Dante’s Circle Reborn: A Dante’s Circle Collection

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  His heart pulsated, and something tugged inside of him. He knew exactly what it was. Her mouth closed, and she stopped screaming, her eyes widening as she looked at him.

  “Mate,” she whispered, the same time that he growled.

  Mate.

  Flashes of a bear, a family, a fire, a dragon in the air as others screamed. Flashes of someone who had loved him, a brother, a family, a life.

  It all bombarded him in a moment. He could hear the echo of the banshee’s song again, and he dropped to his knees next to her.

  And then there was nothing. Just darkness and death.

  Chapter 2

  Eva knelt on the grass and looked down at the man who was going to kill her.

  A reaper.

  The paranormals in the other realms might not know who they were, or perhaps they were only the bogeymen of the stories that they told children or ones who were doing bad things. But Eva knew who they were. All the banshees did.

  After all, her kind knew when death was coming. So, of course, they knew who death was behind the mask.

  However, in all of her time in this realm and on Earth, she had never thought the man who would one day be her mate would also be a reaper.

  She swallowed hard, trying to understand exactly what was happening.

  He looked…sad. Even unconscious as he was. She didn’t know why she had never thought about what a reaper might look like. He was big and built, though he looked as if he could stand to have a few more pounds on his bones. It looked as if he were tired, as if he couldn’t sleep.

  There were dark circles under his eyes, and his cheeks were sunken in.

  She felt sorry for him, wanted to make sure he was okay. Only she didn’t have answers for how to do that. It wasn’t her place to save a reaper, even if he was her mate.

  He wore a long, black cloak, the cowl that had once been covering his face pulled back now as he lay passed out before her.

  She wasn’t sure if she should move him. She wasn’t sure what she should do at all.

  His scythe had fallen when he had, and she supposed she was lucky that he hadn’t used the thing on her—or accidentally cut himself when he lost consciousness.

  The blade looked sharp, that wicked curve familiar and devastating.

  She didn’t know exactly how reapers worked, mostly because she had never met one before. For it was said that if you were to meet a reaper, that was your end. They lived amid the shadows. Although she knew some lived within all the realms, hiding amongst the realm’s people as if they belonged there.

  Only she had never seen this man before.

  Hesitantly, she reached out and traced her fingers along his strong brow. He didn’t move, didn’t flinch as she touched him, but she could feel his breath on her skin.

  He was alive, merely passed out.

  Was the thought of being her mate so overwhelming that he would lose consciousness?

  She didn’t know if she should find comfort in that thought, or be a little insulted.

  After all, she hadn’t passed out after discovering that the man who was going to kill her was also her mate.

  Wasn’t that a bit of irony, considering she spoke of death and he was death itself?

  “Eva!”

  Eva looked over her shoulder as her sister ran towards her, her long skirts billowing around her ankles.

  Her sister Jasmine loved wearing long skirts and dresses, even though Eva was more a fan of jeans or leather pants.

  Jasmine was softer and sweeter and a mother to four lovely children. She was the picture of maternal perfection, and though she screamed of death if she was near those who were slated to die, she did it with grace and dignity. Eva was a little jealous.

  Eva herself tended to scream, her eyes wide, her cheeks turning red, and her sclera getting bloodshot.

  She wasn’t a pretty crier, and she was an even worse screamer.

  And yet, she had sung for her mate…her reaper.

  The other banshees used to make fun of her when she was younger, trying to control her power. But she was finding her place. Or, at least, she had been until she realized that the man that lay in front of her was her end and her future.

  No, that wasn’t correct. He couldn’t be her future, not if this was her end.

  And that meant there would be no mating for her.

  “I’m fine, Jasmine,” Eva said, keeping her hands on the man. She should probably let go of him, but she didn’t want to. She liked touching him. Her soul reached out to him.

  Well, she didn’t want it to reach out too far, or he would just take it, and then she would be dead, wouldn’t she?

  “A reaper?” Jasmine said, her hands at her mouth.

  “He’s just passed out. I didn’t kill him. Though I don’t know if you can actually kill a reaper. Can you?”

  “I heard your song of death, and now a reaper’s in front of you. My God, sister, what happened? You didn’t scream. You sang… How is that possible? That only happens in cases of immense change.”

  “I don’t really know. He just showed up, stepped out of the shadows, and looked at me.” She wasn’t sure if she should tell Jasmine the rest, but this was her big sister. She knew every one of Eva’s secrets—not that she had many. “I fell to my knees and sang because I sensed death. But I don’t know whose it was. Mine? Perhaps because he is a reaper, and he came for me.”

  “We will not let this happen. He does not get to have you.”

  She shook her head. “You know there’s no running from the yell, let alone the song of a banshee. Just like there’s no running from the scythe of a reaper.”

  “There’s always a first for everything. Why are you touching him?”

  Jasmine tugged at Eva’s arms, trying to get her to stand up, but Eva didn’t budge. She was afraid for this man, not of him. How wondrous.

  “That’s not all, Jasmine.”

  “What do you mean, that’s not all? He is your death. There’s more to it?”

  “He’s my mate, Jasmine. Just like you are to Desmond. He’s mine.” She let her fingers trail along his forehead, hoping he would wake up soon. Because if she were going to find a way to protect herself and not die, she really wanted to see his face. And make sure that she didn’t accidentally kill him in the process.

  “How? What? That doesn’t make any sense. Reapers don’t get mates. They’re already dead.”

  “Well, apparently, we were wrong about that bit of the legend. It’s not like we actually know what happens to reapers. They don’t come out into society and let everybody know what’s going on.”

  “Perhaps not. But, darling, he can’t be your mate. He’s here to kill you.”

  “Well, he didn’t. Instead, he found out he was my mate, said the word mate at the same time I did, and then passed out.” Eva frowned. “I don’t really know why he passed out.”

  “Well, let’s go get some chains. We’ll secure him, and then we’ll figure out what to do next.”

  Eva just blinked at her sister. “The first thing you think of is chains? Do I really want to know what you and Desmond do when alone?”

  Jasmine turned pink and shook her head. “Don’t even start with the sass. We are going to figure out exactly what’s going on.”

  “No, you are going back to your family to make sure they’re safe. What if I’m wrong about death. Maybe he’s not here for me?”

  Jasmine’s eyes widened. “Eva.”

  “I’ll be fine. He’s my mate. I guess we’ll have to figure out exactly what that means, right?”

  “Maybe. But, Eva, let us help.”

  “No, keep the family safe. I’ll figure this out. I’m strong, Jasmine. You know this.”

  “I do, darling. I’m still allowed to be scared for you, though. With Mama and Papa gone, we’re all we have left.”

  “No, you have your family.” Eva ignored the familiar pang of loss she felt at the thought of her parents.

  “Don’t you dare tell me that you have this,�
� Jasmine said, flinging her hand out to indicate the reaper. “He’s here to kill you, most likely. You don’t get to have him.”

  “I don’t know what’s happening. You know our lives are all about listening to the fates. You need to follow that. And if I have to fight for my life or for those I love, I will. I’m not going to put you in danger by having you be here when he wakes up.”

  “If he wakes up,” Jasmine mumbled.

  Eva held back a smile, even though she was a little bit worried herself. “He will. Now, go. Protect the babies. Keep the others away. I’ll figure out what to do.”

  Jasmine looked at her, then leaned down and kissed her on the top of the head like she had when they were little. And then went off to protect her family.

  Eva hoped she hadn’t been lying. Because, honestly, she really had no idea what she was doing.

  She lay there with the reaper close to her on the ground for a little bit longer, knowing if he didn’t wake up soon, the other banshees would likely ignore her warning and come to help her. She didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. And, honestly, she needed time to think about what was happening. In order to do that, she needed him to wake up. She needed answers.

  Thankfully, his eyelashes started to flutter. When his eyes opened, she held back a gasp. His eyes were coal-black with white spirals inside. She had never seen eyes like that. Didn’t know if it was all reapers or just him.

  He frowned at her, and she swallowed hard again.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, clearing her throat since her voice was a little husky. After all, she hadn’t expected to meet her mate. Or die. She really hoped the latter wasn’t going to happen. The fact that she could joke at all, even in her head, meant that she was using a coping mechanism. And she was just fine with that. She really didn’t want to die.

  “Who are you?” he asked, still flat on the ground, his unusual eyes staring at her.

  “I’m Eva. Are you here to kill me?”

  The man blinked, and she wondered if she had been a little too blunt. He was a reaper, and she had screamed for a death. She didn’t want it to be hers.

  “Eva.”

  He whispered her name, repeating it as if he wanted to memorize the taste of it on his tongue.

  Or perhaps she was looking too much into it.

  “Did I pass out?”

  She nodded. “Yes, after we both realized we’re mates.”

  He blinked again and then sat up slowly, his gaze still on hers. “Are you always this blunt?”

  “Yes. It usually startles people into telling me exactly what I need to know. So, what’s your name?”

  “I don’t know. I had one at one point, but they took it.”

  She nodded, understanding. Reapers didn’t have names at first, at least not the ones they were born with. The other reapers named them, gave them identities so they could collect souls. At least, that’s what she had read in some of the banshee tomes. “What name did they give you?”

  The reaper’s eyes narrowed. “You know a lot for someone who is not of that realm.”

  “I’m a banshee. I speak of death, I sing it, I scream it. Of course, I know a little bit about the end.”

  “They call me Ashen.”

  Ashen. The name fit him, but she knew it didn’t fit the man he had once been. Though, after death, it would make sense.

  “Hello, Ashen. Like I said, I’m Eva. And, it appears we are mates.”

  “Now you’re just trying to throw me off.” Ashen shook his head and then stood up, frowning. “You sang for your death. You didn’t scream.”

  She stood then too, not wanting to feel so small next to him. But no matter what she did, she couldn’t really help it, the man was large. “You’re not going to kill me. You don’t get to.”

  “I’m told a reaper doesn’t kill. They take a soul at the moment of death, but they don’t cause pain.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really? I don’t really know exactly what happens with reapers. I only know what’s in the books.”

  “Then you may know more than I do.”

  She frowned. “Are you new to this, then?”

  Ashen scowled, then looked down at the scythe on the ground before leaning down to pick it up. “You are my first. And, apparently, I’m not doing very well.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t want to die, though.”

  “I’m not supposed to kill you. So perhaps this mission was to follow you and take your soul.”

  A shiver slid over her, and she swallowed hard. “Even then, I’m going to fight.”

  “You don’t have to fight me. I don’t want to kill you.”

  “Because we’re mates?”

  “That’s a large part of it,” he said, not laughing, his voice deadpan. “I don’t want to kill at all. But I don’t think I have a choice.”

  “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m not going to let you hurt my family.”

  “I’m not here for your family, I’m here for you.”

  At his equally blunt words, she stood straighter. “Okay, then. Only, I’m not going to die today.” She knew that was a lie.

  “I didn’t know a banshee was supposed to scream…or sing…for their own death.”

  Her power slid out of her as she thought of him. Thought about the bond they may share. A song slid through her body, and her eyes widened.

  She didn’t sing. Banshees didn’t. They screamed. And yet…she remembered an old folktale, one she hadn’t remembered until now.

  Banshees only sang for their true halves, the ones that would be with them for eternity.

  But he was death, and she was apparently destined to die. How could that be?

  “Do you remember anything about who you were before this? Did you want to be a reaper?” She wanted to get him on a new topic since she was confused. Thankfully, he let her.

  “I don’t know if I had a choice about being a reaper.”

  “Well, I don’t want to die. So, maybe if you find out who you were, we can figure out how to save me.”

  “I don’t know who I was. Would the man I was before help you? Or would he reap your soul without conscience.”

  She looked down at her goose-pebbled flesh and swallowed hard once again. “I don’t know.” A pause. “I have a friend who might be able to help us find out.”

  He tilted his head, staring at her. “A friend?”

  “Is that jealousy I hear? Just because we have the potential to be mates, doesn’t mean I’m actually going to mate with you.”

  “I don’t feel jealousy. I feel nothing.”

  Okay, then. “Would you like to meet my friend? Maybe he’ll have some answers.”

  “I didn’t help kill you. Perhaps it’s not your time. Maybe it’s because you’re my mate.”

  “I’m not going to die today,” she repeated. “I suppose we might have to think about exactly what the idea of being mated means. Because I scream for death, and yet my banshee wants to sing for you. And that only happens with mates. Sometimes. Maybe. I don’t know.”

  He stared at her, his unusual eyes unblinking. “Your time may still be coming. I might have to reap your soul no matter what.”

  “I hope to the gods that whoever told you to come here was wrong.”

  “They can be wrong?” Ashen asked, his voice almost eager now.

  “I hope so. Because there’s a reason you’re here. A reason I am. I suppose we should find my friend to figure out exactly what that might be.”

  Chapter 3

  Ashen was confused once again, but as he’d spent nearly the entirety of his new life in that state, he was used to it. He still couldn’t quite believe that he had passed out while meeting Eva. Had other paranormals ever done that when they found their mates? He hoped so, because he was already different enough, he didn’t want to add to that.

  Even as he looked at her as they stood in the middle of the banshee realm, a hill of flowers and darkness surrounding them, all he really wanted was to lean down and touch
her.

  The mating urge was such a weird thing. He didn’t know exactly what happened with reapers. He didn’t even know if reapers were able to have mates and the bonds that came with that precious gift. However, he could feel the bear inside him prowling. It wanted, it craved. And he didn’t think it was going to hold back much longer.

  Because when a bear found its mate, it was immediately ready for the inevitable, ready for its future. It wanted to mate, mark, and show the world that this person—or people in cases of triads—were theirs. The bear didn’t want to hold back. And, frankly, Ashen wasn’t sure he wanted to either.

  Yet, he was going to. This wasn’t the time or place for him to mark his mate. And he wasn’t sure she would want that anyway.

  After all, he had come to kill her, or maybe just to take her soul. To reap it.

  Reaper had been very insistent that Ashen know he wasn’t killing. He was merely there for death and the taking of souls. Ashen didn’t want to reap Eva’s soul. And not just because she was his mate. Although that was a very large part of it.

  No, he didn’t want to do it because it didn’t feel right. It felt as if something were wrong. Like whoever had pulled her name out of a hat, or the cauldron, or had tugged her thread on the loom of fate had been wrong. Eva had so much light inside her, so much life. She didn’t deserve to die. Not that he was the one to decide who deserved death or not. He didn’t have that power, didn’t have that righteousness within him, but he didn’t want to lose Eva when he had just found her.

  And from what he could tell, people relied on her.

  He didn’t want to ruin that.

  “Where are we going?” he asked after staring at her for what was probably an awkwardly long time.

  She blinked up at him. That’s when he realized that she had been staring at him, too. “To the human realm.”

  He tilted his head, curious. “Humans are going to help us?”

  She shook her head. “No, but I know some paranormals who live there. Ones I know happen to know many more things than I do. You’ll like my friend, he’s a dragon.”

  Ashen closed his eyes, a pang radiating in his heart as he imagined a dragon.