Light the Shadows (A Grimm Novel)

by Clay, Michelle

  Azrael’s lips twitched, and Sully was unsure whether he was fighting a smile or frown. “Someone has to take Thomas’s place.”

  “And if she doesn’t want to?”

  Death tapped the pen’s point against the book and gave Sully a meaningful look. His murky gaze drifted to the crusty blood on his chest. “Then I will send you after her, Reaper.”

  Sully pursed his lips and glanced at the books piled around them. “How long does she have to do this?”

  Azrael smiled. “As long as I deem necessary.”

  “For how long?” Sully asked, refusing to back down.

  “For as long as she accepts the responsibility of the Grimm.” Blue eyes stared up at him, unblinking and emotionless. “Your friend Thomas grew bored with his task. He begged for an end.”

  “No.” Sully shook his head, unable to believe this. Thomas had always done what was expected of him. He’d taken the title of Grimm very seriously. “I don’t believe you.”

  Seeming to read his mind, Azrael said, “I’m afraid it’s true. I gave him a chance, sent him back, but nothing changed.”

  “What did you do?” Sully couldn’t control the seething anger that pushed him up and out of the spindly chair. He’d known Thomas struggled a bit, that he’d burned out, but Sully hadn’t realized just how much.

  Azrael didn’t look up as he penned another name. “I returned his mortality, wrote his name, and allowed the shadows to have at him. Fitting, don’t you agree?”

  Sully fumed at Azrael. His fists clenched at his sides, and he struggled to keep from wrapping them around the smug bastard’s throat.

  “They convinced him to swallow an entire bottle of pills. By the end, he would have done anything to make them leave him alone.”

  “Why did you bring me here?” Sully asked. “Is my time up? Did you write me into your big book of names?”

  “I called you here to warn you.” Azrael continued to write without looking up. “Do not stand in my way. I won’t allow you to decide whether the girl accepts the burden of the Grimm or not. Do you understand? It is her choice to make.”

  Sully leaned over the desk so that he towered over the man seated behind it. “Send me back.”

  Azrael lifted a brow. “Has reaping souls not grown too tiresome? I’m offering you an easy way out. I can have one of the shepherds lead you to your final destination.”

  “You send me back. Now.” Sully slammed his fist down on the desk to get Death’s attention. A few of the books sitting on the corner slid to the floor. The derby hat toppled along with them. Azrael’s eyes widened momentarily.

  “Very well.” Azrael searched through the pages of the book until he found the entry he was looking for. He erased most of the name until all that was left was James S. “Are you certain?”

  “When I reach that door, you’d better have me back at Micah’s side, or so help me…” Sully snarled in warning.

  Azrael erased the name. He smiled, the action warming his features a bit. “I am proud of you. You’ve chosen the right path.”

  He glared over his shoulder. “I don’t give a shit if you’re over the moon, old man.”

  Azrael leaned over to pick up his fallen hat. In a voice full of warning, he said, “She inhabits a mortal body.”

  “She could die,” Sully said the words as though they’d left a terrible taste in his mouth. “The shadows have an advantage over her.”

  “Yes, that does pose a disadvantage, doesn’t it?” Azrael sighed. “It seems the dynamics were disrupted when she jumped into a body that wasn’t her own.”

  “You need to fix this, Azrael. It’s unfair to ask her to do the Grimm’s duties if she’s at risk of dying.” Sully strode toward the door that led from the office. Without another glance at Azrael, he slung the door wide open.

  ****

  Micah’s fingers caressed his cheek, and she dropped a kiss on his forehead. She was crying. He could hear her soft sobs, and it tore at his heart.

  She gently scooted his head off her lap and laid him on the cool wooden floor. In a low voice full of warning, she said, “You may want to stand back, Anna.”

  Sully’s eyes fluttered open, and his stomach pitched. The number of shadows had grown since he’d been gone. The sound level in the room had grown to an unbearable level. Shadows darted about, their wails and moans growing louder as they drew closer.

  Micah moved away, her back to him. He tried to speak, to call out to her, but nothing passed his lips.

  Anna’s features filled his view. She shouted, “Micah! He’s back!”

  Micah turned to look, and relief swallowed her features. A ghoulish shadow with no eyes in its hollow sockets shambled toward her. Another snarled as it came at her fast and low. Micah’s arm lashed out just in time to stop the shadow from knocking her down. White light danced from her fingertips onto the spirit’s chest, and he disappeared. The eyeless one simply disappeared without being prompted.

  Just then, a particularly nasty shadow of a burned woman grasped Micah’s arm and slung her against the wall next to Thomas. Dazed, Micah slid down the wall and didn’t move for several seconds.

  Sully scrambled up to his feet and ran at the remaining shadows. His blade felt heavy and dangerous in his hand as he slashed at them again and again. Driven by his anger at Azrael, he thinned them down to a more manageable number.

  Thomas gripped Micah’s shoulder, not to bring harm, but to prevent her from leaving his side. He pointed to the floorboard at his feet. “Your weapon is there.”

  Micah fell to her knees then began pulling at the board. It wouldn’t budge.

  Anna yelled, “It’s too dangerous, Micah. We’ve got to get out of here.”

  “Watch out!” Sully made a path through the lingering shadows until he reached Micah and Thomas. Swinging his blade downward, he buried it in the plank of wood then yanked it up and out of the floor.

  Thomas’s short dagger lay in a hidden compartment beneath the board. Its ebony hilt was encircled by small skulls made of bone. Their empty, hollow eyes stared up at them with silent menace.

  “The dagger is yours now,” Thomas said then disappeared into the wall behind them.

  A shadow grabbed Sully and yanked him backward, away from Micah. Several more rushed toward her.

  “No!” Anna screamed. “Don’t touch it!”

  Micah’s hand hovered over the hole in the floor, her gaze darting from Anna then back to Sully. Uncertainty flickered in her mismatched eyes.

  Sully cursed under his breath. If she picked up the weapon, Azrael would own her. If she didn’t, she would die by the shadows’ hands. Or Azrael would punish them both by writing her name into his book of the dead. Either way, she was fucked.

  Micah snatched the dagger from its hiding place then winced.

  Anna’s mouth flopped open to shout at her then snapped shut. It was too late. One of the skulls encircling the handle must have pricked Micah’s palm. A crimson bead of blood ran down the hilt, past the blade, all the way to the tip. It splattered on the dusty wood floor at Micah’s feet.

  “Oh no, what have you done?” Anna whispered just before blinking out of sight.

  Beautiful and fierce, Micah turned to meet the shadows that had crept closer. The look on her face was one of determination. She slashed at one shadow then gasped when light shimmered from the gash she’d made in its chest. This light was unlike the one that came from Micah’s fingers. This was more of a burning light, a reddish glow that reminded Sully of hellfire. Within seconds, the angry spirit burst into a cloud of shadows and light then was gone.

  Some of the shadows cursed at this then disappeared. The braver few stayed, creeping ever closer. One in particular, a woman in a police uniform, stood back from the rest. She watched Micah with open curiosity. She did not join the others when they advanced on Micah and Sully.

  Pressing his back to Micah’s, Sully defended against the onslaught of shadows. Micah was practically panting by the time they’d fought off
the greater number. The three remaining swirled and drifted around the room, angry and agitated. The female cop continued to look on.

  After a few seconds, the cop took a step closer. She held up a hand to indicate she meant them no harm.

  Micah tucked her shoulder against Sully’s side. The dagger had disappeared, and Sully suspected it had become a part of her just like the scythe had become a part of him. Blood was the binding contract. Azrael would be pleased.

  “What happened to the spirits you used the dagger on?” the cop asked as she looked at Micah suspiciously.

  Micah cast a doubtful glance at Sully before answering. “I’m not sure.”

  Sully edged his shoulder slightly in front of Micah to prevent the shadow from reaching her if it lashed out. He said, “It destroys them.”

  The cop pursed her lips then touched fingers to her stomach where three prominent dark spots stained the uniform. Her brows knit in anger and pain. Features hardening, she strode forward.

  Sully’s gut clenched. Bullet wounds. He knew a little something about that, and it was enough to make anyone bitter. Sully’s grip tightened on the scythe’s handle.

  “And the white light?” The woman’s gaze drifted past him to rest on Micah’s hands, which now hung at her sides.

  Micah didn’t skip a beat. “Peace.”

  “I think I’d like that.” The cop inched even closer. Her shoulders relaxed, and she sighed. “Peace, an end to this imitation of existence.”

  Micah nodded in acquiescence. She opened her arms to the cop, who stepped closer then swallowed her in a hug. The taller woman had to stoop to put her arms around Micah. Her head rested on Micah’s shoulder, eyes closed and a slight smile on her face. A single tear trailed down her cheek.

  “Thank you,” the cop whispered as brilliant white light spread from Micah, across her shoulders. It continued to swallow her in its radiance until both she and Micah were absorbed by it.

  Sully took a shaky step toward them and shielded his eyes. He could no longer distinguish anything but the light. Suddenly, it blazed brighter then winked out.

  Sagging against Sully’s side, Micah cast a suspicious glance around the room. “Where did the others go?”

  He stroked fingers through her hair and marveled at the tender emotions Micah brought out in him. These emotions were too new and unfamiliar. He wasn’t so sure he liked this gentle, tender side. It made him vulnerable. “You didn’t see? The white light surrounded you and our cop friend. They reached out to touch her, willingly going with her.”

  Just then, Thomas St. Clair drifted into the room. He smiled, but the expression did not reach his eyes. His baby blues were downcast and a bit sorrowful. “No wonder Azrael was quick to search her out.”

  Micah narrowed her gaze on Sully’s friend. “What do you mean?”

  Thomas shrugged. “The light in you is the strongest I’ve seen in ages. When Sully was here last time, I saw him looking through the journals for information regarding Grimms. I knew he’d found my replacement.”

  “You knew and didn’t say anything?” Micah jerked out of Sully’s reach.

  He didn’t like the hurt and accusation in her voice. “I suspected, but wasn’t sure.”

  Wounded anger danced in Micah’s eyes. “And you didn’t bother to clue me in.”

  Sully turned his attention back to Thomas. “You were here that night? Why didn’t you show yourself?”

  “It’s complicated, Sullivan.” Thomas shook his head. “I had a million things I wanted to tell you. I wanted to warn you about the shadows because I knew they’d come after you, but I couldn’t.”

  “Why?” Sully’s fist clenched at his side as he struggled to tamp down his growing anger.

  “I’m a shadow now.” Thomas’s bark of laughter was loud in the small study. “I have been such a fool, Sullivan. I refused to cross over because I wanted to see you, to talk to you, my closest friend. But the darkness, this melancholy fury, just creeps up on you when you become a shadow. It seeps into my soul, and I can’t shake it. I have become what I hate. What you hate.”

  Thomas drifted backward when Sully took a step toward him. He turned his head toward Micah then beckoned to her. “Come, child, put me out of my misery.”

  Micah glared at Thomas. “How do I get rid of this light?”

  “You can’t.” He seemed saddened to admit it. “You’ve been chosen by Azrael himself. It is an honor. The moment you took the dagger, your fate was sealed.”

  She stared down at her splayed fingers and frowned. “But I don’t want it. I don’t want to see shadows and ghosts. I don’t want to know about Reapers or Grimms. I just want a normal life, or as close to it as I can get.”

  Sully’s heart lurched in his chest. Micah wanted a normal life that wouldn’t include him, a Reaper? He turned from the woman who tugged at his heartstrings and his best friend then moved toward the balcony.

  He ignored the loss that clutched at his heart. He’d see her through this then move on, give her what she desired.

  “Sully!” Micah screamed, real fear in her voice.

  Sully whipped around just in time to see a mass of black shadows flood the room. Cursing, he ran toward her with the scythe in his hand. He wasn’t going to reach her in time.

  Micah threw up her hands in an effort to ward them off, but nothing happened.

  “Leave her alone!” Thomas put himself between the malicious spirits and Micah. They laughed at his heroism.

  The mass of shadows swooped down, parting into two groups. One grabbed Thomas and dragged him through the walls. Before he disappeared, he yelled at Sully, “Get her out of here!”

  The other group dove at Micah. She grabbed one of the mangled spirits and shoved it away from her as white light danced from her fingertips. When it came at her again, it was met with the dagger. Its wail of agony echoed throughout the room before it burst into nothingness. The other shadows disappeared.

  Micah swayed as if she might pass out.

  “Micah?”

  She hit the floor before he reached her.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “She’ll be okay.” Sully said softly as he leaned over to brush the hair out of Micah’s face. His touch was tender as he caressed her cheek. Finally, he pulled the blanket up over her curled body then stood. “She’s just exhausted.”

  Micah was awake, but hadn’t opened her eyes yet. She felt drained, like even lifting her eyelids would take too much energy. For now, she was content to just lie there and listen to Sully and Anna bicker.

  “Wait, where are you going?” Anna’s voice was high and panicky.

  Sully’s footsteps carried him to the doorway. “To look for Thomas. He’s become a shadow, and the others took him.”

  Finally, Micah opened her eyes. Sully’s back was to her. Though she loved the view of his ass in those jeans, she really wished she could see his face. Something had changed between them. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it was evident in the way he looked at her and touched her. It was almost like he was memorizing her every detail because he was about to say goodbye forever.

  “You can’t just leave her like this,” Anna said with a hint of resentment in her voice. “She needs you.”

  His dark chuckle held no humor. “Maybe I’ll see you around, kid.”

  Micah struggled to push the suffocating blankets off and sit up. Her throat was dry and scratchy. She wasn’t even sure her voice would work. “Sully, wait!”

  Too late. The front door shut with a soft bang behind him. His boots thumped a quick rhythm down the front steps and possibly out of her life forever.

  She felt hung over, or in a medicinal daze like she’d felt when she’d first awoken from the coma. Her limbs were heavy and sluggish, her mind foggy. “What just happened?”

  Anna frowned at her then eased onto the corner of the bed. “I’m not sure. Sully said you did too much, too soon. Maybe you used too much energy?”

  Micah threw her legs off the bed then wai
ted for the room to stop spinning. “He’s coming back, isn’t he?”

  “Didn’t sound like it.” Anna didn’t meet her gaze. She also didn’t sound too torn up about it.

  Micah’s voice crackled with emotion. “I need him.”

  Anna pursed her lips, but said nothing in response. Instead, she drifted over to the bedroom window and peered out the blinds.

  Micah showered then dressed. She’d just chowed down on a granola bar and apple when Anna reappeared in the kitchen. The ghost followed her out the front door and watched in silence as she dialed Sully’s number. It went straight to voicemail.

  “What are you doing?” Anna asked as she got into the car with Micah. “Sully said you should rest.”

  “Since when do you listen to anything Sully says?”

  “He’s in love with you.” Anna said in her most matter-of-fact voice. “And he’s right. You do need to rest.”

  Micah’s cheeks heated, and she turned her face away. “If he’s in love with me, why does it feel like he walked out for good?”

  Anna stared out the window at the buildings as they blurred past. “I don’t know, Micah. Maybe it had something to do with your tirade about wanting a normal life that didn’t include Reapers and shadows.” She sighed then said, “Or ghosts.”

  Micah smacked her palm against the steering wheel. “Damn it, Anna. I didn’t mean it literally. You know I didn’t.”

  “Yeah, I know you can be a little hotheaded,” Anna said as Micah blew through two yellow lights then stopped in front of Thomas’s apartment building. “Maybe Sully’s just giving you some room to breathe.”

  Micah released a slow, calming breath. “Yeah? Then why does it feel like I’m suffocating?”

  When she opened the car door and threw a leg out, Anna’s cool ghost touch fluttered down her arm. “Sully isn’t here. His bike is gone.”

  Micah frowned, wondering just how he’d gotten here in the first place. He’d driven her home in the Mini Cooper last night. Seeming to read her mind, Anna said, “Reapers have their little tricks.”