by J. E. Taylor
Unnerved, I sank to the sand and closed my eyes, counting each breath until the thumping in my chest abated. When I opened my eyes, Lazarus knelt before me like a knight bowing to the king.
Utter annoyance braised through me, leaving a sour taste in my mouth. “Don’t do that,” I snapped and stood, walking farther into the shadows until I found my mother and Julia gawking at me with the same awe.
Now I just wanted to burrow in the sand and forget who I was. This little mind trip into the underworld was getting to me more than I thought and I glared toward the crowd, feeling the frustration burning in my chest like a fireball.
Night descended without another encounter and when the last note of the band played, I let the power thrumming in my stomach fill every pore until I tingled all over. I couldn’t do this with Julia and my mother flanking me, so I gave them a nod. “Stay here.”
My gaze traveled to Lazarus and I made a decision based on loyalty. I issued an order, one he had no choice to follow. “For the next hour, you are to stay at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.”
His expression registered shock and then he disappeared with an audible pop.
I glanced back at my mom and shock painted her face but I shrugged. “I’m serious, stay here no matter what,” I said and before I left them at the rock wall, I stepped close to Julia and ran my hand across her cheek and into her hair, pulling her to me.
The kiss turned the burn in my soul to an inferno of determination and I pulled away.
With a nod I turned away from them, willing a cloak of invisibility around them so no human or reaper could see them besides me. I thought of the actual artifact from Harry Potter and wished I had that cloak on hand to keep them safe. Instead, I had to rely on the shadows to keep them out of danger.
My eyesight adjusted to the dark and I saw forms on the barge in the distance and the first spark of fire. I turned toward the crowd and unsheathed the pulsing knife. Pure power radiated through me. “Show yourselves, you cowards.”
My cry to action worked and the glamours wavered, splitting in the light of the first round of fireworks. I was on my home turf and not some random ledge in their realm so when the first reaper charged, I was ready.
“Dust to dust,” I whispered as the first fell. Three more followed and then the legion seemed to get the idea that individual attacks would result in their destruction, so they tried a coordinated attack.
I can’t remember ever moving so fast in any of my belt tests and I’m sure I would have made my Sensei proud, but after the third wave, my arms felt like lead weights and the swirl of sand and death surrounding me made catching my breath next to impossible.
The fireworks display continued and for a moment I wondered if anyone in the crowd could see me doing some weird knife dance in the sand. I started to chuckle at the image I painted in my head and I scanned the legions of reapers that formed a big u-shape surrounding me.
“You can’t stop this, boy.” The sea of black parted and Promethis stepped forward.
“Want to make a bet?” The words sounded labored and tired, but resolute. I reset my form just waiting for the next reaper to step into the ring with me.
“I’ll see that bet and raise you,” Promethis said and waved his bony hand to my right. The legion parted and the cop I coerced earlier stepped forward with my mother and Julia grasped in each hand. He forced them to their knees and pulled out his pistol, placing the barrel on Julia’s temple and waited for further instructions. “See, you aren’t the only one that can control humans.”
A sick sense of loss engulfed me and I stared into Julia’s deep brown eyes. “Don’t you dare,” she whispered when I lowered the knife.
I inhaled the salty, firework-tinged air and looked up at the brightly painted sky before returning my glare to Promethis. I pointed the tip of the knife in the direction of the officer. “It’s not their time.”
The statement hung on the air like the smoke from the fireworks.
“I’ve got the sheet that says otherwise,” Promethis reached under his cloak.
I raised the knife to the sky, willing the heathens on the barge to trigger the explosion, praying the shock of setting it off earlier than they expected would buy me enough time to save my mother and Julia.
The sheer decibels of sound that followed nearly threw me onto the sand, and I stumbled catching myself before I fell, the knife still aimed to the heavens like a beacon. I glanced at the cop. “Drop the gun,” I whispered and the pistol tumbled to the sand at the same moment the energy from the explosion hit the blade.
Pain raced through my arm and I looked at the fiery knife in my grip, grinding my teeth and forcing myself to hold on, to control the power for long enough to harness and bend it to my will.
The line of reapers backed away even as the fireworks finale continued overhead, filling the sky with bright bangs, I lowered the vibrating blade, pointing the tip at Promethis.
“Dust to dust,” I growled and aimed, concentrating on only the reaper hoard around me.
Like the energy that dispatched the tornado, this shot out like a hundred silver lightning bolts, striking the reapers down in one fell swoop and the sand devil that resulted flowed around the four of us in a funnel that nearly reached the lowest firework.
It exploded outward, raining a fine mist of sand over the crowd.
I stood, staring at all the people on their feet clapping and whooping and cheering, then the world spun into blackness.
Don’t Fear the Reaper
Chapter 34
Steady, rhythmic beats brought me out of the dark recesses and I opened my eyes, blinking at the clear bag of liquid hanging above me. I tried to swallow, but my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. I coughed and blinked again, trying to lift my head and I groaned, lifting my hand toward the pounding in my temple.
I stopped and stared at the bandage covering my hand and wrist wondering what happened to leave me feeling like I had just been run over by the school bus. I glanced toward the light and my gaze fell on my mother slumped in the chair by the window, sound asleep.
“Mom?” The word scraped my mouth painfully and she opened her eyes at my distant croak.
“Nick,” she said, straightening in the chair and scooting closer.
“Water.”
She poured a glass from the pitcher on the nightstand and offered me the straw.
The cool liquid soothed my mouth and throat and I slumped back on the pillow, studying the ceiling wondering if I dreamed everything. I couldn’t formulate any of the questions pinging through my mind, they were all way too crazy, but when I dropped my gaze back to my mother’s I saw the grain of truth in her eyes and in her mind and I clenched my jaw.
“It wasn’t a dream?”
“No Nicky, it wasn’t a dream.”
I covered my eyes with my bandaged forearm and the ache in my chest grew, my chin quivered and my throat burned with salty tears.
“Death is my father?”
“Yes.”
“And I stopped the explosion?”
“Yes.”
“No one died?”
Silence filled the room and I lifted my arm, meeting her gaze. She looked at the floor and then back at me and a crushing dread gripped my soul. Lazarus stepped out of the shadows and put his hand on my mother’s shoulder.
“Mom.” Tears blurred my eyes and I blinked, my glance bouncing between them and the hollow pit in the center of my body grew. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
She smiled, “Don’t be sad, Nick, I’m here anytime you need me.”
Panic hit and the next question bolted out of my mouth. “What about Julia?”
“I was able to save her from the explosion,” my mom said.
Relief flooded through me and I glanced at Lazarus. “What about the knife?”
“It’s in a safe place until you’re ready,” my mother whispered and patted her thigh.
The door squeaked open, pulling my attention away from my mother and a figure s
lipped into the room. I recognized her immediately and offered a sniff and a smile. “Hi.”
She froze for a moment and then crossed the room in a flurry of blond hair and hospital gown and she nearly threw herself across me in a giant hug. “Nick!”
Breathless from both pain and relief, I just wrapped my arms around her and buried my face in her hair, happy that she was alive and still happy to see me after all that went down.
I smoothed her hair and kissed her cheek, thankful for the feel of her warm skin and the hint of strawberries wafting from her hair. Small prayers were answered and I bit my lip, blinking the sheen of tears away.
“Your mom,” she whispered in my ear, her voice choked with emotion.
“I know,” I said and glanced toward the empty chair, already missing her. “But I don’t know why we’re in the hospital.”
“They said we were sitting in a restricted area and a few of the fireworks malfunctioned, acting like a loaded missile which struck the sand in front of where we were sitting. It exploded and killed your mother and knocked both of us out.”
“And what do you remember?”
She stared at me for a long time and then sat up. “I remember you using the knife to absorb the explosion and then there was a flash of light and your mother tackled me. When I came to, she was dead and you were face down in the sand and the emergency crews were rushing onto the beach.
She took a deep breath. “I thought you were dead, too.”
I reached out and wiped the tear from her cheek. “It’s going to take a whole lot more than a few hundred reapers and a bomb to kill me.”
My attempt at humor worked and she cracked a smile.
“What happens now?”
“You think you might like to come to Florida with us?” she asked, raising an eyebrow that told me more than any words could.
I grinned in response. “But doesn’t Florida have alligators?”
The End
Continue The Death Chronicles with HIGHWAY TO HELL.
Thank you for reading DON’T FEAR THE REAPER. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review.
About the Authors
William F. Houle
At the time these books were originally written, William F. Houle was a middle-school student with an amazing imagination.
When he approached his mother, author J.E. Taylor, with the idea for a trilogy about the son of Death, well she couldn’t resist the incredible story line William created and agreed to work with him to craft his idea into words.
Thus, Don’t Fear the Reaper was born.
J.E. Taylor
J.E. Taylor is a USA Today bestselling author, a publisher, an editor, a manuscript formatter, a mother, a wife, a business analyst, and a Supernatural fangirl, not necessarily in that order. She first sat down to seriously write in February of 2007 after her daughter asked:
“Mom, if you could do anything, what would you do?”
From that moment on, she hasn’t looked back.
In addition to being co-owner of Novel Concept Publishing, Ms. Taylor also moonlights as a Senior Editor of Allegory E-zine, an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.
She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children and during the summer months enjoys her weekends on the shore in southern Maine.
Visit her at www.jetaylor75.com and sign up for her newsletter for early previews of her upcoming books, release announcements, and special opportunities for free swag!
Sign up for Ms. Taylor’s newsletter at: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y2z2x6
You might also enjoy other books from J.E. Taylor’s backlist:
THE STEVE WILLIAMS SERIES:
From the mountains of New Hampshire to the streets of New York City, these novels take you on a journey through some of the darkest days in Steve Williams' FBI career.
The series includes these single titles:
DARK RECKONING (Book 1)
"J.E. Taylor has penned a tale of terror worthy of Lovecraft. The strong characters, edgy atmosphere, and unflinching narrative hooked me from the first and kept me riveted all the way through to its horrifying conclusion - a solid piece of storytelling!" Ty Drago, Editor of Allegory and author of PHOBOS
VENGEANCE (Book 2)
HUNTING SEASON (Book 3):
"Unstoppable, breath stealing, and terrifying all at once." - Cat Connor, author of killerbyte, terrorbyte, and exacerbyte.
"Hunting Season goes where few venture, mixing a compelling crime thriller with supernatural forces. The action and drama is thick and fast and I guarantee you will not be able to put this book down." - Poppet, author of Seithe and Darkroom.
GEORGIA REIGN (Book 4)
CRYSTAL ILLUSIONS (Book 5)
“Gripping, rich and magnificent - crime whodunnits don't get any better than this!” Author Poppet – Author of QUISLINGS, BLINDSIDED, DJINN and DUSAN
“CRYSTAL ILLUSIONS is a dizzying thriller with a terrifying killer, a unique detective, and some twists you will not see coming! This is Steve Williams’ most addictive adventure so far and J.E. Taylor at her very best!” Ty Drago - Author of THE UNDERTAKERS Series
"This has to be one of the best mysteries I have ever read. Move over Agatha Christie there's a new sheriff in town, and she is great." - PRG Reviews
SAVING FACE (Book 6)
THE GAMES TRILOGY
Intensely disturbing. Beautifully horrific. Indescribably intense. Gruesome and gory. You can't help but get caught up in this series.
When Ty Aris kidnaps Jessica Connor for his step-brother’s underground film network, he is not prepared for the impact this woman will have on his life. The Games Trilogy brings Ty and Jessica from the dark days in his step-brother’s sadistic prison, to the glitz of a major motion picture premier in New York City in a powerful combination of suspense, romance, and heartache. They battle the worst in human nature, as well as a paranormal twist that nearly destroys them and all they love.
This series includes these single titles:
SURVIVAL GAMES (Book 1)
MIND GAMES (Book 2)
END GAME (Book 3)
The Games Series is for sale to Adult Audiences Only. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes, graphic language, and violence that may be considered offensive by some readers.
FALLEN – Games Trilogy Prequel
Ty Ryan’s downward spiral started the day his mother met Jacob Aris.
An unexpected romance between the emergency room nurse and the multi-billionaire plunges Ty into the wealthy world of entitlement, secrets, and lies.
When tragedy strikes, leaving Ty and his siblings at the mercy of Jacob Aris, Ty is powerless to defend against the old man’s rage. Each random beating chips away at Ty’s sanity, leaving him vulnerable to his stepbrother’s master manipulation.
NIGHT HAWK TRILOGY
Damian Andreas is an ancient vampire tasked with keeping the archangel bloodlines safe. Blinded by his hatred for Lucifer, he snatches Naomi Hawk from the devil to claim her as his own. The moment his teeth sink into her neck, he realizes he has just broken his own vows.
When Naomi bites him back, his blood transform her into an immortal shadow, and puts Damian on a collision path with an angry archangel.
Single titles in this series:
NIGHT HAWK (Book 1)
TIGRESS (Book 2):
TRINITY RISING (Book 3):
THE RYAN CHRONICLES
Tom and CJ Ryan harbor the power of the Gods. Refusing to stand with Lucifer puts both of them, and everyone they love, on the devil’s hit list.
There are only so many ways you can break a man before his wrath changes the status quo. Rekindled by family, by love, by home and memories, the ruthless son of Ty Ryan steps into the shoes left under the family tree by his dad, and this time he’s out of mercy.
The series includes these single titles:
CJ’s Story:
ANGEL GRACE - Book 1
ANGEL HEART -
Book 2
ANGEL WRATH – Book 3
Tom’s Story:
ANGEL BLOOD - Book 4
ANGEL FIRE - Book 5
ANGEL FURY – Book 6
MAGICK TRILOGY
Paige Turner’s magick skills are rusty, but she needs to refine her spells or her determination to save a very special soul will prove to be disastrous.
Single titles in this series:
MAGICK
BLACK MAGICK
PRACTICAL MAGICK
THE DEATH CHRONICLES TRILOGY
What would you do if you found out Death was your father and you were destined to take over the family business?
Dylan Nicholas Ramsay—Nick to his friends—does not want the job, but he has no choice. The fallout of refusing to accept his fate is bleak, and when rogue reapers step in to try to overthrow the status quo, all hell breaks loose.
Single titles in this Young Adult paranormal suspense series:
DON’T FEAR THE REAPER (Book 1)
HIGHWAY TO HELL (Book 2)
KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR (Book 3)
Introducing THE PARADOX FILES, a new urban fantasy series
A protector. A lost soul. A siren looking for salvation.
Kylee Paradox never expected to be a protector of humankind, but when hell’s portals open and let loose the creatures of the underworld, she can’t see any other way.
Armed with an ultimatum, Kylee has no choice but to embrace her new position as bounty hunter of the damned. Sending these monsters back to purgatory becomes her life’s mission.
The only glitches in an otherwise noble pursuit are those who hold her fate in their hands. They forbid her from using her deadly siren song to lure the beasts back to the pit.
If she harms even a single innocent soul in her quest, Kylee herself will become one of the hunted.
SILENCING THE SIREN – Book One
WAKING THE SIREN – Book Two