by kelly Hambly
‘Damn,’ he cussed, covering his eyes. ‘I always forget how bright these blasted bulbs are.’
I laughed. ‘Sure you’re not a vampire?’
‘Unfortunately not. Your uncle scored with that. Anyway, Lumi,’ he said, pointing towards a metal arch that took up most of the room. ‘This is the gateway to Earth.’
Like I didn’t know. Oh and by the way, Dad had two brothers. I’ll get to the one in The Other Room soon as he was practically an outcast. But just to clarify, their parents created the universe and there are three planes of existence, and my uncle, the vampire was given the void to look after. It’s where we give mortals the chance to decide if they have any more business to finish on the Earth plane before we make the final decision where to allocate them.
‘Okay,’ I said, walking towards it. ‘What’s my job for tonight then and why can’t you go?’ I asked.
He folded his arms defensively and stood tapping his pointy boots on the floor.
‘Lumi, when I ask you to do something, I don’t expect to be questioned. Now, all I want you to do is go to New York, pick up a soul, and fetch it back. In fact, I am going to send Ulrich with you.’
Oh great. Ulrich was Dad’s little snitch. A half troll, half goblin.
‘Why? Don’t you trust me?’
‘It’s not about trust, Lumi. This is a very big case. I need to be certain it doesn’t go awry.’
He poured himself a drink, something he did not do often. I didn’t know if I ought to press it any further, and so slumped down on the black swivel chair beside the desk. Official looking papers were strewn all over.
‘What is really going on, Dad?’ I asked, sifting through the hundreds of documents. There was a clink of glass. ‘Dad?’ I asked, watching him pour another drink.
He cleared his throat, swallowed another glass of whiskey, and took a deep breath.
‘Well?’
‘I owe money to a few influential people on earth.’ He said, casually.
‘By influential, I take it you mean underground crime lords?’
I sat back, crossing my arms, amazed he got himself involved with them in the first place.
‘Yes, Lumi.’ He shrugged. ‘I needed the money to pay your uncle for his share of the family business.’
‘But, Dad, you’re the reaper, why do you need to borrow money from humans?’ He looked shifty and avoided eye contact. ‘You lost it all, didn’t you? Gambling.’
‘Well, Lumi, a man has to have some vices, you know. Even the devil himself.’ He laughed.
The door opened, and the atmosphere in the room shifted to a dank and depressing state, not that it needed much help. I lowered my level of vision to the bottom half of the door and in walked, Ulrich. He had backcombed, big, red eighties hair, and a face that would not melt a thousand hearts if he spent the rest of eternity trying. He’d most likely break them and according my sources he already had.
‘I got your message, Sir.’ He strolled over to my father, acknowledging my presence with a flick of his dark, beady eyes. I guess the feeling was mutual then.
‘Ulrich, you know what’s what regarding this mission tonight, just make sure my daughter does exactly what she is meant to do, and nothing else.’ He turned to face me. ‘Nothing else, Lumi. Don’t pull any fast ones and go off on some jaunt around New York on your own.’
Why does he have to go on repeating himself? ‘Okay, Dad. Now whom am I meant to collect?’
I took a black leather notepad from my pocket and a pen from Dad’s pot on his desk.
‘Daniel Lee. He’s supposed to be involved in a traffic accident tonight by Central Park.’
‘Description?’
There was no answer. I looked up from my notepad at Dad, standing there with a raised brow.
‘Lumi, you will know when you see him.’
It was not the response I was looking for and the look I gave him left him in no doubt about that.
‘Oh, okay. He’s about five foot nine, slim build with dark brown hair.’
‘How do you know him then?’ I asked, flipping the notebook closed, and stuffing it in my leather trouser pocket.
‘Never you mind, Lumi. Now, go with Ulrich. When you arrive in New York, you will have about an hour to wait. And, please, wait.’ He said, dragging out the last word like he didn’t completely trust me to do the job.
‘Yes, Dad.’ I mockingly saluted to him.
Ulrich smirked, and I raised my fist at him.
‘Can you two please get on for once?’ Dad said, pouring himself another drink.
‘So, ready when you are.’ I gestured towards the gate.
‘No when you are.’ Ulrich laughed waiting for me to go first.
I clenched my fist into a ball, and was about to throw a punch, when Dad intervened.
‘Just get the hell out of here.’ He yelled, blowing a bulb.
‘A bit difficult isn’t it when we’re already in Hell.’ I laughed.
He pointed a finger at me, and I knew it was time to quit the witty remarks I am so well known for.
‘Okay, Ulrich. Let’s go.’ I said, stepping into the gate.
Ulrich typed in the destination on the keypad, and there was a mechanical whirring sound that emanated from the metal above my head.
‘And we’re ready.’ Ulrich said, quickly stepping into the gate.
I felt like pushing him out, but that would only piss Dad off even more.
A flash of white light surrounded me and I closed my eyes. When I felt the chilly air against my face I opened my eyes to find I was sitting down on a busy sidewalk. I almost got trampled on by a woman in a pair of Jimmy Choo’s. I hoped it was New York as I’ve never been here before. I took stock of my bearings. It was New York alright; anyone would recognise the Statue of Liberty across the water… Statue of Liberty? I gasped and got to my feet. Shit. I was in the wrong place, but how?
‘Ulrich?’ I looked down and Ulrich wasn’t there. ‘Oh no. Now what has happened?’ I was about a mile from where I should be.
I turned around, smacking my face into a passing pedestrian.
‘Are you alright, Miss?’ A young, English man asked.
‘Yeah, I think so.’ I rubbed my forehead grateful he wasn’t a lamppost.
Brushing away my bangs, I looked up to see the most stunning, sparkly, brown eyes looking back at me.
‘Hi,’ he said, smiling.
‘Hi,’ I replied, excited to be speaking to a human. A hot one at that.
‘Are you lost?’ He asked.
‘Um.’ I didn’t know if I was, or if I was meant to be here. ‘No, not really, but thanks for asking. You know, I may be a little confused, you see. Have you seen a little guy, looks like an imp; ugly. May have stepped out of the 80’s?’
He laughed. No. I haven’t.’
I’m sure he thought I was trying to chat him up, but it was a genuine, honest question. But then I realised. I’m on Earth. People don’t have creepy, little fuckers for companions. And then I saw his dog.
‘Oh, what a cute dog.’ I bent down, patting this great husky dog on his head.
Lumi, what are you doing?
‘His name his Thor.’
‘Oh Thor. I know him…’
As the words left my mouth I realised how crazy that sentence would sound had I finished it. So I shut up. I was sounding like a demented moron that has escaped from a padded cell. I got to my feet, cleared my throat and apologised.
‘Sorry, I must sound like an idiot. Anyway, sorry to bother you, I’m just off to the park, you know, for a walk.’
I hadn’t spoken to many humans before so my mouth had the tendency to run away with me at times.
‘You sound pretty cool.’ He smiled. ‘If you’re not busy do you mind us tagging along with you? We’re off to the park for a walk. My name is Dan by the way. Yours?’
Oh shit, what have I gone and done? ‘Sure. It’s Lumiere.’ The words escaped my mouth before I had time to think.
Oh well,
I had about an hour like Dad said. The crossing wasn’t far. I was sure I could make it to my destination in that time.
Chapter Four
It didn’t happen. Half an hour had passed, and I was still sat talking to Dan. He had me wrapped in his knowledge of Art and the Renaissance period. Being an immortal meant I had copious amounts of time to study and learn. So suffice to say I knew a lot more than him, but it was nice to sit and talk to someone for a change.
I checked my watch.
‘Do you have to be somewhere?’ He asked.
‘Sort of.’ But before I could say anything else, I saw his eyes light up with excitement.
‘I’m going to the university’s ball tonight would you care to join me?’
My face must’ve disappointed him.
‘Oh, I’m sorry. I thought, by the way you were dressed you were going to the Halloween party. Sorry, I shouldn’t make assumptions like that.’
‘No, no offence taken. This is how I look every day. So, what is the university’s party in aid of then?’ I asked, like a dumbass. How could I, the daughter of the reaper forget our most important day of the year?
‘It’s Halloween tonight. I’m just going drop Thor off at home and make my way there.’
‘Ah, no. I’m not I’m afraid, but if I could make it, I would’ve loved to have gone with you.’
He looked disappointed, and I was intrigued enough to go and see how the humans celebrated my favourite day of the year.
‘Okay, I’ll come for a bit.’ I said, checking my father’s pocket watch again. ‘If you don’t mind, I’ll catch up with you tonight? I have something I must do first.’
‘Yes, I’d love that. I’ll meet you outside the main block at nine?’
‘Nine it is then.’
I made a mental note that I had to stop agreeing to things I wasn’t sure of, but Daniel was a good enough reason to attend this party. But before I could do that, I had to do what I actually came for; to take this soul to Hell. Usually, Dad would send them to Limbo where his brother Patrick would talk to them, sometimes for days on ends. As he was a vampire, time as we know it made no difference to him, but to the poor souls who would arrive there, a day may feel like a millennium. It was a sufficient amount of time for them to ascertain where they should end up in the afterlife. I had known my uncle agreeing to send souls back to the Earth plane whereby they would re-learn the lessons again, so that they would, when the time was right again, arrive back in Limbo and they would go directly where they were supposed to go. Some never learned though.
It got dark. I had about twenty minutes before this event was supposed to happen and I know if I didn’t do what Dad had asked there would be more than Hell to pay on the menu tonight.
I arrived at my destination, on time. I maybe had a minute to spare. I looked nervously at the traffic lights, and then at the crowd of people waiting to cross. One of those poor buggers would meet my dad tonight. As much as I loved him, he wasn’t to be reckoned with when he was angry, and I got the sense that whoever it was I had to take was connected to his business affairs.
I took the bag from my pocket and waited. As crazy as it sounds I rather wished Ulrich would have been here. I still had no idea where he went.
‘Here goes.’ The cars came to a halt, and the yellow sign flashed. I opened the bag and waited staring at the sea of faces approaching me. They were a mixture of old and young, some relatively young. I had my eye on a stocky man in a navy business suit, but that would be so cliché if it was him. Why did he have to dress like a business man, he could…
‘Daniel?’ What was he doing here? As the crowd brushed past me, I could see him at the back, and then, to my horror, a motorcycle came roaring down the street, lost control and skidded along the tarmac. The cyclist came off, and the bike was still trailing down the road. I pushed my way through the crowd that were now going crazy, screaming for him to move, but there was no chance. He turned to look in my direction. I screamed, flailing my arms like a mad woman for him to get out of the way, but it was fruitless. As he faced the on-coming bike, it smacked into him, sending him into mid-air like a rag doll.
‘Noooo!’ I cried, falling to my knees, hands covering my face.
‘Lumiere.’ I heard a voice.
I looked to my left. In the bustle of people, I saw Kochak who was also a Reaper’s Soul. He stood next to the cyclist who had just been killed. The man looked as though there was nothing wrong with him, except he was dead.
‘What?’ I spat, angrily.
‘You’re meant to collect the soul.’ He pointed.
Reluctantly I turned to the right. An ambulance had turned up now, and there were people gathered around his body on the floor. My gaze turned slightly to the right again, next to the ambulance and there he was, standing scared stiff looking down at them trying to save his body.
I stuffed the bag in my jacket pocket as there was no way I could use it on him. No, I was going to take him back my way. I walked over to him standing alone looking petrified. I had never lost a friend before so to say I understood death was a lie.
‘Daniel.’ I whispered, slipping my hand his.
He turned his head slightly to look at me. Tears streamed down his face. Once a soul had leaped from its body everything they see on Earth happens at a much faster pace.
‘What’s happened to me, Lumiere?’ His lips quivered.
There was no way to put this lightly.
‘You’re dead.’
‘I was crossing the road just moments ago. How?’ He seemed to have registered something and looked me in the eyes. ‘How can you see me?’
I wasn’t trained enough for this. Damn my bloody father. This man did not deserve to go to Hell. He didn’t have a bad aura.
‘I’ve come to take you.’ I said softly.
‘Take me? What are you, Lumiere?
‘I’m sort of like an angel, except I take souls to the Underworld.’
I felt ashamed of what I was, and couldn’t look him in the eyes.
‘I’m going to Hell? Really? What did I do to deserve this?’ He shook.
‘I don’t know, but I’m sure it has been a mix up on my Dad’s part.’ I hoped.
‘I never thought it would be like this. I thought angels were meant to be dressed in white, and there would be a heaven.’
He looked up at the sky.
‘There is a heaven, but look, we must leave before I get into trouble.’
‘I can’t.’ He refused. ‘I have too much I wanted to do.’
‘I’m really sorry, but this was your time.’ I shrugged.
I didn’t know what else I could do or say to make him feel better. I mean, could you make souls feel better about their death and the fact they are summoned to Hell? No, I don’t think so.
It took a few minutes to calm him. When I finally got him to agree to come with me, I turned to see Kochak tapping his watch, hinting for me to hurry this along.
‘Hold my hand.’ I said, smiling at him. ‘This won’t hurt, I promise. I’ll take care of you.’ But he pulled away from me, and his soul began to fade. I turned to Kochak. ‘What’s happening?’ I could see the panic in his eyes.
‘He’s going back into his body.’ He gasped. ‘Come on, Lumi, best we go home. Your father is going to be pissed to say the least.’
Chapter Five
I was home. I hadn’t spoken to my father yet, but I heard he was very angry. I mean, why would he take somebody as sweet as Daniel? I gazed out of my bedroom window down on the bloody furnaces below. It was just too damned hot here and I craved the Earth for its seasons.
‘Dinner is ready, Lumiere. Your mother has requested you in the ballroom.’ Kochak said, rather softly.
It was unusual for him to be so kind. Whatever is going on now?
I grabbed Jinx and set off for dinner. I was starved to be honest with you. The last I ate was at the party last night, and even that seemed a million years ago right now.
As I entered the ballroom
, Mum, who was sat at the very end of a long table, looked up, and smiled, gesturing to a seat next to her. I was a bit nervous as to why my father wasn’t here. He would always lunch with us.
‘Where’s Dad?’ I asked, taking my seat.
She put down her knife and fork and reclined back in her seat. ‘He’s not too happy about last night, Lumi.’
‘Mum, it wasn’t my fault. I had the soul, but he, for some very strange reason, went back into his body. I don’t think that was meant to happen, but it did.’
‘Calm down, Lumi. Did I say I blame you? No. And neither does your father.’
‘Then what happened?’ I asked.
‘Your father’s brother arranged for the soul to go back to its body. He’s punishing your father for borrowing the money and getting himself into strife with the Earth crime lords.’
‘So what has Daniel got to do with this?’
‘Daniel?’ She asked, curiously.
‘He was the soul I was meant to collect. We got to talking before he had the accident.’
I looked down at my empty plate, biting my lip. I was waiting for some kind of lecture but it never came.
‘That’s a rather strange twist of events.’
‘You think?’ I looked up, thoughtfully.
‘Usually we are not meant to engage with the souls we take before they die.’
‘Well, then it is strange. He was nice though mum.’
‘I can tell you’re a bit smitten, Lumi, but it is not a wise idea. He’s a human again now. For the time being at least.’
‘Wait, you didn’t tell me why Dad wanted to take him?’
‘He’s the son of one of the crime lords that is threatening your father. Unfortunately because of your father’s gambling problems he has lost all the money he borrowed from your uncle. The crime lords know of your father’s position, I guess you could say, and want to expose him.’