Reaper (Dragon Prophecies Book 1)

by Hickory Mack

  “This entire conversation is missing one very important point,” Pascal interjected. “Lord Kern, Lord Tamlin, and Lord Roth all made the decision to betray the fox. People from your own house betrayed him. The hunters knew what they were doing. If Elspeth hadn’t agreed to their coercion, they would have found someone else even more willing. Think, pup. Think of how much worse the devastation would have been with a reaper who actually wanted to be there.”

  “We had an argument about it. None of us wanted to be there.” Elsie looked at Wren, her face filled with regret. “I should have listened to you. We could have freed those demons. We could have fought back.”

  “That would have required kidnapping the Key, and I believe we would have ended up in a very similar situation.” Wren cocked a half smile, but Moscow looked stunned. His red eye began to glow, and both Mouro and Cross stepped between Elsie and the wyvern.

  “How do you know about the Key?” Moscow hissed.

  Wren slowly turned toward him, his eyes narrowed to slits, a feral grin on his face. He released the tight hold he generally kept on his magic, filling the room with an oppressive power.

  “Who do you think you’re talking to with that tone, boy?” he seethed. “I know where the Key is because I am magic. She is the one who woke me from my sleep.”

  “Plus, I’m the Dragon Priestess,” Elsie quickly said before she could decide against it. If the wyvern was going to trust them, he may as well know everything. It would cause problems if they kept springing new secrets on him.

  ‘I thought we’d agreed not to tell people about that,’ Saint scolded.

  “I think he should know,” she said aloud for the men giving her dirty looks.

  “This is too much,” Moscow muttered, and he started to back away. Wren reached through the wall of muscle and pulled Elsie through. He positioned her in front of him, his hands on her shoulders.

  “This is absurd. I think I know how to prevent a whole lot of drama, heartache, and communications issues,” he said, then pushed Elsie forward.

  “Wren!” she gasped, stumbling forward into the wyvern.

  “What the hell?” Cross barked.

  Moscow’s hands wrapped around her arms, catching her easily. He gave the spirit a dirty look over her head. Wren had taken a gamble and won. The bond formed quickly, and a fifth tether attached itself to her heart. Elsie’s eyes widened, and she cursed under her breath.

  Saint sat up and hopped off the table. He stepped forward and pulled her free of the wyvern, the look on his face a clear statement that he’d happily kill Moscow if he touched her again. His arm crossed her collar bone, and he held her against his chest. Elsie put her hand over his reassuringly.

  “That is an unexpected complication,” Moscow sighed. He looked over at Wren with narrowed eyes. “You knew that was going to happen?”

  “It was an educated guess.”

  “Freaking witches. Do you know how difficult your kind has made my life lately? How is this even possible? Wyverns exclusively mate with other wyverns.” He quirked his finger between himself and Elsie. “This is unheard of, and let’s be real, wyverns aren’t the sharing type.”

  He clearly had no idea what to make of any of this because despite what he said, he kept stealing glances at Elsie. He shoved his hair out of his eyes.

  “I need some time to think,” Moscow said, which Elsie thought was a perfectly acceptable request. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it either. She’d come to adore all of her mates, even with her rocky start with Cross, but damn it, she’d thought she was done collecting men like trading cards.

  “The thing you need to think about is whether or not you will help your mate get rid of the curse threatening her life,” Wren said coldly.

  “I—” Moscow stopped.

  “Well? Will you?”

  Moscow looked at Elsie for a long moment, and she could feel the confusion coming through their bond. A part of him wanted to bolt, but another part wanted to accept her. She understood where he was coming from. The bond pull of the bond was difficult to deny, but he had strong reasons to walk away. He looked at the floor and brushed a hand through his dark hair again.

  “Yeah, I guess I will.”

  Elsie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. As if her life wasn’t chaotic enough. Her hand closed around the figurine of Santisima around her neck, mentally invoking the goddess. Why couldn’t things ever be easy?

  Elsie returns

  Elsie returns in Priestess, coming 2022!

  Acknowledgments

  Whew, that was a big one! Reaper is my largest book to date, and you made it through! It’s been a little over a year of dabbling with my urban fantasy series, but we’re finally back to the epics, and it feels like coming home. Thank you for your patience and for sticking with me!

  Reaper was a huge undertaking with uncountable sleepless nights and plot overhauls, so much so that at some point we’ll be circling back to Hunter, to tell Elsie and Saint’s story in a prequel!

  We have a whole crew of people that contributed to this monumental book. Starting with the fabulous Manuela Serra, who made that fire cover! I love you Manuela!

  Our beta team did an amazing job! Heather Emmons and Amanda Swolley have returned from working on many projects with me. The newbies did fantastic! Becca Penrod, Danyelle Mandel, Ashley Mollet, Rachel Basquez were all added to the team and I adore them all.

  Michelle Motyczka is the new editor for this project and can I just say- I have never had my arse so thoroughly kicked. Hahaha, she’s now my forever editor. Michelle, you can kick my arse any day. Reaper is my fifth publication, and I’ve never felt so confident in what I’m sending out into the world.

  Finally, thank you to Mallory Kent of The Nutty Formatter! You put that polish on my books that make them just perfect. *chef’s kiss* I love you so much!

  Reaper Character Index

  Our main Character

  Elspeth Raissa Chantraine

  The Harem

  Tobias Saint - Wolfhound Demon, white moon magic

  Wren (Korshyo) - The Spirit of Earth, earth magic

  Macias Cross - Brujo, red moon magic

  Mouro Pascal - Wolverine Demon, dark moon, ethereal and earth magic

  Moscow - Wyvern,

  The Companions

  Frida - Alebrije

  Frost - Wolf

  House Pascal

  Mouro Pascal (see above)

  Lithia, Pascal’s favorite doll

  Trillian - Wolverine Demon, Pascal’s second in command

  Braer - Imp, contracted demon

  The Hunters (Worldbase A & B)

  Angus Cornick - Head of Research and Demonic Weapon’s Development

  General Mark - Has command of Worldbase A and B

  Commander Grant - Second in command to General Mark (Deceased)

  Security Chief Rand - (Deceased)

  Thomas Pax - Underling to Grant

  Cody Fairbanks - Assassin, member of Elsie’s Security Detail

  Lieutenant Colonel Hasprey - Elsie’s Security Detail (Deceased)

  Miller - Elsie’s Security Detail

  Colton - Elsie’s Security Detail

  Other Hunters

  Jonah Martin - Marshall of Colony Nine

  Stanley Eustone - Demon researcher

  Shepherd - Chief of security in Colony One

  Callum - Geographer (Deceased)

  Marley - Healer on Elsie’s old squad (Deceased)

  Perrie - Witch on Elsie’s old squad (Deceased)

  Riven - Mage on Elsie’s old squad (Deceased)

  The Elemental Spirits

  Korshyo - Earthy, the Spirit of Earth

  Shoryo - Watery, the Spirit of Water

  Muethdee - Fiery, the Spirit of Fire

  Windy, the Spirit of Wind

  Elda - Spirit of the Dark Moon

  Kahna - Spirit of the Red Moon

  Freya - Spirit of the Light Moon

  Soul - Spirit of Souls

 
Enterai - Spirit of the Ethereal

  Havir - Spirit of the Sun

  House Makkai

  Lord Makkai - Kitsune

  Lady Chiori - Witch/Fae hybrid

  Gideon - Incubus/Witch hybrid

  Lucifer - The Harbinger of Death

  Virgil - Eagle Shifter

  Gods and Goddesses

  Santa Muerte - The Goddess of Death

  Mokiko - The Earth Mother

  Epona - Celtic Horse Goddess

  The Great Bear Spirit

  Minor Characters

  Lord Roth - Lion Demon

  Ichio - The Forest Spirit

  Clover - Fire mage

  The River Spirit of Kamiah

  Samuel Appleton - Boar Demon

  Janette - data entry, human

  Sari - Wolf Demon

  Mara - human

  Mrs. Cutler - human

  Kyle and Brian - Lower Gate Security

  The Minotaur

  Sparrow Shifter - Apothecary Owner

  Rabbit Shifter - Waitress

  Stewart Townsley - Human

  The Sky People

  Off Screen Characters

  Stolas - Shapeshifting Prince of Hell

  Kaho - The Light Dragon

  Sephtis - The Dark Dragon

  Sanaia - The Elemental Witch

  Merrick - Akunin Yaksha

  Elijah - The First Vampire

  The Prophet Elander

  Elician - Elf of Saffwood Forest

  Mokiko - The Earth Mother

  Muriel - Reaper (Deceased)

  Charlemagne - Dark Fae King

  Lord Kern (Deceased)

  Raven - Raksha

  Mrs. Carter - Human

  Zadian - Demon of unknown type

  Lawrence Hill - Air Mage

  Franchesca - Light Mage

  About the Author

  Hickory is a single mother of three, raising her children, alongside their dogs, cats and pet pigeons. Living in the northern reaches of Minnesota, she wanders the woods and the beaches of Lake Superior, dreaming up her next story.

  She looks forward to the day she can create and run an animal rescue, with an emphasis on roosters and other farm animals.

  Also by Hickory Mack

  Dragon Prophecies

  Reaper

  Priestess (coming 2022)

  Taming the Elements

  Half-Breed

  Witchling

  Darkling (coming 2021)

  Dollhouse Vigilantes

  Karma’s Pretty Dolls

  Karma’s Broken Dolls

  Kindle Vella Series

  The Nine