Reaper Dreaming: A Reaper Novel

by Christie Palmer

  Dante had a point but Lailah wasn’t about to tell him, the last thing Dante needed was someone to stroke his ego.

  “Let’s get back to the real issue at hand, I don’t have my souls. The ones I want. Why is that?” Dante asked looking to Hunter and then to Celeste and Marcus.

  Celeste shrugged, “Don’t look at me, I don’t collect souls.”

  Dante narrowed his eyes, “But were you not on this little mission? You knew what was going on, knew the situation, and knew what I required. You are not blameless.”

  At his words, Marcus stepped up and placed an arm around Celeste.

  “Who is taking the punishment for this? If you are not to blame then who is?” Dante demanded.

  “We have the Reaper,” Hunter explained. “We just cannot bring him to you without risking the souls he is holding.”

  “Souls he is contaminating as we sit here speaking about him. Souls that will not even go to me. Souls so contaminated they will be sent directly to Hell proper.” Dante slammed his hand against the arm of his chair.

  They all kept quiet in Dante’s wrath. “Where is Victor? I want answers.”

  Hunter reached forward and grabbed Lailah pulling her back several feet as Reapers started appearing. “How did you know?”

  Hunter tapped his forehead. “He summoned them.”

  Victor and Elle were the last to appear, Elle did the craziest thing when she appeared she jogged up the steps and kissed Dante on the cheek, and Dante gave her his cheek as she did it. “I hope we are not here for a punishment because if that is the reason I will be very disappointed,” Elle said to the ruler of the Infernos.

  “How many times do I have to tell you I will deal with my sons the way I see fit and not by your dictate?” Dante explained.

  Elle laughed and walked down the steps to stand next to Victor, “We shall see,” was all she said to Dante in return. When her eyes landed on Lailah she gave her a wave. Lailah waved back.

  “Victor,” Dante boomed making the room quake. “Explain to me why the hell I don’t have my souls.”

  Victor shook his head and looked over his should to Hunter, “Banner’s death belongs to the Daughters of Eve, and Tabitha is taking her time to get answers from him as is her right as the last remaining warrior class for her Tribe. As for the Tribunal Reaper, that shit isn’t right.”

  Dante slammed his hand again on his arm rest, “And meanwhile, the Tribunal continues to play their games. With each of you having a price on your head!”

  Hunter stepped in front of Lailah and Lailah noticed Victor do the same thing for Elle.

  “Are any of the answers Banner giving going to give me who is holding the strings to the Tribunal?” Dante demanded.

  Victor shook his head, “He is an Inquisitor, but not high enough on the chain of command to have anything earth shattering.”

  “Then he is useless except for his soul,” Dante said leaning back into his chair. “Am I going to have to intervene with the Tribunal Reaper?”

  “We haven’t figured that part out yet,” Victor admitted.

  “Get out of my sight,” Dante flung his hands out. “And don’t return until you figure your shit out,” Dante said with disgust.

  Victor turned to Hunter, “The Staten.”

  Hunter nodded and took Lailah by the hand and they Flashed out.

  * * *

  “Nice of you to join the party,” Falcon said as Hunter and Lailah walked into the control room.

  Hunter wasn’t going to let Falcon irritate him, “What do you have?” Hunter asked looking at the myriad of monitors, there had to twenty of them. Some showed the outside of the Staten while some were different shots of the inside, but the only one Hunter was concerned with was the one showing the room where the Tribunal Reaper was being held.

  He sat in a cement room the only furniture it held was the wooden chair he sat in.

  “Nothing, we brought him in, he sat down and he hasn’t moved since then. Hasn’t asked for anything, no food, nothing to eat, or drink,” Falcon said. “It’s been five days. And frankly, it’s freaking me out.”

  Falcon slapped Bowen on the shoulder, “Take him in some food and water will you.”

  “Got it.” Bowen left them in the control room.

  “What about Banner?” Hunter asked.

  Falcon swore under his breath and looked at Lailah, “You sure you want her to see it? Tabitha is putting a hurt on the man.”

  Hunter turned to Lailah, but she looked at Hunter and nodded. “I can take it,” Lailah said.

  Falcon shook his head and hit a couple of keys and the large screen in the center flashed and displayed Tabitha standing over a man Hunter wouldn’t have recognized if Falcon hadn’t told him was Banner.

  “Shit.” He turned to Lailah to grab her and turn her from the screen. Lailah sucked in a breath turning into Hunter.

  “He held out for three days before he started talking,” Falcon said. Hunter looked back at what used to be Banner and the women standing over him, Hunter could see the blood lust in Tabitha’s eyes.

  “Dear gods, does he have anything else to say?” Hunter asked. Hunter hadn’t liked Banner but what Tabitha was doing to him, shit.

  “I don’t think so but Tabitha is thorough if anything. She wants to be sure none of the other Daughters of Eve Tribes are in danger.” Falcon said hitting another key the screen went blank.

  “And has he given any of them up?” Hunter asked.

  “No, I think Tabitha’s involvement with Elle was the catalyst for what happened to her tribe.” Falcon said with a shake of his head.

  Hunter shook his head, Tabitha was going to carry that pain and regret with her for the rest of her life.

  Hunter squeezed Lailah letting her know the images where gone. “Besides that anything we can use?”

  Falcon shook his head, “Some info on the other Inquisitors. But really if the Tribunal knows he’s been taken it’s useless to us.”

  “I think we should be concentrating on the Reaper now anyway,” Hunter said turning back to the monitor of the Reaper who sat quietly.

  “Anyone tried to question him?”

  “Victor tried, but the thing didn’t even blink for him. You want to give it a go?” Falcon asked.

  Hunter nodded, but Lailah grabbed him as he turned to leave the control room. “I don’t like the look of that thing, be careful.”

  Hunter gave her a smile, “Nobody likes the look of that unholy piece of shit. But don’t worry I’ve got this.”

  Hunter rolled his head on his shoulders and walked into the room they were holding the Reaper in, a tray of food was now sitting on a small table next to him but he hadn’t touched it.

  “Not hungry?” Hunter asked.

  The Reaper turned and looked at him, and Hunter was struck like he had been all the other times he had faced him by the eerie feeling of seeing faces pushing just below his skin. Hunter had to push those eerie feeling aside, though.

  The thing looked at the food and then back to Hunter, “I don’t require sustenance. I just need souls.” His voice layered over itself hurting Hunters ears.

  “Yeah you aren’t going to get any souls here. So if souls are what you require to survive you’re going to die here,” Hunter told him.

  “Are you trying to scare me, Reaper,” It said making Reaper sound like an insult. “Because you don’t, scare me. Besides aren’t there enough souls to go around?”

  Hunter shook his head, “Here’s the problem with your idea, I take the souls to where they belong. You are doing something utterly unholy with them.”

  The thing rolled his shoulders and the souls in him rolled and cascaded though his chest, “They like where they are.”

  “Yeah, they look happy.” Hunter couldn’t control the sarcasm in his voice.

  This actually got a reaction from the thing, he rose half way from the chair before he thought better of it and sat back down his eyes now closed he took several breaths before reopening his eyes
, when he spoke the layers of his voice was more layered and Hunter stumbled back from it, “You speak regularly with the souls you sentence into the Infernos to know whether or not they are happy?” it asked. “Because I am in a state of symbiosis with my souls.” His voice raised. “We are of one mind,” he looked almost rapturous as he spoke making Hunter cringe.

  Hunter was thoughtful for a moment, some part of this thing was not happy. Maybe he could exploit it? “Who were you before this? You were somebody before this change,” Hunter pressed.

  It looked at Hunter with black fathomless eyes, “Why?” the question held so many voices, Hunter barely controlled himself from covering his ears. The souls in this thing were crying out from that body. Part of Hunter felt pain for them knowing they needed to be released from the torture they were under.

  “You had hopes and dreams. What did the Tribunal promise you to make you think this was a better end to your life?” Hunter asked.

  The Reaper finally stood and turned fully to Hunter, “This is a better existence than I could have ever hoped for in my mortal form.”

  Hunter was shocked by that answer, “Impossible.”

  “You think you know so much,” the Reaper asked. “Just because you have lived so many years you hold the market on life experiences? You know nothing of who I was. The Tribunal saved me.” Its voice finally rose an octave. “I am better than that poor soul they picked up off the street, begging for scraps.”

  That answered some of Hunters questions, the Tribunal was picking there Reapers up randomly from the homeless. But that meant they could be anyone. Their true soul could have been black as pitch, or they could be addicted to drugs, or it could be a lost soul.

  Hunter leaned back against the door, “What did the Tribunal promise you?”

  It smiled at Hunter, “Immortality.” He said drawing the word out rapturously.

  “They lied to you,” Hunter told it.

  The Reaper closed its eyes and leaned its head back and smiled, “I do believe I will live longer than you Hunter.”

  Hunter glared at it, “You know so much about me?” Hunter asked.

  “I know what I need to. And I will enjoy incorporating you into my collective,” it said.

  “The Tribunal are the fools. You believe anything they tell you and you are truly doomed. Let us help you,” Hunter offered. “Who were you before this?”

  “Grayson was weak, now my powers are limitless.” He extended his arms wide.

  Hunter laughed, “What powers do you have? All I’ve seen you do is draw a soul from a body and eat it, Grayson.”

  It turned to Hunter and growled, “Grayson doesn’t exist anymore,” he spat.

  Hunter smiled, “Still waiting on a show of your powers Grayson?” Hunter used the name again.

  “You did not choose this life, what happened to you to have come to this end?” Hunter asked.

  Grayson shook his head, and for just a second there were two heads. Hunter blinked wondering if he had seen it right. “This was my destiny.”

  “How many of you did the Tribunal make?” Hunter asked.

  This made Grayson laugh, “I will not turn on the Tribunal. They made me into what I am today. I will not forget that I owe them everything.”

  Hunter snorted, “They signed your death warrant. You cannot contain those souls.”

  Grayson rolled his shoulders giving Hunter a black look, “You are just jealous because you cannot achieve the possession of your souls.”

  This time, it was Hunter who laughed, “Is that what the Tribunal has led you to believe? That we Reapers wish to possess the souls we reap?”

  Grayson didn’t respond, so Hunter continued. “Because if that is the drivel the Tribunal is feeding you the lies they tell are beyond repulsive. The very last thing I want is to possess the souls I send to Treachery.”

  Grayson glared at Hunter, “I am something you could never hope to be, you should bow at my feet. You are a speck of dust on my boot, you should aspire to be like me. But, no. You think I am less than you?” he thundered.

  Hunter shrugged, “Just calling it like I see it.”

  Grayson was breathing heavy now, “You have no idea what me and my souls are capable of. You and your brothers are my lessers,” He spat.

  Hunter barked a laugh, “You think I am less than you? But you are the one being held hostage.”

  “This…” Grayson looked around the room they were in. “It is all relative, I choose to be here.”

  “Really?” Hunter laughed again. “I’d like to see how you could get out of here.” Hunter could tell Grayson was infuriated that he couldn’t push Hunter to anger while he had been able to push all of Grayson’s buttons.

  “Me and my souls will enjoy this.” Grayson gave Hunter a smile than opened his mouth and two black souls shot out and flew at Hunter.

  Hunter was momentarily shocked as the inky black souls attacked, in stunned defense he swatted at the souls as they flung themselves at him. One zinged him on the arm leaving it numb while he grabbed the other. It oozed through his fingers and then flew back only to come at him again. Hunter ducked out, the thing backed Hunter into the corner as the first soul solidified into a dark human form, then it side kicked Hunter in the stomach.

  “What the fu—” Hunter doubled over, and the other dark mass wrapped itself around Hunters throat while the first kicked him in the stomach again actually lifting Hunter off his feet. Hunter grappled with the shadow now wrapped around his throat.

  Hunter vaguely saw the door open, and then the entire cell was bathed in light. The dark shadows surrounding him shriveled back. Hunter grasped at them, not wanting them to get away. Hunter grabbed them and held them as Lailah reached out to Hunter.

  Lailah reached out touching each dark soul, they made an ear piercing scream and then dissolved into dust in her hands.

  Hunter saw the Reaper running at them and Hunter instinctively pulled Lailah behind him. His hand catching Grayson by the throat. “Don’t like it when your souls get dissolved do you?”

  In answer Grayson looked at Lailah his eyes rolling in their sockets, “What are you?” Grayson screamed his layered voice screeching. Lailah covered her ears and stumbled away from him. The ever present souls just under his skin even pulling back.

  Hunter looked over his shoulder at Lailah and back at Grayson, Lailah nodded at Hunter and Lailah stepped around him. Grayson cringed and shrunk away from her.

  “Interesting,” Hunter said and let Grayson go, he scurried across the room as far as he could get from Lailah. Hunter held the door for Lailah and they left the cell.

  “So Grayson can purge the souls and I can dissolve them,” Lailah said. “We just need him to do that for all the souls he has.”

  Hunter snorted, “Yeah I just need to piss him off several hundred times, that shouldn’t be a problem.” Hunter sighed. “No, we need a better plan, I didn’t really enjoy getting my ass kicked by those black souls.”

  Lailah laughed, “Maybe you shouldn’t let them kick your ass first,” Lailah offered.

  Hunter took her by the arm and they went back to the control room, “Funny girl. Where is everyone?” Hunter asked Bowen.

  Bowen pointed to one of the screens, “Kitchen,” was all he said and Hunter nodded.

  “We need a better plan, now we know Grayson can release them at will is a good thing. But he also is a ticking time bomb he can’t hold them in forever, it’s only a matter of time before those souls start escaping by themselves. And they are as black as pitch,” Hunter said leading the way up to the kitchen. “They don’t belong in the Infernos, Dante is going to have a shit.”

  “Why would Dante be unhappy?” Lailah asked.

  “Because he is being denied his souls,” Hunter said pushing the door open to the kitchen.

  “You sound like you have bad news,” Christian said from where he stood by the windows.

  “Where is Victor?” Hunter asked.

  “Where do you think?” Chris
tian asked. “After the shit with Dante, he took Elle and is in the Infernos. He said if we bother him we should be prepared to have our asses handed to us.”

  “It’s not our fault Dante is putting this on his shoulders,” Hunter said.

  Christian nodded in agreement, but as the oldest of the brothers Victor often got the shit end of the stick and it meant taking the blame when shit went wrong. So Hunter was going to try and keep Victor’s ass out of the fire on this one. “Those souls that piece of shit has, they are beyond redemption,” Hunter explained what had just happened.

  Christian ran a hand through his short hair when Hunter finished and then lowered himself into a chair, “Things are much worse than we could have thought. What the fuck are we going to do? How many souls do you think it actually has?”

  “Gods only knows. The only saving grace is its afraid of Lailah, her pure soul is terrifying to it. But to be honest, I don’t know how that’s actually going to work for us,” Hunter said thoughtfully.

  “So if we kill it we set all those souls loose on the mortal plane, Lailah could dissolve as many as she could get her hands on, but it won’t be nearly as many as are going to actually get loose. Besides the fact killing it might actually cause an eruption of apocalyptic proportions considering the amount of souls it currently has inside of it,” Christian said. “Does that about sum it all up?”

  Hunter nodded, “In a nice and fucked up nut shell, yes.”

  “We can’t take it through a portal, or Flash it because it could cause a cosmic tear and release the souls,” Hunter added.

  “Of course not,” Christian said.

  “Holy shit,” Falcon swore, “Do you have any good news. I mean that thing is in my basement, for the love of the mother goddess.”

  “Better your basement than in the city where he would take out all those innocent people,” Lailah said.

  Falcon just gave Lailah a look like she was crazy, “So you say. I still have a long life to live sweetheart.”

  “What about a bomb shelter?” Lailah asked.

  “For us, or him?” Falcon asked.