Reaper Dreaming: A Reaper Novel

by Christie Palmer

  Lailah looked around and pointed to a couple in the corner both. “They are glowing a dark color. I would think they are not up to anything good.” then pointed to a gentleman by the door, “He has a bright light over him, definitely a good guy.”

  Just then Ashlynn the waitress came rushing over to the table, “I forgot to ask you what you wanted to drink.” Ashlynn tried to give Hunter a smile but the moment Hunter locked eyes with her she looked down. “Um, so what can I get you to drink?”

  “Water is fine,” Hunter said using his calm voice.

  “Water it is,” She turned to leave but stopped to smile at Lailah. It seemed Lailah was the only person at the table who didn’t scare the crap out of her.

  “I like her,” Lailah declared.

  “You don’t know her,” Hunter stated.

  “She is special,” Lailah said turning to her burger and fries. Hunter just shook his head. Apparently some of Lailah’s new Angel abilities were making themselves known, and she was falling into them with no problems. Hunter’s food came and again the waitress refused to look at anyone but Lailah.

  “She must make a fortune in tips,” Victor said with a laugh as he polished off his food.

  “You better leave her a good tip,” Lailah said as she looked over at the waitress with a smile. “Are you going to tell us what you found out in the Infernos?” Lailah finally turned and asked Hunter.

  Hunter didn’t want to ruin their dinner. Lailah looked like she was enjoying herself. He shook his head, “Enjoy your dinner and we can talk about it when we get back to your apartment.”

  Hunter was just finishing his burger when Banner showed up. Hunter was halfway out of his chair when Victor snarled at him, “We are in public, keep it together.”

  “That bastard knows it too.” Hunter snapped forcing himself to sit back down in his chair.

  Banner wandered between the tables like he had all the time in the world over to where they all sat. Hunter reached over to Lailah’s chair and pulled her over so she was flush with him. Whatever Banner was pulling he would have to go through Hunter to get to her.

  Banner pulled a chair out and straddled it backwards so he was facing the foursome.

  “How sweet, a double date.” Banner said with a raised eyebrow. Nobody responded they just all stared at him. After a tense moment, Banner gave them a smile.

  It was then their waitress Ashlynn interrupted them, “Is there anything I can get you, sir?”

  Banner turned to her, “Hello dear, I’m just meeting up with my friends for a quick word.”

  Ashlynn looked at the group then gave Lailah a smile and backed away. “If you change your mind just give a wave.”

  “Oh, I’ll do that, sweetheart.” Banner said giving Ashlynn a wink. Hunter wanted to put a bullet in Banners damn forehead. Once the waitress was out of earshot, Banner turned back to the group. “Isn’t she a pretty little thing? This entire diner is quaint isn’t it? Right down to the bell on the counter. What do you think the cute little waitress would do if she found out she was serving Reapers dinner? And by doing so she was forfeiting her life in the eyes of the Tribunal,” Banner tsked. “In fact, I have the right to wipe this sorry existence of an eating establishment right off the map entirely.”

  It took everything Hunter had not to jump up and smash his fist into Banner’s face. But he knew Banner was just trying to bait him.

  “Say what you came here to say Banner.” Hunter snapped.

  Banner smiled but it didn’t quite reach his eyes, “Lailah told you what I want.”

  “Go to hell Banner, or if you prefer I’ll take you there myself,” Hunter growled. “You aren’t getting shit.”

  “Give me Jimmy and Lailah and we can all just go our merry way,” Banner said checking his nails as if he had all the time in the world.

  “Jimmy is gone, he was judged and sent to the Infernos for making promises he couldn’t keep. And as for Lailah you’ll never touch her again,” Hunter explained quietly each word spoken clearly.

  “Ah so our dear Jimmy is now residing in the Infernos is he?” Banner said leaning back he crossed his arms on the back of the chair he rested his chin there for a moment before continuing. Then he pulled himself up, “That is unfortunate because he owed an important debt, to important people and that debt is now due. Lailah is part of the debt and my bosses are wanting payment in full. So, in the end, she will be coming with me, you should all become accustomed to that. You should know I always finish my assignments. Always.”

  Hunter was going to pull his soul from him and watch him wither and die slowly. He leaned forward, “Here is something you may not know, Banner. I am Hunter the Reaper over Treachery and I, unlike my brothers do not suffer from a conscious. You touch Lailah and I will rip your soul from your body and watch you wander the mortal plane soulless until you fade and die, slowly. You do not scare me, nor do you intimidate me. There is no place on this plane or any other you can hide from me. So it’s your choice if you want to continue. Because I will hunt you down. I will find you and you will regret it unto your dying breath.”

  For the briefest moment Hunter saw it, the fear snake through Banners eyes. Gone as fast as it had appeared, but Hunter knew he had shaken him.

  Banner stood and replaced the chair he had been sitting in, “You have twenty-four hours to get me another Guardian who can repay what Jimmy had promised me. Then I take Lailah and nobody will like the results.”

  Hunter stood, his chair tumbling back behind him, he didn’t move toward Banner but he refused to stay in his seat another second. “Remember what I said Banner, if you touch Lailah, what I’ll do to you when I find you, what your death will be like.” Hunter didn’t raise his voice but he knew Banner heard him by the way a muscle twitched in Banners hand as he walked out of the diner.

  Hunter turned back to the table, Victor shook his head. While Elle clung to him. Lailah was staring at Hunter like she had never seen him before. And for the first time she looked at him with fear in her eyes. If he had wanted to drive her away then he had accomplished it. She was now terrified of him.

  * * *

  Lailah’s dinner was sitting like a pound of rocks in her stomach. During the trip home from the diner her head had started to pound ruthlessly, she knew she should say something. But all she wanted right now was to be left alone to think over what had just happened. Put it and her feelings into context.

  Everything should have been wonderful, Hunter had come back from the Infernos. She had been so happy to see him. Plus, Lailah had figured out some of her ‘abilities’ from changing into an Angel weren’t so bad and she wasn’t as afraid of what was to come.

  But then everything had gone to hell when Banner had shown up. And it hadn’t even been the worst part of her day, no the worst part had been when Hunter had threatened Banner. She couldn’t remember ever seeing anything as terrifying as Hunter in a full rage. No, he had been mesmerizing in his calm fury, but the terrifying part was how she had physically reacted. Lailah had thought it was the most intense and fascinating thing she had ever seen, his aura had glimmered and shown white hot. Not dark as she would have thought, no his fury was of the light because he was on the right side. It might have been one of the most beautiful things Lailah had ever seen.

  The intensity of it had been terrifying, and Lailah had wanted to throw herself into it. Something in her chest had swelled and her head had started to pound. She wanted to throw herself at Hunter and scream with joy. But just as quickly he turned from her. Lailah hadn’t known what to do with her emotions so she did what she always did she stuffed them back down and here she sat on her bed with a pounding headache, and a sick stomach trying to figure her shit out.

  Her body ached and her head pounded, the only answer was to get in the shower. So she went into her bathroom and turned her shower on, letting it run cold because she was burning up. Climbing under the cold spray, she felt like pins and needles were stabbing through every inch of her body and she fin
ally let the tears fall.

  “What is wrong with me?” Lailah asked herself as she ran the soap over her body. At least, that didn’t hurt. In fact, it felt amazing. It actually felt close to heaven, stepping out of the direct spray of the shower Lailah ran the soap over every inch of her body thrilling in how good it felt. She moaned to herself finally finding something which didn’t hurt. But now she had to wash the soap off, cupping water in her hands Lailah slowly washed the soap off one cupped handful at a time.

  When she was finally done with her shower Lailah was exhausted. She could tell her fever was up, but she was still too stubborn to ask for help, not after Hunter had turned from her at the diner. Lailah couldn’t help the way she had been effected at the diner. If she could make it back to her bed then maybe she could get some sleep and she would feel betting in the morning.

  Wrapping a towel around her body she used the wall to support herself as she gingerly made her way into her room and over to the bed. Lailah knew her home was full of strange men and she should put on some clothes but it was just too much work. So instead, she just climbed under the covers. And forced herself to relax.

  Now Lailah was in bed she groaned to herself. This was nice, this was the best place for her. She didn’t need Hunter the grumpy bastard. “Elle,” Lailah whispered the other woman’s name.

  But it was Hunter who burst threw her bedroom door, “What’s wrong?”

  Lailah didn’t even roll over, “You are not Elle,”

  Hunter was at her bedside and pulling the covers down before she could draw breath to stop him. Lailah scrambled for the sheets, “Shit,” Hunter swore when he realized she was naked.

  “Yeah,” Lailah said pulling the covers back up. Now she was blushing, which wasn’t helping the fever. “I need Elle to drain off my excess power.”

  “She went to the Infernos with Victor,” Hunter told her. “They said not to bother them till morning.”

  “Oh,” Lailah said moaning into her pillow. “Okay, can you get me a couple of aspirin?”

  Hunter went into her bathroom and came out with the aspirin and a glass of water Lailah leaned up to take them.

  “Where is everyone else?” she asked.

  “Out on watch. I have no idea where Uriel took off to, doing research on your transition he said,” Hunter said standing over her. “Do you want me to rub your head? It seemed to work before.”

  It was the last thing Lailah wanted to ask him to do, but she desperately wanted him to offer to do.

  “I don’t want to put you out,” Lailah said peeking at him.

  He grunted and sat down on the edge of the bed, “I don’t mind if you don’t mind me touching you.”

  Lailah gave him a weak smile, “Of course I don’t mind. What makes you think I mind you touching me?”

  “The look you gave me back at the diner,” Hunter said as he reached for her and buried his fingers in her wet hair. “Your look said you were terrorized. It was all I needed to know. You didn’t want me to touch you.”

  Lailah sucked back a moan of pleasure as his fingers went to work on her head. He knew just the right amount of pressure to put on her head to make her turn to jelly, she tried to refocus on what he had just said.

  “I wasn’t terrorized by what you had said. If you saw anything it was my shock.” Her head rolled to the side.

  “Okay.” But he didn’t sound convinced. “Why don’t you roll onto your stomach and I can do your neck at the same time.” he offered and he didn’t have to ask twice. Lailah immediately shimmed down in her bed and rolled onto her stomach. Hunter pulled the blankets down to expose her upper back and shoulders. “Let me grab some lotion.” It was all Lailah could do to melt right into a gooey puddle.

  A moment later he was back and Lailah could hear him rubbing his hands together and then he was back, his slick hands rubbing smoothly against her neck and shoulders. This time, she couldn’t control the low moan forced from her throat as his deft fingers worked the back of her neck and head.

  “I’m not terrorized by you, Hunter. I could never be afraid of you,” Lailah finally said trying to regain control of herself, but it was a lost cause with his hands and fingers working magic on her. “At the diner when you verbally attacked Banner you shown with such an amazing light I was stunned.” Lailah turned so she could look into Hunters eyes. “I thought it was the most amazing and beautiful thing I had ever seen. What you saw then was my utter and consuming need to want to throw myself at you. I didn’t understand it, I barely comprehend what it was all about. I was confused and scared. That is what you saw when you turned around. I wanted to soak in the light and power,” Lailah sighed. “All these new powers these new senses are a little overwhelming.”

  Hunter had stopped massaging her, and now he drug the backs of his fingers down her cheek making Lailah suck in a breath. “Gods you’re so beautiful,” He breathed the words.

  Lailah sat up so she was facing him, clutching the sheet around her breasts. She mimicked the gesture down Hunters' face, “So handsome.” Lailah leaned forward and Hunter met her half way. Their lips fused together, his felt cool against her fevered ones. Lailah worried he would be turned off by it but he slanted his mouth over hers and deepened the kiss. One hand tunneling into her hair, the other hand grazed over her jaw. A kaleidoscope of colors exploded behind Lailah’s closed eyes, and her arms wound around Hunters neck anchoring herself to him. As his tongue delved into to tangle with hers. His taste was intoxicating, he tasted like man, like the richest alcohol and it went straight to her head. Lailah felt dizzy from the kiss, and when he pulled away she was gasping for air.

  “Hunter.” His name was a gasp, a moan, a plea for more. “How can I want you so much? Need you so badly?”

  “Lailah.” Hunter cupped her face. Dropping tiny kisses along her full lips.

  “I need more Hunter.” Lailah whispered feeling like she was about to burst out of her skin if she didn’t get more from him. Get him closer, skin to hot skin.

  “Lailah.” This time, when he said her name it came out broken. And he pulled away from her.

  “Hunter?” Lailah gasped. Clutching at air as he stood up.

  “I…we…” Hunter looked like a broken man as he stumbled away from the bed. “Damnit Lailah. Do you have any idea how much I want you?”

  “I’m right here, Hunter.” Lailah said letting the sheet drop and exposing her full breasts that ached so bad she was sure she would cry if he didn’t get back into her bed immediately. “Don’t you dare leave me right now,” Lailah told him as Hunter backed away another step. Looking at her like she had sprouted horns.

  Hunter was taking deeps breaths, practically gasping. He pushed a hand over his short hair. “Lailah we are from two different worlds. You are going to be an Angel. And I’m…” he hesitated, “I’m a Reaper.”

  Lailah couldn’t believe what she was hearing, “Please tell me you’re kidding,” Lailah said trying to hold back tears. When she saw the resolute look on Hunter face she made a sound that was half way between a moan of pain and a scream of frustration. And picked her sheet up and clutched it to her chest.

  “Lailah…” Hunter started.

  Lailah pointed at her door, “Get out.” She growled between her teeth. “Get out now before I get my bat.” When Hunter started to speak again she started to climb from the bed. Her bat was leaned up against her dresser. She was going to kill him, that’s all there was to it. At the very least she would make him bleed. When she heard her door click shut behind him Lailah turned and flung herself back into her bed.

  She pounded her fists into her pillow and threw in a couple of kicks as well. Then for good measure, she cried with frustration, and eventually cried herself to sleep. She was convinced her life was absolute shit.

  * * *

  Why did he have to go and ruin it? Lailah wasn’t sure if she wanted to shoot him or drag him back to bed? But one thing was for sure, she was mad as hell about the entire situation and she glared at the m
an in question. Hunter was standing and talking to Victor who had appeared that morning with Elle.

  “If you glare any harder at him you might burn an actual hole in his back,” Elle said sitting down next to Lailah at her kitchen table with a cup of coffee.

  “Good.” Lailah said with a grimace.

  “Want to talk about it?” Elle asked.

  “Men suck.” Was all Lailah said taking a gulp of her coffee in her anger then she was left trying to suck in air as it burned its way through her mouth and down her throat. She wildly waved her hand in front of her mouth as well, she knew she probably looked like a crazy person. She didn’t know how but this was Hunter’s fault too. He had made the coffee after all this morning. The jerk. Hunter turned to her and seeing what she was doing shook his head, opened her freezer grabbed a couple of ice cubes and dropped them in her coffee cup then turned back to Victor. Which only made her more upset with him. Why did he have to be so damn nice and suck at the same time?

  “Did you just growl at me?” Hunter turned and asked her.

  Lailah ignored him and turned to Elle.

  “I hate him.” Lailah muttered under her breath turning so she wasn’t facing him. Because she was afraid if she had to look at him much longer she might just fling her coffee cup at his arrogant head.

  “It might actually help to talk about it before your head explodes. You’re glowing pretty bright right now,” Elle said.

  Lailah leaned close to Elle and whispered, hoping Hunter and Victor wouldn’t hear. “He thinks we can’t be together because he is a Reaper and I will be an Angel, two different worlds and all.”

  Elle shifted in her seat, then nodded. “It’s a solid argument,” Elle agreed.

  “Not you too.” Lailah felt heartbroken all over again. She thought, at least, Elle, another female, would be on her side. “What is it with all the segregation between the Others? It’s just not right, don’t you think the Tribunal maybe capitalizes on it? None of you want anything to do with anyone else.” Lailah took another drink from her coffee.

  She just didn’t understand the thinking behind it all. To her Hunter was of the light and a good person. He couldn’t see it, and she didn’t know how to make him see it for himself. But the more she thought about it the more upset she got, it was a tangled mess, and one she couldn’t think her way out of.