Death's Dilemma (DHAD #2)

by Candice Burnett

  It was first period, and I’d asked a kid if he could move so I could sit next to Lacie. The jerk told me to “fuck off”, and I was about to throw his desk with him in it across the room when Cameron got up and said I could have his. Since then, we have eaten lunch with him and Myah every day, and he’s helped me get out of a few extra visits to the principal’s office by calming me and helping me have patience with these high schoolers. He probably thought I was just crazy, but he stayed by my side either way, and without having Dave there to talk to anymore, I found a large comfort in that.

  “Why do you always follow what she does? It’s almost like she’s the president’s daughter and you’re secret service or some shit with the way you act.” My eyes widened, and I tried to play it off.

  “No, quite the opposite actually. You see, I’m an assassin, and she’s my target...Grim Reaper style.” I winked, and when I looked back at Lacie, her eyes were wide, and she shook her head. I hoped Cameron didn’t catch it. Sometimes, the truth was so much easier than stringing together lies. He didn’t believe it anyway, so I was safe.

  I heard someone laugh out loud behind us. I turned to see Catherine there with another one of the Guardians from the house. She pointed up and down her leg and then back to me. “SLUT,” she mouthed.

  “Freaking bitch,” I said out loud

  “Who?” Cameron asked

  “No one. Nothing. Sorry. Lacie, isn’t it time we get to class?”

  “Oh yeah, it is. See you guys later,” Myah said as she, Chad, and Cameron headed back inside. Lacie and I stood up from the table, and Catherine began walking our way with whoever else was attached to her hip.

  “I know him leaving me has something to do with you, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up. He’ll come to his senses sooner or later. He’s only nice to you because you saved his life. You’re just some new project for him. He loves projects, but he’ll see the truth soon.”

  “I couldn’t care less if you get back together or not, and I have nothing to do with that. There is nothing going on between Trevor and me, so the rumors you’ve started at the house can come to a halt. He’s all yours. In case you forgot, we’re supposed to be on the same team now.” She’d only been around one day, but in that time span, the whispers as I passed by other Guardians in the house increased. She worked fast.

  “We will never be on the same team. There are those who, as we speak, are fighting to get you off this assignment, my father and Trevor’s parents included. And another thing, I don’t really appreciate you being near my assignment. So, for his sake, it would be nice if you just left him alone.”

  “Cameron is your assignment?” I guessed.

  “Yes, and you need to stay away from him. Death follows you around, which doesn’t surprise me considering where you came from.”

  “If your Cameron’s Guardian Angel, then I’ll make sure I’m with him every waking minute I can be, because if you’re guarding him against my kind, he’s heading for an early grave. Instead of focusing so much on your hatred for me, you should probably be worrying about your assignment that, I might add, is no longer in this area.” She looked around frantically and then scurried off. Her friend rolled her eyes at me as she pasted.

  “What she said!” Lacie shouted at them as they left.

  “Now it makes sense why there was so much tension when she showed up the other day. She thinks Trevor and I have something going on.”

  “That’s not giving her much credit. A blind squirrel could see that.”

  “We don’t.”

  “Not yet, but soon the Red Sea will part.”

  “You’re such a nerd, Lacie.”

  “I know, but we really should try and hang out with Cameron as much as possible. If she’s his Guardian, he really could be in trouble.”

  “If he was near death, I’d be able to feel it already. They assign Guardians far in advance, so we’ll worry about it when it comes.”

  “Okay. You’ll keep an eye out on him though, and save him if it comes down to it, right?”

  “Lacie, saving lives has never been my business, and you know that. Even though I’m here protecting you, I’m still a Grim Reaper. I didn’t just give up on my entire life’s teachings because I saved you. You weren’t supposed to be on my list, and I know that. That is why I’m here. People have to die, and I can’t save everyone we get close to. It’s just not my job to do that. That’s what Guardians are for, to fight against Reapers when they try and take a soul at a vulnerable moment. You know Reapers just don’t kill, right? We only take souls during moments when they’re supposed to die.”

  “Yes, but a soul has a ton of those moments, don’t they?”

  “Well most do, yes, but...”

  “Cendall, I know you choosing to protect me instead of taking my soul hasn’t shifted your thinking…completely, but he’s our friend. And if he was to, say, be around me and a Reaper was trying to take his life, wouldn’t you have to interfere because it could bring me harm, since we don’t want Demons or Reapers near me?”

  “Always finding that loop hole.” She was right, though. If he was nearby, I would have to help, and then I wasn’t breaking anyone’s code, was I? Plus, I could save my friend’s life, nothing wrong with that. They wouldn’t take that excuse back home, but I didn’t have to follow their rules anymore.

  Chapter Four

  Gym Genocide

  The dust of the old gym collected in the cracks of my shoes and dried out my eyes. With as many students that attend Lacie’s school, you’d think they would have enough money to do some updates in this place, but nope. It stood probably just as it had when it was built in the ‘50s. The faded purple banners remained on the walls, reminding the school of the only time they had a winning football team, which hadn’t been in the last twenty years. The school colors of purple and white maintained their somewhat dingy majesty just like the rickety remnants of the gymnasium. The floors creaked and even dipped in certain places so you always had to be careful while running, unless you wanted a twisted ankle. The only thing that was remotely new was the scoreboard that hung in the center, but even that was a hand me down.

  P.E. was my least favorite of her classes because it was hard to stay close to Lacie. Too many of the activities required us to separate, especially today. It was a fitness test, and we were advised we would have to do all sorts of things. I watched anxiously as she climbed all the way up the rope without skipping a beat. I thought she surely wouldn’t make it, as I’d never seen her work out before, but she had a small frame, so I guess it was less weight to carry. I let out a breath when she finally made it back down.

  “Your turn.” She came by and showed me her rope burned hands. “Don’t look so shocked. I needed this for a B.” I grabbed onto the rope and began my climb, purposely going at a slow pace. If I wanted, I could have been up and down this thing in seconds, but as it was, I needed to appear human, so a snail’s pace it was. I counted to ten in between each tied section and made sure to place both my feet on each knot, to add for the acting of giving myself a boost with my legs. One more knot to go. As soon as I had both feet in place, I used my right hand to touch the top. I high-fived the ceiling and was about to make my way down when a chill washed over my body, making the hairs on my arms stand on end. I couldn’t see anyone just yet, but someone was coming or already here, hiding. I slid down the rope, not caring anymore who saw.

  “How’d you do that?” I heard from Myah as I passed her by while moving toward Lacie who was at half court, talking to Chad and a girl named Rachel. The snapping of the wire hissed in my ears as my eyes frantically searched. Another creak directed my attention to the scoreboard that was conveniently hanging above Lacie.

  “LACIE!” I screamed as I ran toward her. Things moved in slow motion as the final wire holding up the scoreboard snapped and the massive metal fixture came crashing towards Lacie’s body below. At the sound of the last snap, her head tilted up to watch what would have been her ultimate demise. I
was going to be a step short. Shit! I dove towards her, projecting all my weight into her body. I felt the gym floor crack and rumble from the impact. It only took a few seconds to hear the screams. I blinked to try and clear the smoke from my eyes. A loud shriek rang in my ears, taking the place of the ringing the impact caused.

  “Are you okay?” I asked Lacie as I got up from lying on top of her. Unlike other times I’d leapt to save her, I had no second to spare thinking about our landing. She sat up, but didn’t stand, and grabbed the back of her head.

  “My head is killing me…what happen—?” She didn’t finish her sentence, and her eyes went wide as she looked past me. “He… he...he...is...where is... no…” she started to cry, and I looked behind me to see why. Underneath the scoreboard, a pool of blood had formed. Who had she been talking to? Chad. Shit.

  “Myah go get the school nurse,” I shouted to her as she stared at the scoreboard with her mouth hanging open. “Myah…did you hear me? MYAH!” She finally looked over to me. Her eyes were blood shot, and tears began to fall. “You can do this, Myah, please. Lacie, needs a nurse.”

  Myah walked away slowly, and I hoped she’d make her way there.

  “Was that…”

  “I’m not sure. I felt something while I was up there, but I didn’t see anything.”

  “Is he...”

  “Probably. I haven’t checked yet.” I took a step back towards the scoreboard but froze when I heard another snap. “It’s the lights.” Sure enough, the wires holding the lights up were starting to snap one by one. Soon, they’d start falling on top of the remaining students. If this gym had been updated lately, that wouldn’t been a problem, but these lights were old school and heavy duty. I wasn’t going to put a bet on if they hit someone just right that they’d be able to take them out or, at the very least, give them a broken bone or missing limb. Someone was trying to play whack a mole.

  “RUN…THE LIGHTS ARE ALL FALLING!” I screamed as loud as I could. Students backed away from the score board and rushed towards the doors. I needed to get her out of here, but I couldn’t port her with other students around, and with no light above her head, the spot she was in currently I assessed to be the safest. Before the last students could make it out, the lights began to crash down one by one like a hammer on nails, taking out anyone in their way.

  “Stay,” I commanded at Lacie as I waited for the students to either be taken out or through the exit. “As soon as they all clear, I’ll port you.” I looked over and saw Guardians standing at the exits, like they were watching and waiting for something.

  “What about them though? What is happening?” she said as she grabbed her knees and started to shake. The last student who didn’t get wacked left through the exit. “Okay, now. Grab my hand.” I ported her home just before Drake appeared in front of me, seemingly out of nowhere. He sprang past my right shoulder and crashed into John who had just ported right behind me apparently. Drake tackled John to the ground, holding his neck in his hand as he straddled his body. He put John on his back in two seconds flat, and I forced my bottom lip to find the top, closing my gaping mouth. What had just happened? I looked to where the Guardians had stood before, but only one was there—Catherine, waving at me with a prissy little smile before making an exit.

  Chapter Five

  Reaper Reunion

  “What are you doing here, John?” I asked, but waited to question Drake, considering he’d sort of just saved me from being blindsided.

  “Let me go, Drake! You’re hurting me. I didn’t know you wanted this win so badly. We all thought you told him no,” John said in short breaths with the little amount of oxygen that Drake was allowing him to still have. I pulled out my scythe and raised it above Drake’s head

  “What are you both doing here?”

  “Don’t say ‘both’, I am not here for the same reason this scum is. Is it not obvious why he is here, Cendall? Look what he has in his hand.” I looked down at his hands, and a scythe was in his grasp.

  “None of them were vulnerable; I would have felt it. I mean, I felt the Reaper presence, but no vulnerability until they were already dead.” Was I losing my touch?

  “They weren’t. He was forcing it.”

  “Why?” And with that, John let out a laugh.

  “You have to be kidding me, right?! You betrayed our whole realm. Do you think that would happen without consequences?”

  “And you thought you’d be my punisher?” I gave him a drawn out chuckle. “Don’t you remember the last time we faced off in training? I had you defeated in thirty seconds flat.”

  “Things have changed. I’ve been training.”

  “No amount of training would bring you up to my speed, or did they forget to tell you about these little powers I’ve developed?” I threated. Putting my palms up to show him a glimpse of the light blue electric force I could now use at my fingertips’ disposal. His eyes went wide.

  “Ah, so they haven’t. Well, make sure and tell your little friends about this new development so maybe they’ll have some sense and leave me alone.” For effect, I let the light leave my hands and strike a few feet from where Drake still had John straddled. It uplifted the boards and left a black, burnt streak in its wake.

  “Get the hell out of here, John. You can let him go, Drake. If he tries to get me again, I’ll handle it.” Drake rolled his eyes but let him go. John made his first wise decision of the day and ported out of the gym.

  “Why are you here, Drake?”

  “The more important question is why did you let him live? You know what he was here to do, don’t you?”

  “Why are you here?” I asked again.

  “Could I at least get a ‘thank you’ before you question me?” He smiled

  “Thank you for what?” He rolled his eyes. “Fine, thank you.” It had been a long time since I’d seen Drake. He still looked mostly the same, dark, dangerous, and gorgeous, of course. I’d forgotten how his long, black hair complemented his dark blue eyes. I couldn’t help but notice how strange this felt. I had, for so long, hated him, but I’d be lying to myself if I said I still did. Something changed last year.

  “So, what’s new?” I asked, and we both laughed awkwardly. I felt the heat reach my cheeks as my mind decided to give me a mental picture of the time I’d kissed those full, thick lips when he told me he was my future husband.

  “Oh nothing, just checking on my future wife.” He laughed, and I stepped on my tip toes to punch him in the shoulder. Had he grown again? A light playfulness filled his eyes as he let out a small smile. Why couldn’t he have been like this when we were growing up? If he had, hell, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten myself into all this trouble. Maybe I would have fallen in love with him and been okay with the fact that marrying him was the only reason why my realm let me train to be a Reaper. Probably not, but I’d always ponder that particular what if. When he acted like this, my mind almost forgot the years of teasing and ridicule.

  That’s what really made the news such a shock when I’d confirmed it with my father. All those years I’d thought they’d let me train because I was born a Reaper. Yes, I was the first female Reaper ever born, but I thought, because of my bloodline, I was still given that right. Apparently, however, when I came about, the board was only convinced to let me train if my father agreed to have me married to another strong Reaper family. Their hopes had been that I’d produce some super Grim Reaper baby. That was the funny thing about me and plans, though. Somehow, I always managed to mess them up, but at least I got training out of it.

  “Seriously though, why are you here?’ He pointed at the scoreboard that still held Chad’s lifeless body captive.

  “But I thought you said no one had been vulnerable?”

  “They weren’t. I was just monitoring him. We’ll call it a coincidence.”

  “I don’t believe in coincidences.”

  “Okay, I might have also been checking up on you. It was just a convenience that you were here as well. Killed two bir
ds with one stone.”

  “I’m still alive,” I said, stepping back.

  “You know what I mean. If I wanted to bring you harm, I could have a minute ago. I really was just here to check on you. None of this makes sense. You’re protecting a girl you barely know, going against something you trained your whole life for. I know you, Cendall, and something about all of this just doesn’t make sense. I’m not connecting something. You should be back in limbo where you belong.

  “I stopped belonging there a long time ago.” The truth of my words twisted into my stomach like I’d just been stabbed with a freshly sharpened dagger.

  “They’d take you back if you brought the girl’s soul with you. All would be forgiven. Well, you’d probably still have to go through with that little arrangement too. But you haven’t turned nineteen yet, so if we still got married, the oath would be fulfilled and then they’d have to let you back in. I know things have changed, but I’d go through with it still if you wanted to. Seriously, it’s where you belong.”

  “You know you don’t believe that they’d never forgive me. Even if I went through with the arrangement, then it’d probably be worse. They’d shun you as well. And you don’t want to marry me, Drake.”

  “How do you know what I want?”

  “Aw don’t tell me you miss me, Drake,” I said trying to make light of the situation. I didn’t know what he wanted. Hell, I didn’t know what I wanted half the time.

  “It’s not just you. Your dad still hasn’t returned, and shit’s just not the same. Herald sent everyone on a mission to kill you, Cendall. Fucking kill you! Since when do we kill one of our own?! I’d never heard of it, and well, I just had to find out what really happened for myself before I decided to take on his assignment”

  “And…?” I held my breath, still trying to digest the fact that I had a hit out on me.