by J. L. Weil
Death shrouded Zane as he stepped in front of me, easing me behind him in one smooth motion. His muscles coiled beneath the skin. “Piper,” he cautioned.
The second his skin touched mine, clarity filtered through the red haze. I took a deep breath to calm my pounding heart. Right. We needed to be smart about this. There were more of them than us, and plus I had Parker to consider. I couldn’t go ape shit on her like I wanted. It didn’t change the fact that I had a score to settle with this bitch. Not to mention, I was still learning. Estelle had the advantage here.
But I had one thing she didn’t.
Zane.
He locked eyes with the bigger hallow. “We can stand here all night making googly eyes at each other, or I can start the massacre, because I will take your souls.”
“Okay, I’m out of here,” Parker informed. “There’s no way I’m going to be a part of whatever this is.”
“What are you doing?” I mumbled to Zane under my breath.
“Ending things before they get out of hand. Stay back with What’s-his-name, and”—his icy eyes flashed to mine for of a moment, a multitude of unspoken words, but all he said was— “don’t die.”
“Die?” Parker squeaked.
Then the murderess attacked.
She was a phantom reaper and had the ability to transform into whatever her black heart desired. I wasn’t sure what she was, but it didn’t matter when she shot a green ball of what looked like plasma directly at my head.
Zane wrapped an arm around my waist, tugging me against his chest. He spun, shielding me with his body. I pressed my face into him, clutching his shirt. There was no place I felt safer than in his embrace.
A cool mist traveled over my body as a series of intense bolts of light shot over our heads. “Stay down,” Zane instructed and took up a fighter stance.
Parker was huddled down beside me, his hands over his head. “Oh God, Pipes. The world is under attack.”
A dry rasping laugh echoed down the road. “Your pet is funny. I promise to make his death painless, unlike yours.”
Just thinking about Parker dying left a metallic taste in my mouth. “I hadn’t realized you were a psychopath,” I snapped.
Zane stretched out his muscles, pure power radiating off him. He took off, speeding toward the four rabid spirits like a bullet to the brain. As I followed his movements, my eyes lost him from time to time. His form moved in and out of the shadows.
By the time he reached the hallows, Estelle had shot off another round of fireballs. I pushed Parker to one side and threw myself to the other, letting the light whiz between us. Parker, in his less than coherent state, skidded across the ground, but I wasn’t worried about a few cuts and bruises. I was worried about his soul.
Slick tendrils of pitch-blackness expelled from Zane, wrapping around the throats of two hallows. Knowing his skills, I figured he could handle the ghosts as long as they didn’t phone a friend.
And that left me with Crazy-pants. My pulse was all over the place, and since I lacked Zane’s awesomeness, I decided to use the one weapon I had. My voice. “I don’t understand. Why are you doing this?” I asked.
“I thought it was obvious. Power. Control. Power. Blah. Blah. Blah. You get the idea,” she answered.
Heart pounding, I backed up against a wall, keeping her eyes focused on me. “Not really.” I could hear the scuffling and fighting, but I was afraid to take my eyes off her.
“That’s your problem. You lack vision.”
I’d thought Estelle was trustworthy. She had been the first person to make me feel at ease. This girl in front of me was a stranger. I didn’t know how to talk to her or what the right words were. It felt like no matter what I said, I was putting my foot in my mouth. “Fuck you.”
A weak and demented smile crossed her lips. “You know, I’m not going to enjoy killing you as much as I did Rose. It’s a pity. I actually liked you.”
Parker flinched, and it was enough to remind Estelle he was there.
Dammit Parker.
Because I needed to keep her focused on me, I moved in away from Parker, drawing her eyes to me. “Too bad I can’t say the same.”
Her eyes flashed, and the veins around them darkened to a deep red.
So much for reasoning. I moved away from Parker, closing the distance between Estelle and me. I didn’t know why it hadn’t occurred to me before. Newsflash. I was a freaking banshee.
I screamed—as loud and sharp as I ever had. The sound vibrated into the night, carrying over the entire island until my throat went dry. I had no clue what I’d just done, but it felt significant.
Estelle let out an exaggerated breath. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
Assuming it had actually worked, it would be only a matter of time before reapers should descend, answer my call. “You didn’t give me much choice.”
Evidently, it was too much to think she’d retreat. I’d cornered her. Checkmate, bitch. In a matter of minutes, the street would be overrun with Death’s most lethal weapons.
I knew not all stood by my side. Hell, most of them didn’t even know I was the White Raven, but that was all about to change. I was going to show my true colors and deal with the consequences later…if I could keep myself alive that long.
Estelle had other plans.
My gaze flickered to see Zane absorb the soul of one of the hallows. He had another one tied up and restrained with shadow bonds. How he’d done that was a mystery to me. But the third ghost was barreling straight for me.
“Piper!” Zane’s voice snapped me out of my terrified daze.
The ghost bulldozed into me, just dying to do some damage. My head slammed into the back of the brick wall. Starbursts radiated my vision as sharp pain exploded at the crown of my head. He came in for round two, and I managed to lurched to the side, narrowly avoiding having my brains splattered all over the building.
And then something snapped inside me.
Light welled, encompassing every cell in my body. There was a heady rush of power building from the center of my chest, flowing to the tips of my fingers. I knew that feeling, what it meant, and I was powerless to stop it. His soul was mine.
The strangest thing happened. Time seemed to turn sluggish, yet I could see everything crystal clear. Suddenly, it clicked. Time hadn’t stopped. I was moving at inhuman speeds, seeing the world around me in a different measurement—a sensory heightened awareness.
Arching back, I slammed both my hands onto his chest. I wanted to hurt him. Badly. A pulse of light shot down my arm, ramming into the hallow. His mouth formed an O, a silent scream on his lips, as he was thrown back several feet in the air. The hallow splintered into fragments of smoky light like a broken mirror. This was who I was. It hit me then. What I could do, what I was capable of. No longer was I frightened of the power inside me. It sanctioned me.
Spinning around, I concentrated on who I was and the energy inside me. The wind around me kicked up, swirling in dangerous patterns. Above, the dark sky moved with restless, ominous clouds. The games and taunting were over.
I wet my dry lips, ready to kick Estelle’s skinny ass.
A high-pitched cry pierced the night. Parker.
With wild eyes, I glanced behind me, and my worst fears came true. Estelle had Parker in her traitor’s clutches, a blade pressed to his heart. Eyes wide and frantic, a panic seared my flesh. The bright white light surrounding me flickered. “Let him go,” I pleaded. I would beg on my knees if that was what it took for Estelle to release him unharmed.
Her eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of triumph. “And lose my advantage? Please. I think not.”
I could probably take her out. One quick blast of my light, but what if she moved or I missed and hit Parker? I didn’t want to take the risk. “It’s against the rules, Estelle. We don’t interfere with death.” My voice was shaking.
She dug the blade deeper against Parker’s chest so it went through his stupid manga T-shirt. “Who said I was interfering
? How do you know I don’t have orders to take his life? Maybe it’s his time.”
I knew she was trying to screw with my head, implying that Roarke had ordered a hit on Parker. Why would he do that? It became obvious this wasn’t going to end well—for her. “Fine. Have it your way. You hurt a hair on his chest and I’m gonna drop you like third period French.”
Reapers were fast, determined, smart, and deadly. I needed to remind myself I was all of the above. Maybe I wasn’t cunning and skilled in dark arts like Zane, but I wasn’t helpless either.
Wind rushed over my face, blowing back my hair. Zane’s eyes met mine as I beseeched. If we linked up, aligning our souls, Estelle didn’t stand a chance. He knew what I was asking. With a slight tip of his head, simultaneously we moved.
Our hearts picked up together, and my soul surged as his darkness collided with my light, but before our souls fully synced, Estelle flicked her wrist.
And my world went black.
“No!” I screamed.
But it was too late.
Her blade punctured Parker’s flesh, and I watched helplessly as his eyes went wide with bafflement. Then the pain registered, fracturing the light in his eyes. She discarded him to the side like he was nothing more than trash. My best friend landed in a heap a few feet away from me, twitching for a few seconds and then going still.
“Parker!” My blood chilled, hardening to ice, while his soaked the ground.
A breath later she was on me like ugly on butt. I responded quickly, leaping up and kicking her in the belly. It was surprisingly firmer than I expected, and the skank recovered like she didn’t feel pain. She grabbed me by the hair, a complete bitch move, and jerked my body back against her. I gave a muffle cry and felt her hands at my throat.
If she rendered me unconscious, my soul was as good as toast.
Panic surged in me again. It seemed to be the emotion of the night. You think I would be used to getting the snot beat out of me. I wasn’t. Unlike robo Estelle, it still hurt. A lot.
If I could just break out of her death grasp…
I lifted my arms, now encased in a bright light, in the air. I spread them wide and let loose a jolt of power so strong the impact almost knocked me on my ass. It raced like a torpedo down my fingertips, hitting Estelle in the chest. “I told you not to mess with me.”
She fell to the ground, and I pounced. I did what had to be done. My hand shot out, covering the center of her chest as my knee dug into her stomach to keep her from getting any funny ideas. This ended here. Sow. Reap. Estelle’s harvest was over.
I never wanted to kill someone. Never. Until now.
I siphoned the essence of life from her body. As soon as I felt every last drop of her soul resonating inside me, I fell backward on my butt, laying my elbows on my knees and my hands on my temples. A brightness filled me from the inside out, but the elation was as short-lived as I remembered.
Parker! “Oh God,” I muttered, scrambling across the ground, oblivious to the gravel cutting into my hands and knees. “Parker!” I screamed, the sound curdling in my throat.
Chapter 17
I didn’t want to believe that was blood I was seeing. Parker’s blood. It oozed down the side of his temple, trickling from his lips. The front of his shirt was soaked in the sticky red stuff. I felt the color drain from my face. Zane was beside me as I trembled, my hand stroking Parker’s sandy hair. His face was so pale, lips a deathly shade of blue. This couldn’t be happening. Not again.
“Zane?” My voice shook as I begged for his help, blood and tears streaking down my face.
“He’s gone,” he said as gently as he could.
“No,” I croaked out, horrified at what he was saying. My chest was rising and falling, but it felt like I’d stopped breathing.
He pulled me into his arms, but I resisted, fighting until my arms went lax. “We don’t interfere with death. You know the rules,” he said, sounding remorseful. His fingers moved into my hair.
“Bullshit,” I cried. Tears burned the back of my throat, making my voice hoarse and raw. I could barely breathe. My gaze flicked up. “I don’t care about the stupid rules. This is Parker. I can’t lose him.”
His finger moved along my bottom lip, catching the tears with the pad of his thumb. “There’s nothing I can do, princess.” It hurt him to say it, because it would hurt me.
Sobs clogged my throat, rendering me speechless. Just like that, I was supposed to give up. What was the point of being a reaper? All doom and gloom. Screw the rules. I wasn’t letting him die. I wasn’t giving up.
Moving out of Zane’s embrace, his words played over and over in my head as I stared down at my hands covered in Parker’s blood. No matter how much pressure I applied at the wound, the blood kept flowing. There’s nothing Zane can do. There’s nothing Zane can do. My mind ran over the words on repeat. It was too sickening to think I’d never hear Parker’s laugh again, never see him wear another one of his ridiculous manga shirts, never see him smile or be able to tell him how much I needed him in my life.
And then, it clicked. I knew what Zane was trying to convey. It was up to me to save Parker.
My eyes snapped to Zane’s. Was I misinterpreting what he was saying but not saying? Was it really possible for me to save Parker? He lifted his brows in a you-can-do-this expression.
If there was even the teensiest chance, I had to try. Only one problem…I had no idea what I was doing, no idea where to start, no clue if I had it in me. Deep breath. Through the fog of dismay and trepidation, a bit of reality seeped in, and a voice sounded in my head. Not Zane’s. Not mine. Oh God, I’ve gone crazy.
“You’re not crazy,” the voice responded. “But if you don’t listen to me, Parker is going to die. For real.
“Rose?” I murmured, my eyes shifting left and right.
“Piper?” Zane whispered in concern. Talking to my dead grandma might be cause for alarm, if I was anyone else.
Who else would it be? the voice said.
Of course it’s you, I said in my head, assuming she could hear me.
Now listen. Each second you waste is precious and will end up draining more of your power.
Enough said. I wasn’t going to question how she was able to communicate with me—maybe later when I could think beyond Parker’s blood. What do I do? I asked, desperate for hope.
When you took that traitorous reaper’s life, you inherited all her souls, including Parker’s. You’re going to restore his soul and heal his body. She stated so matter-of-factly.
I just can’t twitch my nose and make it happen.
The key, Piper, is believing you can do it. I could hear the exasperation in her tone. Now lay your hands over the center of his sternum and summon your light. His soul is gone. When you touch him, you will be able to feel the emptiness. Instead of extracting his soul, you are going to fill his body with your light, until your lifesource is pumping in his veins. This is your legacy.
I did as she instructed, placing my palms on his chest and harnessing the power that was a part of me. It came quicker and with less effort than ever before. A network of silvery-white veins grew until I was glowing from head to toe. The air around me shimmered as if it was raining glitter. With a burst of energy, my vision clouded, producing a white filmy light behind my eyes.
Each cell of his soul warmed into his body, giving him life. There were voices and whispers in the background, but I closed my eyes, concentrating on the sublime static releasing from my skin. I held on as long as I could.
As my lashes lifted, my light flickered out, and Zane’s face took shape. His eyes were bewildered, mouth hanging open as he stared at me. Time stopped, along with my heart, waiting for a sign of life, wishing with all my might. Then it happened—the sharp inhale of air filling Parker’s lungs was music to my ears.
Zane was staring at me. “Holy.”
“Shit,” I finished.
His fingers raked through his hair. “Do you know what you’ve done?”
&
nbsp; I did it. I’d brought Parker back from the brink of death, restoring his soul. “I can’t believe it.” I didn’t care how many rules I’d broken, only that Parker was going to be okay…mostly.
“Believe it, princess. You gave Parker his life back. I didn’t think that was possible.”
Surprised by the shock in his voice, I had to ask, “But you had a hunch? Right?” He was the one who had more or less planted the seed in my head.
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t even call it a hunch. More like a really long, long shot.”
“Well, I didn’t do it alone. Rose came to me.”
“I heard you say her name.”
She saved Parker. Looked like I owed Granny big time. Guess I was marrying Zander after all. It was what she’d wanted.
I glanced down. Parker’s chest was rising and falling in steady breaths. I placed my hand over his heart, needing to feel it beat. My fingers ran over the torn material where Estelle’s blade had pierced. There would be a scar on his chest at the entry point. The sight stoked a fire of pain, anger, and regret. My fist clenched, but knowing Parker, he would think it was cool—a war wound or adventurous story to tell his grandkids. I sighed. He would be able to have grandkids now.
Parker’s eyelids fluttered open as he regained consciousness. “Why am I covered in blood?” His voice was hoarse.
I laughed, a hysterically manic laugh, and threw my arms around his neck. “You’re okay,” I whimpered. Stupid girlie tears of relief clouded my vision.
He wrapped an arm around me. “Don’t cry, Pipes. I’m sorry I acted like a jerk.”
I pulled back, pressing a finger to his lips. “Shh. Don’t talk.” For the first time since Parker left the club, my body relaxed, and it was then I sensed them.
Something happened inside of me. Like a switch being flipped, I was keenly aware of the reapers surrounding me. Zander, Zoe, Zach, and Aspyn stood at the intersection among others, their eyes taking in the scene before them. I didn’t know how long they’d been standing there, but my guess was long enough to see me perform a miracle.