“Everything will work out the way it is supposed to in the end,” Elle said with certainty reaching forward and squeezing one of her hands.
Lailah wasn’t sure if she believed her. But she gave her a half smile and tried to let her words reassure her.
Eric and Skylar came in just then. “I think I might have a plan on trying to keep Lailah from being whisked away by her brand,” Eric said with a smile.
“X has been doing some digging on Banner.” Eric explained. “Banner isn’t exactly what he says he is.”
“No shit.” Victor laughed. “We pretty much figured that part out.”
Eric turned to Victor, “Do you want to hear it or not?”
“I would,” Lailah said trying to redirect Eric.
Eric gave Lailah a smile and moved over to the table. “Banner was released from his job about three months ago for showing excessive force.”
“Shocking,” Lailah muttered more to herself than to the group.
Lailah’s comment, however, made Eric laugh. “Yeah, well up till this point Banner had been an exemplary cop. He moved up the ranks fast, was well decorated, but then several months ago just seemed to go off the rails.”
“So what happened to him six months ago?” Lailah asked.
“According to the records.” Eric said, “Banner was shot in the chest, luckily he was wearing his bulletproof vest. But it affected him, he was mandated to take a week off. When he came back he was a different man, a different police officer.”
“So during that week, he was recruited by the Tribunal?” Victor asked.
“Or the life or death experience, was instigated by the Tribunal and they used the week to complete the recruitment,” Hunter added.
“Since when did the Tribunal start recruiting mortals, to do their dirty work?” Skylar asked. “Last I heard the Tribunal thinks mortals are scum. They would think recruiting mortals would be scraping the bottom of the barrel.”
“They would use the mortals as fodder for their war,” Hunter swore. “If it saves lives. Tribunal lives, then I’m sure they would have no trouble recruiting mortals.”
“That’s just sad,” Lailah said.
“Well as interesting as his background is, in case anyone is interested I’m able to track the bastard now, and we might have leads on where Banner is holed up,” Skylar added. “So you guys want to go check it out with me while Eric does his voodoo?”
All the guys moved to leave, but Hunter hesitated looking at Lailah as if he wanted to say something but they had said everything the night before. She didn’t think she could bare another rehash through her emotional closet so she waved him off.
Eric raised an eyebrow at Elle, who shook her head at the Druid. Lailah wasn’t about to go into it with him. “So what’s the plan?” Lailah asked Eric once the others had left.
Eric got a devious look in his eyes, “It came to me last night. That little brand on your palm is a simple kind of calling spell. I’ve been thinking about countering it with a difficult spell. But why not just try countering with something just as simple?”
“Okay,” Lailah said, “I guess that makes sense.”
“It won’t work for long, but it will confuse the caller for a time.” Eric admitted. “So to understand you need to understand how the calling spell in your brand works. The brand is one thing, but the ‘Banner’ that is embedded in the brand part of the caller some of his DNA is in the brand.”
It totally gave Lailah the chills, “So part of Banner is inside of me?”
Eric laughed, “Not inside of you, but inside of the brand.” Eric leaned forward and picked up her hand. “It’s part of the brand.” He ran his thumb over the raised ridges of the brand on her palm. “If removed, those pieces of DNA would go with it.”
That made Lailah feel better, so when she got rid of the brand she wouldn’t be carrying a piece of Banner with her the rest of her life.
“So what are you going to do to stop him from taking her?” Elle asked.
“Don’t freak out,” Eric told Lailah.
Lailah’s heart raced, “You can’t start by saying it like that because then I start freaking out.”
Eric shrugged, “I need to re-brand you.”
“Shit.” Lailah and Elle both said at the same time.
“You are so lucky Hunter and Victor left before you threw out that bomb,” Elle said. “Does Skylar know what you plan on doing?”
Eric nodded “That is why he took them away. I don’t want them here for this.”
“And you don’t know if it will work?” Lailah asked.
“It’s our best chance to keep you from being taken,” Eric said.
“What are the odds?” Lailah asked.
“At best it will give you a couple of days, at worst a couple of hours. If Banner is a very skilled practitioner then he will know he will just need to add blood to his call to get it to be stronger and then he will be able to activate the call,” Eric explained. “But if he isn’t skilled and he is just using the brand because someone showed him how to use it, then you could be free and clear.”
Lailah got up from her chair and walked into the living room. “Banner just pressed the brand into my hand and it hurt but it didn’t burn like a normal brand would. How much would your brand hurt?”
Eric had the nerve to look guilty, “I would have to burn it into your skin, Lailah. I won’t lie. It will hurt.”
“Lailah, I think you should wait and discuss this with Hunter,” Elle suggested.
“No, let’s get it over with,” Lailah said to Eric.
Eric looked between her and Elle. “Are you sure?”
Elle shook her head, “I think we should wait.”
Lailah was already shaking her head, “No, let’s get it over with before I change my mind. If I have to think about it for too long I will chicken out.”
“This is a bad idea,” Elle said following Eric and Lailah back into the kitchen.
“I brought what I needed from the Haven just in case,” Eric said switching the stove on he placed something on the stovetop. “I just need to heat it up, Lailah can you wash your hand for me.”
Lailah moved to her sink and washed her hands, “Lailah are you sure you don’t want to talk to Hunter or Uriel about this?”
“What are they going to tell me?” Lailah asked Elle, “They have no idea what to do. Uriel wants to rush my transition, and Hunter’s main concern is to bring Banner down.”
Elle placed a hand on Lailah’s shoulder, “That’s not true, his concern is for you.”
Lailah wished she knew that was true, last night for a time she had believed Hunter wanted her. But right now after their last discussion, she knew Hunter didn’t want to have anything to do with her. He only wanted Banner, and the souls Banner was somehow stealing from the Infernos. Lailah needed to figure out a way to do this on her own. And she wasn’t about to force her transition, so a new brand, although a horrible solution, sounded like her best option to keep from being snatched by Banner.
“If you are against this, then I understand if you want to leave,” Lailah said to Elle, but she prayed Elle would stay. Because Lailah wasn’t sure if she would be able to make it through this on her own.
“I can’t leave you to go through this alone,” Elle said.
Lailah let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding, “Thank god.” She impulsively hugged Elle. “I was so afraid you would leave.”
Elle rolled her eyes, “Of course I’m not leaving you, but for the record, I think this is a bad idea.”
“Noted,” Lailah said.
“Okay,” Eric said from by the stove. “I’m ready, do you want to have a seat at the table and we can get this done?”
Lailah took a seat and looked at Eric, he had a look of deep concentration on his face. Lailah laid her hand on the table face up.
Eric was holding his new brand down by his side it was glowing white hot. “Are you ready?”
Lailah looked away,
and Elle took her by the other hand. “Just don’t tell me when you are about—” searing pain ripped through her palm, unlike anything Lailah had ever felt in her life. She would have pulled back but Eric had ahold of her arm by the wrist.
Lailah turned and looked at him, he wasn’t looking at her but at what he was doing. Smoke was coming up from her palm, and then Lailah let out a blood-curdling scream. The pain was so intense she couldn’t think, couldn’t even suck in a breath. Everything in her revolted, Lailah tried to stand but Elle threw herself at Lailah keeping her in the seat.
“Stop, I change my mind,” Lailah cried. She threw her head from side to side trying to rid her mind off the pain. Finally, Eric pulled the brand from her palm.
“This will hurt too,” He said and poured something into the wound. If Lailah had thought the burning had hurt whatever it was Eric poured into the brand now was ten times worse, pins and needles seemed to climb into the wound. It was so painful for several seconds Lailah couldn’t even scream. Then she let out another scream that was soul deep, the edges of her vision blurred and Lailah was grateful when complete darkness sucked her down.
* * *
“You did what?” Hunter asked coldly. Hunter had to have heard Eric wrong. The Elemental Enforcer had not branded Lailah, it was incomprehensible. Hunter vaguely saw Skylar and Victor get between him and Eric.
“I did it in order to counter the brand Lailah got from Banner,” Eric explained calmly.
Hunter could smell the blood and burnt flesh in the apartment, Lailah’s blood, and burnt flesh. He tried to control his temper but when it all registered in his mind he saw red.
“Shit,” Victor said lunging at Hunter as Hunter flew at Eric.
Eric didn’t even flinch as Hunter was held back by his brother. “It is her best chance at not being taken. Elle is with her now, she passed out from the branding.”
“You mean she passed out from the pain you inflicted on her,” Hunter roared causing the windows to shake. “You should have waited and asked me?”
“Why?” Eric demanded. “Are you her mate? You are not bonded with her? Lailah had the right to make this decision on her own. When did you start making her decisions for her, Reaper?” Eric spat. Hunter lunged at him again, Victor stumbled and had to adjust his hold. “I’m out, when you figure out your role in this shit let me know.” Eric Shifted and was gone.
“Shit.” Skylar threw his hands up. “We needed him. You know you will need to apologize, right?” Skylar snapped at Hunter.
“It will be a cold day in Hell when I apologize to that ass hat for hurting Lailah,” Hunter bellowed, and he would rot in hell before he apologized to the Enforcer. After all, as far as Hunter was concerned Eric had tortured Lailah, speaking of which he needed to check on her, to see what kind of damage Eric had done to her.
Stomping down the hallway Hunter threw Lailah’s door open, grimacing when it slammed back sticking into the wall. Elle turned and glared at him, “You’re going to fix that, right?” Elle said pointing at the wall.
Hunter muttered something, and then walked over to the bed. Lailah was still out. “How is she?”
“Her fever spiked, and her powers went a little crazy after the brand so I had to drain them off. So she has been asleep for a couple of hours.” Elle stood and moved to the door pulling it out of the hole it had embedded itself in. “You need to figure your shit out Hunter. Lailah isn’t the enemy, and neither is Eric for that matter.”
“Why do people keep telling me that?” Hunter grumbled.
“What?” Elle asked the anger leaving her voice.
“That I need to figure my shit out?” Hunter ran a hand over his short hair. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to punch another whole in the wall or shake the next person who said he needed to figure his shit out.
“You’re a pretty smart guy, I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Elle said and pulled the door closed quietly behind her.
Hunter pulled the chair Elle had been sitting in up next to the bed. He took Lailah’s hand and turned it over, it was already healing but it still looked angry and red at the center. He rubbed his thumb along the outer edges which were puckered and pink, nearly healed.
Hunter leaned down and kissed the edges of the brand, wishing he could take her pain away. He felt Lailah stiffen and looked up to see her staring down at him.
“You can’t do that,” Lailah said taking her hand from his.
“Lailah?” Her green eyes were glowing, and other changes were starting to show. Lailah had an amazing hourglass figure but it was starting to lean out a little, Hunter doubted it was something anyone else would notice. But Hunter noticed everything about her.
“You said you didn’t want to get to close to me? We were too different, remember?” Those beautiful green eyes looked at him with such sadness Hunter felt like he was being kicked in the stomach with each word that fell from her amazing lips.
“Lailah, it’s for the best. Don’t you understand?” Hunter asked. His arguments from last night turning to dust in his brain and acid in his stomach, as he watched her lying there helpless. He wanted nothing more than to protect her, to care for her, to be the one she turned to.
“No, I don’t understand. Just like I didn’t understand last night. We are not different. We want the same things, we want to protect what is good in the world. So you’re a Reaper it doesn’t change what you fight for what is right and good in the world. So I’m going to be an Angel,” Lailah argued.
“You are already an Angel,” Hunter said quietly.
“Argh.” Lailah threw her hands in the air, making Hunter chuckle.
She pointed a finger in his face, “Don’t you dare laugh at me.” Which only made him laugh more. Lailah glared at him and launched herself at him which was an interesting feat considering she had been in a prone position, “This is not funny. You brute, I’m fighting for us. What the hell are you going to do?”
Hunter caught her, pulling her onto his lap. As she pummeled his chest with her fists.
After a few seconds, she gave up, “I’m too tired to do any damage, and my palm hurts,” Lailah said resting her head on his shoulder. “But if I were at full strength I would totally kick your ass.”
“I’m terrified,” Hunter admitted.
“You should be,” Lailah muttered.
“I’m a Reaper, and you will represent the future of hope and light on the mortal plane,” Hunter said, pulling her close. “I shouldn’t be here. I’ve been told not to get close to you.”
“Screw everyone else. Nobody is asking me what I want. I’m just being told what I’m supposed to be. But we don’t know what the future holds Hunter. All we have is right now. We don’t know what will happen. Can’t we just concentrate on what is happening right now?” She looked up and he was drowning, again, in those her eyes.
Hunter was trapped by those eyes, and he knew he would give his soul for her. “I am in so much trouble,” He whispered right before he kissed her. He felt her smile beneath him and it should have upset him but Hunter knowing she was happy, capitulated, because it only made him happy. Even if it meant he would burn in hell, he knew, after today he would never walk away from her. His fate had been sealed that first night when she had reached out for him.
“Are you my hero?” she had asked him sealing their fates together, forever. And now he would never let her go.
Now the very real fact of keeping her safe from the world descended on Hunters' shoulders.
“Shit,” Hunter breathed breaking their kiss. He looked at her, this new fear snaking through him like venom. “How am I ever going to keep you safe?”
Lailah looked at him surprise making her eyes bright, “Do you really need to worry about that now? Aren’t I safe right this second?”
Hunter considered her question for a second, “Do you have any idea how much danger you are in? Not just from Banner but the Tribunal and the zealots of the world?”
Lailah grabbed Hunter by the head and shook
him, “Why can I never just have you. Hunter. The man.”
“Excuse me?” Hunter asked.
Lailah pushed herself off his lap and stood in front of him. “I want Hunter the man, there is the man, Hunter in there somewhere right?”
“What are you talking about woman?” Hunter asked.
Lailah made a huffing noise, then she pulled off her t-shirt which shut Hunter up rather quickly. “I’m done talking or worrying for the moment. Can we not worry or talk?”
Hunter nodded. And Lailah smiled, “Good.” She undid the button of her jeans and zipper, then slowly shimmed the jeans down her legs. Hunter watched silently. Leaving her in just a pair of white undies and a matching bra.
Lailah stepped forward into Hunters spread thighs, placing her hands on his shoulders she fisted his shirt. “This needs to come off.”
Hunter nodded and reached over his head to pull off his t-shirt.
Lailah caught her breath when Hunter tossed his t-shirt over his shoulder. He was all muscle, her stomach jumped at the sight of him. She stepped back so she could just look at him, laying her hands on his hot shoulders, feeling the muscles jump under her hands.
His hands wound around her waist pulling her forward, he buried his face in her cleavage Hunter inhaled. “Gods you smell so fucking good. Like vanilla and roses, I can’t get enough of it.” His wicked tongue came out to lick a path from the middle of her chest up to her collar bone. Where he planted a wet kiss, “And your taste? Fucking fantastic,” He said sucking on her throat, making her legs weak. Lailah straddled Hunter where she wrapped her arms around his head her head falling back to give him better access.
Hunter flipped the clasp of her bra and let the garment slip down her arms. “Lean back, baby,” Hunter whispered into Lailah’s ear.
Lailah did as he asked. Hunter pulled the bra free, tossing it behind him he looked down at the perfect sight before him, and almost came right then and there.
Reaper Dreaming: A Reaper Novel Page 17
