Death's Widow

by Lori Aisling

  “Ms. Rush is starting up an independent publishing company in Seattle. I have opted to work with her and will be a silent partner in her business. Since the building she will be operating out of is one of my own, I’m requesting you include this new establishment in your security rotations. I am counting on you to keep Ms. Rush and her privacy as protected as you do mine.”

  “Yes, sir. Send me the details and location of the premises and I will have an inspection done immediately.”

  Callon handed the man a manila folder. “You will find all the details and funds for any upgrades you deem necessary.”

  Kye turned his gaze back to me. “It was nice to meet you, Ms. Rush. I look forward to working with you.”

  “Thank you. I am curious, though. Do I know you from somewhere? You seem familiar, somehow.”

  The big man looked closely at me, drawing his brows together. “No, ma’am, I don’t think so. I never forget a face and you are not familiar to me.”

  I waved my hand in the air, as if dismissing the thought. “It’s of no concern. We will get to know one another working together. I hope you like to read, Kyle. I may be recruiting you to critique new releases.”

  Momentarily speechless, his eyes wide, Kyle’s Adam’s apple bobbed and panic crossed his features. “I’m not sure that is within my skill set, ma’am.” He sent a pleading look to Callon, who’s mouth was buried in his palm, disguising a laugh.

  “That will be all, Kyle. Ms. Rush can be quite convincing; you may become a reader, yet.”

  The poor guy nodded once again to me and scurried to the door, closing it firmly behind him. I winked at Callon as I took another sip of my morning brew. “How was that for a newbie’s sway, boss?”

  “Get over here, woman,” he growled, as he pulled me out of my chair. “I am so proud of you. There was absolutely no recognition- at all!”

  I squealed as he swung me in a circle, clinging to his neck, as my lips found his after whispering, “You believed in me. I will keep working hard, I will get better and my business will be an asset to you, not a liability.”

  “You will always be my greatest ass-et,” he said, squeezing my butt cheeks and chuckling. “I love you. Get packed. There is plenty of time in the day for you to take a walk through your old workplace before you see your new venture. I took the liberty of completing a few minor upgrades, I’m sure you won’t mind.”

  “Yes! Let’s go! Wait, what did you do, Callon? I see that sneaky grin.”

  “I know how much you admire a quality desk.”

  His eyes flared with heat and my body responded. There was plenty of time before check-out.

  I walked with confidence alongside Callon into the reception area of my previous employer’s building, making eye-contact with Carol, the administrative assistant who would most likely outlast the owner. She was dedicated, thorough, and efficient. She had aged a bit since the last time I saw her, but her eyes were just as sharp as they were during my tenure.

  “Good afternoon, folks. May I help you?”

  “Yes, ma’am, I would like to schedule an appointment with the head of operations, if that’s possible, please.”

  “Are you a new author interested in our services?”

  “No, my name is Amara Rush and I am in the process of opening a new publishing house right down the street from here. I understand the importance of working closely with other publishers for the betterment of the business as a whole, and I am interested in meeting with the director of your organization and developing a relationship.”

  “Oh! That is wonderful news, Mrs. Rush. I would be thrilled to schedule you.” Her eyes appraised Callon, questioning yet appreciative. “Will your associate be accompanying you? Mr.--”

  “Call me Cal. I will be helping Ms. Rush occasionally, but I have no say in the running of her house. I’m strictly moral support.” He dazzled the woman with a warm smile and I watched her cheeks flush under the attention of the attractive man next to me. Trust me, sister. I know that feeling.

  From there, the opening of the business flowed smoothly. Kyle, or one from his team, made an appearance almost daily; checking video feeds, door locks, and assisting me with setting up the designer furnishings and wall hangings that appeared almost daily, courtesy of my generous benefactor.

  I accepted a pile of completed manuscripts and stayed up late into the night poring over them. Callon plucked a few out of the stack that caught his eye and the two of us spent a quiet evening lost in the worlds created by those who I hoped would become successful authors. There were even a few that read as best-sellers, in my opinion.

  I awoke to a note from my love, and upon rising, took my coffee outside to enjoy the peace and serenity of the wisps in this quiet void. I had been lost in my thoughts when a flash of light brought me back to the present moment.

  The Other Shoe

  Two figures appeared from the glow and began to walk towards me, one of them I would know anywhere; and because of that, I wasn’t concerned about the other.

  “Jophiel. So nice of you to visit. Can I interest either of you in a cup of coffee?” I hid my smirk behind the stoneware mug, knowing the gorgeous angel’s distaste for my favorite beverage.

  Waving her hand in front of her face, as if wishing away something foul, she wrinkled her nose. “Oh God, no, Amara; you know I detest that foul concoction. Do you remember Jeremiel?” she asked, nodding to the man beside her.

  “Of course. We have met numerous times when I have accompanied Callon on his duties.” I smiled at the kind-faced man standing next to Joe.

  “You have gone with him? For God’s sake, why? How is that acceptable?

  “I see no reason why she should not. After all, she is his only beneficiary. Although the odds are great she would never need to, I see nothing wrong with her familiarizing herself with his duties. Besides, Amara has an amazing sway and her ability to placate the mortals is quite extraordinary.”

  The last thing in all the realms Jophiel wanted to hear was compliments directed to me. Although the two of us had somewhat smoothed out our rocky beginnings, there was no love lost between us. She felt robbed of the chance to bond with Callon and I still loathed the fact she once tricked him into a sexual encounter. She rubbed me the wrong way with her self-serving nature and nothing was going to change that.

  “I find it macabre and distasteful. Attending mortal deaths as a way to spend time with your mate belittles his responsibilities,” she huffed as she looked down her nose at me.

  “Thank you for the support, Jeremiel. And Joe, what do you want? If you came here to bicker, I am simply not in the mood. I was having such a peaceful morning. Float away to whatever it is you do and let me be.”

  “Why, you ungrateful little snip! In all my days, I have never-” a nudge to her ribcage courtesy of her companion redirected the irritating and condescending angel. “Ok, ok. The reason we are gracing this depressing realm isn’t a social call, Amara. Jer and I were enjoying tea this lovely morning in the Lord’s kingdom, and-”

  “She means I was enjoying tea while she partook in mimosas.”

  Joe huffed, sending him a sideways glare while I snickered behind my mug. For an archangel, she sure had a hankering for alcohol, regardless of the time of day.

  “Whatever. As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted; we happened to overhear a very disturbing conversation between some seraphim and cherubim. Have you seen Callon yet today?”

  “He was gone when I woke, which is not entirely uncommon. He should return shortly- why?”

  “And you’re sure everything is fine?”

  “Quite sure.” I reached out to our bond and nudged, sending my mate a gentle caress and immediately felt the tingling of his contentment. “Yes, he’s fine.”

  “Did you just speak to him? How does the bond actually work?” she asked, her curiosity genuine.

  “We can’t speak, like telepathy. I can feel him and his emotions and it’s the same for him. He is relaxed- I detec
t no stress or concern. Again, what is this about, Joe? What about the conversation bothered you? If it’s another half-cocked scheme to attempt to whisk me away to Heaven or Hell, you don’t need to worry. The threats against me have decreased immensely. I am just a hair’s breadth away from full control of my power, and it would be extremely difficult for a member of either faction to overwhelm me, even without Callon’s assistance.”

  Joe chewed nervously on her bottom lip, casting a glance in Jeremiel’s direction. His brows were knitted together as he looked at me, and the stress emmiating off the two of them was trying my patience. “Well? Speak up!”

  Jer took the lead and sighed before answering. “That is what makes this entire scenario so perplexing, Amara. The discussion wasn’t about disabling you to siphon your abilities. It appears there is a plan to remove Callon.”

  My blood turned to ice in my veins and I felt my breath catch. I felt a trickle of alarm in our bond as my mate detected my distress, and I quickly calmed myself, forcing reassurance through the link. A flicker of amusement followed- he probably thought I had worked myself up reading one of the new manuscripts.

  “Callon is more powerful than anyone, on either side. He is the counterbalance designed with such strength to keep either faction from gaining advantage. I simply can’t see why this is a concern; I know you two know this.”

  “This is different, Amara,” Joe whispered, floating closer to me as if she feared discovery. “From what we heard, it’s a joint effort from both sides. The Lord’s most powerful beings working with the Lieutenants from hell. The combined power would be unprecedented.”

  “To what end? Even if that were to be accomplished, which side would benefit? Are you talking about certain Timeless switching sides? Does that even happen?” I fired the barrage of questions at the two archangels who returned my stare with one of cluelessness.

  “Never in all my days. For a being of the Light to soil themselves with the company of the Dark would not only go against our design, but would also be grounds for immediate destruction. Had I not heard it with my own ears, I would have never believed it,” Jophiel admitted.

  Under normal circumstances, I might have brushed the entire ordeal aside. After all, Joe was quite the drama queen, and she didn’t exactly like me. But she had Jeremiel with her. Of all the archangels, he was the one Callon trusted the most. Due to his design, lying was not something the man was capable of; his honesty was his trait. Due to that fact alone, I felt there could be merit to this report.

  “Did you get names? Do you know if this is actually a ‘thing’, or was it just gossip?”

  “I didn’t hear any individual names, but there was enough detail for Jer and I to feel it was valid enough to come and tell Callon, or you, about it. Can you call him back at will? It would be nice if we could speak with him.”

  “As you are aware, he takes his duties very seriously. I don’t want to call him back if the information you have is what you have already given me. I appreciate the ‘heads-up’, as I am sure Callon will as well, but there is little to go on. What could he do at this juncture? Talking to God or Luc about it isn’t going to accomplish anything with no names to attach to the accusation. ‘Hey! Jer and Joe said-”

  “No!” Jophiel shouted. “I cannot have my name associated with this! We came to you in confidence. You can never let anyone outside the four of us know I was involved.”

  Her adamant outburst set off sparks of mistrust. Why would she be so worried? Looking to Jeremiel, he showed a confused look on his face as he assessed his partner. “Jer, do you feel the same as Joe? Does this need to be kept in confidence should Callon deem it appropriate to look deeper into these allegations?”

  “I don’t know why it would need to be on my part. If Jophiel is uncomfortable, I will honor her secrecy, but you know me, Amara. I am not going to lie if asked about what I heard.”

  “That’s good enough for me and I thank you for your transparency. And Joe, I will respect your request for privacy but I admit, it is disconcerting. I will pass this information on to Call-” I stumbled, as if physically pushed, but recovered, trying to leave no clue of my current state to my guests.

  “Are you ok? You just got a little pale suddenly,” Jophiel questioned.

  “I’m fine, but I really need to go. I have some clients I need to see this morning and time in the mortal realm is speeding by. Excuse me.” I turned to reenter the house, leaving Joe stammering after me. I couldn’t focus on anything she was rambling about, I needed to get away from them- now. I had a much bigger problem. The bond. My love. Callon. He was gone.

  Wherever You Will Go

  Closing the heavy door behind me, I leaned into the solid frame, gulping air into lungs that struggled to keep up with my hyperventilating gasps. For what proved to be years amongst mortals, I lived daily with a constant connection to my mate. I could feel him. His love, support, strength, and trust. We didn’t need to be with each other for me to revel in his pride in me, or his desire to be near me. Even though I did not traveled with him as often since the publishing house opened, we were never apart for long. It was rare that we didn’t share meals together, even. When he was gone in the morning, the coffee was always hot and he was home before I polished off the pot.

  The shock traveling through my body when the bond was severed felt as if someone gutted me, leaving a gaping, empty chasm in more core. I grasped at its memory, desperately focusing all my intent on that little strand of faith binding me to my soulmate. I could feel the remnant of it, but the solid cord was missing.

  I slid down the length of the door as tears began to stream down my face. He was gone, which could only mean one thing. I wouldn’t admit it, I refused to believe it. It was a glitch in the system, somehow. He wasn’t gone, he wouldn’t leave me, it couldn’t happen. He was Death! He simply was and would always be.

  I felt a searing pain in my back and I screamed, arching against the pain, trying to escape the burn. I scrambled to my feet and stumbled to the bathroom, jerking Callon’s t-shirt over my head as I turned to look at the bonding mark. Oh, thank sweet Jesus. It was still there, but it was...weaker. The vibrant black swirls and patterns looked lighter, like an older tattoo and the shapes themselves seemed muted.

  The reflection staring back at me wasn’t the same either, it couldn’t be. She was a vacant-eyed shell; a pale, tear-streaked, quivering mess. This was all wrong, he would be home any minute. I would just wait here. Slumping to my knees, I crawled into the bathtub and curled into the fetal position while sobs racked my body.

  There was sandpaper under my lids, that’s what it was. Dragging my eyes open and peering around me, I found myself in the tub of the guest bathroom, wearing nothing other than a pair of jeans. There was a t-shirt clenched between my fingers, and I gripping it tightly against my chest. Pulling it to my face, I dragged in a deep inhale and Callon’s scent assaulted me. The tears started anew, stinging against the raw tissue of my lids.

  Get up, girl. You can do this. I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay here for the rest of time. Sleep, and dream of him. Holding the cotton fabric to my face, I breathed him in again and let the shock and sleep pull me back under.

  I don’t know how long I laid there. My sleep was fitful, filled with sadness, longing, and grief I couldn’t control. More than once, I woke up screaming, crying, my body drenched in sweat; only to realize reality was worse than the nightmares. This is solving nothing, I told myself. I pulled myself upright in the tub, my head and pulse pounding to the same rhythm. I ached all over. Damn it, woman. GET UP!

  My disobedient muscles protested as I willed myself to crawl from my self-imposed sarcophagus. Something smelled burnt. On autopilot, I staggered through the house and into the kitchen where I found the Bunn coffee pot merrily cooking the last few inches of brew into a sticky, somewhat solid mess. That told me a full day passed since it was brewed. I turned off the burner and shoved the carafe under the kitchen sink, leaving it to soak.

&n
bsp; I forced myself to walk through our bedroom and into the bathroom, before turning on a light. I stared, dismayed at my reflection until I realized I didn’t care. I truly didn’t.

  Stepping into the oversized shower stall, I let scalding hot water pound me into oblivion. My skin was mottled and splotchy when I finally exited, wrapping myself in a lavender-scented bath sheet.

  With no care for fashion, I donned a pair of jeans and a hoodie. I couldn’t stay here, in this house, surrounded by the very essence of him. Yet I felt if I left, I was somehow abandoning him. My emotions were all over the place and nothing made sense; everything was so surreal. But I needed to leave here for a while, of that I was sure. I decided to travel to the mortal realm and make an appearance at my office.

  Perhaps that wouldn’t make sense to some people- ‘your soulmate just vanished and you are worried about going to work’. Well, yeah, and no. Until you lose someone this close to you, you’ll never understand. I was alive and he was- gone. Time is ticking by, everyone is going about their lives and yours is now forever changed. I felt a bitterness knowing my world was the only one that stopped spinning. I wanted to rejoice for them; they were whole. But I wanted to curse them and their good fortune at the same time.

  There were people relying on me and I needed to tie up a few loose ends so I could take some time off and figure out what the hell I was going to do now. I was lost- my future was a vast plain of emptiness and my life was now as vacant as the realm I called home. I needed to talk to Kyle, too. It wasn't just Death who had gone missing, it was Callon Thead as well.

  For the first time since I came to live here, I didn’t make coffee and enjoy the start of my day. Tugging on a pair of Uggs, I moved towards the bedroom door, intent on leaving immediately. A strange sensation washed over at that moment and I stalled, trying to place the source of such a powerful feeling. It wasn’t Callon, but the force was just as intense. It was telling me I must obey, but I had not been given a demand. There was no ignoring it, that wasn’t even an option. Following the pull of the command, I walked into the living room, feeling dazed and out of control of my own forward motion- like a puppet on a string.