by Hickory Mack
“This entire conversation is missing one very important point,” Pascal interjected. “Lord Kern, Lord Tamlin, and Lord Roth all made the decision to betray the fox. People from your own house betrayed him. The hunters knew what they were doing. If Elspeth hadn’t agreed to their coercion, they would have found someone else even more willing. Think, pup. Think of how much worse the devastation would have been with a reaper who actually wanted to be there.”
“We had an argument about it. None of us wanted to be there.” Elsie looked at Wren, her face filled with regret. “I should have listened to you. We could have freed those demons. We could have fought back.”
“That would have required kidnapping the Key, and I believe we would have ended up in a very similar situation.” Wren cocked a half smile, but Moscow looked stunned. His red eye began to glow, and both Mouro and Cross stepped between Elsie and the wyvern.
“How do you know about the Key?” Moscow hissed.
Wren slowly turned toward him, his eyes narrowed to slits, a feral grin on his face. He released the tight hold he generally kept on his magic, filling the room with an oppressive power.
“Who do you think you’re talking to with that tone, boy?” he seethed. “I know where the Key is because I am magic. She is the one who woke me from my sleep.”
“Plus, I’m the Dragon Priestess,” Elsie quickly said before she could decide against it. If the wyvern was going to trust them, he may as well know everything. It would cause problems if they kept springing new secrets on him.
‘I thought we’d agreed not to tell people about that,’ Saint scolded.
“I think he should know,” she said aloud for the men giving her dirty looks.
“This is too much,” Moscow muttered, and he started to back away. Wren reached through the wall of muscle and pulled Elsie through. He positioned her in front of him, his hands on her shoulders.
“This is absurd. I think I know how to prevent a whole lot of drama, heartache, and communications issues,” he said, then pushed Elsie forward.
“Wren!” she gasped, stumbling forward into the wyvern.
“What the hell?” Cross barked.
Moscow’s hands wrapped around her arms, catching her easily. He gave the spirit a dirty look over her head. Wren had taken a gamble and won. The bond formed quickly, and a fifth tether attached itself to her heart. Elsie’s eyes widened, and she cursed under her breath.
Saint sat up and hopped off the table. He stepped forward and pulled her free of the wyvern, the look on his face a clear statement that he’d happily kill Moscow if he touched her again. His arm crossed her collar bone, and he held her against his chest. Elsie put her hand over his reassuringly.
“That is an unexpected complication,” Moscow sighed. He looked over at Wren with narrowed eyes. “You knew that was going to happen?”
“It was an educated guess.”
“Freaking witches. Do you know how difficult your kind has made my life lately? How is this even possible? Wyverns exclusively mate with other wyverns.” He quirked his finger between himself and Elsie. “This is unheard of, and let’s be real, wyverns aren’t the sharing type.”
He clearly had no idea what to make of any of this because despite what he said, he kept stealing glances at Elsie. He shoved his hair out of his eyes.
“I need some time to think,” Moscow said, which Elsie thought was a perfectly acceptable request. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it either. She’d come to adore all of her mates, even with her rocky start with Cross, but damn it, she’d thought she was done collecting men like trading cards.
“The thing you need to think about is whether or not you will help your mate get rid of the curse threatening her life,” Wren said coldly.
“I—” Moscow stopped.
“Well? Will you?”
Moscow looked at Elsie for a long moment, and she could feel the confusion coming through their bond. A part of him wanted to bolt, but another part wanted to accept her. She understood where he was coming from. The bond pull of the bond was difficult to deny, but he had strong reasons to walk away. He looked at the floor and brushed a hand through his dark hair again.
“Yeah, I guess I will.”
Elsie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. As if her life wasn’t chaotic enough. Her hand closed around the figurine of Santisima around her neck, mentally invoking the goddess. Why couldn’t things ever be easy?
Elsie returns
Elsie returns in Priestess, coming 2022!
Acknowledgments
Whew, that was a big one! Reaper is my largest book to date, and you made it through! It’s been a little over a year of dabbling with my urban fantasy series, but we’re finally back to the epics, and it feels like coming home. Thank you for your patience and for sticking with me!
Reaper was a huge undertaking with uncountable sleepless nights and plot overhauls, so much so that at some point we’ll be circling back to Hunter, to tell Elsie and Saint’s story in a prequel!
We have a whole crew of people that contributed to this monumental book. Starting with the fabulous Manuela Serra, who made that fire cover! I love you Manuela!
Our beta team did an amazing job! Heather Emmons and Amanda Swolley have returned from working on many projects with me. The newbies did fantastic! Becca Penrod, Danyelle Mandel, Ashley Mollet, Rachel Basquez were all added to the team and I adore them all.
Michelle Motyczka is the new editor for this project and can I just say- I have never had my arse so thoroughly kicked. Hahaha, she’s now my forever editor. Michelle, you can kick my arse any day. Reaper is my fifth publication, and I’ve never felt so confident in what I’m sending out into the world.
Finally, thank you to Mallory Kent of The Nutty Formatter! You put that polish on my books that make them just perfect. *chef’s kiss* I love you so much!
Reaper Character Index
Our main Character
Elspeth Raissa Chantraine
The Harem
Tobias Saint - Wolfhound Demon, white moon magic
Wren (Korshyo) - The Spirit of Earth, earth magic
Macias Cross - Brujo, red moon magic
Mouro Pascal - Wolverine Demon, dark moon, ethereal and earth magic
Moscow - Wyvern,
The Companions
Frida - Alebrije
Frost - Wolf
House Pascal
Mouro Pascal (see above)
Lithia, Pascal’s favorite doll
Trillian - Wolverine Demon, Pascal’s second in command
Braer - Imp, contracted demon
The Hunters (Worldbase A & B)
Angus Cornick - Head of Research and Demonic Weapon’s Development
General Mark - Has command of Worldbase A and B
Commander Grant - Second in command to General Mark (Deceased)
Security Chief Rand - (Deceased)
Thomas Pax - Underling to Grant
Cody Fairbanks - Assassin, member of Elsie’s Security Detail
Lieutenant Colonel Hasprey - Elsie’s Security Detail (Deceased)
Miller - Elsie’s Security Detail
Colton - Elsie’s Security Detail
Other Hunters
Jonah Martin - Marshall of Colony Nine
Stanley Eustone - Demon researcher
Shepherd - Chief of security in Colony One
Callum - Geographer (Deceased)
Marley - Healer on Elsie’s old squad (Deceased)
Perrie - Witch on Elsie’s old squad (Deceased)
Riven - Mage on Elsie’s old squad (Deceased)
The Elemental Spirits
Korshyo - Earthy, the Spirit of Earth
Shoryo - Watery, the Spirit of Water
Muethdee - Fiery, the Spirit of Fire
Windy, the Spirit of Wind
Elda - Spirit of the Dark Moon
Kahna - Spirit of the Red Moon
Freya - Spirit of the Light Moon
Soul - Spirit of Souls
Enterai - Spirit of the Ethereal
Havir - Spirit of the Sun
House Makkai
Lord Makkai - Kitsune
Lady Chiori - Witch/Fae hybrid
Gideon - Incubus/Witch hybrid
Lucifer - The Harbinger of Death
Virgil - Eagle Shifter
Gods and Goddesses
Santa Muerte - The Goddess of Death
Mokiko - The Earth Mother
Epona - Celtic Horse Goddess
The Great Bear Spirit
Minor Characters
Lord Roth - Lion Demon
Ichio - The Forest Spirit
Clover - Fire mage
The River Spirit of Kamiah
Samuel Appleton - Boar Demon
Janette - data entry, human
Sari - Wolf Demon
Mara - human
Mrs. Cutler - human
Kyle and Brian - Lower Gate Security
The Minotaur
Sparrow Shifter - Apothecary Owner
Rabbit Shifter - Waitress
Stewart Townsley - Human
The Sky People
Off Screen Characters
Stolas - Shapeshifting Prince of Hell
Kaho - The Light Dragon
Sephtis - The Dark Dragon
Sanaia - The Elemental Witch
Merrick - Akunin Yaksha
Elijah - The First Vampire
The Prophet Elander
Elician - Elf of Saffwood Forest
Mokiko - The Earth Mother
Muriel - Reaper (Deceased)
Charlemagne - Dark Fae King
Lord Kern (Deceased)
Raven - Raksha
Mrs. Carter - Human
Zadian - Demon of unknown type
Lawrence Hill - Air Mage
Franchesca - Light Mage
About the Author
Hickory is a single mother of three, raising her children, alongside their dogs, cats and pet pigeons. Living in the northern reaches of Minnesota, she wanders the woods and the beaches of Lake Superior, dreaming up her next story.
She looks forward to the day she can create and run an animal rescue, with an emphasis on roosters and other farm animals.
Also by Hickory Mack
Dragon Prophecies
Reaper
Priestess (coming 2022)
Taming the Elements
Half-Breed
Witchling
Darkling (coming 2021)
Dollhouse Vigilantes
Karma’s Pretty Dolls
Karma’s Broken Dolls
Kindle Vella Series
The Nine