Grim Vengeance

by Jennifer Reinfried

  “Charlie went after Shawn,” he said as Isaac came up behind him, axe held to one side. “But Shawn was smart. He knew what contact with him would do, so he ran. He ran away from us, to draw Charlie away, but it didn’t work.”

  “Where is he?” Isaac spit more blood into the rain. He leaned his back against the concrete of the lab and briefly closed his eyes.

  “He’s coming this way. He knows you’re alive. He doesn’t know who else is. He’s thinking...” Aaron trailed off.

  “Tell me.”

  “He’s thinking about Emma. How Jaxon lied to him. She was to be kept alive as his...as his prize.”

  Isaac opened his eyes again and pushed himself back onto his feet. He swayed a moment. “Trade places with me.” Aaron stepped backward, and Isaac planted his feet inches from the edge of the cabin. “You can hear him. Tell me when to swing.”

  Minutes passed. Isaac’s vision churned multiple times, but he squeezed the handle in his hands and clenched his stomach, bringing forth the pain that had kept him awake so far.

  “He’s close.” Aaron had dropped his voice to a whisper, his breath hot on the side of Isaac’s face. “Be ready. Swing as hard as you can.”

  Isaac gripped the wooden handle of the axe, squeezing it with the entirety of his rage in his mind, the pain in his wound, and the agony in his heart. He forced his eyes to stay focused, did not allow them to stray toward her body where it lay alone in the rain.

  “Three.”

  He swallowed.

  “Two.”

  Ignored the blood trickling down his body.

  “One!”

  Isaac swung with everything he had. The head of the axe whipped through the damp night air in a perfect horizontal arc and buried itself in Charlie’s stomach. He felt his arms stiffen as he pulled at the weapon, glancing up into Charlie’s shock-filled eyes.

  The axe slipped free. Charlie was pulled forward with the force and fell. He caught himself with both hands, making small splashes in the thin layer of mud.

  “You...you...” Charlie fell onto his left side, facing Isaac. He was gasping, and his eyes were already glazed. His face contorted not in pain but fury. Charlie reached out and gripped Isaac’s ankle, a grin beginning on his lips.

  “Sorry,” Isaac said. He lifted the axe high above his head and this time, swung it downward. “I don’t have any powers.”

  The head of the axe sank into Charlie’s neck, passing through it, severing artery, muscle, and bone, and coming to rest in the wet ground.

  I did it. Isaac let go of the handle. I killed him. He maneuvered around Charlie, took three hesitant steps toward Emma, and sank to his knees, clutching the ragged tear in his stomach that still leaked blood. It’s over.

  Aaron gripped his arm. “Come on, we have to get to Duncan.” He threw Isaac’s arm over his shoulders and tried to stand, but after a moment’s struggle, stopped. “Please stand up. Please. We can help you.” He tried again, failed again. Isaac simply stared forward, mind focused on the pain in his stomach.

  “Dammit!” Aaron let him go. “Stay here. I’m going back for Duncan.” In a slap of footsteps, he was gone.

  Isaac fell forward. He felt thin strips of wet grass tickle his face. His world was fading. It’s so soft right here. So nice. His eyes flew open. Emma.

  Lifting his head, he saw her lying by the trees, just as she had been since Jaxon killed her. Isaac let go of his stomach with his left hand and reached for her. Hot blood fell past the fingers of his right, but he dismissed the agony burning in his stomach. He pulled himself toward Emma, slowly, painfully. It took every ounce of strength he had, but he gave it all to be by her one last time.

  Isaac was close enough to touch her when someone ran up next to him and grabbed his shoulder.

  “Let go!” he screamed, and shrugged out of their grasp, sending a flash of misery through his stomach and dulling his sight.

  “Isaac, please. Let me help you.” Shawn knelt by him, his shaggy hair plastered to his forehead and temples. His injured left arm dangled at his side.

  “Leave us alone.” Isaac reached forward again, and his fingers grazed the back of Emma’s hand.

  “You’re dying. I can get you to Duncan. Please.” Shawn rolled him onto his back.

  Isaac pushed his hand away, anger plastered on his wet face. “No. Fuck no. Leave me here with her.”

  “But—”

  “I have nothing left! She’s gone. Please. Please, just let me be with her.”

  Shawn stared at him with sorrow. “I can’t just let you die.”

  “Yes, you can. You kill criminals. I’m a criminal. You’re going against your own morals.” Isaac choked out a laugh.

  “That’s not us anymore.” Shawn sank further down, sitting in the mud next to Isaac. “You can’t do this.”

  “I can. Leave me alone. Let me be with her again.” Anguish faltered his voice, and he struggled to turn toward Emma again, one hand still holding his stomach.

  Shawn watched for a moment, silent. He stood and easily pulled Isaac next to her body with his good arm, bringing them close to each other, as if they were ready to fall asleep in bed.

  Relief warmed Isaac’s heart and soul. He reached a bloody hand up, fingers trembling, to shut Emma’s eyes. Rain had pooled in them. When her lids closed, water trickled down like tears. He placed a hand along her cheek, pulling her face toward him, and brought his lips to her still ones.

  “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Please...let me save you.” Shawn begged one last time.

  Isaac finally let go of his wound, entangling his blood-soaked fingers with Emma’s. He no longer felt the pain in his stomach, no longer feared what would happen. He stroked her face with his free hand, fingers leaving streaks of blood that washed away quickly in the rain.

  “I love you.” Isaac kissed her temple. His vision blurred, and he rolled onto his back next to Emma, sides touching, still holding her hand.

  “I love...”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Shawn sat hunched over Isaac’s body. The rain had stopped hours ago, leaving a damp, musty smell and a heaviness that nearly suffocated him. He squeezed Isaac’s limp hand in his own, using the other to gently shift his damp curls from his forehead.

  Behind him, Duncan, Claire, and a few of the freed hostages had begun to dig graves, grunting but not speaking. Aaron struggled to keep a straight face as he, too, stabbed the damp ground with a shovel. A few others huddled near the remains of Lab 15, hugging themselves or each other. Some draped blankets over the deceased, others brought tools to assist with digging.

  Shawn ignored them all. He ignored the crying. Ignored the sound of bodies being shifted closer to their graves. Ignored Aaron when the mind reader called out to him for help.

  All he could think about was the deaths he had failed to prevent.

  “I’m so sorry.” He stared at Isaac’s open, sightless eyes. “I’m so sorry.” He leaned forward, dropping his chin to his chest. His heart stuttered and skipped, as it had been in the hours since the slaughter had finally ended. He ignored that, too. The only sound he could truly hear, over and over, was Emma’s body hitting the tree. The memory of Jaxon’s head tearing free of his body flashed in his mind. It was followed by the image his brother’s headless corpse next to a shallow grave. “Oh, God,” he sobbed.

  -Shawn.-

  He jumped, body twitching as he glanced up. He saw nothing. Twisting this way and that, refusing to let go of Isaac’s hand, he searched for the source of the voice until he realized he had simply heard it in his own head. With another sob, one so heavy it rattled his chest, he turned back to the man below him on the ground.

  Tears splattered against Isaac’s chest, disappearing on his soaked shirt.

  -Shawn.-

  This time he jumped to his feet.

  “Who’s there?” His voice was weak, exhausted.

  -Shawn, it’s me. It’s Bruce.-

  “What? I don’t...” He
gripped the sides of his head and squeezed. The voice was so real, so close.

  -I’m in your head. I know, it’s weird, but remember what Duncan said about me? About my Evo power?-

  “Your transfers.” Shawn lowered his hands slowly and sank back to the wet ground.

  -Yep. Lucky me, right?-

  “But...I saw you. Jaxon...Jaxon killed you.”

  -He did. When my body died, I transferred into him. I learned how to better it. I was able to talk to him, but by then he was too far gone.-

  Shawn looked back down at Isaac.

  “I...” Another sob escaped him, this one stronger than the first. “I tried to save him.”

  -I know, son. I know you did.-

  He began to cry, fists gripping Isaac’s shirt in handfuls. “I tried to save him,” he said again. His voice cracked.

  -He didn’t want to be saved.-

  Shawn nodded harshly, his forehead now against Isaac’s chest. “I lost him. I lost Emma. Jaxon. I lost everyone.”

  -You haven’t lost me.-

  His body shuddered continuously as he wept, tears streaking down his face in fast hot rivulets.

  -I’m here. I’m here for you, Shawn.-

  “You’re just in my head. You’re not real.”

  -You really believe that?-

  “No.” Sobs continued to wrack his torso. He couldn’t let go of Isaac. “He wouldn’t let me save him. Why wouldn’t he let me save him? The one person I could have helped.”

  -Isaac made a choice. His love had left him, and he wanted to take the risk to move on, hoping he could see her again.-

  “But he can’t know that would work.”

  -He didn’t need to know.-

  “God, Dad, it hurts.” Shawn swiped a hand across his wet face.

  -I know. I know.-

  Shawn reached forward and forced Isaac’s eyes shut, coughing instead of crying. His chest hurt, his lungs burned.

  -There are others you can help.-

  He let out a ragged laugh. “No. I’m done trying. Everyone gets hurt, gets killed. I can’t do this anymore.”

  -You can, and you will. You have a gift, Shawn, and you need to use it for good. To bring hope. Peace.-

  “I can’t.” He dropped his face into his hands.

  -Of course you can. I know you can. You’re my son.-

  “Not by blood.” Shawn wiped his nose on his sleeve.

  -You are my SON. I watched you become a wise, loving, intelligent man, one I respect, one I look up to. You don’t cower in the face of evil. You stand tall when others shrink away. You see the good in others even when they cannot. You are strong, Shawn. And you are my son.-

  Tears leaked down his cheeks, but he no longer sobbed. He picked up Isaac’s hand once more.

  -He didn’t want to be saved, and neither did Jaxon. But others need help. All over. People suffer, hurt. You can be their salvation. You can be their hope.-

  “Shawn!” A voice called out to him, but he didn’t turn.

  “What do I do, Dad? How can I hold myself together enough to get through this pain?”

  -Know that it is temporary. You will always remember this night, always think back to your friends who gave their lives fighting. But the pain you feel now will dwindle, slow to a simmer. You will heal. You will come back from this. And I will help you every step of the way. I love you, Shawn. I love you so much.-

  Fresh tears fell from his eyes, and he began sobbing again as Duncan staggered to his knees beside him, his injured leg wrapped in a long white towel stained crimson. His face was drawn and tired, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

  “Shawn. Oh, Shawn.” Duncan pulled him into a hug. Footsteps slapped in the mud nearby, and soon, Aaron sat beside them, looking down at Isaac.

  “The hostages are all safe, Shawn. But...the kids. They’re gone.” Aaron let out a ragged sigh, head drooping. “That fucker Michael...we should have killed him when we had the chance. He took them.”

  “We’ll find them.” Duncan’s voice was hard, full of hate and determination. “We will.”

  “What do I do now, Dad?” Shawn asked, ignoring the two men, who shared a look. “Dad?”

  -I’m here, son. Always will be.-

  “Come on, Shawn,” Duncan said after a pause. “Let’s get you up.” He nodded to Aaron, who helped Shawn to his feet. Claire appeared behind her estranged husband, grasping his arm, letting him lean some of his weight on her. They walked a few steps before Duncan turned and looked back over his shoulder, concern in his tired eyes.

  Shawn hesitated.

  -Go with them. Let them help you.-

  Can you hear me? Shawn thought.

  -I can.-

  I’m so tired.

  -I know. You need to rest.-

  Shawn gripped his already healing broken arm, the pain a distant memory. He took a tentative step toward Duncan, but paused. You’ll help me?

  -Unequivocally.-

  I love you, Dad.

  -I love you, Shawn. So much. Now rest. Listen to Duncan, let him take care of you, all right?-

  I will. I’m so tired.

  -You will heal. You will recover. And when you’re ready, we will all help you become the hero you were always meant to be.-

  Epilogue

  In the outskirts of Riverton, Utah, a malnourished alley cat stalked through the quiet streets, prowling between bushes and behind trees. It turned onto a lawn and paused to stare into a lit window. Shadows glided past the glass as a mother tucked in two children. She left the room after dimming the lights and drifted into the next room, where she kissed a man changing into plaid pajama pants. The cat’s eyes narrowed at the sight of a golden retriever curled up next to their bed. Its ears flattened on its skull, and it let out a hiss.

  A gust of wind sent a rustle through the leaves nearby. The cat’s head whipped around to peer into the street where food wrappers danced on the breeze, joining a plastic bag on the sidewalk. Freshly bloomed flowers swayed on their stalks.

  Something in the air shifted. It grew heavier, almost menacing, and the hackles rose on the cat’s back. A wailing moan rose far off in the night. Stifling the urge to run, the cat slowly backed up against the house, trying to pinpoint the source of the horrific noise. The sound grew from a moaning cry to a high-pitched screaming. The cat flattened itself in the grass just as an undulating black cloud of ghost-like figures surged overhead, churning around and through themselves, flooding into the sleeping, silent town.

  Official Grim Character Art

  Also by Jennifer Reinfried

  Grim Inception (A Grim Trilogy 0.5)

  Grim Ambition (A Grim Trilogy 1)

  Grim Misfortune (A Grim Trilogy 1.5)

  Grim Judgment (A Grim Trilogy 2)

  Grim Resentment (A Grim Trilogy 2.5)

  Coming soon

  The Souls of the Lash

  Dawn of the Wraiths - A Grim Origin

  A Special Thank You

  First, I would like to give a huge thank you to my main editor, Wendy Vogel, author of the bestselling Horizon Alpha series (and more, of course!).

  Wendy, I have learned so, so much from you it isn’t funny. You constantly taught me how to be a better writer by not only explaining everything with wonderful clarity but also by using a sense of humor that constantly cracked me up while reading edits and revisions. You believed in me, sometimes more than I ever believed in myself. I can’t thank you enough.

  Also, to all of my beta readers:

  AuBrie Klock

  Chris Weber

  Derek Reinfried

  Elizabeth Cassity

  Jenny Skrenes

  Joshua “Grimm” Dobos

  Katey Bluel

  Kristy Winegarner

  Mandy Brownell

  Maureen Reinfried

  Michelle Dobson

  Nate Bjork

  Nikolas Everhart

  To my artists who put up with all of my ideas and worrying:

  Evelyne Paniez

 
Meagan Weber

  Stephen Gibson

  To all of the friends that supported me by portraying one of my characters at one of my release parties or in the Grim photo shoot:

  Amanda Enders

  Bill Enders

  Brett Bluel

  Brett Wise

  Brian Dean

  Dan Samuelson

  Derek Reinfried

  Geoff Burke

  Heather Kilkenny

  Joseph Harrison

  Kari Radl

  Michael Charlton

  Nate Bjork

  Pauline Holmes

  Sam Fullerton

  Stuart Munn

  To those who made the Grim photo shoot possible:

  Derek Bonney

  Katey Bluel

  To the members of Dawn of the Wraiths, the Grim band that played at the final release party, who learned all the songs in addition to learning all the dances for the Grim Vengeance lip sync performance (seriously, you guys are amazing):

  Brett Bluel

  Brett Wise

  Derek Reinfried

  Joseph Harrison

  Kari Radl

  (And Katey Bluel for providing a Grim babysitting service!)

  To my family, friends, and fans who have supported me throughout everything.

  Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it forever: I could not have done this without you.

  Grim Ambition was released in March 2017. The second in the trilogy, Grim Judgment, came out July 28, 2017. Her Western thriller, The Souls of the Lash, is set to release in early 2018.

  She loves hearing from her fans. You can follow her on Twitter: @ChirpyJen. You can find more about A Grim Trilogy at her site: agrimtrilogy.com and hear about other books at www.reinfriedbooks.com.

  Jennifer lives with her husband in the Midwest.