Reaper Dreaming: A Reaper Novel

by Christie Palmer

  Hunter was dumbfounded by Elle’s question. And the look he gave Elle must have proved it. Elle turned back to her, “You don’t know do you?”

  “No,” Hunter answered honestly.

  “Well, we will need to find out if we are to help her through this transition. Otherwise, Lailah will most likely die, her body just can’t handle it on her own,” Elle told him. “She is in extreme pain as it is. I can probably drain some of her excess power overload relieve some of her symptoms for now. However, in order to make any real headway and make sure Lailah makes it through her transition we need to find out what she is transitioning into. Make sure her body and mind can withstand what she is about to become.”

  “You got this all out of touching her?” Hunter asked astounded.

  Elle gave him blinding smile, then motioned to Lailah. “It’s all in her brain. Which by the way is killing her currently, new pathways are forming. Her body will go through a lot of changes as well, but that will happen later.”

  “So now I just need to find out what she is transitioning into?” Hunter asked his words dripping with sarcasm. Several hours ago he hadn’t even known where she lived.

  “Where did you find her? How did you meet?” Victor asked.

  It was time to come clean, and Hunter wasn’t looking forward to it. And Hunter was pretty sure Victor wasn’t going like what he had to say. Dante had expressly said to leave Lailah on the mortal plane and walk away, and when Dante gave an order you didn’t break it. Steeling himself for Victor’s wrath Hunter turned to Victor and told him everything he knew about Lailah.

  “You are in a lot of fucked up trouble, you know that?” Victor swore. “If I knew what was good for me. I would grab Elle and get the hell out of here right now. I’d leave you and her and never look back.”

  Elle snorted, causing Victor and Hunter to both turn to her. “So you want me to drain some of this power out of her brain before it kills her or what?” She asked with a hint of a smile.

  Hunter nodded glad she was here. “What do you need me to do?”

  “I’ll need you to hold her down. Because I will have to climb on top of her to get this done. And I’m not sure if your Lailah will like having me there.” Elle said with a shrug.

  “She’s not mine,” the words rushed from him before he thought about them. And both Victor and Elle both gave him dubious looks.

  “Sure she’s not,” Elle said that ghost of a smile not blossoming into a full watt smile.

  “Can we just get this done?” Hunter asked.

  “You’ll need to hold her down.” Lailah told him again.

  Hunter wasn’t sure if Lailah was in any condition to fight off a fly much less Elle climbing on top of her. But he moved over to the bed so he could do what Elle asked him to.

  “And I will get Marcus,” Victor explained.

  Hunter turned to Victor, “What the hell are you going to get Marcus for? I don’t think we need to bring in Marcus,” Hunter barked then quickly looked back to Lailah to make sure he hadn’t woken her.

  “If the Angels wanted her, Marcus is the best person to find out what she is,” Victor rationalized. Hunter had to admit it was a good idea, but bringing in Marcus meant bringing in Celeste. And although Celeste was bonded to Marcus she was also notoriously a daddy’s girl and she was going to spill the beans on everything that was going on tonight to Dante.

  “If you bring Marcus in, you will be responsible for keeping Celeste’s mouth shut. I don’t want Dante knowing about Lailah yet.” Hunter said.

  Victor rolled his eyes and snorted. “You know getting Celeste to keep her mouth shut about this will be pretty hard.”

  Hunter shrugged his shoulders, “Yes it is, and that will be your problem, do you understand me?”

  Victor swore, Hunter didn’t give a shit. He wasn’t ready to explain his obsession with Lailah to Dante. He was hoping when they were done taking care of Lailah, his obsession would dissipate and he could just go back to his life. No harm, no foul, life could just go back to normal.

  “Fine but this had better not go on for long,” Victor snapped. Victor grabbed Elle and pulled her into the corner. Were they kissed and whispered their goodbyes. Hunter had to admit he was just a little jealous. The love Victor and Elle shared was a beautiful thing. But Hunter knew it wasn’t something he was destined for, Hunters gaze drifted to Lailah. He wasn’t meant to have a female like Lailah. Something in his chest ached at the thought.

  “Are you ready?” Elle asked breaking Hunter from his thoughts.

  Hunter nodded and moved to the bed, “How are we going to do this?” he asked.

  Elle screwed up her face for a moment then shrugged, “Only one way really,” Elle said as she climbed on to the bed, straddling Lailah in one quick move. Trapping Lailah on the bed under her.

  Lailah came awake with a start, “What the hell?” Lailah muttered, but it was groggy her voice feverish.

  “Hell,” Hunter lunged forward.

  “Hold her down,” Elle demanded as she sunk her hands into Lailah’s hair holding onto Lailah’s head her palms going to each of Lailah’s temples.

  Lailah’s shocking green eyes sought out Hunter, “Why?” Lailah cried out. Hunter had done horrible things in the name of the Reapers, but this? This action with Lailah, this was the first time he felt guilty. However, he refused to show any weakness in front of Elle or anyone else for that matter.

  Hunter held Lailah by her shoulders pressing her down into her bed. And felt as if he were violating her. Luckily Lailah was weak from her fever and her fight was feeble at best.

  But her eyes, those beautiful green eyes, never left Hunter as Elle delved into Lailah’s mind, and every second Lailah kept eye contact with Hunter made him feel worse. But after a long minute, Lailah’s eyes rolled up into her head. And her struggling stopped.

  Hunter moved away from Lailah and looked at Elle, “Elle?” Hunter asked.

  “Just another moment,” Elle pleaded, but Elle’s color had gone a little pale. This wasn’t good and Hunter knew it was time for Elle to stop if something bad happened to her Victor would never forgive him.

  “Elle, it’s time to stop,” Hunter urged.

  “Almost done,” Elle’s voice stuttered.

  Hunter grabbed Elle, but she wouldn’t release Lailah, “Give me just another second,” Elle repeated. Hunter stood back feeling helpless, but when blood trickled from Elle’s' nose he knew he had given her too long.

  “Elle, stop,” Victor said pushing Hunter aside he grabbed Elle. “Please baby.” He wrapped his arms around Elle.

  Elle relaxed against Victor allowing him to pull her off of Lailah. Victor glared at Hunter as he carried Elle from Lailah’s room. Hunter checked on Lailah her fever was already going down. One he was sure she was going to be okay he followed Victor out to the living room. Where Elle rested on Victors lap.

  Elle peeked her eyes open as Hunter came in, “How is she?” she queried. Victor pressed her head back onto his shoulder, and continued to glare at Hunter.

  “Her fever is already going down, thank you. What you did? I’ll never be able to repay you,” Hunter said.

  Elle gave him one of her radiant demi-god smiles. It was a little less bright after what she had gone through.

  Marcus and Celeste stood to the side of the couch, Hunter nodded to them. “How can I repay you for what you have done?” Hunter asked Victor.

  Victor glared at him, “Try not to drain my bonded mate dry?”

  Hunter nodded, “I owe you a great debt.”

  “Do you mind telling me why we are here in the middle of the night?” Celeste quipped her jovial attitude out for everyone to see.

  “I need Marcus’s help. You, we don’t need,” Hunter snapped at his sister.

  Celeste glared at Hunter, “We are a duo, when you ask for him, you ask for the both of us. We come as a duo,” She pointed between the two of them as she spoke.

  Hunter motioned toward Lailah’s room, “Marcus if
you will follow me.” Marcus shook his head at the interaction between Hunter and Celeste and followed Hunter to Lailah’s room.

  When they entered the bedroom Marcus took one look at Lailah and then looked at Hunter, “Where did you find this child?” Marcus whispered.

  “Why?” Hunter demanded, “What is she?”

  Marcus backed out of the room and returned to the living room, “I must find Uriel of the Betweens.” Marcus took Celeste by the elbow and led her into the kitchen, Hunter growled low and followed them.

  “Tell me what she is.” Hunter demanded.

  Marcus glared at Hunter, “I can’t tell you until I confirm it with Uriel.”

  Hunter was about to grab Marcus and shake the information from the Dark Angel, but Celeste stepped in front of Hunter. “Touch him and I will break your arm,” she growled.

  “I want to know what is going on,” Hunter snapped.

  “And Marcus will tell you,” Celeste reasoned. “but he must speak with Uriel first.”

  Hunter looked at Marcus, “How long?”

  “I will return as soon as I can,” Marcus said and Shifted away.

  Hunter ran a hand over his short hair, this wasn’t supposed to be happening. None of this, he had just wanted to be close to Lailah. He had wanted to smell her again maybe steal another kiss. But all this? No, he hadn’t wanted any of this. Now his siblings were involved, how had everything gone to shit? He turned from Celeste wanting desperately to pound a hole in the wall. Instead, Hunter just leaned against it resting his head against the cool plaster wishing, not for the first time, he were back in the Infernos, back where the world made sense to him.

  “She means a lot to you, this woman?” Celeste asked quietly.

  “I don’t know. I don’t know who or what Lailah is,” Hunter conceded honestly. “I shouldn’t have come here tonight. It was a mistake, but then I did and she was so sick. Now everything is turning to shit,” Hunter admitted honestly.

  “If I have learned anything since leaving the Infernos, it is life on the mortal plane is anything but predictable.” Celeste said placing a gentle hand on Hunters' shoulder. “Sometimes you just have to go with it Hunter.”

  Hunter turned to his sister, it was a rare moment when Celeste showed such emotion. “I just want to return to the Infernos,” Hunter admitted.

  “Really?” Celeste puzzled. “Life in the Infernos is very.” She hesitated for a moment… “Monotone, the same all the time. Does that make sense?”

  Hunter thought for a moment, “Yes and that is what I like about it. The control, I have absolute control of my life in the Infernos.”

  Celeste laughed softly, “Hunter, a little variety in your life will not hurt you. The Others on this plane think we in the Infernos have this interesting, even ‘blessed’ life.” Celeste used her fingers to add quotes around the word blessed. “Like living in the Infernos makes us something special. But it isn’t interesting or special to live in the Infernos. It just makes us a target.”

  Hunter snorted, “I assume you have a point here?”

  “Maybe you are seeking out this female because part of you needs a little something different in your life,” Celeste offered.

  Hunter grunted because Celeste might just have a point. “Right now all I need is for Marcus to return so we can get the hell out of here before Lailah wakes up,” Hunter muttered walking away from Celeste. She was getting to close to the truth. And the look she gave him as he walked out of the kitchen told him she knew it too. When had his much younger sister gotten so smart?

  “What’s the plan then?” Victor asked quietly. Elle still lay curled in Victors lap, she looked sound asleep. “Marcus has gone to ask Uriel of the Betweens for advice on the situation,” Celeste said coming into the room behind Hunter she took a seat in the corner and pulled a gun from the inside of the jacket she was wearing and started to take it apart. Celeste may be mated to a Dark Angel, but she was still packing, she probably had more weapons on her than just that gun. In fact, Hunter wouldn’t be surprised if she was the most heavily armed person in the room. That was just Celeste.

  Hunter started to pace, waiting wasn’t his natural inclination. And after an hour, he was done. He was about to get Celeste to find her mate when Marcus Shifted back into the small apartment, with Uriel of the Betweens.

  Uriel looked around the apartment. “There are too many of you here,” he hissed with distaste. And then looked at Hunter specifically, “Leave now.”

  “Go fuck yourself,” Hunter said to the Angel, Uriel may be an angel and have been earthbound for gods only knew how long but Hunter wasn’t about to take orders from him. He was hard pressed to take orders from anyone besides Dante.

  Marcus put a hand on Uriel’s shoulder, “This is who has requested your intervention, Uriel.”

  “She is of the light, you Reapers contaminate her by your mere presence here,” Uriel spat in distaste.

  “Yeah, we’ve heard that before,” Hunter quipped. “Still not going anywhere. Now tell me who and what Lailah is.”

  Uriel spun on his heels and walked down the hall and into Lailah’s room followed very closely by Hunter. He felt his brothers and sister behind him.

  Uriel was examining Lailah, and it took everything Hunter had to not physically rip Uriel’s hands off Lailah. Uriel was a good looking man and he was running his hands over Lailah and Hunter didn’t like it one bit. Finally he pressed a palm against her forehead. Then Uriel stood and turned back to the group, “Where is her Guardian?”

  “Treachery, James tried to sell her to Dante for gold to feed his drug habit,” Hunter admitted.

  Everyone in the room including Uriel responded just the way Hunter thought they would. Outraged didn’t begin to encompass how they felt, everyone could see Lailah was of the light. To know a Guardian would try to sale her was beyond reproach.

  Uriel was the first to regain control of himself, “So he is being punished?”

  Hunter nodded.

  “And who helped her with her power overload tonight?” Uriel asked.

  Elle raised a tired hand, “I did.”

  Uriel gave her a smile, “You child are a child of the light. And a God by all rights.” He bowed his head at her, “Thank you for what you did for her, Lailah and I are in your debt.”

  Elle blushed and turned into Victor, who wrapped her in his arms.

  “What is she?” Hunter demanded.

  Uriel turned to Hunter, “Why is it you want to know so badly, Reaper?” Uriel asked.

  “Because Lailah was burning with fever not two hours ago. I am the one who found her. I am the one who got her help. And I am the one who punished her Guardian who obviously was helping her with her little problem. What is going on with her?” Hunter demanded.

  “Her Guardian was obviously a lost soul and was not a good person. He must have been misdirected. But he did what he could.” Uriel said with a shake of his head. He turned back to Lailah and laid another hand against her forehead, “Lailah is transitioning and it is not going well, this poor lost little lamb.” Uriel tsk’d his tongue. Hunter was seriously considering shaking the hell out of the man if he didn’t answer his questions soon. “She is in her final life, this little butterfly.”

  Hunter felt something in his stomach crash like a boulder rolling down a hill finally coming to a halt, as Uriel continued. “She is precious, her transition must be allowed to continue it must not be stopped. And God willing hopefully, she will survive it.”

  There was a sudden ringing in Hunters' ears, and he had to concentrate on what the Angel was saying as the ringing got louder.

  “Her birth and transition have been long awaited and foretold by many. This new earthbound Arch Angel.”

  Chapter 3

  Hunter slammed his fists into the wall of stone. His fists were beyond bloody, and he was pretty sure they were broken but it didn’t matter. He had lost the feeling in his extremities hours ago. Hunter wished he could get the damn voices in his head to be a
s numb and silent as his hands. Nevertheless, the voices played: “She will be an Arch Angel. The first ever earthbound Arch Angel. The Angels have been waiting for this prophesy for millennia.” Uriel had looked so peaceful, so excited. Even Marcus had looked as if those words had been uttered from the Gods themselves. But for Hunter, the words had fallen like acid and burned Hunters world apart.

  Hunter viciously slammed his fist back into the rock, decimating it. Rapturous is what Hunter would call the look on both Uriel and Marcus’s face. Lailah would be an Angel, and not just any Angel, but one of their highest order. And Lailah had wanted Hunter to be her hero? It would have been funny if it wasn’t so horrifying. Hunter had been a fool, six different kinds of fool. Hunter couldn’t work off the burn of the embarrassment he felt for even contemplating the thought of being with a female like Lailah much less have her for his own.

  “Thought I would find you here.” Victor said from behind him. Hunter didn’t stop his assault on the rock wall. He needed to continue his attack until his bones lay as broken as he felt inside. It should take a couple of months, at the least.

  “Leave.” Hunter snarled over his shoulder.

  “Don’t think so.” Victor drawled. “I need to speak to you about something.”

  Hunter decided to ignore his brother, he just wasn’t in the mood for company. And continued to slam his fists and body into the wall.

  “Okay then.” Victor said. “Elle found something in Lailah’s mind while she was leeching off all her excess power. Something you might want to know about. It could put Lailah in danger. But if you don’t give a shit about the Angel I don’t give a shit either.”

  Victor was halfway out of the cave when Hunter grabbed him and swung him around.

  “What?” Hunter demanded.

  “Argh you’re getting blood all over me.” Victor snapped wiping at the bloody hand prints Hunter left. Hunter apologized and grabbed a towel to hold against the cuts on his hands.

  “You want me to fix those?” Victor asked.