Reaper Mine: A Reaper Novel

by Palmer, Christie

  She turned back around and ignoring the stunned looks on the men’s faces she continued to eat her cereal. Not realizing she had threatened to hit a Reaper, and had actually hit a Tracker, not once but twice. Or the fact she had stepped into a fight between the two. Something you just didn’t do.

  Now the Trackers and Reapers in the room weren’t sure if the woman was crazy or not. One thing was for sure. She had just earned their respect. And possibly the love of every single one of them.

  ****

  “We need to draw Aldon out,” Falcon said again. Making Victor grind his teeth together.

  “How many times do I need to say no?” Victor said.

  “He is the key.” Falcon slapped the table making it wobble on its repaired legs.

  “If we draw him out, and bring him through the wards, we could be leaving ourselves open for attack,” Kyra explained.

  “We should leave,” Elle offered.

  “Oh you want to leave now?” Sky asked sarcastically.

  “Your being a complete ass, you realize that don’t you?” Elle asked him. “Would you like to explain that?”

  “Because,” Sky said petulantly.

  “Well at least you’re acting like an adult,” Elle said crossing her arms over her chest she glared at him.

  “Can I just go out and kill something?” Sky asked standing, he glared at the group.

  “No.” Falcon glared back at him.

  “Can we circle back to us leaving?” Elle addressed Victor.

  Victor rolled his eyes and turned to Falcon. “I don’t want to bring Aldon into the wards if it will weaken them.”

  Falcon thought for a moment. “I agree. We need to find some common ground that will be safe.”

  “We try to leave and that horde of Freaks will be on us.” Victor swore.

  “Not if you go out through the tunnels,” Falcon offered. “We can get you out the tunnels when we are engaging the Freaks. Create enough of a diversion. We could give you a day, maybe more. Then meet up with you. But where?”

  “Hallowed ground,” Elle offered.

  Victor turned to her. “What?”

  "The Freaks. They're soulless. They can't go onto hallowed ground. But the Sons of Adam can. You would be able to fight Aldon one on one.” Elle smiled.

  “Yeah, but Aldon isn’t just going to show up for a fair fight. He’s smarter than that. Plus I’m pretty sure he knows who we have on our side.” Victor looked at the six Trackers and three Reapers, an Elemental Enforcer, Elle. “All of us against him?”

  “Yeah that’s why it will be just you and Elle against him,” Falcon said with a smile. “Until it’s too late. Then the rest of us will show up and we will kill the bastard.”

  Victor wasn’t sure about this, but he didn’t really have another plan. “Okay but where is this going to take place?”

  Falcon gave him another smile. “Oh I have the perfect spot. And the perfect hiding spot for the rest of us. The bastard Aldon will never see us coming.”

  Chapter 8

  Elle clutched the gun Victor had given her as she hid behind the large tombstone. She could feel Victor somewhere in the recesses of the huge cemetery but with the moonless night she could barely see her hand in front of her face.

  “This is such a bad idea,” she whispered.

  “We’re supposed to be silent,” Victor whispered back. They had on some high tech equipment Bowen had given them before they had left Staten. They all had them but the Trackers and the other Reapers wouldn’t be activated until they showed up. And she wasn’t even sure it would happen.

  “Yes, because radio silence going into this plan is such a good idea,” she muttered.

  She could hear Victor chuckle but she didn’t mention it. They had escaped the Freaks, and fled to Louisiana where the Trackers had several properties and where there were more graveyards and hallowed ground. In fact Elle was pretty sure you couldn’t throw a rock without hitting hallowed ground. Not that mortals would understand, but Louisiana wasn’t just a hot bed of supernatural but historically had the most hallowed ground per square feet in the United States, besides Utah and New Mexico. So they were here because they could hide. Elle shivered, tucked behind a huge stone angel wondering if this was where it was all going to end. And she couldn’t help but think this was one of their stupider ideas. She had stayed alive for the last several millennia by running and hiding and it really appealed to her. Elle was about to make another appeal for that argument. What could it hurt? Just sitting there, awaiting a madman who wanted to mate with her, was making her want to cry. She was pretty sure her night was going to get pretty shitty. Either way, at least she would be heard.

  “Hello, Elle.”

  She shrieked, just like every girl in every scary movie ever had. Then she scrambled out from the shadows of the huge angel watching over her.

  He reached for her but she slapped his hand away. “Don’t you dare touch me.”

  Aldon held his hands up in supplication. “I only wanted to ensure your safety,” he said quietly. “I would hate for you to trip and fall. Without even the moon to lighten your way.”

  “I’m coming Elle,” Victor whispered in her ear.

  Aldon looked around with a smile. “It took me some time to locate you, but from your surroundings I assume you know what I am?”

  Elle shrugged. “What makes you think that?” she took a step back putting some distance between them. Remembering the last time they had been together he had put a knife in her chest. She wasn’t keen on a repeat performance.

  Aldon gave her a smile, showing her straight white teeth beneath the gray pallor of his skin. She had to say although he looked slightly sickly he was a nice looking man. If he had a little sun he would actually be good looking. With broad shoulders, sandy blond hair he flipped out of his amber brown eyes.

  Wait, hadn’t his eyes been fathomless black? “Your eyes? And your hair is different.”

  He smiled at her. “You prefer this don’t you?”

  Elle shook her head. “I prefer the truth.” She shook her head again and blinked several times and re-focused on him. When she did his eyes were black again as was his hair.

  He sighed. “It is hard to hide the truth from you, Elle.” He shrugged. “But I guess if you are to be my mate I would prefer to have little between us.”

  “Yeah about that, I’m not really interested in being your mate.” Elle took another couple of steps back.” She searched for the slab of granite she knew was back there. “If it’s all the same to you.”

  Aldon took a step toward her. “Now see, that isn’t going to work for me. There is so much more at stake than whether or not you want to be my mate. And well…” he took another step toward her. “It’s really not up to you.”

  Elle glared at him, “No you see, that really isn’t going to work for me.” She threw his words back at him. “Not sure how you found out about me, or what you might have heard but I’m not really in the market for a man.”

  Aldon chuckled, but it was a dry and humorless sound. “I’m sorry to hear that, Elle. However, I must insist that you reevaluate your decision. I will not take no for an answer. The fate of the immortal world lies before you.”

  “Yeah, I could give two shits about the fate of the immortal world.” Elle said.

  Something hard flashed in his dark eyes, “Elle that can’t possibly be true. Everyone cares about their own Fate. Don’t you have a legacy you wish to pass on?”

  Elle thought for a moment, “I suppose. But it isn’t something I want to pass on with a stranger.”

  “That’s all I ask.” He jumped at her. Making Elle jump back. “Just a chance to get to know you. To plead my case.”

  Elle barked out a harsh laugh, “Kidnapping is against the law in both the mortal and Other worlds.”

  “I am offering you the chance to be someone.” He pleaded. He was so earnest; it almost tugged at her heart strings. If he hadn’t sent savage Freaks after her she might have listen
ed to him.

  “I’m already someone, Aldon.” She said quietly and she actually believed it.

  Aldon growled something low that she didn’t catch right before he sprung at her. He moved so fast Elle almost missed it, if Fiona hadn’t been helping her regain some of her demi-god abilities she wouldn’t have been able to see it. But she had regained some of those abilities and she saw him move just in time.

  Elle ducked as he moved in to grab her, and rolled like Victor told her to. And thank the gods she was in the exact spot she needed to be, she rolled under the granite alter. Victor snarled as he arrived, Aldon laughed.

  “Do you actually think you can fight me?” Aldon growled from where Elle had been just seconds before.

  Elle scrambled to her feet on the opposite side of the alter. Victor stood facing Aldon, his scythe in his hands. “I plan on trying.”

  Aldon threw his head back and laughed. “I answer to a god more powerful than you.”

  Chills raced up and down Elle’s body, she was truly freaked out. Aldon was either truly insane or he knew something they didn’t.

  Victor said nothing as he swung his scythe at Aldon who moved out of the way as if he was swatting a fly. Throwing a punch that connected with Victor’s chin sending the Reaper back several steps. Elle was so shocked she just stood there, Victor recovered only to have Aldon attacking again and again. Victor swung and attacked but Aldon side stepped each swing and countered Victor’s attacks like Victor was a toy. Soon Victor was bloody and beaten.

  “Elle, now!” Victor bellowed.

  Elle shook herself and scrambled for her backpack she dumped out the contents they had gone over the plan so many times, but now it was happening she felt like they hadn’t gone over it enough.

  “Please, please, please,” she begged, not sure who she was talking to.

  “Elle, now would be good,” Victor called.

  Elle looked up. “I’m working on it.”

  It was a modified Pandora’s Box, Tracker/Elemental style, it hid whoever was inside. Without trapping the soul or torturing them. Falcon, Kyra, and Bowen had been working on it. Elle put it down and flipped open the lid. Whispering the words that Kyra said would activate it. Praying it worked.

  Six Trackers and Kyra popped out like genies from a bottle. And as they did there were Flashes of light. The box activating was the sign for Christian and Garrett.

  Aldon stopped pummeling on Victor to stare in shock as the Trackers attacked. “How the hell?”

  “It’s about damn time,” Garrett snapped at Elle. “Thought you were going to leaves us out of the fight.”

  Christian grabbed Victor and pulled him to safety, Elle rushed to him.

  “Victor?” Elle crouched down. He looked so terrible Elle wasn’t sure he was even breathing at the moment.

  “That bad?” Victor muttered.

  Elle didn’t even want to touch him. Sure anything she did for him, would surly hurt him. “Yes.”

  When everything went quiet, Elle looked up.

  Aldon held Garret by the throat with a wicked looking dagger. “Give me Elle.”

  “Fuck you.” Garrett swore.

  Aldon laughed. “You first.”

  Elle was climbing to her feet, she had to get to Garrett first. Everything was happening so fast. People were moving, Victor, and Christian were bellowing.

  But none of them got there. A blur moved in, pulling the dagger away. Garrett was cute and blood splattered everywhere. He was also pushed away as Aldon’s face was smashed in with an elbow. His arm was wrenched and the bone snapped. The noise so loud, it seemed to echo in the night. Aldon’s scream split through the dark night. He doubled over, and the blur solidified into the form of a darkly cloaked figure holding a limp arm. A leg coming up to slam into Aldon’s stomach, so hard Aldon came off the ground a good foot.

  But Aldon wasn’t cowed. He growled and tried to stab at the figure holding him. The figure released him to spin free of Aldon. It was enough for Aldon who winked away, one moment he was there and the next he was gone.

  The cloaked figure swore, and then swore again. And to the surprise of the group, turned to the group and threw back the hood.

  “Of course it’s a girl.” Skylar shook his head.

  “Get me to Garrett,” Victor wheezed. As he clawed at the dirt.

  Garrett was gasping and clutching at the cut on his throat. Elle and Christian dragged Victor over to Garrett who was bleeding out. Victor lay on top of his brother,

  “What the hell?” Christian asked Victor.

  “Blood Rite Dagger,” Victor said just before he passed out.

  “Oh shit.” Christian swore and grabbing Garrett, he Flashed out.

  “We got huge problems,” Falcon said to the group. “Get Kyra,” he said to Ryder.

  Elle just looked at the group. “What now?”

  “We regroup,” Falcon announced.

  “Just who the fuck are you?” Skylar barked at the woman, still staring.

  She ignored them all and walked up to Elle and held out a hand. “I am Tabitha. Please understand the very last thing I want is for you to mate with the Sons of Adam. I am here to protect you.”

  Elle took her hand. “Umm…okay then.”

  “You will come with me?” Tabitha asked.

  “Uh, I’m kinda with them.” Elle looked around.

  “These males are a hindrance,” Tabitha explained.

  “Well, fuck you too, bitch,” Skylar said.

  Tabitha turned to Skylar. “A very loud and obnoxious hindrance,” she said turning back to Elle. “I don’t work well with others. I am here to protect you and you alone.”

  Elle bit her lip to keep from laughing. “I understand. But these men are with me.”

  Tabitha stepped forward and whispered words Elle couldn’t understand, and the world around her slowed to a stop. She looked around shocked at the frozen men around her.

  “Um what the hell?” she asked Tabitha.

  Tabitha gave her a small smile. “I can’t hold this spell long. You need to trust me Elle, I am here for you. What can I do to make you understand?”

  “Why should I trust you? You just pop in and try to kill Aldon, and you think that makes you trust worthy?” Elle asked. “Plus you froze everyone? They aren’t going to like this.”

  “I promise, I’m here to help you,” Tabitha insisted. “They aren’t even going to notice. Their simple minds, cannot possible comprehend my abilities.”

  “That’s just not enough,” Elle said. She had been burned just too many times. Abandoned by those who she cared for. “And for the love of the gods, don’t tell them how ‘simple’ their minds are.”

  “I will give my life to protect you,” Tabitha pleaded.

  Elle stood over Victor’s body while everyone else stood frozen, as tears ran down her face. “How do I know that?”

  Tabitha slashed her hand, making Elle stumble back in shock as the tall amazon advanced on her. But Elle tripped over the uneven ground, and Tabitha was faster than she was, anyway. Taking her by her hand, she grabbed her hand and sliced Elle’s hand. Pressing them together. Elle protested but it was happening so fast. Images started swimming through her mind at a break-necking speed and she couldn’t pinpoint any of them.

  Then Tabitha was speaking, “I swear a blood oath to you; I am here to protect you. By my blood I swear you are a sister of my heart and I will do everything within my power to protect you.” Elle was swimming in memories as Tabitha shared with her small tidbits of her life before she released her hand.

  Elle looked up into her green eyes and tried to shake her head. “Why would you share a blood oath with someone you don’t even know?”

  Tabitha shared a sad smile. “Because it is my destiny.” She released Elle and pulled a cloth from a backpack she cleaned the wounds on their hands with a salve. “This will aide in the healing.” Tabitha cleaned off the blood and Elle was surprised to see that the wounds were already closing up.

  “
Now what?” Elle asked looking at Victor and the others who were still frozen.

  “I will un-freeze them. And we will continue with our mission. It is taking a great deal of my Magik to sustain this spell,” Tabitha admitted.

  “They aren’t going to like this,” Elle said again.

  “Yeah, the male race typically doesn’t like anything they cannot control.” Tabitha agreed. Slipping her back-pack back on.

  “I can’t tell them about this, can I?” Elle asked.

  Tabitha laughed. “Oh please do. I’m sure they’ll love it.”

  Elle groaned knowing just how wonderful Victor was going to respond to the blood oath Tabitha had sworn to Elle. Yep. It was going to go over like gang busters.

  Tabitha regarded her for a moment. “Fine. I will keep you safe. If you insist on traveling with them I will not argue for now.”

  Elle rolled her eyes, things just kept getting better. How many more people were they going to add to this merry group? Tabitha unfroze the group.

  “How gracious of you.” Skylar snorted as they were unfrozen.

  “Shut it.” Falcon slapped Sky in the back of the head.

  Elle suddenly felt exhausted. “Where are we headed?”

  “Safe house.” Falcon nodded.

  Elle nodded, this was plan B. Skylar and Ryder picked up Victor and they headed out. Tabitha stopped Elle. “It is very important you know I am here for your safety, Elle. When we reach the ‘safe house, you and I need to speak privately.”

  Elle nodded, she felt like she had fallen down the rabbit hole. Tabitha nodded and before she let Elle go she checked the path forward several times and then walked beside her and a step or two behind her but she could feel Tabitha was aware of absolutely everything going on around her.

  Tabitha never left her side, and Elle never went far from where Victor was.

  “This place isn’t safe,” Tabitha informed her when they got to the house.