War

by R. S. Broadhead

  His gray eyes crinkled in the corners as his mouth pulled up. “I’m not going anywhere, Reese. It’s really me.”

  32

  Reese

  My lips compressed as I tried my best to control my emotions. I didn’t know what to feel. At any moment, I thought he would vanish. Be a ghost. I squeezed my eyes shut and reopened them. I had pictured moments like this many times before. None were genuine, and this time wouldn’t be any different. It would break my heart all over again.

  He remained standing above me, his gaze raking over my body. Trembling, I reached out and touched his face. It was warm, with a slight amount of stubble. His jaw locked as my fingertips ran across his cheek and into the blond hair covering his ear.

  Steele reached up and wrapped his fingers around my hand. Pulling it down, he brought it to his chest. It was solid. With a beating heart. This. This was real. He was real. My skin iced over as scolding hot blood pumped through my veins. Every muscle tensed as I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around his neck. Tears welled as the two of us toppled back. A rush of air escaped from his lungs, followed by a low chuckle. I buried myself in him, forgetting all the pain, the hurt. I grew dizzy, overwhelmed with euphoria. Turning my head and pressing it to his chest, I listened to the hypnotic rhythm coming from within. His heart was mine.

  “I take it you’re happy to see me?” he asked. Happy was understatement. There were no words to adequately describe what I was feeling.

  “How…” I spoke slowly, deliberately, knowing there was no way I could rush the questions that wanted to pour out. I lifted my head and stared at him. “How is this possible?” I finally managed to choke out. “I watched you die. Shayla said they burned your body.”

  His eyes scrunched as he looked at me closely with an expression so intense I felt a wave of nervous tremors erupt throughout my insides. “I’ll explain later. For now, can I just enjoy holding you? It’s been an eternity, or at least that’s what it’s felt like.” He twirled a strand of my hair around his finger. A smile graced his lips as he stared at the tendril. “I’ve missed this.” A second later, we locked eyes. Heat practically burned between us. “Reese,” his voice went soft. Both of his hands started to lower, running painfully slow over my tank top. They stopped at my hips, his thumbs seeming to trace invisible circles over the exposed skin. In one fluid motion, he rolled me over. Using his elbow to brace his body inches from mine, he leaned over me. His mouth lowered to mine, but stopped. “I’ve been gone for a long time. If you have someone else, I’ll understand. I don’t want to make this hard for you. I can go away, and…” He fell silent for a moment as a look of frustration crossed his features. “Fuck it.”

  Without another second of hesitation, his mouth crashed into mine. He claimed my lips as if he were dying inside to taste them. I tilted my head back, allowing his tongue to slide over mine. A moan clawed its way out, and I melted against him, deepening the kiss. It felt so good it practically hurt. The tips of my fingers gripped his biceps, and the muscles tensed the tighter he pulled me toward his chest. Chills rippled over my skin followed by goose bumps appearing on my arms as my body tingled in anticipation. This was what I had been missing. This was what I yearned for. Every touch. Every taste. Every movement.

  He gently shifted, opened my legs with his, and settled between my thighs. Pleasure shot through my body as he playfully nipped at my bottom lip. I bucked against him, arching my back.

  He made an animalistic growl that sent flames to my core. Abruptly, he rose. “Arms … over your head, now.”

  Without hesitation, I did as I was instructed. He yanked the shirt from my body and tossed it behind me. He breathed deeply, staring into my eyes before his gaze dropped to my naked upper half. “So damn beautiful,” he groaned before descending low to drag his tongue across my nipple.

  My heart pounded. I licked my lips and closed my eyes. I ached to have all of him. Rocking forward to my knees, I pressed harder against his mouth. His hand landed on my back and slowly moved downward. It stopped at my rear and squeezed before giving me a harsh pop in way that promised what was to come.

  My fingers fumbled with his top as I hurried to remove it. My lower lip trembled as I caught sight of his scars. The wounds that had taken him from me. I swallowed the lump in my throat. It didn’t matter now. He was here with me. I refocused on us.

  He rose, coming face level with me.

  I couldn’t help a brief smile. “I love you.”

  He leaned over, and ran his lips over my collarbone. “Every day I’ve been away, I wanted to hear those words from you.” His tongue swirled across my neck.

  My body weakened. I gripped his neck for support, clinging to him.

  “Fuck, you taste so good.”

  Something primal erupted within me. My frenzied hands reached for the button on his pants. I shoved them down eager to fill the need I had.

  “Turn around,” he commanded.

  Giving him a playful smile, I twisted until he was at my back.

  Brushing my hair to the side, his lips moved along my shoulder while he hands moved to the front and unhooked my pants. He placed his hand on my lower back and traced my spine up to my neck. Gently he pushed me forward until I was on all fours. His fingers hooked under the waistband of my jeans and slowly tugged them down.

  I rocked back, aching to feel him inside me. His length rubbed against my rear.

  He moaned softly, wrapping his hand through my hair and yanking just hard enough to pull me up. He kissed along my jaw. “Are you ready for me?” he asked between breaths.

  “Please…” I begged, desperately wanting him.

  With his free hand, he spread my knees wider. He lowered his lips to my shoulder as he thrust into me. I groaned. I lifted, pressed my back against his stomach, and turned to meet his mouth with mine.

  For the first time since the night I’d lost him, everything felt right. Normal. I deepened our kiss, taking the time to memorize the way he tasted. My hands ran along his forearms memorizing the way they felt holding me.

  My body tightened as each thrust brought me closer to the edge. I screamed out, lacing my hand through his hair, as I shattered.

  He shuddered as a soft moan escaped his lips. We both hit the ground, breathless. He rested his forehead against mine as his fingers moved to trace the contours of my breasts. “What’s going through that pretty head of yours?”

  I looked up at him, finally able to think clearly. Rolling over to my back, I pressed my palm across my forehead. I studied the stars overhead, not really sure where to even begin. So many questions ran through my mind. Part of me wanted to lay here with him and not worry about any of it, but the other part wanted to know the answers.

  Sighing, I turned back to him. The corners of his mouth turned up as if expecting to be interrogated. “How are you back from the dead? I didn’t just bang a zombie, did I?”

  A lighthearted laugh erupted as his eyes glittered. “No, you didn’t. But — I wouldn’t say I’m back from the dead, either.”

  I stilled, not sure how to take that. Did that mean I would lose him again? My head spun. There was no way I could deal with that. It was hard enough the first time. But to do it all over again?

  “Oh,” I said, barely loud enough for him to hear.

  His eyes narrowed like he was trying to uncover all the things I wouldn’t say aloud.

  I shuffled the thoughts randomly spiraling out of control. I didn’t half understand the things firing off in there and had no idea on how to convey them to him.

  “I died, Reese. That’s a fact. But I went to another place.”

  “The Nekroun Earth?”

  His mouth fell open. “How did you know about that?”

  “Jace told me about it. Said he went there after you. That’s why I came there looking for Abby.”

  He focused on the ground at our feet. “He shouldn’t have done that. The stupidest shit he could’ve ever done.”

  A breeze skirted over us, and he
stilled. I held up my hand, letting it blew between my fingers. “Feel that?”

  His brow rose. “What?”

  “The wind.” My fingers ran up his arm, tracing an invisible pattern. “My touch.” I hesitated. “There’s no need to be on guard. You’re here. With me.”

  A sound made both of us jump. I snatched up the blanket we had lain on that I had spread earlier and covered my bare chest.

  “Didn’t mean to startle you,” a deep voice mumbled. Glowing purple eyes appeared from a dark silhouette.

  I squinted, trying to make out who it was. Steele seemed to be relaxed as if he knew the person, but the voice didn’t sound familiar to me.

  “I told you I’d be back in the morning. Why are you here, Cade?”

  Cade. Cade. The name didn’t ring a bell. Was it someone he knew from before we met?

  The figure moved slowly out of the shadows and became clear in the glow of the firelight. My breath caught in my throat. Seriously gorgeous. Not that I was looking. Who was I kidding? Of course I was looking. It was hard not to.

  His jaw went slack, taking in the two of us as he took a seat on the other side of the flames.

  My cheeks burned. Why didn’t I have my clothes already back on? In all my experiences, why hadn’t I learned that? There was never a peaceful moment. Something always popped out when it was least expected. My fingers tightened around the covers, and I pulled them closer to my chin.

  “You did. But you also told me you were going to stay clear of this. We—” His finger pointed at his chest then in Steele’s direction. “—can’t get involved in this. I’ve already told you that. Even though you keep defying that order.”

  “All of this happened because of mistakes made by the reapers. That relic wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for the Elder Grim. It doesn’t make sense that all of them pay for that.”

  Cade nodded. “You have a point. But it isn’t our fight anymore. This is her job to stop now.”

  Neither of them said who “her” was, but I had the feeling it was me. I swallowed.

  “I started this with them. I want to finish it them,” Steele said, his voice dropping low.

  Cade continued to stare at him. Neither of them blinked. For a moment, I thought both of them had turned to statues. Cade rose to a standing position. His shoulders squared back. Suddenly the good looks turned deadly serious. “I gave you an order. You will follow it, War.”

  Steele’s eyes widened, turning a heated red. An animal cry from deep in the woods resonated against the silence. A second later, the ground seemed to vibrate so hard I felt nauseated. Limbs shook, the leaves swayed. Something glowing became brighter the faster it came toward us. I pushed back, fighting to stand. Why were they not worried about it? A horse burst into the clearing. Its mane and tail were lit with dancing orange flames. The body stood above my head, covered in glowing yellow symbols.

  I took in the sight before me without moving. “Whoa!”

  “You can’t fight me over this. You know that as well as I do,” Cade said, temper visibly fraying. “I suggest you get it through your head this was a one-time only thing.” He waved an arm in my direction. “You can’t be here with her. This world isn’t yours anymore.”

  I blushed and stuttered. I couldn’t believe my ears. Who did this guy think he was? He couldn’t tell Steele what to do.

  My back went rigid. Steele’s hand brushed against my skin. His touch normally would have calmed my temper, but not now. The longer I stared at this stranger and considered his words, the angrier I got. I had been through hell. Cried so much my eyes ached. My soul had been ripped apart. There was only one thing I had lived for. To kill Dermetheus. That was until Steele appeared. I would be damned if this asshole thought he could take him away from me again.

  I seized the blade and sprang to my feet, not caring that I stood naked in front of this stranger. I closed the small space to Cade within seconds and had one hand fisted in the material of his shirt. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t make a move to stop me. Only stared deep into my eyes. My hand twitched, my grip loosening on the handle. Dread curdled in the pit of my stomach. Sweat beaded at my temples as I fought with everything I had to regain control of my movements.

  Steele grasped my elbow and attempted to spin me in his direction. “Reese, stop!”

  But I couldn’t. He didn’t seem to understand. I couldn’t go back to being without him. It wasn’t fair to lose him twice in my life. My heels dug deep into the ground, refusing to budge.

  I raised the weapon again, preparing to use it as many times as necessary to take him down.

  Cade knocked my hand to the side with such force I thought for a moment my arm had been ripped from my body. The knife launched toward the woods. He gripped the sides of my face and squeezed. My eyes watered.

  “Know your place, Ms. Salt. Don’t make me take you before your time. You will respect what I am.”

  “What’s that? Some reaper?”

  “Not just some reaper.” His voice turned cold as ice, his words more precise and clipped now.

  Before my eyes, his skin melted and dropped at my feet. Ivory bone was left in its wake. He leaned in closer, his fingers clamping around my shoulders and digging into my flesh. My eyes unwillingly locked with his hollow gaze. Emotions engulfed me. I only thought I knew sadness, fear, and dread. I didn’t. I could feel the entire world’s pain, every aching soul that he had claimed rotting in their eternal resting places. That turmoil slowly wrapped itself around my naked body. A pilgrimage of tears began to roll down my cheeks. The world turned to ash around me. Screams raged out from the empty space. Every star fell from the sky. The moon turned blood red and dripped. I felt myself falling. It was a hopeless descent into nothingness.

  He released me.

  “You’re Death…” I staggered back, nearly falling to my trembling knees. I shuddered uncontrollably, unable to shake off what I’d experienced. “Death. All those people. The hurt. The pain. I can feel it. Death.” Someone seized my wrist. I fought to free myself. I wanted to run. I was desperate to forget.

  “Reese—it’s me—I got you,” Steele said.

  I fell back into his arms and cried harder than I ever had before. No matter how much I burrowed myself into him, it didn’t help.

  His head lifted. “You didn’t have to do that to her. I could’ve calmed her down.”

  Silence. Something caressed the crown of my head. A soothing warmness washed over me. I dislodged myself from Steele’s protective hold.

  Cade stood over me. “She needed to know that I wasn’t one of her enemies. I didn’t want it to come to that, but she left me no choice.” Smoke rose from his fingertips as he backed away, still staring at me with interest. “Quite strong, really. Reminds me a lot of Izzy.”

  I should have hated him, but despite wanting to feel that way, I couldn’t. It was the opposite. I respected him. Somehow, I had the notion that he had only let me see the tip of the iceberg, only a fraction of what he felt on a daily basis.

  “You’ve got your work cut out with this one. Got a fire that can’t be contained.” He smiled and vanished before my eyes.

  I turned to Steele. “So with you being here, does that mean we lose and you’re here to claim us?”

  He shook his head. “I have no idea what this fight holds. All I can tell you is tomorrow is the day it comes to a head.”

  My eyes glassed over. “So I won’t see you again, huh?”

  In a broken voice, he said, “Reese. You’re my weakness. The thing that makes me vulnerable. There’s no way to change that, and no way in hell that I’d ever want to. No matter what order I’ve been given, there’s nothing that can stop me from seeing you.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  33

  Reese

  “Everything we need is packed,” Fuzz bellowed out as I trekked up to the compound still on a high from spending the past several hours with Steele. He commanded several guys I didn’t know
to load boxes into large army trucks.

  I came to a stop when I neared him. “Who are all these people?”

  “Yesterday I put out a call to anyone and everyone that I’ve ever worked with while being here. These are the ones who answered. We needed bodies, here they are.”

  “What up, Reese?” Tommy called out as he and Brandon rushed past with Ben trailing behind them.

  “You could have left that one in Africa.”

  Fuzz laughed. “Started to, but if he wants to help, then let him.” He turned to look at me and smiled. “You look unusually happy for someone who’s got the fight of her life coming up.”

  I shrugged. “Good night, I guess.” Heat burned my cheeks. “Payne had any luck on learning how to destroy that thing?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

  “No. I don’t know what we’re going to do. I was really hoping to have that taken care of before this move. Guess that will be his entire focus.”

  “We’re ready to go,” Harley called out. He gave me a small wave, which I returned.

  “Any word from Hollywood?”

  “Nope.”

  Fuzz grimaced.

  “What’s up?”

  “Don’t say anything to the others, but I think he’s gone rogue. Possibly even joined the other side. I don’t know anything for sure yet though, so let’s keep it between the two of us.”

  “Of course.”

  “Good.” He motioned toward the Jeep he was standing beside. “Ride with me to our new fort?”

  I laughed. “So that’s what we’re calling it?” I threw my bag in the back and climbed into the passenger side.

  “You have a better name?”

  I shook my head.

  “Well, fort it is then, because that’s what it is.” He gassed forward. “I never wanted us to be stationed there until the time came. It’s the most stable place I created. I didn’t want him to wear it down.” He continued talking about what features he had installed and what it was made of. Our convoy pushed through town, directly to the heart, a two-story bank building. He pulled into the parking lot and hopped out.