Christian scrambled away as she groped at the dirt, her entire body convulsing. She coughed up blood, and vomited, and she screamed in pain, flipping over several times. Her pain so intense it made Victor fill utterly helpless as he tried to stop it, tried to wrap himself around her but touching her only seemed to make it worse, bloody tears ran from her sightless eyes. Blood leaked from her eyes, nose, ears and mouth, her limbs twisted and snapped.
“Blood hell.” Victor had never seen anything like this in all his life. He didn’t think anyone could go live through what she was enduring. And watching it was painful enough, it seemed like hours passed before her body settled down to small twitches. In reality he knew it had been less than fifteen minutes he felt worn out.
When her eyes opened again, they were the golden brown he was used to, she reached a shaky hand out. “Cold,” she whispered hoarsely. He could tell she was starting to shiver.
“What the fuck was that?” Christian practically screamed.
Elle’s head didn’t move but her eyes rolled so she was looking over at him. “Curse” she whispered. “Live and die like a mortal. Over and over and over again. Not immortal anymore…but not m-m-mortal either.” She closed her eyes as her body started to shiver uncontrollably. She wrapped her arms around herself and curled into a ball. “H-h-hurrts.”
Victor gathered her into his arms and rushed to the car. “You’re driving, get us to a hotel. We need to get her warm.”
Victor climbed into the back of the SUV trying to rub some warmth into her, but she moaned in pain wherever he touched her. Her body was so cold. “What can I do?” he asked as Christian took off down the road.
Bloody tears ran down her face. “Everything hurts. I feel every death.” Her teeth clacked together as she tried to speak. “Every way I have died. In the past I revisit it when I return,” she cried burying her face into his chest she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can’t get close enough,” she whispered.
Victor pulled her as close as he could pulling her knees up so he had her on his lap. She burrowed into him her bloody tears soaking his shirt. He rubbed her cold back with one hand and her legs with another hand. “Can’t you drive any faster?”
“Shut up Victor,” was Christian’s reply.
Victor leaned forward and looked at the speedometer Christian was pushing the speed at nearly 100 miles an hour. But it wasn’t fast enough because Elle was shivering uncontrollably, and her skin was pale as death.
It felt like forever but finally Christian pulled up to a motel.
“Stay here I’ll get you a room.” Victor was ready to bust someone’s head in by the time Christian came back. He jumped behind the wheel and pulled the SUV to the back of the lot. Elle had stopped crying, but her body was jerking violently. Victor couldn’t imagine how someone could live through what she was going through at the moment.
Christian had the door open and Victor rushed into the room, the motel was your standard issue and he went to the bed he laid her down and pulled all the blankets around her bundling her up he wrapped her up tight tucking her in so all he saw was her face. Standing up, he and Christian stood back and watched her continue to shiver.
“What the hell are we supposed to do now?” Victor asked Christian.
Christian rolled his eyes. “Why the hell are you asking me?”
“Should we call Celeste?”
Christian snorted. “No. That would be a bad idea.”
“H-h-hot b-b-bathhh,” Elle barely muttered from beneath the blankets.
Christian threw up his hands and glared at Victor. “I am so leaving. You’ve got this right?” he left before Victor could answer.”
Victor swore and looked around the room. “Garrett,” he called out. His other brother appeared after another moment. He looked at Victor and then and Elle.
“Do I even want to know?”
Victor grabbed him by the shirt and shoved him toward the door. “Guard the door, Christian is a pussy. If anything comes anywhere near the door kill it.” Garrett laughed and went through the door.
Victor went into the bathroom, and swore when he realized they only had a shower. What type of place only had a shower?
He turned the shower on and adjusted the knobs until they were hot, but wouldn’t burn her then went back into the room. “Elle?”
She peeked her eyes open, she wasn’t shivering as violently but she didn’t look comfortable either. “Let’s go sweetheart.”
“Hurts. “She squeaked.
“I know, you’ll feel better after your shower.” She nodded, her eyes were slightly glazed and he wondered if she knew what was going on.
He undressed her and carried her into the bathroom, she was so cold she made him shiver. He stepped under the hard spray letting its spray over him first then turning so it was spraying over her. He used one hand to anchor her to him around the waist, Elle moaned, her head falling back letting the water run over her head.
Victor used his other hand to wipe her hair back, his entire body reacting to the lush body pressed against him. The water ran down them making them slick and hot, Elle slid her arms around Victor’s neck her head rolling from side to side. “So nice.” She moaned, her legs weren’t touching the floor and they wound around his legs rubbing against his calves, one leg wound up hooking around one of his hips. She pressed into his heat.
“You’re so warm.” Her head tilted up, and water clung to her lashes as she focused on him. “Death is cold and lonely Victor,” she whispered before she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.
He should have been stronger, hadn’t she been through enough? Someone was hunting her down and trying to kill her, had actually killed her for god’s sake. But she was naked and in his arms and she had instigated the kiss for all the god’s sake he just wanted to taste her.
He had almost lost her today and something deep in his chest had broken lose at the thought of losing her, and he just needed to feel her close to him. He would be damned straight to hell it’s self before he walked away from her right now.
So he kissed her, he wrapped his arms around her slipper body molding her against him under the pounding hot spray of water. Slanting her full lips over his, pressing them open he sank his tongue into her mouth to tangle with hers. She moaned into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck, making it easier to sink further into the kiss.
Victor lost himself in the kiss. The feel of the woman in her arms, full breasts pressed against him. And he grew light headed with desire; he broke the kiss to drag air into his starved lungs.
She tasted like warm sunshine, and the second he could breathe, he dipped his lips back to hers. Elle moaned into his mouth and Victor was lost, he thrust his tongue deep into her mouth, rubbing against her and drawing her tongue into his mouth he sucked on it. Drawing her unique taste and flavor into his mouth. Memorizing her, gods he couldn’t get her taste deep enough into him. She made the most amazing sounds as he drifted from her mouth to the side of her neck. Elle burrowed into him resting her head against his chest, he thanked the gods he had left his boxer briefs on. As he tried to control the urge to press her against the shower wall and take her.
“Elle.” Her name came out more as a moan. But she didn’t immediately respond. And Victor said her name again, he leaned back and looked down into her eyes they were closed. And he realized with a frustrated sigh how exhausted she was and she was half asleep. Still wrapped around him like an octopus, unfortunately he was hard as a rock and it looked like he was going to remain just like that. The heat of the shower wasn’t helping; he needed it to be cold; ice fucking cold. But he stood under the hot spray for several more minutes and ran his hands along Elle’s body, torturing himself as she continued to relax until he was sure she was totally warm, and unfortunately for him, totally asleep. Leaving him in acute pain.
Climbing from the shower he dried her off and then wrapped her back up in the bedding and took her out to the bed once she was wrapped up and sou
nd asleep like a baby he headed back to the shower. He glared at the horrible thing, he wanted to burn it to the ground, swearing he climbed in, turning the water on as cold as he could stand it. He climbed back in.
****
Victor threw the door open, startling Garrett. “Get lost.”
Garett glared at Victor. “You sure? Cause you look like shit.” Garrett checked his watch. “Why don’t you get a couple more hours of sleep? I don’t mind standing guard.”
“I’m not getting any sleep,” Victor snapped. He had tossed and turned for the last four hours lying next to Elle after a cold shower had turned into his own personal hell. Sleep wasn’t happening.
“Whatever man. Let me know if you need anything.” that said Garrett Flashed away.
Victor went back into the room and glared at the woman in the bed, it really wasn’t her fault. And he didn’t know what he had been thinking when he had kissed her last night. He shoved a hand through his hair, he hadn’t been thinking. Her story about being alone had gotten to him. It was the only explanation it pulled at something deep within him. He had always had his brothers and Dante. He had never been without his brothers. A family that cared, a crazy family but still his brothers always had his back no matter what. And when Celeste had showed up five hundred years ago, well the Reapers would pretty much do anything for their sister. And that didn’t say anything next to what Dante would do for his daughter.
No, Elle’s story had definitely pulled at Victor’s heart strings. But he would never let her know how much. Reapers were supposed to be heartless monsters. Victor snorted, god’s mortals and others would die laughing if they knew Reapers were such pushovers.
As fucked up as they were, they counted on each other and found comfort in their crazy family no matter what happened in the worlds around them they always had each other’s backs.
But Elle had forged the world alone. He wondered how long she had been alone? How long had it been since she had leaned on another person? He would like to find her siblings and ring their collective necks. He knew she felt alone and worthless. Her light and sense of self had been extinguished a long time ago.
And to top it off, this curse she faced. It was six degrees of fucked up. Victor shivered, how many times had she died? He couldn’t even fathom it. Just remembering what she went through the night before made him sick to his stomach. He never wanted to see it again. The pain she went through to come back, much less the fact she fucking died! Hell, that’s what it was, just plain and simple hell.
Damn he paced the floor tunneling an agitated hand through his hair, he wouldn’t wish what she went through last night on his worst enemy and he had seen some crazy shit in his life time. After all he was the Reaper of Violence.
He paced and watched over her, wondering how long she would be out this time. Hours passed and she slept like the dead, he couldn’t blame her but he also needed to get back on the road. After six hours he couldn’t wait any longer. Bundling her up in the blankets he put her in the back seat of the SUV she didn’t stir. He climbed behind the wheel and tried to decide what to do next. She had wanted to find her sister. But he didn’t know if it was such a good idea anymore. He couldn’t leave her to go back to the Infernos to confer with Dante.
So many damn questions and no damn answers. He slammed his hands a couple of times on the stirring wheel. He just needed a safe place to hide for a couple of days.
Where could he take her where they could be invisible?
When the answer came to him he smiled and felt a shiver of relief.
Chapter 5
“Who?” Falcon bellowed.
Victor smiled. There was something about pissing off the Trackers that made him happy. He wasn't sure why, but it brought him joy. “I’m telling you,” Lykar said in a forced calm voice. “Victor is standing at the front door.”
“The hell you say,” Falcon shouted again. And this time Victor actually laughed, as he heard footsteps stomping through the house. And it wasn’t just Lykar and Falcon. Several more and Victor wondered if he wouldn’t have to fight his way through the Trackers.
Falcon threw the door open and glared at Victor. “Well damn,” Falcon exhaled and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Not your usual mode of transportation, using the front door.”
Victor shrugged. “Sometimes even we Reapers slum it once in a while.”
Falcon nodded. “Slum it somewhere else.” And slammed the door in Victor’s face.
Victor blew out a puff of air and waited, he counted to ten. But the door remained closed. He heard several voices raised in argument.
He turned back to the SUV. Elle was still sleeping. She had slept through the day and a half drive to Illinois and frankly, he was getting worried about her. She had to wake soon. The moment he had driven through the gates of Staten, he had felt the wards that protected this land. And knew they were finally safe.
Now he just needed to get the Trackers to let him stay here until Elle was well enough to travel and he had some answers.
“Are you just going to let him stand out there?” Kyra asked over the voices.
Ah, Victor thought he might have an ally there.
“Don’t you dare stand up for that bastard,” Ryder snarled.
Well there went all his allies.
“He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t need our help,” Kyra pleaded. “Plus he drove here, he didn’t just Flash in. That says something funky is going on.”
“Last time we helped the Reapers, they turned one of our brothers into a Dark Angel.” Victor was pretty sure that was Skylar. And he didn’t think Marcus becoming a Dark Angel was a bad thing. In fact Marcus was pretty happy with the situation.
“Argh, Marcus and Celeste are happy, you idiots. And with Marcus being mated to Celeste doesn’t that make Victor sort of related to us?” Again Kyra was the voice of reason. Victor wondered how the woman put up with these Neanderthals. “Besides aren’t you even curious as to why he is here?”
“Not even a little,” Falcon said. “If he is here, probable means bad news. Especially if he showed up in a car.”
“Oh my gods. You are all impossible. I don’t even know why I try.” Victor smiled at the exasperated sound to Kyra's voice. Even though she sounded irritated, she still loved them all.
“Don’t you dare open the door, Kyra,” Ryder snarled.
“Fine,” she shouted back.
Victor stumbled back as Kyra appeared in front of him. “Damn.” He jumped away from her tripping down the front steps, where Kyra appeared Ryder soon followed. He was a large, grumpy Tracker with the ability to kill a person with his bare hands. The last thing Victor needed was to be caught manhandling the woman. Even if accidently.
No sooner had Victor cleared the front steps, then the front door flew open. Ryder stormed out and glared at Victor. His face softened when he turned to Kyra. He was still pissed but she seemed unphased. Kyra leaned forward on her tiptoes and kissed Ryder on his grumpy lips and patted him on his wide shoulders. She turned to Victor. “Victor, what in the world are you doing here?”
“Looking for some place safe to hide,” he said honestly.
“Are you kidding me?” Ryder growled. “You, need safe haven? Has the apocalypse, started without our knowledge?”
Victor snorted he just couldn’t help himself, before he moved to the SUV and opened the door so they could see the woman he had in the back seat. “Not me, her.”
“Oh, my.” Kyra rushed over to Elle. “What happened to her?”
Ryder snorted, “Kidnappings against the law dude.”
Victor raked a hand through his hair. “It’s a long story Kyra. But she needs help like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Go to The Haven. You’re not welcome here.” Falcon said, moving to stand in the open doorway.
Victor turned to him. “The Enforcers cannot help me. I need the type of help only the Trackers can provide.”
“Of course you need help only we, Trackers can provide
. The Enforcers can be such pussiess.” Skylar screamed from inside.
“I heard that.” Kyra called from the front steps. “Don’t make me come in there and kick your ass.
“Ah, hell. Why are you Reapers so much trouble?” Falcon threw his hands in the air. “Is this going to turn into some kind of war?” He asked.
“Because I couldn’t imagine you being here otherwise.”
Victor ground his teeth together, “I wouldn’t say a war. Maybe a fight or two.”
Ryder barked out a laugh, “What a load of shit. Sounds like a war to me.”
“Shut up.” Victor snapped.
Only making Ryder laugh harder.
Falcon started swearing a blue streak from the where he still stood at the front door. “You’re fucking trouble. But the woman obviously needs help. Safe haven.” He snarled and turned his back and walked back into the house. Dismissing them all.
"Wait. Am I the only one still worried about the fact that a Reaper is bringing a woman here?" Ryder tried again. Everyone was still ignoring him.
****
She felt like her head was stuffed with cotton. Rolling over she wrapped her arms over her head. “Why does dying have to hurt so much?” She wasn’t sure who she was asking the question to, but it felt good to ask. Her tongue felt like sand paper.
“Well I don’t recommend it,” a female voice spoke from Elle’s left.
Elle pushed the blankets down and yelped at the site of the women sitting next to her. Then emotions flooded her. Strength, power, possession, scents, everything bouncing together making her head feel like it was going to explode. Elle shook her head, and took a breath trying to construct emotional defenses she hadn’t had to have up in days.
"Oh my gods!" Elle cried, as she tried to erect a wall between herself and the emotions around her. So many different things fighting for dominance all at once. Especially with the strong males with even more powerful emotions. Elle scrambled to block them as she was bombarded by things she didn't want to sense. Concern etched the woman's face as she reached for her and Elle scrambled back. "No!" She cried, backpedaling, until she fell off the bed.
Reaper Mine: A Reaper Novel Page 8