he talking about?”
“You’ll be the first one he goes after, darling. And in your novice state, he’ll be able to truly make you suffer.”
Scott’s face blanched, and he swallowed audibly. “You didn’t tell me that. He won’t get loose, will he? Can’t we just keep him like that forever?”
Veronica opened her mouth to reply, but there was a commotion at the door, and she looked over Dimitri’s shoulder. Her fair skin paled even further. “Oh, no. It can’t be.”
Dimitri twisted his head to find Cassie and Samuel barging into the room. Relief coursed through him. Samuel was impervious to copper. Help had arrived.
“What the fuck is this?” Scott asked. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you what’s going on,” Veronica spat. “We’re screwed.”
Cassie shot over to Scott and shoved him hard. He went flying backward and landed with a thud against the wall.
“What the...? How did she do that?”
“You’re still in training,” Cassie said. “I just graduated. You’re mine, bitch.”
Scott looked to Veronica. “Can’t you do something? You can handle this cunt, can’t you?”
“I can,” Veronica said. “But Samuel here...he’s a different story. It’s over, Scott. Let’s just hope Gaylen has taken care of his little task. Then, none of this will matter.”
Dimitri glared up at her. “You better hope, for your sake, that’s not true.”
Samuel frowned at Scott. “I’m not sure how you made it into the program. Not sure how they decided anything in
you
was redeemable. Maybe it was your love for your children. You’re still in the probationary period. It’s not too late to revoke the offer. One more misstep, and I’ll send your ass straight to hell.”
Scott glowered but didn’t respond as Samuel went over to Dimitri and began unwinding the copper.
“You okay?” Samuel asked.
“Yeah, fine.” The wounds Veronica had inflicted were already starting to heal. “How did you find me?”
“Cassie knew you were looking for Veronica. When she couldn’t reach you, she became concerned. She came to me. For a little slip of a girl, she has a lot of tenacity.”
Dimitri smiled. “She does, indeed. What will you do with those two?” He jerked his head to where Veronica and Scott looked on.
“Some punishment fitting their transgression. They’re so fond of one another, maybe I’ll bind them together in copper together for half a century.”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing that.” Dimitri smiled. Once he was free of the copper, he stood, then stuck his hand out to Samuel. “Thanks for coming. I guess this makes us even.”
Samuel returned the handshake. “You saved my wife and daughter from a horrifying death. I don’t think unwrapping you quite equals that.”
“If I get to Audra in time to save her, trust me, it will.”
~*~
“Five-hundred ninety-two. Five-hundred ninety-three.” Gaylen rubbed his lips along Audra’s cheek. “Did I tell you how I’m going to do it? How I’m going to put you in jeopardy?” He slid his hand up and gripped her neck, then stroked his thumb along her skin. “I’m going to squeeze the life from your pretty, silky smooth neck. I’ve fantasized about that for years.”
Audra shuddered. She’d been waiting for an opportunity to pull the knife, but so far, Gaylen hadn’t given it to her. He’d stayed glued right to her, counting, touching her, giving her the heebie jeebies. She had to figure out a way to distract him, to gain some distance.
“Hey,” she whispered. “I heard everything is better, more intense, after you’ve tasted human breath.”
“That’s right.”
“You should take advantage of this moment. Have a drink, now that you can really enjoy it. I still have some scotch left.”
He lifted his brows. “A drink actually sounds fantastic. I like the way you think.” He stepped back. “Don’t move. I got this. I know where you keep the liquor. Be right back.”
As soon as he went into the kitchen, Audra took the switchblade from her bra. Her skin was so damp with perspiration, the blade almost slipped from her hand. She hoped she could hold onto it long enough to plunge it into the asshole’s black, evil, human heart.
He returned in moments, a glass of scotch held in his fist. He sipped slowly. “This is amazing. I almost forgot what I’d been missing out on.” Releasing a satisfied sigh, he slowly approached her. “Now, where were we?”
Fear uncoiled in her belly. It was now or never. She wouldn’t have another opportunity. She brought the knife up and flicked it open. “Right here, asshole.”
His eyes widened, then, he smiled. “You don’t actually think—”
She thrust her arm forward, plunging the knife into his chest. He let out a
whoompf
, then dropped to his knees.
Her legs trembled. Her entire body shook.
Oh my God.
She’d killed a man. She’d actually killed a man. She sank to the floor, closing her eyes. She should feel some sort of remorse, but she didn’t. Just an overwhelming sense of unreality, of relief.
An inhuman growl made her snap her eyes open. Gaylen was coming to his feet, his face twisted in rage. And, he was far from dead.
Gaylen staggered toward her, blood pouring from his chest, the knife held in his grip. “You bitch. You tricked me again,” he panted. “Our eternity together was going to be fun. Now, I’ll spend it making you suffer. After I gut you.”
She scrambled to her feet and backed away. How many breaths did he have left? She’d lost count. Maybe if she could stay out of his way, he’d return to reaper form before he could—
He lunged toward her, and she stumbled backward, barely staying out of his reach. Terror thudded through her heart, cutting off her breath. “Gaylen, please. I—”
A crashing sounded at the door, but Audra couldn’t look, couldn’t take her eyes off Gaylen. If she did, he’d surely kill her.
“Leave her alone!” a voice boomed. Dimitri’s voice.
Gaylen whirled. “What the fuck? How did you…?”
Thank God, he was here. But what could he do as long as Gaylen was human. Unless…
Gaylen was in jeopardy. Could Dimitri reap him? Would he?
On the heels of those thoughts, a horrifying realization dawned. Dimitri hadn’t just
appeared
. He’d slammed the door open. She looked at him and could tell…he was human.
And Gaylen had a knife.
Fear turned her blood to ice. She looked around for something to use as a weapon, but saw nothing. The fireplace poker? Why wasn’t it next to the fireplace?
Think
.
A tortured bellow rose, and she whipped her head around to see Dimitri gripping Gaylen’s wrist, the one that held the knife. Dimitri’s jaw was clenched, his arms trembling from the effort to overpower Gaylen. They battled for dominance for several terrifying moments.
Audra froze, unable to move, to think.
Shaking her head, she cast her gaze around the room, rushed to the fireplace, frantically searched for the poker. What had she done…
She spotted it, lying on the carpet next to the hearth. Snatching it up, she raced to where Dimitri and Gaylen still struggled. “Let him go,” she shouted.
Dimitri flicked a glance at her, but Gaylen ignored her. She lifted the poker, aiming for Gaylen’s head, but the two men crashed into the coffee table, Dimitri on top. No way she could hit Gaylen without hurting Dimitri. Tears filled her eyes. Who was the stronger of the two? Gaylen was bigger…could Dimitri possibly overpower him, especially when Gaylen held the knife?
She headed toward the men, looking for an opening where she could…
The knife thrust upward, and she gasped. Dimitri sliced the blade across Gaylen’s throat, and her knees weakened with relief. A gaping wound appeared, and Gaylen’s hands flew to his neck. Blood spouted from between his fingers. He swayed, eyes wide, then crumpled to the floor and went still.
Dimitri let the knife fall from his grip and rose, rushed over to Audra. He hugged her to him, his hands sticky with blood that smeared her jersey, but she didn’t care. She clung tightly to him.
“What were you thinking,” he whispered against her hair. “You could have died.”
“I just wanted to stop him.” Her voice was muffled in his chest.
He pulled back to look into her face. “And you thought you could do that on your own?”
“I almost did.”
“Yes, you almost did.” He stroked a hand down her cheek, and she shivered at his warm touch. “You were pretty incredible.”
“So were you.”
His gaze roamed over her face. “I’m just glad I made it here in time.”
“Me too,” she said. “Everything turned out fine. It’s over.”
A scowl creased his brows. “Not entirely over, I’m afraid. I have some unsettling news.”
“What?”
“While we might have taken care of Gaylen, Veronica’s still out there and she has a partner.” He frowned. “Scott Bellafonte.”
“Scott? Scott’s a…” She shook her head. “He’s a reaper?”
“I’m afraid so. He and Veronica held me hostage so I couldn’t stop Gaylen from taking you.” His arms tightened around her. “If Samuel and Cassie hadn’t…” He closed his eyes and shook his head, then opened them to stare down at her. “I don’t know what I’d have done if anything happened to you.”
He bent his head forward, and her eyes drifted shut as his mouth touched hers. His lips were warm, seeking. She opened to him, surrendering to his kiss. She pressed closer and wound her hands behind his neck.
She knew as she drank in his kiss that, in spite of everything, she loved him. He hadn’t
killed
Jaxon. He took Jaxon’s soul to a better place, after his body was already dead. She was crushed, heartbroken over the loss, but Jaxon would be gone either way. It wasn’t Dimitri; it was Veronica and Gaylen. And Dimitri had taken care of Gaylen. Like he’d taken care of everything else since he came into her life. Doing the best he could. Loving her.
She wouldn’t lose him. She wanted him, flaws and all. Admittedly, reaping souls was a big hurdle, but one she could live with. As long as she had him.
“I love you, Dimitri,” she whispered against his lips.
He pulled back, his eyes searching hers. “You love me?”
“Yes. I don’t care if you’re a reaper. Don’t care what the future holds. I can’t fight it any longer. I love you.”
He smiled and brushed her hair back with his fingers, then cupped her face, planting a kiss on her lips. “Hold that thought. I have to go see Samuel and report on what happened with Gaylen. But I’ll be back.”
She nodded, then turned to look at Gaylen’s body. “You’ll do something about that before you go, right?”
He laughed. “Of course. I’ll take care of it, then take care of Samuel, and be back in no time.”
Audra nodded, her heart lifting with joy as she reluctantly released him. “See you soon.”
~*~
Dimitri stood before Samuel, resisting the urge to tap his foot in impatience. That would be a sign of disrespect, and although Samuel was excruciatingly slow, and Dimitri was itching to get back to Audra, he at least owed the man respect.
“You’ve done well, Dimitri. You deserve rest, yet you have over forty years left on your sentence.”
Dimitri nodded. “This is true. But, what can you do? I’ll make the best of it.”
“I’ll tell you what I can do. What I did.” A beaming white smile appeared in his dark skin. “I’ve commuted your sentence. You can finally move on. It’s time for you to have peace.”
“Commuted my sentence?” A crushing weight settled in Dimitri’s soul.
“Yes.” Samuel frowned. “What’s the matter? You don’t seem pleased. This is what you’ve wanted for nearly three-hundred years.”
Dimitri tried to keep the emotion from his voice as he spoke. “I thought it was what I wanted until I met Audra. I’ll never have peace if I don’t have her.”
Samuel closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened them, Dimitri could see sadness in their depths. “I’m sorry, son. It is done.”
~*~
Audra filled a bucket with soap and water and used a sponge to scrub Gaylen’s blood from her floor. This wasn’t something she’d be reporting to Shane. She couldn’t imagine trying to explain that one.
Not only did the task need doing, she had to keep herself busy until Dimitri returned. She thought about calling Riley. They had a lot to discuss. Audra needed to decide how much she should tell her friend about what went down today. Knowing about reapers was one thing. Hearing the violent, dangerous details of the day’s events was quite another.
“Hey, I think you got it all.”
Audra smiled at the sound of Dimitri’s voice. She hadn’t heard him come in. She stood and dropped the sponge, then the rubber gloves into the bucket.
“I’m glad you’re back.” She walked toward him and held up a hand, palm out. Dimitri lifted his and pressed it to hers. The cool sizzle traveled to her and she smiled. “I know we can’t touch,” she said. “But just being with you will work for now.”
“Nothing makes me happier than being with you.”
The words were positive, but his tone held a touch of something not so positive. Maybe it was her imagination.
“How did it go with Samuel?”
“Samuel was very pleased. He’s rewarding me.”
“That’s great. What will your reward be?” Hope lit in her heart. “Will he let you become human forever?”
“No. He’s given me what I wanted from the beginning.”
She frowned. “What did you want?”
He hesitated, then said, “Do you remember what I told you at the tree that day?”
She thought back. “You said...you wanted peace. You wanted to go on. To meet your destiny. “ A lump of pain clogged her chest as she remembered. “To die.”
“That’s right.”
She stared at him incredulously. “Dying? Dying’s your
reward
? That’s bullshit.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No.” She shook her head violently. “Tell him that’s not what you want. You changed your mind. You can’t leave me.”
“It’s too late. It’s done.”
“
No
.” Tears crowded her throat. “There has to be something you can do.”
“Kind of ironic, huh? Now that I finally have something to live for, I have to die.”
“It’s not fair,” she said, realizing how childish she sounded and not caring.
“He did grant me one last favor. I can turn human once more, and I want to spend that time with you.”
“Once more? That’s it?”
He reached out and cupped her cheek, brushing tears away with his thumb. She could feel him. He’d turned human. That meant the clock was ticking.
She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. “One lousy hour? That’s all we’ll ever have?”
“I’m afraid so.” His words rumbled against her ear. “But we’ll make the most of it. You remember what you told me you wanted? You said you wanted to sit on a porch swing and hold hands with the man you love. Grow old with him.”
“Right.” She sniffed back tears. “And now, that’s not going to happen.”
“I can’t do anything about the growing old part, but I can take care of the rest.”
She pulled back to stare up at him. “What do you mean?”
“Come on.” He took hold of her hand and tugged. “It the middle of the night, but I think this could still work.”
He led her outside. The sky was black except for the smattering of white-blue stars and the glow of the moon. Cool air nipped her flesh. She should have brought a jacket, but Dimitri’s hand in hers provided all the warmth she needed.
They walked down the block, past a few houses, until he stopped in front of one and led her to the porch.
“There,” he said, pointing proudly at a wooden swing.
“This isn’t my house. We can’t just—”
“They won’t mind. They’re not even home.”
She followed him, and he settled on the swing, then pulled her down with him. Putting his arm around her, he tucked her into his side. “This is all we have now. Let’s enjoy it for however many breaths I have left. We’re too late to watch the neighborhood go dark, I’m afraid.”
Anguish squeezed the breath from her, and all she could do was nod. She tried to blink back tears, but they ran in warm streams down her cheeks. Her heart was breaking and she had to hold onto these last few moments, wanted to enjoy them, but she couldn’t stem the flow of tears. She couldn’t believe this would be all she had left of Dimitri.
Feeling his warmth, the comforting weight as he rested his chin on her hair, she snuggled in close to him and whispered, “Breathe slowly please.”
~*~
“It’s almost time.” Dimitri’s words were soft, but the message ripped a jagged wound in her heart.
She nodded, unable to speak around the tears blocking her throat. He stood and took her hand, pulling her to her feet.
They walked in silence, halting when they reached her yard. She looked up at him. “I can’t believe this is it. That I’ll really never see you again.” Her voice choked on the words, and tears spilled down her face.
Dimitri kissed the moisture from her cheeks and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’ll see me one day. When you cross to the other side.”
Cross to the other side? Did he think that was
comforting
? She shook her head in disbelief. “That’s not good enough. I can’t live like this. I’ll still see reapers, but none of them will be you. How can I deal with that?”
His lips tilted in a sad grin. “Because, you’re strong and brave. You have a lot of living to do, Audra. You’ll find someone to love and he’ll give you the children you’ve always wanted.”
Her breath caught on a sob. “I’ll never love like this again.”
Narrowing his eyes, he cupped her face in his hands. “I’ll carry that thought with me. And it will sustain me through eternity.”
Pain wrenched her gut. Her voice dropped to a tortured whisper. “No, please. I can’t let you go.”
“I’m sorry.” The anguish in his expression mirrored that in her soul. “I only have a few seconds left. Goodbye, my beautiful Audra.” He placed a tender kiss on her lips.