Grimm's Reapers: Volume 1-4

by Jack Crosby

  “Yeah, he asked me to hand you over and I told the stupid pecker that you were staying here and he was going to die.”

  I’m not sure what I said, but her red eyes (hers had pupils though, that is a telling difference you see) started to tear up. “You truly care for me Master!”

  “Ummm, we can talk about that later, but I have a Wrath demon to reap.”

  We both looked over and Albion looked dumbstruck. Fitting really. “You two pathetic creatures make me sick. If your dead body is what I need to walk over to return the whore, then so be it.”

  He raised his sword to attack, but he forgot one thing, a Horseman has a horse. Khloros picked that opportunity to go into reverse and slammed right into Albion. The demon took the hit and went flying through the air and smacked into the concrete wall. Foul play? Maybe, but all’s fair with demons!

  I followed over to where he was laying and brought my scythe down right into his stomach. I tore it to the right and ripped him open. Fiery black blood came pouring out of him, along with a very horrible scream.

  “Damn junior, you sound like a girl!”

  Unfortunately, Wrath demons can take a beating and keep on kicking. And he kicked me right in the ribs and sent me into the car beside us. My shoulder took the brunt of the hit, which hurt but nothing too serious. It was his follow up attack with the sword that worried me. I rolled to my left and the blade clanged off the car. I hoped this poor guy had insurance…

  I brought my scythe up and blocked the next attack and used my legs to kick his out from under him. As he went down, I hopped back up and again brought the scythe into his body. This time I lodged it right into his head.

  “Do you have any last words before I reap you?”

  The asshole spit at me. “Rot in hell you whore fucker!”

  I’m not sure why that last insult pissed me off the worst, but I brought the scythe down and ripped his body in two. Everything you could think of was leaking out of him now. I was surprised to see a semblance of a brain falling to the ground, but there it was. The eye that hadn’t fallen out and rolled around on the ground was still looking at me.

  “You may kill me, but more will come!”

  “Why aren’t you dead yet?!”

  I lifted Leviathan high into the air, this guy just really pissed me off. But before I could bring it down, Roxanne had run over and stopped me. “Wait Master; allow me to talk to him.”

  Albion started laughing. “I have nothing to say to a whore like you. How long before your pussy tires of this master and you turn your back on him as you did Lord Beelzebub?”

  The fact he was melting and turning into primordial ooze and ash made it even more impressive that he was holding on to taunt us.

  Roxanne didn’t seem bothered at all by his words. “Just because you were too blind to see how badly we were used, do not blame me for making a better life for myself.”

  “If you want to ask him anything, you better hurry. I feel his black soul leaving his body and going back to Hell.”

  She nodded and turned back. “Did Darius survive?”

  What was left of Albion’s head was melting away, but he had just enough left I guess. “Yes and with my failure, he will be coming.”

  And with that, his soul left and entered Leviathan. His body melted away and the ooze burned into ash. “It looks like that is over.”

  “He will only be the first. I wouldn’t have blamed you for turning me over.”

  I smiled, sure I could have. Hell, I bet Khloros would have agreed with me too, but she was part of the team now. For better or worse, that is. “That would have been pretty piss poor on my behalf. What kind of friend would do that?”

  “You consider me a friend?”

  “Yeah why not? You told me the truth when you didn’t have to and I’m pretty sure you charged down here to take on a demon for me.”

  “Of course, I would sacrifice my life for you Master.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not your Master, I’m your friend.” For the second time that day, I extended my hand. “I’m Derrick Grimm.”

  With a sly smile she accepted it. “It is nice to meet you Derrick, my name is Roxanne.”

  “Come with me. Let me introduce you to my partner in crime Khloros.”

  Chapter 5 – Who’s Darius?

  Roxanne and I were back up in my apartment. Khloros grilled her for the better part of an hour. By the time they were done talking though, you would have thought they were the best of friends. On the way out of the garage, I heard his snarky ass tell me not to screw this up. Uhhh, horses.

  Once in my apartment, I noticed quite a few changes from when I left in the morning. First, all the empty pizza boxes and Chinese food containers were gone. Second, it smelled clean and not well awful. And third, when I walked into the bedroom, I noticed that there was a dresser that wasn’t there before.

  “What’s this big thing doing here?”

  Roxanne smiled. “That is where you clothes are, folded and put away in order from underwear to shorts and pants. Your system was a bit confusing to sort.” She was trying to be nice, but I kept my clothing pretty much tossed about. Clean on the left and dirty on the right.

  “I also hope you do not mind, but I needed the closet space for my stuff.” I looked over and sure enough her stuff was everywhere. Granted, I never used it, so I had no complaints.

  “I guess you are moving in then?”

  “Of course and not a moment too soon. For someone as old and as powerful as you are, you sure do live a bit down from that standard.”

  Somewhere off in the distance I could hear Khloros laughing at me. “What can I say; I just don’t really care anymore about appearances. I’m old and tired.”

  She winked at me again. “You did not seem old and tired last night.”

  Defeated, I sat on the bed. “Well the place looks great. You didn’t have to do it though you know?”

  She sat down beside me. “I know, but I wanted to. I might be a Lust demon but I am also a home caretaker. When I was not required in Beelzebub’s bed, I took care of his estate.”

  “I’m sorry I don’t have a big palace or anything fancy. I gave them up when I came to Earth to live permanently.”

  Her hand touched my shoulder. This time there was no sex pouring off of her. “Don’t be sorry Derrick, this place is perfect. It is almost romantic in its own way.”

  “Thanks, I think?”

  She looked around. “Yes I do think I will be much happier here than I was elsewhere. It is nice to have a home again after years of exile.”

  It was still weird to think that she was technically my servant or whatever, but here she was. Wanting to change the topic, “So who’s this Darius that I heard you asking Albion about?”

  As soon as they name crossed my mouth, she started to shudder. “Darius is Beelzebub’s most favored general. He makes Albion look like an imp.”

  Even though it didn’t take me long to finish the Wrath demon, his tenacity and willingness not to die was impressive. “I’m guessing there is more to the story?”

  “Yes. I seduced him at a time I knew Beelzebub would be around. When he caught us, his rage was unparalleled. As I ran for my life, I was sure Darius was going to die for his transgression, but I guess that was not the case.”

  Oh boy, the deeper I dug, the more shit I found. “So this guy is as pissed off at you as one can be, correct?”

  “He certainly will not be happy to see me if that is what you are asking.”

  “Can you give me an idea of what we are going to be up against if and when this monster decides to strike?”

  “Well,” she stopped, as if trying to think of the right words to use, “in Beelzebub’s court, only he is stronger than Darius. Being a Pride demon you would think his physical strength would not be so great, but the opposite is true. The war axe he uses in battle he took from the great Wrath demon Ifrit himself.”

  Before we continue, let me break down the different kinds of demons f
or you. Feel free to come back to this point any time if you have questions. Demons are named after the Seven Deadly Sins, each group personifying the sin they embody.

  First up we have Wrath demons. They tend to be large, angry, and strong. When you hear Wrath demon, think an enraged charging bull. Due to their volatile and aggressive nature, most Arch-Demons use them as a sort of military force in Hell. Albion was a Wrath demon and a rather mild mannered one. Most do not talk as much as he did.

  Greed demons are next and they are awful creatures. Not physically impressive, their strength is in manipulating the situation using their target’s greed. Greed demons make wonderful politicians and hence why no one knew that our Vice President was one.

  Roxanne here is a Lust demon. The stories about the succubus were inspired by Lust demons. They entire lot of them is female and they use their overt sexual nature to seduce anyone into performing their will. Men are most likely to fall victim, but women are not immune to their wiles.

  I’m going to combine Sloth and Gluttony demons into one group, because they are closely related. Sloth demons generally work their way in by befriending you and then convincing you to sit back and relax. The more you relax and fall under their spell, the easier it is for them to kill you as they don’t move very fast.

  Gluttony demons generally want you to overindulge in one thing or another to the point you kill yourself. Their motto is you can never have enough of a good thing.

  Envy demons have no physical form; instead they try to work themselves into the subconscious of someone close to their target. If successful, they make their victim so envious of their actual target that it drives them to kill said person. It takes someone of a strong mind and will to fight off the effects of an Envy demon.

  Last but certainly not least is the Pride demon. These nasty pieces of work think their shit doesn’t stink. The problem is they can usually back it up too. Whatever inherent talent the demon shows, they work mercilessly at it until they are unbeatable. Pride demons are the rarest of the Seven, but without a doubt can be the strongest.

  You might have heard me also use the term Arch-Demon. They are the Fallen Angels, rulers of the realms of Hell. Beelzebub would be an Arch-Demon as would be Baal. They only one they answer to is Lucifer, the oldest and strongest of all the Fallen.

  But I digress, back to the story here. “He stole Ifrit’s war axe? Heaven help us, that is one strong demon.”

  “You don’t get to the top of the food chain being weak.” Roxanne did have a good point.

  “I’m sure with Beelzebub being behind this whole kill the President plot that at some point we will run into Darius, but for now let’s slide him to the back burner.”

  Roxanne’s eyes lit up. “Speaking of this plot, what did the angel have to say this morning?”

  “Verified your story, which comes as no surprise. What did catch me off guard was how little they actually knew about it. They have no clue where this plot is coming from or who is behind it.”

  “Does the Almighty not share his wisdom?”

  I didn’t know where this was going, but this was sensitive subject. “No, if He did, what would be the point of living? We fight for his ideals and the beliefs He inspires but we do not expect to be omnipotent as well.”

  “Whoa, I am sorry Derrick, for I did not mean to offend you if I did. I was just curious.”

  “No you are fine. I may not be an angel, but I work for the Almighty.”

  She started to laugh at me. “You Horsemen are an odd bunch aren’t you?”

  That we are. My brothers and I fulfill certain roles in this world, but no one ever truly understands our need.

  “Speaking of the others, why do you live alone? Where are the other three?”

  I sighed, another story for later. “The four of us do not always see eye to eye. This extended vacation from them is as much my choice as it is my exile.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I appreciate your concern Roxanne, but for now we will leave it at that. Right now, we need to prepare ourselves to leave for Washington D.C. in two days.”

  Her face was confused. “You’re taking me with you?”

  “Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

  “I thought it was obvious?” It wasn’t. “I used to work for Beelzebub. I figured you would be worried this was a trap.”

  When she first came to my apartment last night, I thought it might be. But with the angels verifying her story and Albion demanding her return, that seemed unlikely. “The best place for me to keep a watch on you is right beside me, wouldn’t you say?”

  Chapter 6 – George Washington 101

  I was walking around the campus of Mt. Wolf University. I enjoy the learning atmosphere (and the coeds, who are we kidding) so every so often I will enroll in a new university. The last time I was in college was back in the late eighties when I attended Union.

  The reason for my visit to campus was to meet with a historical professor by the name of Dr. Margaret Larson. I hadn’t taken any of her courses, but word on the Internet was she was the foremost expert in the formation of the United States and its post Revolutionary War history. I knew quite a bit myself as I was an active participant with General Washington (I promise I will get to that story) but I had some questions.

  When someone does not grow old, it makes it quite uncomfortable to stay friends with someone who does. Washington started to notice in the lead up to the war that I appeared the same age as the first day he met me. It was at that point I vanished from sight, only to see him again when it was him time to pass over.

  To bring this tangent full circle, what I really wanted was a perspective on something. I know Roxanne said that Washington’s axe was in the White House, in some secret vault, but I didn’t know if I truly believed that. I knew George very well, that axe was very important to him.

  I made my way into Thomas Wolfe Hall, home of the history department. According to the university’s web page, her office was on the second floor. I hoped she was there, as I had no picture to go on.

  It was easy enough to find her office and I knocked on her door. “The door is unlocked, come in.”

  That voice sounded really familiar. I opened the door and to my surprise, “Maggie?”

  She looked up from her desk. “Derrick?”

  She quickly got up from her desk and pulled me in and shut the door. “Derrick, what the fuck are you doing here?”

  “I was coming to see Dr. Larson, I swear I had no idea it was you.”

  The Almighty she was gorgeous. Tight pants and high heels, a blouse and her glasses on, how did anyone concentrate in her lectures?

  “I’m sorry, but damnit you caught me off guard. My husband wants to kill you. To quote his words, if he ever catches that scrawny ass cunt bucket, he will cut your dick off and shove it down your throat.”

  It’s not a day unless threats are being levied at me. This time from a mortal, what a nice change. “I hope I didn’t get you in any trouble.”

  “Please, our marriage has been awful for years. You were unfortunately the first one he ever caught in the act. It’s me that should be apologizing.”

  “It is no big deal, honestly. But enough about your murderous husband, I came here today to ask for some help.”

  She took her glasses off. “What can I do for you?”

  “I have always been interested in early American history, especially the life of George Washington. I was wondering if you would be able to shed some light of his later years for me.”

  Her eyes narrowed at me. “Are you being serious right now?”

  “As serious as a heart attack. As our first President and a major reason we were able to defeat the British, I feel it is important to know as much about someone so vital to the founding of our great country.”

  Bingo, my little speech worked. I could tell she had a rebuttal coming, but that was quickly quelled. “I stand corrected; it seems you are very serious. What information are you hoping I can share wi
th you?”

  “I was hoping to get an idea of what the man was like the last years of his life.”

  She turned in her chair and grabbed a book off of her shelf. It was a very large, old book and it took her a few minutes to get to the pages she wanted.

  “Here we go, the section on the life and times of George Washington. Now to truly understand a man, we need to start at the beginning.”

  “I know quite a bit…”

  She cut me off. “Who is lecturing here, you or me?”

  “Very well, continue.”

  “Thank you Master, I aim to serve.” Ughh women. “Before I was interrupted, as I said, we need to start at the beginning. Most historians would agree that from a young age, Washington showed a great aptitude for leadership. Everyone knows the cherry tree story, but personally I think it is very important in who Washington became.”

  “You think so huh?”

  “Of course! It is a little known fact, but that axe he used was his most treasured possession.”

  This was going better than expected. “Really? Why is that?”

  “It has been so long since I’ve had the chance to talk about such things.” Excitement was evident on her face. “Depending on who you believe, the axe was a gift from a man who would eventually become Washington’s best friend.”

  “Are you going to keep me in suspense or tell me who this man was?”

  She flipped a few more pages in the book. When she got to the point she wanted, she pulled out an old piece of paper and unfolded it.

  “This was a note given to my mentor who handed it down to me. In it Martha Washington tells historian Tobias Ware the importance of the axe and the man who gave it to him. The man was never named, but it is clear by her words the impact he had on Washington’s life.”

  If only she knew the truth. Part of me wanted to tell her that the man was me, but clearly she would not believe me. Besides, the fewer mortals who know my true identity, the safer we would all be. “It is a shame we do not know more about this mysterious man.”