“No.” Oliver dragged a restless hand through his dark hair, the vein on his forehead standing out before his bangs dropped to cover it. “They don’t often send souls late. But it does happen occasionally. My understanding is that they took out a nest of wraiths yesterday. They probably got distracted by that.”
“Their main job is to collect souls,” I persisted, refusing to back down. “How could they forget the most important part of their job? If they don’t send the souls to us, they’re trapped in limbo. Last time I checked, that’s not a good thing.”
Renee wrinkled her nose as she stared down at her rather impressive cleavage. I could practically see her mind working. “The thing is ... we kind of cover for one another out here. This is a different environment from what you’re probably used to.”
That definitely sounded like an excuse. “If they’re not doing their jobs that reflects poorly on all of us.”
“They do their jobs.”
“You just said they didn’t.”
“That’s not what I said,” Oliver countered. “The Grimlocks are the best reaping family we have. They’re simply ... distracted ... on a regular basis.”
I had no idea what that meant. “Distracted how?”
“It’s the wraiths.” Oliver was clearly choosing his words carefully because he seemed to be struggling. “We have more wraiths in this area than almost anywhere else in the country. Although, to be fair, I think you had your fair share in New Orleans, too, after Katrina. The difference is when the people returned to New Orleans, the wraiths fled.”
I remembered the time of the wraith population explosion well. My grandfather, a respected Bruja in the area, was careful to keep me close even though I was a teenager at the time. At first I chafed under his constant vigilance, but after witnessing a brutal attack on a classmate that resulted in her death I came around to his way of thinking.
“I guess I’m going to need more information,” I said finally, unsure. “What’s the deal with the wraiths in this area? Why is it so much worse here than in other areas?”
“For several reasons,” Oliver replied without hesitation. “It started because of the abandoned buildings. Do you have any idea how many abandoned buildings there are in Detroit?”
“No.”
“Neither do I, but it’s a lot. They’re working on the problem, but the abandoned buildings make great hiding places for wraiths.”
I stroked my chin as I considered the information. “That makes sense. I’m guessing the population in a lot of these areas is poor, too, which makes for good hunting grounds.”
Oliver nodded. “Exactly. But that’s only part of the problem. We also had an uprising of sorts that lasted for several months. I don’t know all the details, but there was a mystic faction gathering the wraiths to use as an army. That faction was wiped out, but it’s been like playing whack-a-mole to take out the remaining wraiths ever since.”
“They’re hunkering down, digging in,” Renee explained. “So when the Grimlocks found the nest yesterday, it was important they take it out without delay. Right now we’re trying to dismantle the wraith population.”
My mind was busy. “No one mentioned any of this when I applied for the position.”
“That was probably on purpose,” Oliver supplied. “The last two people who held your title left as soon as their contracts expired. This isn’t a coveted area.”
“I know. That’s why I thought there was a chance I could snag the position despite my age. I was excited when everything came together. Now ... .”
“Now you’re not so sure,” Oliver finished. “I get it.”
“I’m still happy to be here,” I said hurriedly, realizing how ungrateful I sounded. I didn’t want to come across as petulant or hard to deal with. “I simply wish I had been given all the information when I applied.”
“I don’t blame you there.” Oliver’s smile was back. “The thing is, I get that you want to follow the rules, but it’s not always possible in this environment. The Grimlocks are unbelievably strong. They’re hard workers.”
“All the boys are hot like the sun, too,” Renee offered enthusiastically. “They’re pretty, pretty boys.”
I wasn’t in the market for a romance, so I merely nodded. “Well, that’s important.”
Oliver snickered. “Don’t mind her. She likes to pant after the Grimlocks. As far as I can tell, every woman who has ever met them feels that way.”
“I don’t think I’ll have to worry about that.”
Oliver’s gaze turned appraising. “Really? Are you playing for the other team? If so, I know a few women in Ferndale who might be interested in a night out.”
“I’m not interested in that either. I’m here to do a job. I’m not concerned with dating.”
Renee snickered. “Famous last words.”
“I mean them.”
“Fair enough.” She held up her hands. “You might change your mind when you see them.”
“I doubt it.” I turned my attention to the computer. “I guess the first order of business is to learn your filing system. I guess I’ll let the Grimlocks’ lack of attention to detail slide for now. If problems continue, though, I’ll handle them later.”
“I would love to handle them.” Renee’s expression turned wistful. “I’m not even picky about which one I want to handle.”
Oliver pursed his lips as he shook his head. “Your Grimlock love is getting old. You know that, right?”
“Hey, they’re hot.” Renee patted the open seat next to her and shifted her eyes to me. “Come on. The computer system is easy. In fact, this entire gig is easy. Nothing ever happens here. I think you’re going to be disappointed if you’re looking for action.”
I took the seat and swiveled to watch the screen as her fingers deftly moved over the keyboard. “You just told me this place is crawling with wraiths. That doesn’t sound boring.”
“Yes, well, I wouldn’t hope for a wraith encounter if I were you. They’ve taken to running in packs.”
“Packs?” I’d never heard of that. “Why?”
“They were organized by a militant faction,” Oliver answered for Renee. “They learned they could get more done as a group. They’re reluctant to leave the packs now. I wasn’t joking about them being dangerous.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Something occurred to me. “Do they come out here?”
Renee and Oliver exchanged a weighted look.
“They do,” Oliver said after a moment’s contemplation. “In fact, we’ve been seeing a lot of them lately. We’re not sure why, but the gate might be drawing them. It’s up for debate at the home office.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. “Have they made it into the building?”
“A few times.”
“What do they do?”
“They try to get back here. As long as the door latches, it’s fine. They haven’t been able to get back here yet. I have no idea what they would do if they managed to cross the threshold.”
“Right, well ... .” Something occurred to me. “The door latches automatically, doesn’t it?”
Realization dawned on Oliver’s face as he slowly swiveled. “Sometimes you have to give it a little tug.” He strode toward the door, purposeful. “I’ll check.”
As if on cue, the swinging doors flew open with enough force to slam against the wall and a tall figure appeared in the entrance. I was familiar with wraiths — I had crossed paths with at least five during my time in New Orleans — but the menacing creature standing before me now was straight out of my nightmares.
“What the ... ?”
“Omigod!” Renee tripped as she scrambled out of her seat, terror washing over her features as she hustled to put distance between herself and the creature.
I didn’t remember standing, but my shaky legs told me that running wasn’t an option. Instead, I stared at the wraith with unfathomable fear as the creature grabbed Oliver around the neck and tossed him across the room as if he w
ere a doll.
“Oliver!” My first instinct was to help, but the wraith stood between me and my new co-worker. My second instinct was to flee. There was nowhere to go, though, so I remained rooted to my spot.
The wraith stalked in my direction, causing my heart to skip a beat. Its hissing was so high-pitched it caused me to cringe. It was almost upon me when I finally gathered my wits and turned to my right.
Instead of grabbing me, the wraith lashed out and shoved so I was no longer in its path. The contact was brief, but I felt my energy waning. It seemed focused on one thing, and one thing only: the gate.
My mouth dropped open so I could issue a warning, but it was already too late. The wraith blew past Renee and threw itself at the shimmering opening.
The gate emitted a sound like a giant suction cup breaking free from glass as the wraith crossed over from our world and disappeared into the next, leaving the three of us breathless as we tried to grasp what had happened. I was the first to discover my voice.
“What the heck was that?”
Three
I didn’t know the security procedures as well as Renee so I left her to call for help while I checked on Oliver. He seemed shaken but otherwise okay, which was a relief. I helped him to a chair and grabbed a bottle of water from the vending machine against the far wall. When I offered it to him, he politely declined.
“Is help coming?” I asked Renee when she joined us.
“Yeah. The home office said they had someone in the area. He should be here within the next fifteen minutes.” Lines of concern crowded Renee’s eyes as she knelt next to Oliver. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Oliver’s smile was wan. “I’ll be fine once I settle. It simply caught me off guard.”
That was an understatement. “Yeah.” I straightened and focused on the gate. “I don’t understand why that happened.” I looked to Oliver for answers. “Why would a wraith purposely want to cross over? The whole reason it turned into a wraith in the first place is because it didn’t want to die. Racing to the other side is essentially dying, right?”
Oliver opened his mouth to answer and then snapped it shut, holding his hands palms out as he shrugged. “I have no idea. It might be different for wraiths. I’m not sure what to make of it.”
I spent the next ten minutes circling the gate. Nothing came out. Nothing went in. It was simply a gate, although the whispering increased tenfold right after the wraith jumped through the opening. It was back to normal relatively quickly ... until a new player emerged on the scene and then the whispering began again in earnest.
It was the whispering that caused me to snap my head toward the door, and I narrowed my eyes when I saw the man standing there. He seemed sure of himself, as if he belonged, but he didn’t announce his arrival.
“How did you get in without a keycard?”
He didn’t immediately answer, his eyes instead drifting toward the gate. He looked to be about thirty, broad shoulders on full display in a fitted black T-shirt. He wore simple jeans and black boots, his black hair gleaming thanks to the gate’s shimmering light display. His most striking features were his eyes — a violent shade of purple — but they didn’t as much as shift in my direction.
His refusal to answer my question grated.
“How did you get in here?” I repeated, taking a purposeful step toward him. “You need a security card to enter.”
“I have a card.” The man finally dragged his attention to me. He seemed surprised by what he saw. My fashion choices reflected the French Quarter, but those were the clothes I was most comfortable in and there had been no time to adjust my wardrobe for the colder Michigan weather. “Who are you? You’re not Cyrus.”
I drew a blank. “Cyrus?”
“He was the guy who had your position before you,” Oliver answered. “He couldn’t get out of here fast enough when he heard there was an opening in Des Moines.”
The newcomer let loose with a derisive snort. “Yes, that shows great taste. What’s in Des Moines?”
“Fewer wraiths.”
The man nodded. “Good point. Tell me what happened.”
Oliver made to do just that, but I cut him off.
“Excuse me, but ... who are you?” I tried to keep the recrimination from my tone, but it was difficult. “I have no idea who you are.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Renee found her voice as she scurried across the floor, taking up position between the newcomer and me. “This is Braden Grimlock. He’s a member of the family we were telling you about. Braden, this is Isabella Sage. She’s the new gatekeeper.”
“Izzy,” I automatically corrected. “Call me Izzy.”
Braden arched an eyebrow. “Okay, Izzy, tell me what happened.”
I wasn’t in the mood to acquiesce to his demands. After all, I was in charge here. He was simply ... well, I had no idea what he was doing here. “I’m sorry — and forgive me if this comes off as rude — but my understanding is that you’re a reaper. Why would the home office call a reaper to act as an expert for the gate?”
“I don’t believe I said I was an expert,” Braden countered. “I was called as backup because a wraith attacked. I have a bit of experience with wraith attacks.”
“Braden’s family are kind of wraith experts,” Renee explained, earning a flirty wink from Braden that caused her cheeks to flood with color. “In fact, they’re revered wraith fighters.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Braden cautioned. “We have dealt with a lot of wraiths. That’s why I need to know what happened.”
It was a reasonable enough request, but that didn’t mean I was ready to cede my authority. “Well, what’s your security clearance level?”
Braden snorted. “Seriously?”
I nodded.
“Level three.”
“I’m level four. I’m not sure how much information I’m supposed to share with you.”
“Well, my father is level seven,” Braden said. “We have special security clearance in our house. I’m sure it will be fine.”
“And what if it’s not?”
“It will be fine,” Oliver interjected quickly. “I know you’re new to the area and the hierarchy here, Izzy, but the Grimlocks will know everything by the end of the day regardless. You’re saving everyone a bit of work by simply telling him.”
I didn’t care about saving people from work. I did, however, care about getting answers. Apparently Braden Grimlock was my best shot at getting those answers. “Fine.” I told the story from start to finish. It didn’t take long because there wasn’t much to tell. When I was finished, Braden looked as confused as I felt.
“Huh.”
I waited a beat. “Is that all you have to say?”
“For the moment.” He looked back to the gate and shook his head. “I don’t know what to make of that. Has it ever happened before?”
“Not that I know of,” Oliver replied, moving to stand next to the broad-shouldered reaper. They made quite the sight. If they were in a bar women would be throwing themselves at the two of them as drool flew fast and furious. “It definitely has never happened here. And I’ve never heard of it happening elsewhere.”
“It doesn’t make much sense,” Braden admitted, his hand stroking his chin. “Why would a wraith want to cross over? Without a soul ... .”
“I thought wraiths had fragmented souls,” I countered. “Part of the soul remains, but it’s been shattered into pieces so it’s not a true soul.”
“I don’t know that we have definitive answers on that,” Braden countered. “We have learned quite a bit about wraiths in the last year or so. My brother is heading up the research.”
“This comes back to that whole soul walkers thing we were briefed about, right?” Renee pressed. “I saw the memo, but I didn’t read it from start to finish. I didn’t think it would be important given where we were stationed.”
“I don’t know that you missed all that much,” Braden said. “Basically, wraiths are a byproduct o
f humans trying to soul walk. People were trying to live forever, but the process they chose caused the souls to fragment. That’s how wraiths were born, and it wasn’t the end result the soul walkers expected.”
“How do you know all that?” I asked the question before I thought better of it. I wasn’t trying to be rude — no, really — but he didn’t seem the bookish sort to me.
As if reading my mind, Braden’s lips curved. “My brother is the scholarly type.”
“And he laid all this out for you?”
For a split second Braden’s expression shifted into something profoundly sad. He collected himself quickly, though, and covered. “We had a little inside information. It was eight months ago. My brother has continued digging deep since. He’s the sort of guy who wants answers.”
“He’s also the sort of guy who looks like a movie star,” Renee enthused. “He has long hair — like Kylo Ren hair — and he’s ridiculously hot.”
Braden made a face. “I’m way hotter than him.”
“But he’s got movie star hair,” Renee countered. “You’re cowboy hot. He’s action hero hot. Both are great.”
Braden didn’t look convinced. “We look alike other than the hair. Do you have any idea how long he spends primping that hair? It’s ridiculous. My hair is hot and practical.”
I’d had enough. “I’m sorry, but ... why are we talking about hair when a wraith managed to breach our security and jump through the gate? Shouldn’t we be focused on that? We can discuss haircare products when we have answers.”
The statement came out shriller than I expected, but it was too late to back down, so I merely folded my arms over my chest and waited for Renee and Braden to show some embarrassment. Neither bothered.
“I’m awesome at multi-tasking,” Braden drawled, shaking his head as he returned his odd-colored eyes to the gate. “I don’t know what to tell you. How did the wraith even get into this part of the building?”
My cheeks flamed as karma caught up with me. I wanted him to be embarrassed, but I was the one feeling the burn. “That was my fault.”
“It was nobody’s fault,” Oliver interjected. “That door is funky. You have to tug on it to make sure it latches. It’s Izzy’s first day. She couldn’t have known.”
Only The Lonely (A Death Gate Grim Reapers Thriller Book 1) Page 3
