“We.” She paused and looked around at her sister’s still training in the field nearby. “We pass our customs on from generation to generation. Knowing we can leave this earth anytime. That is how we stave off mortality. I shall pass my knowledge on, what was passed to me, and what I have learned in this life to others. My missions in this life, my fate with you, I will pass this on and in doing so I will immortalize the Daughters of Eve.”
“And what about the Brothers?” Elle asked.
Tabitha shook her head. “They strayed, as men often do. They view power and strength as something to possess.” She shrugged. “They must grasp it and hold it tightly.” She made a fist. “It kills it, if held to tightly. Like anything else living, once you hold it too tightly, grasping it to you never to let it go, to grow and live. It dies. That is what some of the Sons of Adam have become. Not all, some hold to the old ways as the majority of the Daughters have,” she sighed. “But most have turned and believe a seat on the Tribunal will give them the power they so desperately desire. Give them the immortality they think they rightly deserve.”
“So that is what they ultimately want? A seat on the Tribunal?” Elle asked.
Tabitha nodded. “Yes and it is being dangled in front of them like a shiny lure they cannot resist. But the price is too high.”
She was almost afraid to ask. “What is the price?”
A commotion and alarm caused Tabitha to jump to her feet. She grabbed Elle and pulled her to her feet as well. “Go back to your quarters and lock the door.”
“Why?” Elle yelled over the sound of the alarms blaring.
“Because we are being invaded.” Tabitha shouted over the alarms before she started running, dragging Elle by the hand. Emotions Elle wasn’t prepared for bombarded her. Fear and rage made her stumble as she threw up more walls. Tabitha stopped. “Elle what’s wrong?”
Elle shook her hands. “I’m fine! Go! Go!”” she stumbled along.
She was half way to her room, when she felt it. The calm, the lack of emotion settle around her like a blanket around her soul. Elle stopped dead in her tracks. She hesitated for just a moment as the familiar sensations wrapped around her.
“Victor.” The name whispered from her lips. Elle tried to remind herself he didn’t love her like she loved him. He had lied to her, about her soul. And if he had lied to her about that what else could he have lied to her about? But in the end her heart won out and she turned and ran toward the feeling letting it encompass her, gods she had missed him so much. All her walls fell, all her worries collapsed. She didn’t notice the men and women fighting. Or the fact it was Trackers and Reapers, or that they stopped and followed her. Or that they called to her, she was totally focused on getting to Victor.
When she got to the clearing where Victor was, Tabitha had him on his knees his blond head forward and a sword and his throat. Elle let out a scream as she threw her body into the fight.
Victor looked up just in time to catch Elle as she threw herself at him. But it was also the same time the crazy bitch Tabitha was trying to bash his damn fool head in. Luckily Tabitha didn’t want to hurt Elle and she changed the direction of her swing, and he grunted as he swerved out of the way of the butt of her sword trying to put a dent in his skull at the same time as he cushioned the impact of Elle plowing into him.
Elle knocked the air out of him. Stunned, he lay in the dirt for several seconds, incapable of stopping her from crawling away.
“Have you lost your mind Tabitha? You could have killed him!” Elle bellowed at the bitch who had definitely tried to put him to sleep for a while. Making Victor smile. It wouldn’t have killed him, but it definitely would have fucking hurt.
“He’s immortal!” Tabitha bellowed back.
“I don’t give a damn. What where you trying to do? Bash his brains in?” Elle stomped her foot sending dirt over Victor and making him cough
Tabitha moved with lightning speed. A speed Victor, who was still recovering, couldn’t match. She was standing over him when she kicked him in the stomach and he curled in on himself cursing her. “Why are you here? How are you here?” She kicked him again. “Call off the Neanderthal’s you brought with you, NOW!” she bellowed over him. Victor flipped her off. It was all he was capable of, as she continued to attack him.
“Stop kicking him,” Elle said putting herself between him and Tabitha. “Oh my gods! Get up and defend yourself,” Elle said, pleading with Victor.
Victor blinked through his pain. “I’m trying,” he said through his teeth. He was bleeding from a cut on his neck. And he was pretty sure he had a concussion, from being cold-cocked by the bitch as he had come to call Tabitha. She had already slammed the butt of the sword into his skull once. He had broken ribs, an arrow wound to the left shoulder getting into the place. And a plethora of other wounds, plus the wounds to his back were still healing. Elle had slammed into him so hard he wasn’t breathing right.
Yeah, he was a mess and Tabitha looked like she wanted to put a bullet in him. Or that sword in him, or try and cut his head off. Then he looked up into Elle’s golden brown eyes and his wounds were forgotten. Damn he was glad to see her.
He rolled to his feet and grabbed her pulling her into his arms. “Don’t ever, do you hear me, ever run from me again,” he whisper-growled into her ear.
She tried to pull away from him but he wouldn’t let her go. “I wasn’t the one who left, remember?” She said in her defense but he wasn’t going to argue with her about it.
“I’ve got her,” he said quietly knowing his brothers would hear him and stop their fighting and come to him from wherever they were. “And I didn’t want to leave, dammit.” He muttered.
“We see that,” Garrett said coming to stand next to Victor. Soon the clearing held several Reapers, and Trackers, Celeste, and Marcus.
“Helena?” Elle tried to pull out of Victor’s arms but he wouldn’t release her. He wasn’t sure he was ever going to let her go again.
“Just give me another minute. I missed you,” he whispered. He couldn’t bring himself to release her just yet and held her close breathing in her scent. Elle melted into him at his words she had missed him too. And she had to admit the feeling of being in his arms felt right. But part of her still hurt, if maybe just a little.
“You left me,” she said again quietly so only he could hear. But he grunted. And Elle closed her eyes and burrowed into his chest.
“We’ll discuss it later, right now I just need to feel you close to me.” Victor said squeezing her.
Tabitha was screaming at someone, probably Skylar. “They are going to kill each other soon.”
“I don’t care,” Victor said. But after another minute of holding her close he pulled away and they faced the group.
Skylar was indeed in Tabitha’s face. “What in the name of all the gods made you think taking Elle was good idea?”
“I don’t recall asking for your approval,” she barked getting right into the Trackers face. “And don’t expect me to ever ask for your approval.”
“We had everything under control.” Sky looked ready to tear her apart.
“Really?” Tabitha laughed, but the sound was bitter and hard. “Because from the information you were giving Elle and me you had nothing under control. In fact, you had less than nothing under control. You were shipping her around like a sack of potatoes, and telling her even less.”
Elle needed to defuse the situation and stepped forward, but Victor stopped her. “We’re leaving.”
“What?” She tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let her. “No wait, we have a plan,” she told Victor.
“Who is we?” Victor demanded. “We as in the crazy bitch who wants to use you like Aldon? Who took you from me?”
“What?” Elle asked at the same time Tabitha did.
“I didn’t take her from you,” Tabitha snarled. “She didn’t have to go with me. I gave her a choice. Something none of you males did. Tell them, Elle.”
Victor t
urned to her and Elle swallowed. “I went with her willingly. I wasn’t being told anything. I have been safe here. And I am not going anywhere until the situation is resolved.”
Victor wasn’t listening. He grabbed Elle and steered her toward the way they had come in. “I don’t give a shit, we are leaving. I don’t trust the bitch.” He threw over his shoulder.
Elle tried to yank her arm free but he had her back in his arms and he would be damned if he was going to let her go.
Elle dug in her heels. “Victor, stop! You don’t know what you are talking about.”
“We can talk once you are safe,” Victor told her.
She gave him a look that told him she thought he was nuts. “I have been safe here for the last week. They have been able to handle the attacks. Aldon is following the rules of the Daughters of Eve.”
Victor looked like had seen a ghost. “He has attacked?” he shouted.
Elle regretted saying anything.
“We are leaving,” he said pulling her in close again.
“She is safe here,” Tabitha said just as loud. “Or did you miss the part, where she said Aldon’s attacks have been ineffective? This is hallowed ground, the Freaks can’t get in here. And Aldon wouldn’t dare desecrate this land.”
Victor wasn’t even going to answer those stupid questions. Elle was in danger, as long as Aldon was after her she was in danger and he needed to keep her safe.
“You should ask him about your soul. And that special enzyme,” Tabitha said.
Elle sighed heavily wishing Tabitha would just stop talking. Couldn’t she just give Elle a moment to gather her thoughts?
Elle turned to Victor but the look he gave her made her pause. “Which is it?” she advanced on him. When Victor took a step away from her she felt like she was going to throw up.
“I was going to explain about the enzyme to you. I didn’t want to upset you. You have enough on your plate,” Victor said.
“And my soul?” Elle asked trying to keep from crying. She was not going to cry, she promised herself.
Victor grabbed her. “That is something we will discuss when we are alone. Tabitha should mind her damn business, when it comes to your soul. And especially, mine. She needs to back the hell off.” Actually about the souls Elle couldn’t agree more, so she nodded.
Victor glared at the group. “How many attacks have there been?” he demanded from Tabitha.
Tabitha snorted. “I don’t have to tell you anything.”
“Oh, for the love of the gods.” Elle threw her hands in the air. “Just explain it to him.”
“He has demanded we hand Elle over to him three different times, and each time we have rejected his requests. And after the rejections he has sent in a group of four to six Freaks. But they cannot cross into our land,” Tabitha explained.
“Why?” Victor asked.
Tabitha sighed and rolled her eyes, obviously hating having to answer any questions Victor asked. “Because this is hallowed ground and if he desecrates it his life will be forfeited as will his Freaks.”
“Really?” Victor couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “The same way he should be killed for what he is trying to do to Elle? Or the way you said you were going to kill him originally?”
Tabitha growled at him. “Don’t you dare throw our laws at me. You don’t know anything about our laws. And until you do, Reaper, you should keep your opinions and your mouth shut. Before I shut if for you.”
Victor dropped Elle’s hand and advanced on the bitch, Christian grabbed him before he did something stupid.
“Don’t stop him.” Tabitha laughed just out of arm’s reach. “Do you think I’m afraid of him?”
“Tabitha, you realize he could reach inside of you and take your soul don’t you?” Christian asked. “Without a Ringer you would live but you wouldn’t enjoy it.”
Victor took little joy in seeing fear flit through those green eyes. All he wanted was to get Elle out of here. Then he wanted to sleep. Reapers didn’t need to sleep often, but gods, he was tired. The thought of pulling Elle into his arms and just relaxing and sleeping, sounded like a slice of heaving to him.
Helena had come over. “Elle what the hell are you doing with the Daughters of Eve?”
Elle glared at her sister which made Victor smile. “Why the hell do you care?”
Helena glared right back. “Because I do that’s why. The last time we talked, you were with the Reapers. You were fighting.”
“What the hell do you think she is doing with us?” Tabitha interrupted.
“You are going to use her to get into the Tribunal,” Helena snapped.
Tabitha turned on Helena. “And who the hell are you?”
For all the irritation between Helena and Elle, Helena was still Elle’s sister and Elle grabbed Helena and pushed the woman behind her standing up to Tabitha. “Don’t talk to her like that, she’s my sister. Helena.”
Tabitha actually took a step back. “Sorry Elle,” Tabitha looked around Elle’s shoulder and nodded at Helena. “Pleasure to meet you.” It was the nicest Tabitha had ever been to someone, outside of the Daughters, that Victor had ever seen.
Helena flipped her off, which Victor had come to realize was a favorite form a communication with the woman. “Get away from my sister.”
“Mother of the gods. Why does everyone think I have it out for Elle?” Tabitha asked the group in general.
“Maybe, because you kidnapped her from the group keeping her safe.” Skylar threw out for the group.
“Keeping her safe?” Tabitha laughed. “And by the way, nobody is talking to you Tracker.”
Elle threw her hands in the air. “Are we back to this again?”
“No, because we don’t need to revisit anything. We are leaving.” Victor tried to grab Elle, but she avoided him.
“Victor, the Daughters of Eve are not trying to control me. They have a good plan to destroy Aldon.” Elle pleaded with him. “And if anyone is asking, I’m safe. Hello? Isn’t that what’s important?”
“We do not work with men,” Tabitha snarled between her teeth.
The look Elle gave her nearly made Victor snort. “Seriously?” Elle barked.
“Well that answers that,” Victor said, happy Tabitha had said what she said, and now they could all move on. He grabbed Elle’s hand and pulled her to him. “Let’s get out of here.”
She came quietly into his arms. “I can’t go Victor.”
“Elle.” he growled.
“Their plan is a solid one,” she admitted to him with a sigh. Then turned to Tabitha. “They are here to help. Surely, the more the merrier? The less the risk to the sisters, right?”
Victor snarled low when Elle said that and Tabitha nodded. The last thing he wanted was to put his life on the line for this bitch. For Elle he would do it without a qualm, but for Tabitha? He wasn’t sure he would walk across the street to put her out if she were on fire.
Nope.
He wouldn’t.
Especially, when she agreed to his help, if it only meant less risk for her and her precious sisters.
“Who said we were willing to work with them?” he said to Elle. Because he damn well hadn’t.
Elle turned to him, her beautiful golden eyes beseeching. “I’m tired Victor.” And he could see it in her eyes and she had him and they both new it. “I’m tired of holding my walls up. Of fighting off Freaks and watching over my shoulder. We need to end this. Do you have a plan?”
“Damn it, Elle. We would if we didn’t have to run all over the mortal plane to try and find you.” He pushed a hand through his hair.
“You didn’t have a plan before then. We were running scared before that. Admit it.” He damn well wouldn’t admit to anything, she must have read it in his eyes.
“Why do you make it harder than it needs to be?” he demanded instead.
“Me?” she asked. “I am not making it harder. You are being impossible. Not me.”
“Do you have any idea what we ha
ve gone through to find you?” he asked, right back. “If you could have just done as you were told.”
Ryder snorted. “Ah now you’ve gone and done it you dumb ass.”
Victor noticed several women who were standing behind Tabitha shake their heads and take several steps back.
Elle sucked in a breath. Her mouth opened and closed several times, not actually able say anything for a moment.
It should have been a sign for him to keep his big mouth shut but he didn’t.
Celeste stepped forward and put a hand on his forearm “Victor maybe you should take a moment.” Victor shook it off.
“Do you have any idea how worried I was? What could have happened to you? I told you, I was coming back! Why do you always have to push the envelope? Why can you never just do as you’re told? None of this would have been necessary.” Victor threw his hands up; he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and take her to the Infernos and lock her up where she would be safe. But he couldn’t even do that; he was trapped here on the mortal plane where she was forever in danger. He was so upset he didn’t see the danger right in front of him.
“Excuse me?” Elle asked her voice had dropped to a near whisper. “Done as I was told? Like a good little girl?” She pushed him. But Victor refused to give an inch. And stood his ground, she could push him all she liked. Everything he was doing was to keep her safe, didn’t she see that?
“Yes dammit. Is it that hard?” he leaned down so they were nose to nose.
“Yes!” she practically shrieked. Making everyone step back but Victor. “I have spent the last, gods only know how many years, doing exactly what I was told to do. And do you know what that has done for me?” she asked. She didn’t wait for him to answer. “It made me a sitting duck, for that bastard, Aldon! And weak. So weak, the only thing capable of protecting me, was you.” Her voice dropped, to a near whisper “And even you left me, when I needed you most.”
Reaper Mine: A Reaper Novel Page 22
