'Til Grim's Light (A Grim Awakening Book 2)

by Michelle Gross

  It took a minute before I saw them again. I was looking around frantically for them. I was thinking that they had dropped to their death—then they were flying toward the sky. Grim was hunkered against Rixen as they flipped upside down into a circle. Feeling reassured, I smiled. Nervous excitement trickled up my spine. I didn’t want to do a flip, but flying might be okay…

  Sky was taking us toward the edge of the cliff—every step she gained more speed. I held my breath and we dived over the cliff just as they had. “Oh my God!” We fell alongside the mountain, traveling downward to the lake at the bottom. I gripped her tighter as the water grew nearer and nearer. Too close! I closed my eyes and screamed moments before she finally lifted her body just in time. We glided over the lake. Our legs dipped into the water and I released the breath I had been holding. She turned back, and I swear it sounded like she was snorting at me.

  “Not okay, Sky!” I told her with a smile. She turned back, her round eyes watching me closely. I dropped my gaze to the water and saw our reflection racing by before she took off to the sky. I locked my knees against her and laughed as she took us up—we continued upward, she wasn’t stopping. We passed the cliff with ease and soon we were in the sky with Grim and Rixen who were waiting.

  I was starting to relax as she flew next to them. Rixen didn’t like her being close and shot forward with impressive speed. I felt Sky tighten as she whipped her wings back and easily caught back up with him. With a growl, Rixen took off faster. “I think he’s trying to outshine you,” I told her. She bucked her head in agreement. “Males. It doesn’t matter the species,” I said it like she could understand, and I was sure she did.

  Grim looked back. “No wonder she’s an outcast. She can barely keep up.” Rixen looked back at Sky at his words.

  Straightening her neck out, Sky dived underneath them. She caught me by surprise and I screamed. Her speed also caught me by surprise. She flew back up beside Rixen—as if to make sure he saw her, but she didn’t stop there. She went on ahead.

  We were in the front now. I looked back and stuck my tongue out childishly. Rixen flew faster—a desperate attempt to catch up, but Sky never let him after that. Her leader was no match for her speed when she didn’t hold back. “Look at how fast we’re going, Sky! Not even Rixen can keep up!” I had to yell over the roaring of the wind in my ear. She looked back and wiggled her tail at them.

  My eyes widened when the castle came into view. I knew it was his home because there was nothing else—no other homes but the colorful land, mountains, and trees. The castle reminded me of something medieval, only everything else was so much more vivid and breathtaking than something I could imagine from the past. This place was dream come true. A small laugh escaped my lips as Sky swooped us down toward the castle.

  A wide-stoned pavement stretched half a mile out in front of the castle. She landed gracefully on the light-gray pavement. She kept her wings out as she walked several steps before finally stopping. I slipped off her side and she waited until I was off her completely before tucking her wings back. Rixen arrived with Grim, his landing less graceful than Sky’s and more with an impact. Rixen looked like he might blow steam out of his nostrils, he was so angry.

  When he landed, it caused my hair to fly out of control from the wind off his wings. Grim jumped off his back, rubbing one of Rixen’s wings. Sky took off in a blur. I turned to watch her speed away. Rixen took off after her with a roar.

  He caught up with her and she twirled away from him just as he snapped at her tail. He kept at her. “Is she going to be okay?” I asked Grim. I watched them with worry.

  He shook his head. “No, it seems she may have found her place after all.” There was an awe in his voice. I hoped he was right. I gave the dragons one last glance before I looked at the castle.

  “Is that your home?”

  “Yes.” I knew he was watching me from the side. “Are you disappointed?”

  “Why would I be?” I moved my hand out and grinned. “Although, I am curious as to why you would live in a castle. I bet it has a ton of rooms.”

  He didn’t get a chance to answer when a tall, curvy redhead appeared out of nowhere between us. I felt my forehead wrinkle as I stared at her. “Grim,” she purred his name and my skin crawled. Oh-no-she-didn’t was the look I must be giving her. I had no idea why the sight of her made me feel so horrible.

  “Penny,” Grim acknowledged her.

  “I’ve missed you,” she pout-smiled at him.

  I tensed, feeling sick with anger. I didn’t like her already. She probably wasn’t dangerous since she was someone Grim knew. I had no reason to feel so weird around her. He didn’t look at all worried to see her, he was relaxed which meant she wasn’t someone I should hate… Was I being jealous? No, this was Grim… he was a freaking skeleton!

  And Killian’s other half, I reminded myself.

  “Who is she?” I tried not to sound grouchy.

  “She’s a Reaper.” Penny’s eyes shifted from him to me. Her green eyes scanning over my body right before she smirked. I dropped my hands down and glared at her. What was that smirk for?

  I studied her appearance. She wore a tight black shirt and pants that had her boobs wanting to burst out… Not to mention the black stiletto boots that made her taller than me. Did she think I looked like a child compared to her? Why was I being so negative? I sighed. Crap, she was attractive and that had me feeling depressed.

  I shouldn’t have time to worry about my appearance with everything happening in my life.

  She crossed her arms. “You must be the Vessel.” She made it sound distasteful.

  “It’s Melanie,” I said through clenched teeth.

  She shrugged her shoulders uninterested. “How much longer do you have to protect the Vessel? It’s boring when you’re not around much.” I just knew my ugly giant vein—the one on my forehead had to be popping out as she referred to me as the ‘Vessel’ again. Or maybe it was the way she was giving Grim the googly eyes. She grabbed his arm, pressing those huge breasts of hers against him. “Killian, too. When will you guys merge again?” Grim looked over at me and shoved Penny away from his arm.

  “Penny.” There was a warning in her name. She whined and twirled away.

  Another one appeared in front of him. This woman was petite and a blonde. I was happy to say I had the same amount of curves as her. She looked to Penny in disappointment. She greeted Grim with a bow before meeting his eyes. “Grim, Killian is inside. He has several injuries that need to be tended but refuses to have any of them healed.”

  “Why?” Grim hissed. Petite’s eyes drifted to me quickly and he sighed. “Follow me,” he told me. I had to run a few feet to catch up to his pace as he hurried to the castle. It didn’t take me long to see Killian stumbling out the huge castle doors looking worse than I remembered. I passed Grim and went up all the giant, gray steps to get to him. His eyes fell over me and a brilliant, lazy smile played out over his face. Even his face had bruises.

  My heart stopped as I stared at him. I knew my feelings were leaping into dangerous territories. I slowed as I got closer knowing that there were the other two Reapers next to Grim who were watching everything I did.

  “Come here.” He jerked his wrist back and forth wanting me to hurry. He was limping so it was apparent he couldn’t be the one that hurried. I grinned, but it disappeared when he bent over grabbing his chest. The charred demon must have done some more damage on him before he managed to get away.

  I hurried the rest of the steps and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Killian, God.” I looked at his wounds and winced myself—he had to be in a lot of pain. “You’re pretty banged up.”

  Dark eyelashes fluttered open when he smiled. “I believe I have that part figured out, Love.” He groaned in pain.

  “You need Grim to heal you or a doctor—whatever you guys call them here,” I panicked.

  “I’m the healer here.” A male voice drifted from the top of the steps. I looked over Killian�
��s shoulder and my mouth dropped open—me and my stupid mouth. I tried not to, but it always seemed to want to open when creatures like him appeared before me.

  “This is why I hate humans,” the centaur—half man, half horse—grumbled. He trotted down the steps next to us. I closed my mouth. I had offended the female centaur at Fear’s the same way. His dark eyes glared at Killian. “You can’t take off right when I’m trying to heal you.”

  “Once I caught her scent—” Killian cut himself off and pulled me closer. “Anyway, Lincoln, where are your manners? We have a guest.”

  Lincoln looked the other way with a snort. “The only thing you’re greeting is your womanizing ways, you leech.” I didn’t like any of what he just said.

  “Lincoln.” Killian’s voice was like ice, the same as his expression as he glared at Lincoln.

  Penny laughed behind us, she still stood next to Grim. “Why are you being so offensive?” she asked Killian. “You can’t deny your pervy genes. You love the ladies. You love—”

  “Penny, do you not have any souls to guide?” Grim’s tone was sharp. Her smile faded. “If not, then wait for me inside. I’ll have a word with you before you go.” I couldn’t tell what he meant.

  She smiled, swaying her hips to the side. “You got it.” From the sound of her voice, she didn’t sound worried.

  He’s mine!

  The voice was back, giving me strange thoughts again. The same voice that made me break Haley’s leg and also helped me with the charred demon and Molly. I didn’t know if the voice was a good or bad thing. Killian winced and I lost my focus on the voice. My hands were gripping his side and I knew I was the one causing him the pain. I let go and he sighed in some relief. His shirt was covered in a lot of blood. Just how bad was he really hurt?

  “Are you okay?” he asked. I smiled and nodded my head, amazed that he still felt the need to worry about me. But—my heart skyrocketed—didn’t he always take care of me before himself?

  I touched his shirt and he tensed up immediately. I squinted my eyes together. “Killian. Just how bad are your injuries?” He brought his hand over mine so that I couldn’t pull up his shirt.

  “I’m fine.”

  “He’s not,” Lincoln interrupted. “It looks like he has a lot of wounds that needs to be closed and probably some internal bleeding. And the way he’s breathing…” Lincoln shook his head. “I need to get him inside.”

  Killian muttered with his head hanging. “It’s not that bad. The pain doesn’t bother me.”

  Uh-huh. Keeping telling yourself that. He had no one fooled.

  “Let’s go get you fixed up,” I whispered trying to help him stand. I hated seeing him in pain. I looked to Grim with an expression that must have read ‘help’.

  “Melanie will go with him so that he will let you heal him.” Killian eyes were closing, but I could tell that Grim’s words put him at ease. “You may leave, Gin.” Grim spoke to the petite Reaper still beside him. She nodded and disappeared. Did no one believe in walking around here? I was feeling very mundane around them all. “Just follow Lincoln—” Killian collapsed against me and there was no way I could hold the big guy up. I started falling with him until Grim pulled him off me.

  “I knew his wounds were worse than he was letting on,” Lincoln muttered.

  Grim was looking at Killian as he held him upright against him. “This has nothing to do with his wounds.” Lincoln’s eyes widened in surprise as their gazes both fell on me. What?

  “Don’t tell me…” Lincoln’s eyes went back to Grim and I had no idea what was going on. “Grim, all this time…he hasn’t? That’s simply unheard of!” Lincoln sounded downright disturbed—or maybe shocked by whatever it was.

  “Escort Melanie inside, I’ll take him in,” Grim said fading with an unconscious Killian.

  Chapter Ten

  Grim’s castle was even more stunning on the inside. Once I followed Lincoln through the giant double doors it was like stepping into a fairy tale. The doors were a dark gray on the outside like the rest of the castle, but on the inside of the door, gold and white spiraled together in unique patterns.

  The door led right into a huge circular room that made me think of a ballroom, but I seriously doubted he invited anyone over to dance. The room was darkened from his choice of colors. The floor was a light gray and the wall was deep purple. Chandeliers hung across the middle of the tall ceiling in a row. The chandeliers were big and had sharp points that hung beneath them. I avoided walking underneath them. I saw Lincoln looking over his horse-body at me, smirking at my behavior.

  This place was beautiful, yet disturbing like its owner. There was also a piano in a far corner and I wondered if he played. Strangely, nothing else was in the room. At the other end of the room was two stairways that circled out from the walls to point toward one another. That was where Lincoln led me. The stairs and bannisters were a dark marble color with specks of gold and white.

  I kept a distance behind Lincoln as we went up the stairs. I guessed I was a bit paranoid when it came to being around horses and standing behind him was no different. I was afraid of getting kicked.

  “Does his home fascinate you human?” Lincoln twisted his neck around. His long ponytail fell over his back as he studied me like a hawk watching his prey. I dropped my hand from the bannister. I had been running it across the smooth marble without even noticing.

  “My name’s Melanie.” Which he knew that. “And yeah, this place reminds me of him.”

  He grinned turning his head back around. “Do you think much of the master of this place? Or no?” His question surprised me enough that I stopped walking up the stairs for a second.

  I continued up the steps. “I suppose. I am alive because of him.”

  “So, he’s nothing but a savior to you?” That was another odd question. I didn’t like him asking something personal when we only just met. Before I could answer, he added, “That’s for the best. Humans and demons—entities can never be. It’s not allowed.”

  I tried not to let what he said get to me, but it split my brain open. I knew I would obsess over it now. I felt sick to my stomach and there was a tightening in my chest.

  “This way.” I hurried to catch up as he took us through a long hallway. I followed him into a door, and another—I honestly couldn’t remember how many we went through, my mind wasn’t letting me process anything correctly after what Lincoln said.

  The next door was our last; we reached our destination. We were in a bright room, and I knew it must be some sort of room for situations like Killian’s. A cabinet full of medical supplies rested on the other side of the room and it made me wonder why it was needed when Grim had the ability to heal. Killian lay on a tan bed looking worse. I hurried to his side. “He looks even paler than a couple minutes ago.”

  “Step aside,” Lincoln ordered me. I did as he said and stepped away. He moved next to the bed, bending his front legs enough to even his body with the bed. Lincoln grabbed a knife from the table and cut Killian’s shirt up the middle. I knew I shouldn’t have been admiring an injured man’s body, but this was the first time seeing any hint of what he hid underneath all the dark brooding colors he wore. Blood and bruises weren’t enough to hide how breathtaking and perfect his chest was. So muscular, broad—just all out flawless, everything about him was powerful and manly and the trail of hair going down… I looked away with a blush. I had no shame, he was hurt and I couldn’t stop noticing how freaking sexy he was.

  “How bad is it?” I asked, forcing myself to remember how injured he was.

  “Actually, it’s not bad. The way he looked made me think he was in rough shape.” He placed his hand over Killian’s chest and light flew out of his palm onto Killian’s chest. I didn’t understand why Grim couldn’t have healed him like he did me. His wounds closed instantly. The bruises faded away.

  Only when I studied Killian’s face, it was still wracked with pain. Sweat coated his skin. Lincoln moved his hand and stepped back with
a sigh. “Why does he still look so bad?” I whispered, not bothering to conceal my worry.

  Lincoln shook his head. “That’s his own fault. You can ask him yourself.” He trotted toward the door. “I will get Penny to wash him up.” Something nasty bubbled up in me at the thought.

  “I can do it,” I said quickly. He was staring at me too hard, almost like he was trying to piece something together. I didn’t like it. “It’s my fault he’s this way so I should be the one,” I added carefully.

  He dropped his head and sighed. “Melanie, this isn’t my place to tell you, but you are aware he’s an incubus demon, correct?” When I stood there quiet, he grew frustrated. “He needs sex to survive. He can never go without something that’s so vital to his kind. Like food is the energy you and I need to stay alive and healthy; sex is his.”

  He continued, “Without it, they only grow weaker and weaker because they are denying what their body needs to survive. Hell, I’ve never even heard of one being able to deny themselves at all until now.” He pointed toward Killian unconscious on the bed. “When he was separated from Grim, he lost the ability to live without the need of sex. And Killian was already badly injured by Fear when he became an incubus demon again and he’s been all this time without it… his weaken state proves it.” My face was hot and the thought of Killian being with someone other than me… I couldn’t stomach it.

  “I don’t know what he’s thinking,” Lincoln muttered at the door. “I’ll get Ralph to bring you something to wash him up with.”

  I didn’t get a chance to ask him who that was. I turned back around to the bed and grabbed a chair on the other side of the room. I placed it next to the bed and sat down, scooting it as close as I could get to the bed. I placed my hands in my lap and just looked at him. He looked somewhat better, I guessed. His breathing was more even now… and at least his body was healed, but he was still too pale.

  Humans and demons can’t be?

  I studied the shape of his nose. Straight and slightly pointed. A perfect nose to go with his sculptured chin. It made my chest hurt to look at him. Even his eyelashes were longer than mine…