The Artifact Reaper Saga Box Set

by Jen L. Grey

  What the hell just happened? He created a portal just like Becca does. That makes him a realm jumper, too. So, from what I've learned, that means he was brought back to life after he passed away, too. What kind of alliance have I gotten myself into?

  Chapter Eighteen

  The whole way out of the hotel, I'm in a haze. I can't get over what I just witnessed with my own eyes. Granted, it's obvious he is different, but the realm jumping took me by complete shock.

  As I walk out the main lobby doors, the feeling of being watched overwhelms me. It's as if someone is standing right behind me and will grab me at any second. I'm not sure if I'm being paranoid or if the sensation is legit.

  My borrowed car is sitting in the parking lot with no one around it. I grab the keys out of my pocket and fumble them in my hands almost dropping them. Dammit. I need to get my shit together, or I'll fall apart before I even get the doors unlocked.

  I glance behind me and the only person around is an older lady smoking outside the hotel. She's leaning up against the brick wall with her walker in front of her.

  Great, so now I'm afraid old ladies smoking are going to kick my ass. I open the car door and slide in, locking it behind me. I take in a deep breath and start the car. I need to get home and take a shower. It’s been way too long since I’ve had sleep so that has to be influencing some of my actions.

  Driving back to the apartment, it’s hard to keep my eyes open. I turn the music up loud to keep myself awake. Soon, the apartment complex comes into view and I park in my spot.

  The feeling of being watched returns with a cold shiver down my spine. I'm not sure who it is, but I'm not taking any chances. I get out of the vehicle and head up to my apartment.

  After I open my door, I lock it tight and grab some yoga pants and a t-shirt from the closet. I head straight to the bathroom and turn on the shower. I strip down and remove the gauze and bandage from my wound.

  Once the water gets hot enough, I step in and let it run down my body. It burns on the torn skin, but it needs to be cleaned anyways. I turn so the spray hits my back, letting it hit the knots under my shoulders.

  When my muscles stop complaining, I wash my hair and body getting everything extra clean. After rinsing off, I step out of the shower and dry off. I bandage my wound again and then put on my clean clothes.

  Now that I feel half human my body begs for sleep, so I head straight for my bed and crash.

  My stomach begins to growl and protest so much it wakes me from my sleep. I raise my head and glance at the clock. It's nine in the morning. I've slept for about eight hours. I'm tempted to try to go back to sleep, but If I want to heal quickly, I need the calories.

  The kitchen is pretty bare, but I find some Ramen I can microwave. Within three minutes, I have a meal warmed up and ready to eat. I sit down at the kitchen table with my meal, a fork, and a large glass of milk. It's the necessities in life.

  I take a large bite and my parents course back through my mind. How am I going to be able to protect them from the council? Maybe I should call Charlie. He might have a good suggestion about how to go about this.

  After I finish, I place my plates in the sink and go grab my phone. I pull up his name and right when I'm about to press send a dark gray cloud appears in the room.

  Shit. I'm not in the mood to deal with him today. I lower the phone and sigh. What does that demon want?

  All too soon, his human form appears in front of me. His blue eyes find me and turn to slits. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

  So, we’re back at the riddles. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “Just curious who you were going to call that you couldn’t when you saw I was arriving.” He tilts his head to the side, the darkness trailing his movements.

  Is he being serious right now? “Well, I saw you coming so I thought I shouldn’t make any calls in general.” What the hell did Becca tell him?

  “Are you sure about that?” He crosses his arms and leans up against the living room wall. "You weren't trying to call the council or anything?"

  Oh, dear god. "No, I wasn't." Can't I just get a few minutes before getting harassed? "I was calling someone else."

  "What game are you playing?" His voice lowers and red flashes in his eyes. "Do you think I'm that stupid?"

  "Why would I be playing a game?" I sure hope Jeff was right and no one could see us yesterday; otherwise, I'm screwed. "My parents' lives are at stake. Do you think you're more important than they are?"

  It's silent for a moment as his eyes scan me over. "I don't know what to think." He pushes off the wall and takes a few steps. "All I know is that Becca asked you several times if you wanted to look for the Angel's Breath again and each time you said no. It didn't seem like you were all that interested in bringing it back."

  That freaking traitor. "I was injured, but she wouldn't know that seeing as she wasn't there when I fought the first angel." I lift up my shirt a little, so he can see my bandage. "This was from my first fight and then I had to have another when we were trying to leave. I'm sorry if I wasn't wanting to get hurt repeatedly."

  "Do you know what happens to people who don't follow through on their bargains?" He arches an eyebrow. "They pay a very steep price." He bites his bottom lip. "If you think the council's threat was horrible, you should see what I have up my sleeve."

  No, I do not want to know. "I don't have the Angel's Breath." I motion around. "Check my place over if you want, there is nothing to find here. I'm not playing any games."

  "I just don't understand why you would leave there without the artifact." He moves over to my couch and plops down. "It makes no sense. You are all about keeping your parents safe no matter the consequences."

  How do I get myself out of this? "I tried to get it." I let out a deep breath. "The angels told me I was not worthy of having it and they couldn't let me leave with it. They said it was too dangerous in my hands. There was an angel with dark skin and white eyes that fought me." I touch my side where my injury is. "He's the one who gave me this. It was with his wing. Afterwards they dragged me to a cell and that's where Becca found me."

  "So, you came back with your tail between your legs?" He stands and moves toward my door.

  Shit, how do I get him to believe it? "No, I came back to get reinforcements and try again." I motion toward myself. "I can't fight all those angels alone. I need help."

  "Fine.” He nods. "I've got some ideas on who can go with you, but before we go that route, I've got some news." He opens my door and walks out.

  For a moment dead silence greets me, but then there is a shuffle and a loud groan. Footsteps head back toward my apartment with something being dragged behind. Soon, Damien enters my home again pulling someone behind him. "I finally found who stole the stone." He pushes the person forward and down onto the couch.

  My heart lurches into my throat. How did he figure out Brad had the stone? "What is he doing here?" His arms are tied behind his back.

  Damien rolls his eyes. "I just told you why."

  "Are you okay?" I ignore the demon and focus on Brad.

  "Immaaaagooooooozzz." His mouth opens and nothing but gibberish comes out.

  What did he do to him? "Did you curse him or something?"

  "I made it where he can't talk until he's willing to provide useful information." He rubs his eyes. "He was jabbering on about useless stuff and wasn't telling me who he was working for."

  Shouldn't it be obvious who he's working for? "Well, it would have to be the council." I raise both hands. "He's a reaper."

  A loud laugh leaves him echoing across the apartment. "Just because he's a reaper doesn't mean he's loyal to the council." He smirks and winks at me. "You of all people should know that." He raises both hands, touching his fingertips together. "So, if you were going to work with anyone, who would it be? I need to know who he's working for."

  Hell, I still can't believe he's not working for the council. I glance at my friend. Is he even still that? Ha
s he been playing me all along? Come to think of it, he did know a lot about the demon at the beginning. "I ... I have no clue."

  "Christina, come on." Damien lets out a frustrated sigh. "Think hard. Who would want the crystal and be against the council? They would also have to be willing to work with a reaper."

  What does he not get? "I have no clue." I'm going to go to hell for all this lying I'm doing, but I can't get on the bad side of the demon. "I didn't even know he took the damn thing." My eyes find Brad again, but he looks down avoiding my gaze.

  "Tsk, tsk, tsk." Damien shakes his head. "There are multiple parties out there, and you need to get your head in this game. If you are going to survive this, you better start paying attention to the details and learning all parties involved. Otherwise, you're not going to make it much further."

  I hate to admit it, but he has a point. I do need to get better acclimated in what's going on. Maybe I can get the lying bastard to talk to me. I march over to the couch and sit next to Brad. "You heard Damien. Are you going to help me at all? We've been friends for forever and even helped you sneak into your house that one night when you were drunk.” Beth had made him proclaim his endless love to us before she let us agree to help him. It was hilarious because if he was sober, he’d know we would have helped him regardless, but he was two sheets to the wind. So, what changed so he would be willing to hurt me and risk my parents now? “Can you at least tell me something about who you're working for?"

  His face softens. "Oh, come on Chris. I didn't mean to hurt you." He slumps on the couch and lets out a huge sigh. "I didn't even know they were threatening you and your parents."

  I do wish I could believe it, but I never dreamed he would be involved in all this mess. "It doesn't matter, what I need to know is who you're working for." I rub my fingers together trying to work out the itch to slap him.

  "Look, I can't tell you who it is..." He lifts his head and glances at me.

  Who the hell does he think he is? "Now listen here."

  "Give me a minute to finish my sentence." He gives me a small grin. "There are some things about you that will never change. Patience is not one of your virtues."

  "Are you trying to go down memory lane at a time like this?" I just want to know the facts and to get both him and Damien out of my apartment. I need to reconnect with Charlie and inform him on everything that's been going on.

  "That's fair." He glances at Damien but focuses back on me. "I can't tell you their name, but I do work with someone outside of our kind."

  I'm not sure what that means. "Like another reaper town or a different species all together?" Fire and brimstone hits my nose and I turn to find Damien standing close to me.

  His eyes are glued on Brad and his head is tilted to the side.

  Brad shifts on the couch and then taps his foot on the floor. "It's mixed. There isn't just one race and they stay under the radar."

  But races don't mix. We all keep to ourselves. "So, you're saying that vampires, witches, demons, angels, reapers ... all paranormals are working together?" That can't be possible. I must have misunderstood.

  "It sounds crazy, I know, but yeah." His eyes widen. "There are even humans, too."

  No way. "What's the common goal? I ... I don't understand."

  "The artifacts." Damien's tone is dark and tense.

  Great, another group of people who want power. This gets better and better. "So, they want control over them as well."

  "Absolutely not." Brad jerks back. "The complete opposite. They want to ensure the artifacts remain untouched or hidden. No one person should have that much power."

  "Then why were they made to begin with?" Damien crosses his arms and shadows swarm around him.

  "They were made for protection at one point, but the artifacts were made too powerful and too strong. If fallen into the wrong hands, chaos would ensue." Brad avoids his gaze but doesn't back down.

  "He's right." That's the whole thing and even the angels pointed it out. "Having absolute control over the elements could cause mass destruction. Maybe they should remain where they are."

  "It's interesting that you would say that." A hand touches my arm and wraps around it a little too tight for comfort. "I'll ask one last time. Do you have the Angel's Breath?"

  My ears begin to pound but I take a deep breath. I have to remain calm. In all honesty, I don't. I gave it to Jeff, so at this moment, I don't have it. So, I'm not lying even if it's by a technicality. Resolving myself not to jerk away, I motion with my other arm toward my wound. "Does it look like I was able to get the Angel's Breath?" I snort and shake my head. "I was surrounded by angels who happen to be stronger than me. I had no chance." I keep eye contact with him, refusing to look away first.

  After a few moments, he drops my arm and walks over to Brad. "I'll let you get by with it just this once, but it won't happen again. You better get your shit together." He grabs Brad's arm and yanks him to his feet. "There are much bigger forces at play and you're messing around. Get your act together or I'll make you. Do you understand?"

  I'm so freaking tired of being at the mercy of him or the council. I have to find a way out of this cycle, but until then, I have to keep playing by their rules. I'm hoping Charlie and Jeff can help me. I nod. "I got it."

  "Good." Then dark gray swirls surround him and Brad and they both disappear from my sight.

  Now I have to figure out my next move and fast.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I stand there for a moment absorbing what just happened. How do I keep getting into these situations? I don't even seek them out. It just happens. Well, standing here isn't going to solve anything.

  Let's try this again. I grab my phone from my pocket and pull up Charlie's name. Right when I'm about to hit send, my phone rings. I pause and Margaret's name flashes across my screen. Shit, they want the Angel's Breath, too. My finger hovers over the reject button, but right before I hit it, I stop myself. They must know I'm here. That won't go in my favor if I clear them. Shit, I'm going to have to answer this.

  Here goes nothing. "Hello?"

  "Christina, is that you?" Her voice is loud and there are other people talking in the background.

  Of course, it's me. What kind of question is that? "Yes, it's me."

  "Good. So, you're back from the Angel Realm." Some excitement leaks through her tone. "I'm at the mansion so come over here at once." As usual, the line goes dead.

  Can't she at least pretend to ask me? I run to the bathroom and run a brush through my hair. I then dab some water on my face and brush my teeth. I throw on some clean clothes and head out the door before they summon one of their agents my way. I don't want an entourage to come get me.

  Within minutes, I'm at the stone mansion turning into the large circular drive near their front door. I put my car in park and get out.

  As soon as I'm a few feet away from the doorway, it opens with a butler standing to the side. "The youngest elder is waiting for you in the sitting room."

  Of course, she is. Not wanting to follow the butler like all the other times, I push my way in the door and go around him. At this point, I come here as much as I do my own home lately, so I can find my own way.

  "Hey!" He calls out to me.

  Yeah, I'm not answering him. I turn down the hallway and go past the doorway that I use when I see the entire council and turn heading toward the sitting room. I knock on the door and then walk in.

  Much to my surprise, Margaret is already there and is sitting on one of the couches. She stands when I enter. "Well, I see you are making yourself comfortable."

  I shrug. "I figure I'm coming here more and more."

  She narrows her eyes but bites her bottom lip. "How was your time in the Angel Realm?"

  Cutting straight to the chase. Well at least we aren't pretending today. I lift my shirt up revealing my wound. "It was tense."

  "Did you get into a fight with an angel there?" She raises an eyebrow and crosses her arm.

  "Yes, I did." Wha
t kind of question is that?

  "Huh." She tilts her head and takes a few steps toward me. "So, did you get the Angel's Breath?" Her eyes scan me over.

  So, I'm going to have to have the same conversation with her as with the demon. Great. Maybe I should have recorded the previous one. "Well, they weren't happy about me being there. That's the reason I got into a fight in the first place."

  "Well, you didn't try to get it afterwards?" She raises both hands and her jaw clenches.

  "They didn't want me there and said I wasn't worthy." Did both of them expect the angels to just want to hand this artifact over to me? I don't understand why they expected this to be so easy. "There was a dark skinned one that attacked me, and he was way stronger than me. He pierced me with his freaking wing. I almost passed out. They took me to a locked room that had no freaking doors."

  "You made it back here, so you got out somehow." She places a hand on her hip.

  "Because Becca found me and when we tried leaving, we got attacked again by a different angel." I shake my head. "I didn't think we were going to make it. We need a new plan of attack. I need reinforcements. I can't do it alone."

  "You couldn't do it alone?" She turns her head and looks at me from the corner of her eye. "I don't know about that, but it's okay. You still don't feel like one of us and that's about to change. That's the real reason I called you here." She smiles in a way that causes a chill to course down my back.

  This is weird and why does her most sincere smile scare me the most. Something is wrong here. "Okay, if it wasn't about the artifact, why did you call me?"

  “All the elders on the council have special abilities. Most of them can bring the dead back to life, like you. I can see located objects like you and thus see around wards. So, I want to show you how to see around the blind spots, so you can find anything you desire.”

  "Wait..." Did she say what I think she did? "All of you guys have a special skill that isn't something a typical reaper can do?"

  "That's right." She nods and reaches out, touching my shoulder. "That's how we got chosen to sit on the council."