'Til Fear Do Us Part (A Grim Awakening Book 1)

by Michelle Gross

  His face was blank, completely devoid of any emotion. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. His icy glare pierced and poked at my heart and it hurt more than I wanted to admit. I sensed no emotion. Nothing. Just the harsh glare of his eyes as he stared down at me. I deserved this much, but it didn't mean I liked it. I took his hand. I merely blinked and we were suddenly on the roof of the hospital. I stared down at the ongoing traffic and busy parking lot. It was cold today, I grabbed my naked arms to keep some of the chill away.

  “I think you should come with me,” he spoke. My hair whipped in my face caused by the wind and I tucked it behind my ears. I stared at him, confused.

  “I don't understand.”

  “You do.” He turned slightly, staring at me from the corner of his eyes, studying my expression like there was an answer there I didn't know about. “I can protect you better if you're with me. And away from everything he can hold against you.” I gave him one of my amused looks.

  I laughed, shaking my head and placing my arms underneath my breasts. “You can't be serious.” My laughed faded when I saw that he wasn't sharing the same feelings. He was serious. I sighed. “Where would we go?”

  “To my home.”

  “Your home? Is it like, not on earth?” I asked stupidly.

  “I live just outside the Underworld.”

  My eyes grew wide. “Isn't that just another word for Hell?” He was absolutely insane.

  “Yes,” he answered, then sighed when I continued to look at him like he was an alien. “Don't look at me like that. It's not how you imagine it.”

  “I'm not going anywhere!” I snapped. “I can't. My family is here and everyone I care about. How can I just disappear?”

  It was his turn to glare. “They are all in danger, Melanie. They would be safer if you weren't around.” I couldn't pretend that what he said hadn't hurt. Because it did. It was what I knew and he knew, but the way he said it, was like a punch in the gut. No, a stab to the heart. “My job is to protect you, not them.” I felt even more pain, but that feeling quickly turned to anger the more I listened to him.

  I tossed my chin up. “That's all I've ever been to you. A job. You're even crueler than I thought.”

  “You're the one that made things clear between us. You're the one that made it so.” His jaw tightened as he spoke.

  I moved toward him, throwing my hands in the air. “So what, I made a choice.” The mood grew darker between us, but it was too late to stop anything now. “I thought you would understand.” My voice broke a bit, showing vulnerability that I didn't want him to see.

  He mocked me with his smile and it was an even bigger mockery for me when my heart raced at his devilish smile. “I never claimed to be understanding.”

  “I see,” I spat those two words out icily as I turned away from him. But it didn't last long before I turned back around and grabbed his shoulders. “I'm staying. I'm not leaving with you,” I told him sternly, looking him in the eye. “So, I guess you can keep protecting me or just go kill him.”

  His head fell back with a laugh until he noticed my blank stare, he arched his eyebrow. “Oh, you're serious?” I nodded and he sighed, pulling away from me. “Fear can't be killed; he is an entity. You can't kill something that's been around almost since the beginning of time.” was his answer. I didn't like his answer.

  “Then what?” I put my hands on my hips. “I don't wanna die so that he can have more power. And I don't want people to get hurt because of me.”

  For the first time, his smile seemed genuine. “Are you not afraid?”

  “I'm always afraid. I have been my whole life because of him. I just don't want to be controlled by Fear any longer.”

  He studied me. “You're stronger, Melanie.” His hardened features slipped into something beautiful as he gazed at me. Almost like he was admiring a part of me. I tried to ignore the way that made me feel.

  “What will it be, Reaper? Will you help me?” The wind seemed to blow toward him in my stead, carrying my words to him. He closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

  “As if you give me another choice.” I smiled at his answer.

  He brought me back to the hospital before disappearing into the shadows, watching me in secret because I knew—No, I felt he would never leave my side.

  In that moment, it felt like everything was going to be okay.

  _________

  Only everything was not okay. Another day passed and Ryan still hadn't woke. His dad was only now arriving at the hospital, which made me mad, but it wasn't my place to say anything. Surprisingly, Linda spent most of her time at the hospital, looking like a mother to me for the first time. Things got worse when she informed me that he was sent for another surgery after they found some more bleeding on his brain. I felt sick and nauseous after three days of barely eating. Mom made me go to school the next day. Luckily, it was already Thursday so the week was almost over. She was worried about me missing too much school.

  I sent Tess a text letting her know I wouldn't be there until that evening and I drug my sorry butt to school. Tess surprised me by showing up at school. “Hey, I'm surprised you came,” I told her.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “Waiting at home isn't going to change anything. I think Ryan would rather we went to school instead of hovering over him, ya' know?” I nodded, understanding entirely.

  The day went in blur, being close to Tess as everyone constantly talked about her brother was a bit much. I could tell it was stressing her out, but she held it in. I didn't understand how no one could see how much their questions were hurting her. Hurting me, but only I never mattered to these people. I was constantly swept aside. Though I didn't mind.

  I ate at lunch knowing that it was time to start eating better again or I would be in the hospital myself. Tess was right, he wouldn't want us acting the way we were lately. Sure enough, the food helped. My headache eased and the dizziness I had been feeling all morning was gone.

  But as those things faded, the trouble began. Ghosts started coming through the walls, entering the cafeteria. Not like any ghosts I've seen before. No, these were much creepier. They were similar to the soldier at the cemetery but much worse. They were missing body parts and limbs were dangling, some walked awkwardly, their clothes were ripped and some were even naked, but the naked ones lacked any body parts that made them male or female. What made them the most terrifying were their faces. Or lack of. Their faces looked as if they had been carved out, nothing on the inside either. Only hollowed darkness.

  I didn't have to turn around to feel the presence behind me. The dark feeling I got from the thing standing behind me caused me to stiffen in my chair. I turned my head ever so slowly to see what it was. Molly was there standing next to a big hulking male. He was bald, scars marred his face and body adding to the pure violence of him. He was terrifying. Molly drew in her breath. “Vengeance, try not to kill her. Fear wants her alive.” He smiled, flashing nasty yellow shark-like teeth. He bent his neck to the side causing it to crunch in a sickening way. Molly disappeared.

  As I stood up, I noticed all the hollowed faces were standing still. Their necks snapped back and piercing cries echoed throughout the cafeteria. I fell back in my chair, grabbing my ears with my hands and placing my head between my thighs. It hurt so much, I couldn't even think with the blaring in my head. I felt something trickle from my ears. I tried to raise my head to watch the hollowed faces. No one in the cafeteria seemed to hear it but me.

  They finally stopped. I slowly straightened myself in my chair, dropping my hands to my sides. Tess gasped, giving me a worried look. “Melanie, what just happened to you? Oh, God. Your ears are bleeding!” I didn't have time to listen to her, Vengeance laughed behind me. I turned back around to stare at him.

  “Did you feel the pain they invoked?” He sneered down at me. “They are my puppets. They feed on revenge. On people's darkest secrets and feelings. When someone—or thing does a wrong, they seek out vengeance. Come, human. Now they shall fee
d on yours.” His words were confusing, but still made me worry. Whatever he had just said didn't sound good.

  Grim materialized behind the demon, Vengeance. Vengeance must have sensed his presence because he moved faster than my eyes could follow. Grim was right behind him, moving just as fast as he was. Grim's boned hand darted out and his scythe appeared just as he sidestepped in front of Vengeance. The scythe switched into a sword and Vengeance only grinned, whistling in appreciation for the huge sword before his own giant sword appeared. He had the same sort of ability as Grim? I wondered as I watched the two.

  “Melanie?” Tess whispered next to me, I didn't notice the strange look she was giving me. Or anyone else for that matter. They couldn't see what I could. “You're scaring me. What's wrong?” she added.

  “Vengeance, I heard you enjoy sword fights most. Shall I show you how to properly use one?” Grim’s voice always boomed with power when he was his reaper form. I snapped my head back around to face them, completely ignoring Tess.

  “You're baiting me, Grim. Trying to distract me from my prize.” Grim's blue glow that always swirled around his bones darkened as Vengeance spoke. “I shall feed on her soul. I'll take that power for myself.” Grim tightened his grip on his sword, his blue glow now turned completely black. That emotion must be anger, pure hatred. I sort of guessed at it.

  Grim moved forward, aiming his blade at Vengeance. Just before he was close enough, Vengeance jumped in the air. Grim slid his boots against the tiled floor and jumped after him. They collided with their swords in the air. The force of their blow threw them apart from one another. Both landed on their feet and went after one another again. This time, the collision of their swords was stronger. Grim was knocked against the wall, the force of his weight against the wall made a thundering cracking sound in the cafeteria. Everyone quietened. Vengeance fell atop of the cheerleader's table. The table buckled and crumbled to the floor, underneath his weight. The girls screamed, running away from the mysteriously broken table. Everyone looked around the cafeteria confused.

  But while everyone was growing worried, the puppets began to move toward every table. They bent down next to every person, whispering in their ears. I had a bad feeling...

  Chaos erupted, people started arguing out of nowhere, punches were being thrown, and girls were having cat fights. I looked around completely taken aback. Grim continued to battle with Vengeance as everyone grew worse. I turned around to my table when I heard Tess smack Mike. I looked at them, shocked and horrified. That's when I noticed the puppet whispering in her ear. He glared at her. “What the hell, Tess?”

  Another began to whisper into Mike's. “You fucking man whore. You cheated on me with Haley!” she accused him. I wondered if these arguments were real or the doing of Vengeance's manipulation. The cafeteria was a mad house. Something pressed against my ear.

  Grim is to blame.

  A voice rattled in my ear. My mind went a little hazy. Huh? He is? Blame for what? I turned around to see one of the puppets standing behind me. It was getting harder to concentrate. My mind felt light and my body heavy.

  He knew Ryan was in danger yet he let it happen...

  No! I blinked, stunned. That was a lie. Grim wouldn't...

  He wanted him out of the picture. It's not you that he wants, it's your power.

  The voice slithered and I saw red.

  I spotted Grim battling with Vengeance toward the middle of the cafeteria. That's where I stalked, pure malice framing my features. Vengeance was the first to notice me coming and smiled. “Yes!” he roared, pleased with himself. I ignored him though and focused all my hatred on Grim.

  Grim stopped his attacks when he noticed me. I couldn't get a read on what he was thinking when he was a skeleton. I stopped once I was in front of him. “Did you know Ryan was going to get hurt?” I asked through clenched teeth.

  His body went completely still when I asked him, scaring me more than my thoughts ever did. “Don't listen to his puppets.” He tried to walk to me, but I stopped him by holding my hand up between us.

  “Don't!” I yelled. “Answer me.”

  “Yes.” He did. He did. He did. I stumbled back in shock and horror. My chest literally felt like it had been ripped open.

  “You pretended to care about me because you wanted the power I possessed?” I whimpered, on the verge of tears. Or maybe I was already crying.

  He moved forward, extending his boned fingers out to me. “Never.” he said without hesitation. I shook my head, unable to believe anything he said.

  “No!” I hissed. “Stay away.” He froze at my words, hand still extended until it slowly fell to his side. Another evil laugh erupted from Vengeance. “I can't believe I thought you were any different than Fear. Or any of them! You are exactly the same as them. A monster.” I spat the word in his face, Grim staggered backward actually taken by surprise by my words. It was at that moment Vengeance caught him off guard and sliced open Grim's chest. The blue glow around him began to pour out of his chest wound. Grim grabbed his chest before his glow blackened again as he turned to Vengeance.

  “You're foolish. Just as Fear. Like I would actually hand over the Vessel to him?” Vengeance shook his head with a smile before looking my way. I glared at him. He pointed toward me. “All that power is mine to take. Since Fear has her marked, it's almost impossible for any other demon to find her. Luckily, he was stupid enough to show me her whereabouts, of course, thinking I was going to bring her to him.” So, he kept me hidden from other demons with the mark he placed on me? I looked around, everyone was oblivious to what was happening. Everyone was in their own battle with one another. I stepped backward, moving away from the two monsters in front of me. I was completely alone.

  “That power, you can give it to me Girl while I feed on that hatred you are feeling right now.” He stalked toward me, my anger dissipated enough that I felt the fear of what's to come. I started to turn, but Grim was in front of me, blocking Vengeance before I got the chance. He grabbed my arm and turned. “We need to leave,” his voice was deep, but he also sounded weak. The wound was a funny thing to see on him. He didn't bleed, his blue glow, that I figured might be his own essence, seeped out. Instead of flowing completely out, though, it just seemed to hover there in the air, waiting to be stitched back together. “Your mother is in danger.” My heart quickened with more fear. Only I didn't get the chance to ask and he whisked us out of the cafeteria. Then we were standing in my mother's bedroom.

  Molly stood above her sleeping body atop the bed with a sinister smile on her lips. “Ah, I was waiting for you.” Two figures jumped out from behind us and grabbed Grim. He fell to his knees. I looked down at him surprised. He didn't seem to ever be someone to go down so easily. But he was already injured. Something they held in their hands seemed to hold him in place, it was a black rod that emitted some sort of light against his body, holding him still. He growled angrily as he looked up at Molly.

  “Demons are so gullible. Vengeance took the bait just as Fear expected. He was nothing but a distraction. Since you were keeping tabs on everyone she cared about, it made it hard to use them. So, we needed someone to distract you long enough so that we could snatch ole' mommy, and because you were busy with Vengeance, you didn't notice until it was too late. And you even got caught in our trap. What's happened Grim? You're growing weak. Does she have something to do with it?” What did she mean? Was he actually protecting everyone I cared about? My head hurt, I reached for my forehead. No, he was only after my power. She was wrong. Molly noticed his chest and grinned. “He even managed to do some damage, how impressive.” It wasn't impressive, not really. It was because he was caught off guard because of me that he was injured. I shook my head.

  Grim's whole body seemed to shake with rage and a flicker of worry flashed in Molly's eyes before she masked it. The lights that cast out of the demons’ weapons faded, and they looked at them confused before Grim picked himself up and with the roll of his shoulders, tossed them to the gr
ound with a flick of his arms.

  Only Molly seemed prepared for him to do that. She pulled out a knife from her dress and bent over Mom's sleeping body. I panicked as the blade pointed against her chest. “Stop!” I yelled.

  “Choose. Come with me, your life, for the safety of your mothers. And everyone else you love.” Molly gave me a choice; I saw Grim move in the corner of my eye. She did too, she let go of the knife, but the knife still hovered above my mom’s chest. “Not so fast, Grim. See, I knew I couldn't hold you off, but it doesn't matter. The knife is spelled, the moment you go after me or the knife, it strikes.” Grim stopped next to me. My heart hammered, this was what I planned to do regardless. It just happened sooner than I realized. I nodded, gripping my pants with my hands until my knuckles turned white. This was the way I could protect everyone.

  “No.” Grim grabbed my arm, but I slipped right through his grip. I didn't even turn to look at him. I wouldn't. No, I didn't want to.

  “Okay,” I said without hesitation. Molly smiled and with the twirl of her wrist, a huge black portal opened behind her. I watched the knife cautiously as I walked around the bed. She noticed. “The spell will drop on the knife the moment you enter the portal and your mom will be safe. We have no need to harm her as long as you come to him.” Him. Despite how much I resolved to do this, the thought of being near Fear made my skin crawl.

  I nodded. I could feel a change in the room, a shift behind me. “Melanie.” Killian was no longer Grim; I could tell by the difference in his voice. I turned my head ever so slightly. His dark eyes seemed to plead with me, in desperation. There it was again, that feeling of being connected to him. So drawn, but it was foolish on my part.