Grave Destinations

by Lori Sjoberg

  The song mercifully ended, and the DJ reclaimed the stage. “Let’s give it up for Sherri! Great job!” The audience clapped as the woman bounded down the steps and back to her table. “Okay, we have Charlotte and Tami Lynn next. Come on up, ladies!” Two twentysomething blondes staggered onto the raised platform, and the crowd encouraged them with an enthusiastic round of applause. “They’re going to sing”—the DJ glanced at the teleprompter—“ ‘Don’t Stop Believing,’ by Journey.”

  Ruby groaned. “Oh, for the love of God. Kill me now.”

  “Isn’t it a little late for that?” Jack’s breath tickled her ear, making every muscle tense while setting every nerve on fire. He sat down on the chair next to hers and stretched his long legs out under the table, a brush of denim against her bare calf. Tonight he wore jeans and a fitted black polo, the ends of his dark brown hair curling against the collar.

  “Very funny.” She rolled her eyes as she held back a smile. “You weren’t the one who had to listen to some drunk guy screech his way through ‘Jesse’s Girl.’ Somewhere, there’s a pod of dolphins beaching themselves.”

  “Oh, come on, it’s not that bad.”

  “You want to bet? I’ve listened to ‘Sweet Caroline’ three times in the space of an hour.” In all fairness, the first rendition wasn’t too bad. The other two, not so much. Ruby waved down a passing waitress and ordered a tequila sunrise. If she had to sit through this crap for another hour, she wanted something to dull the edges of the lousy singing. “What are you doing here this early? We’re not supposed to switch spots until ten.”

  “It’s pretty quiet at the Nautical Mile. Beatrice and Zachary Ru-lapaugh are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary in there tonight. The place is packed with their friends and family. Not exactly the prime environment for this kind of predator. So I thought I’d come see how things were going with you.”

  He slung an arm over the back of her chair, his fingers grazing her shoulder. Nothing pushy, or openly sexual, just a casual touch that made her body hum with awareness.

  Onstage, Charlotte and Tami Lynn wailed away. One of the blondes tried to hit a high note in the chorus, and it was a miracle every glass in the place didn’t shatter.

  Ruby leaned toward Jack, breathed in the lingering scent of his aftershave. The way his presence boosted her mood amazed and unsettled her. “Dmitri’s going to be ticked off if he catches you away from your post.”

  “He’ll only know if you tell him.”

  “Who says I’m not going to tell him?”

  He shot her a pained look. “You’d do that to me?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not.” She grinned. “It depends on whether you make it worth my while.”

  “I didn’t think a woman like you would stoop to blackmail.” One of the women onstage—she’d lost track of which was which—tried to hit another high note, and Jack visibly cringed.

  Ruby’s grin brightened. “You’d be surprised at the things I’d stoop to.”

  He stared at her, appearing torn over how to respond. Then his eyes got all dark and dreamy, his deep voice loaded with sensual innuendo. “In that case, what do you want?”

  Oh, the possibilities. A handful of scenarios flashed through her mind, thoughts of her and Jack doing all of the things she’d fantasized about the night before. Flesh against flesh. Tangled sheets.

  Zero interruptions.

  “Everything.” Too bad there was a mountain of responsibilities blocking their way to a great time. “But I can’t have anything until we find what we’re looking for.”

  The song ended and the women left the stage, replaced by an old bald man with a grizzled beard hanging halfway down his chest. Suspenders held up a pair of checkered pants, the material straining against a sizable paunch.

  “Henry’s going to treat us to a little old-school Sinatra,” the DJ announced as the old guy tapped the microphone with his index finger.

  “This ought to be interesting,” Ruby murmured.

  “Five bucks says he nails it.”

  She slanted a look in Jack’s direction. “You’re on.”

  The opening instrumental for “Strangers in the Night” filled the room, and the crowd erupted in a raucous show of approval. Then the old man put the microphone to his lips and began to croon the lyrics in a smooth, rich baritone.

  Damn, he was good. Good enough to make her five dollars poorer. She reached into her purse, fished out a five, and slapped the money onto Jack’s open palm.

  “Thank you very much.” He shoved the bill in the front pocket of his jeans. “It’s always the old dudes who bring down the house.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind for a future occasion.”

  Jack chuckled as he reached over and took her hand in his. His thumb gently caressed the backs of her knuckles, sending an unexpected rush of warmth up her arm.

  “You look very beautiful tonight.” His face grew serious, his eyes smoldering with unspoken desire.

  The urge to kiss him nearly overwhelmed her senses. It would be all too easy to lean a few inches closer and cover his mouth with her own. She hungered for the taste of him, for the way his mouth moved against hers. But a taste would lead to a touch, and a touch would lead to the complete abandonment of her post. And that simply would not do. Until the job was finished she was on the clock, which meant she couldn’t afford to mix business with pleasure.

  So instead of kissing him, she shot him a tired look. “How do you score so many women with such cheesy pickup lines?”

  “It’s not cheesy if it’s true.”

  “Oh please. I’m hardly looking my best.” Black capris paired with a plain green blouse. Cream-colored choker to blend with her skin. Zero makeup. Not exactly an outfit designed to turn heads.

  “And that’s what makes you enchanting. Even when you’re not trying, you smoke every damn woman in the joint.”

  Ruby let out a skeptical huff, all the while fighting the impulse to grin like the Cheshire Cat. Anyone could flatter, but for some reason it sounded so much better coming out of him. She glanced up and lost herself in those gorgeous brown eyes.

  “You better get back,” she murmured, even though she desperately wanted him to stay right where he was.

  “Why?”

  Because if you don’t I might molest you in a room full of people, and most folks would consider that unprofessional. “Because you’re supposed to be helping us track down the demon. Dmitri doesn’t trust you as it is. Neglecting your assignment will only make matters worse.”

  “He’s not going to trust me no matter what I do.” A hint of irritation crept into Jack’s voice. “It’s why he dumped me in that bar in the first place.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Oh, really? I bet he knew about the anniversary party ahead of time. He probably stuck me there because he thought it was the place where I’d cause the least amount of damage.”

  It wouldn’t surprise her in the least. In spite of her assurances, Dmitri trusted Jack about as far as he could spit. Liked him even less. No wonder he assigned Jack to a location he considered low risk.

  The music faded, and the crowd gave the old man a standing ovation. Grinning ear to ear, he took a deep bow under the spotlight before ambling back to his table. Then the DJ bounded back onto the stage to introduce the next singer.

  The waitress returned with Ruby’s drink, and Jack ordered a Chivas on the rocks. A country twang filled the room as a group of young guys who looked fresh from the fraternity house started singing about their love for red Solo cups.

  “I’m actually more shocked that he did the same thing to you,” Jack said once the waitress walked away.

  Ruby paused, her glass a few inches from her lips. “Excuse me?”

  “When’s the last time you picked up anyone at a karaoke bar?”

  Come to think of it … “Never.”

  “Exactly. There’s a lot more target-rich environments to choose from.” He waved a hand in the general direction of the
audience. “You’re not going to find what you’re looking for here. You know that as well as I do.”

  Ruby set her drink down, folded her arms across her chest. “How can you know for sure?”

  “Years of experience.” His mouth twisted into a bitter smile.

  “Think about it. If you were looking for a quick hookup, would you come to a place like this to find it?”

  Absolutely not. She’d go to a nightclub filled with easy pickings. Like Frenesi, or the poolside bar, or even the casino. Each was packed with patrons looking to score. By contrast, the karaoke bar was filled with people looking for a fun night out. Established couples and groups of friends, all here for the purpose of enjoying each other’s company. Not a cruising single in sight.

  The more she thought about it, the more she believed what Jack was saying. Why would Dmitri send her to a spot with no real prospect of success? Did her involvement with Jack make her untrustworthy by association?

  “I’m sure Dmitri just wants to cover all the bases.” She spoke the words, but they lacked any serious conviction. Picking up her drink, she took a generous sip, the tangy combination of citrus and alcohol leaving a warm trail down her throat but having zero effect on her nerves.

  “Could be. But why waste precious resources?”

  “Good question.” One she damn well wanted an answer to. She fished her phone out of her purse and dialed Dmitri’s number.

  “What?” Dmitri said by way of greeting. The sound of music filled the background, a fast-paced techno beat coupled with a booming bass.

  “Care to explain why you stuck me in a bar with zero chance of finding what we’re searching for?”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” He did a good job of sounding both genuinely puzzled and thoroughly annoyed, but she knew him well enough to know when he was laying down a load of bull.

  “Don’t play with me. I want to know, and I want to know now.”

  The background noise lowered, as if he’d moved to a more secluded area. “I assigned you to a location where you stood the highest probability of securing the target.”

  “And now you’re flat-out lying to me.” Ruby drummed her fingernails against the table. “Come on, Dmitri, this is me you’re talking to. You know as well as I do there’s no way this thing is going to hunt in a place like this.”

  Silence filled the space between them. “We’ll talk about this later.”

  “We’ll talk about this now. Where are you?”

  He grumbled something too low for her to hear over the background noise. “Frenesi.”

  “Good. I’ll meet you at the port side entrance in five.”

  She disconnected before he had the chance to object. Without a doubt, this wasn’t going to be pretty. Dmitri had a short fuse under normal circumstances. By the time she reached him upstairs, he’d probably be madder than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

  Steeling her courage, she stashed her phone in her purse and rose from her seat. “Watch my drink,” she told Jack. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

  A woman on a mission, she stalked out of the karaoke bar and headed toward the stairs.

  Two floors later, she stepped onto deck nine and marched toward Frenesi.

  She sensed Jack’s presence about twenty feet behind, close enough to maintain visual contact but far enough away to provide a buffer. Odds are he wanted to watch her back, in the event things got ugly with Dmitri. The knowledge left her with mixed emotions. Flattered because he wanted to protect her, but offended by his assumption she’d require his assistance.

  Rounding the corner, she found Dmitri standing outside the entrance of the nightclub. His back leaned against the far wall, his thumbs hooked in the belt loops of his black jeans. The gray shirt he wore clung to his torso, accentuating his muscular frame. On the outside his demeanor appeared aloof and relaxed, but the glint in his eyes gave away the predator that lurked beneath the surface. When he saw her approaching he checked his watch, and a look of impatience crossed his face.

  “Make it fast. We don’t have time to screw around.”

  “All you have to do is answer my question. Why am I wasting my time in a dead-end location?”

  “There are no dead-end locations on board.” He met her gaze, his blue eyes giving away nothing. “At this point, we have no idea how the creature hunts. It only makes sense to cover every possible angle.”

  “I’m Southern, not stupid, so quit trying to snow me.” Ruby cocked a hand on her hip, tilted her head a little to the right. “We have limited time and even more limited resources. It doesn’t make sense to have me in a place where there’s little to no chance of finding what we’re looking for. So why did you do it?”

  Brows furrowed and muscles tensed, he pushed off from the wall and straightened to his full height. “It’s not your place to question my authority.”

  “Bullshit.” Refusing to be intimidated, she closed the gap between them. She lowered her voice to avoid attracting unwanted attention. “Dammit, Dmitri, talk to me. Why don’t you trust me anymore? Is it because of Jack?”

  His focus darted over her shoulder for a split second before settling back on her. “What I think of your pet holds no bearing on you.” The lines creasing his brow softened a fraction, but the set of his jaw stayed firm. “I trust you with my life, milashka. Don’t ever doubt that.”

  “Then what is it?”

  He shook his head. “I have my reasons. That’s all you need to know.”

  Through a process of elimination, the answer dawned on her. It wasn’t a matter of trust. It was a matter of protection. He’d done what he could to shield her from danger. It was kind of sweet, when she looked at it that way. Knowing the big lug, he’d never own up to it, but she still gave him points for the effort.

  “Dmitri, you have to let me help. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

  “I’m well aware of your ability, and under normal circumstances I would agree,” he said, his voice gruff and unyielding. “But you have no idea how dangerous this creature can be. I’ve been trained to deal with this shit. You haven’t. You’re not prepared.”

  “If it’s that dangerous, you’re going to need all the help you can get.” She reached out and wrapped her hand around his forearm. “You can’t cover everything on your own. There isn’t enough time. Besides, it’s not like it can kill me or anything.”

  “True, but there are some fates far worse than death.” He frowned. “I would hate for you to discover this firsthand.”

  She wanted to ask him what he meant by his last statement, but the question evaporated from her thoughts when she sensed a pulse of mortality.

  Dmitri stiffened. “You catch that?”

  She nodded. A faint buzz haunted the air, the harbinger of a pending expiration. It carried a trace of familiarity, which narrowed the field of potential candidates. Without another word, she turned on her heel and they both hurried down the corridor leading back to the stairs.

  “Come on,” she said to Jack as they strode past. “We don’t have much time.”

  “Time for what?” Jack quickly fell in step with her strides, staying a few feet behind since the hall wasn’t wide enough for three people to walk abreast.

  “Somebody’s about to cash out.” She picked up the pace when the call of death intensified, spurred by the instinctual need to track the signal to its source. Down the stairs and across the lobby, the pulse grew stronger with each passing step. It buzzed in her blood by the time she entered the Nautical Mile.

  “There.” She pointed to a mass of people standing near the center of the room.

  Dmitri took the lead, cutting a path through the crowd until they reached their target.

  “Oh, no.” Ruby placed a hand to her throat, her heart knotted tight in her chest.

  One of the waitresses was crouched down beside Adele, trying to get the old woman to drink a sip of water. Eyes glassy, Adele waved the beverage away. “Where’s my Louis?” she croaked, her vo
ice barely audible over the noise of the crowd.

  “I’m right here, darling.” Louis knelt by her side. His bottom lip trembled as he took his wife’s hand and held it between his own. “Now you just relax. The doctor will be here any minute. He’ll take real good care of you.”

  “Don’t waste the man’s time, honey,” Adele said, her breath coming in shallow pants. Her life force was fading fast, flickering like a light bulb during an electrical storm. “There’s nothing he can do.” Her gaze drifted up, locking on Ruby. The strangest expression crossed her face, a mixture of fear and resignation. “Are you here for me?”

  Ruby swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. In all her years as a reaper, she’d never dealt with a natural death, much less the death of someone she’d previously encountered. This wasn’t her problem. Not her department. And yet she couldn’t bring herself to leave the old woman before the end arrived. She had no idea if Adele recognized her as a reaper, so she simply ignored her question.

  “You’re going to be all right.” She sat down on the floor across from Louis. The pulse of mortality hummed in her veins, the tenor slightly different from what she was accustomed to, a softer note from the same song. It wouldn’t be long before the old woman crossed over. “Don’t waste your time fiddling with me, Adele. Why don’t you tell your sweet man how much you love him?”

  Adele twisted her head toward Louis and smiled. “I do, you know. More than anything in the world.” The smile turned into a grimace as the call of death reached a crescendo.

  “I love you too, sweetheart.” Her husband’s voice cracked. “You stay with me, you hear? The doctor’s going to be here any minute.” He bent down and pressed a tender kiss to Adele’s lips, and Ruby blinked back tears.