Lost Reaper (The Reaper Series Book 1)

by Shelley Russell Nolan

  As I straightened a slight wave out of my hair and applied makeup to highlight my eyes I remembered how much fun we’d had. Because we were so similar in looks we’d been able to confuse the other party-goers by pretending their seeing double was the result of a spell. When we revealed there were two of us, many people had been convinced we were twins and we had a hard time getting them to believe we were only friends.

  Sarah had been the sister of my heart, and now I didn’t know what the future held for our relationship. My eyes started to sting and I closed my eyes, grateful for waterproof mascara as I blinked away tears. Then I took a deep breath before making my way out of the flat and driving into the town centre.

  ‘I have a drink, thanks,’ I said, holding up a bottle of water and sidestepping the third guy to ask if he could buy me a drink in the five minutes I’d been inside Scene Bar and Grill. I worked my way around the room, the interest I gathered an unwelcome distraction, elbows jutting out to nudge people out of the way when they blocked my path. Ash, if he was even there, might hesitate to approach me if I was surrounded by other men.

  Then again, I may not be searching for a man. Just because Ash had been male didn’t mean the body he’d become entangled with was.

  ‘I love your necklace. Can I have a closer look?’ The throaty voice belonged to a voluptuous woman with short red hair gelled into a wave on top of her head. I stared at her, stunned by the expression of interest she wore openly on her face. Her eyes were fixed on mine, not on the necklace.

  ‘I, ah, sure, knock yourself out,’ I said, wondering if my imagination had me reading too much into her request.

  She gave a sigh and dropped her gaze. ‘It’s a cool necklace. Thanks for letting me take a look.’ She turned to go.

  I caught her arm and she turned back, a smile of delight on her lips.

  ‘Are you Ash?’

  She frowned. ‘No, I’m Emma.’ Then she faced me square on. ‘You’re straight, aren’t you?’

  ‘She most definitely is, and she’s taken.’

  Chris snaked his arm around my waist and pressed his hard body against mine.

  Emma wore a chagrined expression. ‘All the good ones are,’ she said before slinking off.

  I moved out of Chris’s embrace.

  ‘Not so fast.’ He grabbed my hand and drew me back towards him. ‘You haven’t thanked me for saving you from your admirer or explained why you weren’t at your flat when the car arrived to pick you up.’ He gave my outfit a leisurely perusal. ‘Your choice of wardrobe is also not part of the plan, though I must say I am liking this look.’

  The heat of his gaze burned into my flesh, causing a wave of warmth to sweep over me and I hastily pulled my hand free. ‘I told you I wasn’t going out with you.’

  ‘True, but I chose not to believe you.’

  ‘Then you chose wrong. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m looking for someone.’

  ‘Ash?’

  I spun around, one hand going to my necklace. ‘How do you know that name?’

  ‘I heard you ask the girl who hit on you. Who is Ash and why do you want to find them?’

  ‘That’s none of your business.’ My rapid heart rate eased. Chris being Ash had never occurred to me until then. His name had popped up when I’d been researching on the net, but the timing didn’t match. Chris’s new lease of life had started weeks ago, with a stint in rehab. But when he’d said Ash’s name I’d been sure he was the person I needed to find, and a large part of me had been horrified.

  If Chris had been Ash, I would have had to reap his soul and return him to the Underworld. Though determined never to get involved with the guy, the thought of him being dead hit me hard, the depths of my distaste for the idea throwing me. I shook my head and backed away from him. I did not want to get involved with a guy who the gossip columnists had their eyes on and I had no illusions about my ability to keep his interest for long. He had a reputation for playing the field and I had no desire to become another girl in a long list of conquests.

  ‘I have to go.’ I refused to meet his eyes, relieved and yet disappointed when he made no move to follow me.

  I left Scene and headed for the next club around the corner and a repeat of the first attempt. I got hit on by guys as well as girls, but none of them responded to the name Ash. The next two nightspots were no help either. Disheartened, I headed for the exit of the last place on my list. I skirted a group of people coming through the entrance and stopped. Chris lounged in a corner booth beside the exit door, his arm curving around the back of the woman sitting next to him.

  I couldn’t see her face, but dark hair fell in a long ponytail down her back. She wore a sequined top that sparkled in the dim lighting each time she moved. As I watched she leaned forward and whispered in Chris’s ear and he responded by dipping his head and catching her lips in a passionate kiss.

  Pain gripped my stomach and I averted my eyes as I rushed outside, determined not to cry as I hurried towards the mall entrance to the secure parking area two blocks away. It was stupid. I had no reason to be upset. I didn’t even know the guy, so why did the sight of him kissing another girl get to me? I didn’t want to go out with him. I should be glad I’d seen him with another girl. It let me know I was right about staying away from him. He was just like Logan, a waste of my time.

  I passed groups of happy people enjoying their night on the town and as their laughter washed over me I indulged in a moment of self-pity. Would I ever be as carefree as them? Even if I did manage to get Grimm off my back, how would I go back to living a normal life knowing what I did about the dark undercurrents existing in the world?

  The future I had planned had never seemed so far away. On the verge of tears, I reached the driveway into the car park and was about to slide under the boom-gate when I heard my name being called.

  My spirits received an instant lift when I caught sight of Sam sitting in his unmarked police car across the road. He waved and gave me a smile, then swung the wheel and drove across the car parks in the middle of the lanes and into a park on the other side of the driveway. I waited at the kerb as he got out of his car.

  ‘Detective Lockwood, are you out on the town?’ I smiled, ridiculously happy at the sparkle in his eyes. The warmth of his presence washed away the chilly memory of the last time I’d seen him.

  ‘It’s Sam, remember, and not exactly. I’m here on business.’

  I gave a start. ‘Did someone die?’ I put a hand on my necklace.

  ‘No. Tonight’s been pretty quiet and I hope it stays that way.’

  ‘Me too. I think Easton has seen more than enough death lately.’

  Sam frowned, moving forward to touch my arm. ‘You shouldn’t be out here on your own. Tonight might be quiet, but that doesn’t make it safe.’

  ‘I’m fine. I was about to head home actually.’ I pointed into the car park. ‘My car’s in there.’

  ‘I’ll walk you,’ said Sam, taking my arm and leading me around the boom gate.

  The last kernel of tension in my body fled at his warm touch. He kept a light touch on my arm as we navigated a series of traffic cones blocking off part of the car park, his quiet strength a pleasant contrast to Chris’s dynamic presence. I sighed.

  ‘Is everything okay?’

  ‘I’m just tired, ready to go to bed.’ As soon as I mentioned bed my cheeks flushed and Sam’s touch on my arm firmed. I hid my face but he turned me around.

  ‘Tyler,’ he closed the gap between us, using his free hand to lift my chin, his eyes searching mine. ‘I shouldn’t be telling you this, it could get me into a lot of trouble, but I can’t keep quiet any longer.’

  My heart pounded, every nerve in my body tingling as I waited, breathless, for Sam’s next words. Anticipation had me licking my lips and I instinctively leaned towards him.

  ‘Someone in Easton is attacking women with long dark hair. The victims have all been in their twenties and of a similar build.’

  I wrenched my eyes away from
Sam’s, desperate to stop him seeing my disappointment. I twisted my body slightly to make my earlier move towards him seem like a shifting of my feet. ‘Why are you telling me this?’

  ‘You fit the profile. You shouldn’t be out here on your own.’

  I thought of the woman whose soul I had reaped the day before, remembering how the resemblance between the two of us had gotten to me.

  The embarrassment over my misinterpretation of Sam’s intentions faded as I thought about what he’d said. ‘I haven’t heard anything about this at work. If someone is attacking women, shouldn’t the public know about it?’

  ‘After the first couple of attacks, when we realised they were all done by the same guy, the police chief thought it best to keep it out of the news. He didn’t want to start a panic by announcing someone was attacking a certain type of female, hoping we’d catch the guy before the situation escalated.’

  ‘One of his victims died, didn’t they? That’s what you mean when you talk about escalation, right?’ I twisted free from his grasp. ‘She might still be alive if she’d known she was in danger,’ and then I wouldn’t have had to reap her soul.

  ‘I didn’t agree with keeping it quiet, but unfortunately it wasn’t my choice to make.’

  ‘Are they going to alert the public now?’

  Sam shook his head. ‘The bosses still think we have a better chance of catching the guy without the press getting involved. But seeing you walk down the street, knowing some psycho is attacking women who look like you, I couldn’t keep quiet anymore.’

  It should have felt good, knowing Sam was watching out for me. Instead, guilt hammered at me. He’d disobeyed orders to warn me; while I had information he needed but couldn’t share it without revealing my involvement. It was more important than ever to stay away from him, in case I let something slip. He could never know that I was a reaper. A reaper on a deadline.

  I increased the distance between us. ‘Well, I had better be going then.’

  ‘I can follow you, if you like. Make sure you get home safe.’

  I shook my head. ‘No, thank you, Detective Lockwood.’

  ‘I told you to call me Sam,’ he said. ‘And it’s no troub-’

  His mobile phone went off. He grimaced. ‘I’ve got to take this.’

  I nodded and started hunting in my bag for my keys while he moved several metres away to answer his phone, talking in low tones. I couldn’t hear what he said, but the way his body tensed spoke volumes.

  The call ended and he strode back to my side. ‘I’ve got to go. I need you to get in your car and go straight home.’ He opened the door but I made no move to climb inside.

  ‘Is everything okay? Has someone else been attacked?’

  ‘This is nothing for you to worry about. I just want to know you’re home and safe.’ He gave me a gentle push and I allowed him to guide me into my seat, hardly daring to breathe as he pulled out the seat belt, leant across and buckled me in.

  ‘Go home and lock your doors. We’ll talk later.’

  I nodded but didn’t speak; scared I’d say something stupid.

  Sam closed the door and stood by as I backed out of the park and navigated my way out of the car park. He followed me on foot as I drove onto the street.

  I had to take my eyes off him to steer through the mini round-about in the middle of the mall and when I glanced back I could no longer see him. While part of me longed for him to keep his promise, hoping we would get a chance to talk, the sane part told me that spending time with a police detective could only turn out bad for a reaper. I had to forget about him and concentrate on finding Ash.

  With my night out a bust, I had to come up with another way of finding the missing reaper and I used the drive home to sort out a new plan of attack, one involving social media. I would set up Twitter and Facebook accounts in false names and send out a message to Ash. Then I’d use the Chronicle’s website to put an ad in Monday’s classifieds. If I didn’t get a response, I’d post on every internet site I could find.

  It might not be a brilliant plan but, without knowing the name of Ash’s borrowed body, it was the best I could come up with. When I got home I would pour myself a huge glass of wine and drown away the niggling thought that shutting Sam out of my life could be the biggest mistake I would ever make.

  Chapter 13

  Some of the tension in my shoulders vanished when I got to the flat and found it empty. It would have been hard to relax with Sarah and me tiptoeing around our damaged friendship. Eventually I’d have to sit down and work out how I felt about her and if we could be friends again, but not tonight.

  I poured my wine and took it with me into the bathroom where I scrubbed all trace of makeup off my face. Then I ran a bath to help me wind down. The delicious scent of chocolate bubbles soon filled the small room.

  I sighed as I sank into the warm water and closed my eyes. For a long moment I lay back, mind blissfully empty. Then I opened my eyes and reached for my wine glass, taking slow sips as I watched the flickering shadows cast by the candles I’d placed on the end of the bath and on the vanity.

  In the lounge, my mobile phone started to ring and a smile creased my face. It had to be Sam. I half clambered out of the bath. Then I stopped, smile fading, remembering all the reasons why I couldn’t get involved with a police detective. I sank back into the tub and listened as my phone rang again and again, followed soon after by the ping announcing a message.

  With all chance of relaxing gone, I downed the rest of my glass and got out of the bath, reaching for my towel. Dry, and in my pyjamas, I blew out the candles and headed to the kitchen in search of more wine. I took a fortifying sip before picking my phone up off the coffee table and checking the call log.

  Disappointment bit hard. None of the calls were from Sam. They were all from Andrew. The message was from him as well.

  “Where r u? @ Scene. Connor and Sarah had huge fight. Logan here 2. R u with CB? Call me asap.”

  I put down the phone and hugged myself, tucking my hands into my underarms to stop myself from calling or texting and getting involved in this latest mess. My first instinct, once I’d gotten over the shock of the message, had been to call Sarah to see if she was okay. I couldn’t care less about Connor or Logan, but she had been my friend for so long it was hard to switch off the instinct to protect her, to be there for her, take her side against the rest of the world.

  I wanted to lash out at Andrew for involving me, and for assuming I was with Chris. I settled with sending a short message. “Don’t want to know. At home, alone, going to bed.” Then I turned the phone off.

  I downed the rest of my second glass of wine, liking the way it slowed my thinking. My eyelids drooped and I stifled a yawn. Not ready to give in to sleep, I grabbed a movie out of the DVD cabinet and settled down to watch it on the small TV in my room. I did not want to be up and about when Sarah came home. With pillows propped behind me, and a bottle of water close to hand, I prepared to forget about everything bad in my life.

  The movie credits were rolling when a shiver swept over my body. I gritted my teeth and cursed. Why did somebody have to die now, when I was finally starting to feel normal?

  I switched off the TV and lay down before taking hold of my necklace. I left my body behind and streamed across the night sky, flying towards an older section of town on the north side, not far from the river.

  I dropped low, skimming over a fence encircling a large sporting ground and outdoor hockey fields. My pace slowed as I approached the edge of a ditch bordering the creek running around one side of the grounds. This area always flooded in the rainy seasons, but now the creek barely flowed, the grasses bordering it spindly and desiccated. Mango trees lined the top of the ditch above the creek, their expansive branches creating a patchwork of shadows on the ground, partially blocking the faint glow from the security light on the corner of the hockey clubhouse.

  Even with little light, it was easy to find my latest client. She lay in an untidy sprawl half
way down the slope between the top of the ditch and the creek, like her killer had discarded her with no consideration for where she ended up. I hovered above her, crying, my tears sparkling in the air around me as I took in the beating this poor woman had endured.

  Her face was turned away from me, partially hidden by a ponytail of long dark hair, the neck tie of her halter top undone. The sequined material had been pushed down to her waist, exposing multiple scrapes and the darker shadows of bruises on her back. She wore a skirt ripped from hem to waistband, only a thin strip keeping it on. Her legs were in as bad a shape as her back.

  A sickening sense of recognition hit me. An image sprang into my mind, of Chris leaning forward and passionately kissing a woman with long dark hair. I hadn’t seen her face, but she had been wearing a sequined top that left her shoulders bare.

  It was the same woman. I was sure of it even though I desperately wanted to be mistaken.

  I drifted to the other side, wanting to see her face, hoping for a last word, a name, anything to tell me who had hurt her. But she had no answers to give. Blood covered her face from a gash in her temple, a stained rock sitting innocently mere centimetres away. Her eyes were unfocused, eyelashes fluttering with each shallow breath.

  As I drew closer she gave a rattling gasp, eyes going blank, and I instinctively reached out to take her soul. It answered my call, rising up out of her body and into my hand. I hesitated to add her soul to the growing collection inside my necklace, not ready to go home. I owed her something, only I didn’t know what.

  I caught a flash of movement in my peripheral vision and spun around, the light of the dead woman’s soul illuminating the immediate area.

  A man stood above me, partially hidden in the shadows cast by a large mango tree. Confident in my invisibility, I drifted closer.