In Love with a Shadow

by Carmen Fox

  “I tried.” I glanced down. “But I couldn’t find the way.”

  “Let us get out of here, and I’ll explain it to you. There’s so much I need to teach you.”

  “The Council believes you betrayed them,” Max said. “You must contact them now.”

  Dad looked at me and his new friends. “I don’t think I will. To survive the Eternal Night, I had to reach deep and unbind my powers. It’s like being reborn.” He stretched his arms out. “Let them come after me.”

  One of the Shadows placed a hand on Dad’s shoulder. “Let them come after us.”

  Dad shot him a smile, and nothing about it was forced.

  “This is going to change things, isn’t it?” I whispered to Max.

  “Yes, but not between us.”

  I kissed Max’s cheek then hooked my arm into Dad’s. “Come on then, you rebel.”

  We walked toward the exit. First Adisa and then Max filed in behind us with the four other Shadows forming the rear. No ghosts accosted us, but with our combined power, only the suicidal would try.

  Dad explained how Gardiner had lured him by playing on his brotherly love. Then, my uncle had snagged a Shadow and forced the others to step into the Eternal Night on the promise of letting their friend live. The same trick he’d tried to pull on Max and me. I felt a little better about killing him after that.

  The journey back to Earth didn’t feel all that cold or scary.

  “You did well, my little star.” Dad pulled me close. “But we must continue to keep your existence secret. Tough times lie ahead.”

  “What’s going to happen now?”

  “I will resign the second we are out of here. If I hadn’t given up my powers, my brother never would’ve been able to subdue me. Anyway, the Council will not accept my decision without declaring me an enemy, as they did with the Shadow Walkers. But I expect they will halt their war efforts, at least for now.”

  “We’ll be fine, Dad. Besides, we have new allies.” I kept my voice casual. Deliberately so.

  “Yes, we do. You like him?”

  “Very much.”

  “Then I will do my best to like him, too.”

  “Good.” I took a deep, satisfying breath. “You know, I couldn’t remember how to get to the Glory. Then I dropped Adisa’s core. It just got so hot.” I glanced at my traitorous hand. “Maybe you were right. I’m not Reaper material.”

  “Your failure is my fault because I shouldn’t have neglected your studies. Your deeds have proven you’re more than ready. But, first things first.”

  By the time everyone had scrambled down the rock face, I had a pretty good idea of how to get Adisa home.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “Thank you for coming with me,” I whispered to Max, who took halting steps by my side.

  Gray mist stretched as wide as the eye could see, granting only occasional glances at the Earth below us. To me, being here was like coming home. Who cared if walking in this realm took a Herculean effort?

  “Not many Shadows have the privilege of going into the Twilight.” Max ducked, even though nothing was coming at him.

  Well, the Darkness had freaked me out as well, so fair was fair.

  Adisa floated on my left, his little face tense with concentration. He wanted to go ‘home,’ and no one deserved it more. Thanks to Dad’s instructions, I got him back into the Twilight as a ghost, rather than in his goo form. I preferred him that way.

  “There are still many things I don’t understand about Gardiner’s motivations, Max.” I swung our entwined hands between us. “Or about the Darkness and the Eternal Night.”

  “Like what?”

  “How could I dissipate into it? Or why didn’t I die when I should have?”

  “Your father says you are half Reaper, half Shadow Walker. You are protected as your uncle was.”

  “So, Dad told you about my mother, huh? It’s weird. I mean, look at the lengths Gardiner went to in order to become me. Lost his body, became an insurance salesman, turned evil. I’d hate to think he was showing me my future.”

  “I don’t believe this.”

  “Yeah, although I think I would rock being evil.” I grinned.

  “You are too kind to be evil. And losing your body would be a sacrilege. The world would mourn. I would mourn.”

  I nudged him with my shoulder. “Flatterer.”

  “Is that good? Being a flatterer?”

  “Of course.”

  We ambled side-by-side, and even though I was in no hurry to send Adisa away, the boy couldn’t wait.

  I’d grown painfully fond of him. The thought of what a wonderful person he could have grown into choked me. Dad assured me the Glory was a happy place, and that Adisa would find a home there. He’d be loved and cherished. No one deserved it more.

  I sought his gaze, and he beamed at me, oblivious to my thoughts.

  Had he already forgotten his human life?

  Max released my hand and placed his arm over my shoulder instead. “He’ll be okay.”

  I nodded, because words couldn’t squeeze past the knot in my throat.

  Ahead of us, the haze thinned before a soft glimmering. The Glory wasn’t as bright as the sun, but it stole my breath every time. Its magnificent gates rose a mile high, with ornamental gilding stretching all the way. Beyond them, a welcoming warmth beckoned.

  “You’d better stay here.” I touched Max’s arm and walked on, now catching up with Adisa.

  The boy’s steepled hands were in front of his face, barely hiding his smile.

  “This is it.” I crouched before him.

  He nodded and dropped his arms, yet his gaze kept sliding to the gates.

  “Adisa. Listen.” Oh, man. Speaking had suddenly turned painful. “You’ve been so brave. You ventured into the Darkness and the Eternal Night, and helped us save the world.”

  His big eyes focused on me now. “Do you think my momma would be proud?”

  “I bet she already is. And from knowing you for such a short time, I know she loved you very, very much.” I cleared my throat.

  “Don’t be sad. I’m home now.”

  I gave his ghostly form a hug.

  He laughed. “Still tickles.”

  “Okay then.” I rose and stepped up to the gate. “Ready?”

  “Yes.”

  I pulled the golden handle, and the gate opened as easily as my bathroom door. The warm glow exploded into a cacophony of colors. Millions of light spots danced—not blinding me, yet preventing me from seeing anything beyond the gate.

  Adisa’s mouth gaped. He twirled within the brilliance, around and around, his bright laughter lingering even after he’d melted into the light.

  Once he was gone, I pushed the gate shut.

  My hand rested on the handle for a second then I returned to Max.

  He took me in his arms and held me. “Are you well?”

  I rubbed my face. “Yes. Though how Dad can bear doing this every day is beyond me.”

  “Having second thoughts about the training?”

  Dad had insisted it was time. Keeping my existence secret from the Council was one thing, but he felt I owed it to the world to live up to my potential. While he would take care of my reaping skills, Max had asked his friends to instruct me in Shadow work.

  “No second thoughts. Just a little nervous.” I turned my head back toward the Glory.

  “Adisa is okay. He’s home now.”

  I rested my ear against Max’s broad chest. “Yeah. I know.”

  I really did. Adisa’s life had been short, but the impact he’d had on me, on all of us, was huge. Whatever he’d witnessed, whatever else the world had in store, he’d be safe now. Safe and happy.

  Max urged my gaze back to him. “Are you ready to go back? I remember you promised punishment.”

  I gave him a coy look. “I’m not sure what kind of kink your pretty head is hoping for, but I’m a good girl.”

  “For now.” He kissed me before I could backchat.

/>   His mouth brushed mine repeatedly, gently at first, then more forcefully. Upon his urging, I opened myself to him, and his tongue entangled mine. I slung my arms around his neck, deepening our connection.

  He drank me into himself, a desert dweller who’d found his oasis.

  My lips felt bruised, but I couldn’t remove myself from his arms. Not because his embrace was so tight—though it was—but because doing so would be like denying a part of myself. He became an extra pair of limbs to help me scale great heights; a new cluster of nerves to heighten my sensations; a second heart to thump my happiness for the world to hear. The man did all of this to me in these precious seconds.

  As he released me, he smiled his crooked smile.

  Weird how we’d ended up here. Despite my father’s warnings, the Shadow Walkers had turned us around on them.

  I traced Max’s lips with my thumb. “Is this trip everything you hoped it would be?”

  “More. Better.” He tightened his hold around my waist. “It’s perfect.”

  His lifeless eyes held mysteries I couldn’t wait to explore. We’d have to have a serious talk about his pool bunnies, of course, but he’d given every indication I was more than a fleeting interest. A wise choice, given who my dad was.

  But a girl like me didn’t need anyone looking out for her. After all, I too would be a Grim Reaper pretty soon. A Reaper who would be as dedicated as her father and as brave as a little boy she’d never forget.

  A Reaper who was in love with a Shadow.

  The End

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  USA Today Bestselling Author Carmen Fox lives in the south of England with her beloved tea maker and a stuffed sheep called Fergus. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance with heart and sassitude, and loves meeting her readers.

  Discover her books at http://www.carmen-fox.com, or sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/Ut9Cz, where you can also pick up her exclusive novella, Trapped.