The doctor finally got around to talking to me about an hour after Gwen and I got to the hospital. My dad had suffered a small aneurysm, apparently. It was in an inoperable spot in his brain, but they were hopeful that it had not done any major damage. The doctor assured me that he was getting only the best care, and that he was on blood thinners and a cocktail of other drugs to prevent further damage.
My dad was in serious, but stable condition, and he had a private room just down the hall from the ICU. ‘Private room,’ turned out to be a misnomer, because there was no privacy. Nurses came in to check on him constantly. They pulled so much blood, I was pretty sure he wouldn’t have much left by the time they got through.
And through it all, he slept. The doctor said it wasn’t a true coma, but that his body had suffered enough of a trauma, it was trying to heal itself. He said my dad was lucky to be alive. He said a lot of things. Not that it made any difference. I’d stopped paying attention after I heard his condition hadn’t changed since he’d collapsed.
The good thing about Dad being in constant care, was he was only allowed two visitors at a time. Since I refused to leave, that only left room for one extra person. Gwen ran a lot of interference for me with my dad’s friends and employees. Best of all, she kept a constant supply of caffeine coming my way; not that I needed it. I was already wired, from waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Gwen’s mom, Missy called and offered to come by to check on us. It took some doing, but we finally convinced her to keep the party going. There was no reason to ruin everyone’s Halloween. We had everything under control, or as much as possible.
Gwen’s dad had already taken the house key I’d left them and collected my cat, so that was one less thing to worry about. James loved Jazzy, and Jazzy tolerated him, so she would be alright with them until I could take her home.
Missy tried to get Gwen to come home, for a little while, to pack an overnight bag for me. I was all for it. Anything was better than letting her stay and put herself in danger. Also, I really wouldn’t have minded a change of clothes and some toothpaste. Gwen, however, wasn’t biting. She stayed, and ran back and forth between the hospital room and the waiting room.
Finally, visiting hours were over, and I settled into an intensely uncomfortable green chair next to the head of my dad’s hospital bed. Gwen was down in the cafeteria, trying to scrounge up something for us to eat. The nurses gave up on getting rid of me, and just learned to work around me. I propped my feet up, and settled in for the long haul.
My newly enhanced hearing made it so I could have heard a mouse fart in the room next door, but even without the extra abilities, there is nothing quiet about a hospital at night. Machinery wheezed and beeped. People constantly wandered in and out, or talked in the hallway as they walked past open doors. Carts rattled along with squeaky wheels that wouldn’t turn. Water gurgled in the old pipes.
No, there is nothing quiet about a hospital at night, but there is something completely unnerving about one. It’s like a train station between the living and the dead. For some people, a lot of people, this is their last stop.
I wondered how many Reapers were walking the halls at that particular moment. Then, of course, I wondered where my Reaper was. It wasn’t like Asher to go missing for long. Granted, he thought I was mad at him, but still, he would never leave me to face this alone, if he knew anything about it. He would never ditch me when I needed him most. Something had to be wrong, or he would’ve been there. I was worried about him, but I couldn’t leave my dad. There was no question Asher could take care of himself. My dad, on the other hand, had never been so vulnerable.
My nerves were stretched so tight I’m surprised they didn’t snap. I wanted to do something to help my father. I wanted to find Asher, and tell him I was sorry for everything. Instead, I sat quietly, watched my dad sleep, and waited for Fate to make her next move. I shifted in my chair; my butt was going numb. Hospital furniture isn’t meant to be comfortable. I think they do it on purpose, to discourage visitors.
Dad’s eyes darted back and forth under his lids as he slept. I hoped he had good dreams; I didn’t want him trapped in a nightmare. Reality was bad enough.
There was just a little sliver of light stretched out across the floor from the light in the hallway. The lights in his room were all turned off, except the ones on the monitors, but their little blue and red lines didn’t do much. My dad didn’t need to be disturbed in his sleep, and I didn’t need them to see by. Everything was as clear as day to me, now, if painted in shades of grey.
Power tingled just under my skin, a constant reminder of the gifts Asher had given me. I wondered if there was any way to harness that power and wake my father up. If I concentrated hard, there was a shimmer along my hand: my Will, manifesting itself. The problem, of course, was that I didn’t have total control of it, yet. The one time I had managed to use it properly had resulted in someone’s death. The power I held was the power of destruction. I wiggled my fingers and the shimmer winked out and disappeared. Better to save the light show for another time. I went back to sitting in the dark, and waiting.
It wasn’t really that much of a surprise when the Reaper appeared out of nowhere. I sat up a little straighter, on full alert now that something was finally happening. Just as I was getting sick of waiting, he was there between one breath and the next. If I hadn’t been watching for something to happen, I might never have seen him.
Black eyes glittered in the shadows; he didn’t look surprised to see me, either. There isn’t much point to being sneaky when most people just refuse to see you, anyway. At least Gwen wasn’t there for it. She’d gone down to the cafeteria. That was something to be thankful for.
“I thought she’d send someone else.”
“She might have sent someone else, if I hadn’t volunteered to come,” he said, taking a smooth step forward, and into the dim light.
“Grim, isn’t it?” He bowed his dark head in acknowledgement. He was acting very much the gentleman, especially considering the way he’d acted the few other times we’d met. He came forward slowly, cautiously. I threw a protective hand across my father’s chest and leaned forward. “Well, Grim, why don’t you just back the hell off?”
“Careful, little sister, lest you do the job yourself, by accident.” I moved my hand a fraction away from my father’s heart, just in case.
“You can’t have my father.”
The Reaper laughed, dryly. “It just so happens, that I’m not here for him, I’m here for you.” I just stared at him; I wasn’t falling for it. He backed off a little, giving me room. “Look, this whole scenario,” he gestured towards my dad stretched out in the hospital bed, “is a test. One that you’re about to fail, miserably.”
“Tell me all about it,” I said, dryly.
“You don’t strike me as particularly dim-witted, so I’m going to make this quick. When, not if, but when, Fate sends a Reaper in here to take your father, the first thing you’re going to do is defend him.” I nodded for him to go on. “Asher isn’t here to take the blame this time. It’s all on you. He will be exposed as a liar, and you as an…” he stopped and seemed to swallow what he’d been about to say.
“An abomination? Is that the word you’re looking for?” That’s what he’d called me the first time we’d met. An abomination.
He inclined his head in agreement. “For lack of a better word, yes. An abomination.”
“She’s willing to risk another Reaper, just to prove her point?”
“Surely, that doesn’t surprise you? She has destroyed entire kingdoms, just to prove her point. She’s completely insane.”
“No, it doesn’t surprise me; not really. Thanks for the warning. Now, go away. I’m tired of all of you. Tell Fate she can kiss my ass. You, too, can kiss my ass.” I tried to keep my voice down, in spite of the fact that I wanted to scream it at him. My dad might not be able to hear me, but the nurses in the hall could.
Grim cocked his head, and seemed to s
tudy me for a moment. “It’s not a bad offer, but Asher may have something to say about that, if either of you manages to survive.”
He started towards me again and I stood up, blocking his way. “You lay so much as a finger on my dad, and you and I are going to have a problem. You can kill me, but we both know I can at least damage you.”
“Pull your claws in, kitten. I’m trying to help you.”
“Are you? Whose side are you really on, Grim?”
“Generally speaking, I’m always on the winning side, even if I have to stack the odds a bit. Which is what I’m trying to do, if you’d just listen. Asher’s right, you are stubborn.”
“Where is Asher?” I couldn’t stand it anymore; I had to ask, even if I was pretty sure I didn’t want the answer. He would have been with me, if he could have.
Grim’s face seemed to close off. “Asher is busy. Since he can’t help you, I will do it in his stead.”
“I don’t want your help. You’ve helped me enough, already. And by the way, you make a shitty fortune teller.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” he said modestly, “I thought I was spot-on with your fortune. Change, choice, and Death. That about sums it up, doesn’t it? You’ve been changed, and now you face a choice.”
“And the Death card?”
Grim smiled, and it was chilling to watch. “Death is your ultimate end, little sister. Though whether you embrace Death, or it consumes you, remains to be seen.”
“I get the point. I’m running out of time. Thanks for stopping by.”
“Take my advice,” he said, and I almost thought I heard sympathy in his voice. Almost. Surely, I’d imagined it. “When the Reaper comes for your father, let him be taken. Fate only has power over you, if you let her.”
I don’t know why his words shocked me, but they did. I really didn’t expect anything better out of him. “That’s your good advice? Let her kill my dad? Are you insane?”
He shrugged, a philosophical gesture. “His is just one life. One human life, out of billions on the planet, and he’s dying, anyway. They all are, from the moment of conception. Their cells wither and die as the rot sets in. He’s nothing compared to an immortal. Nothing.” They. Their. He was talking to me about humans like I wasn’t one of them anymore.
“He is my father,” I hissed, enraged. “Don’t you dare tell me that his life doesn’t matter. It matters to me. Get the hell out of here!”
Grim threw his hands up. “Ok, I’ll go, but before I do, I’m going to tell you what Asher is about to sacrifice for you. Then you can make your choice.” My lips pressed closed in a tight, painful line. I would not ask him; anything he said was likely a lie, anyway. “What,” he taunted. “Has the cat got your tongue? Or don’t you want to know what will happen to Asher, if you continue with this madness?”
He moved then, fast as a striking snake, and he was close enough I felt his breath against my cheek. “You stink of fear, little sister. Just like a human.” It was a silky whisper that made my skin crawl. He was ancient, but unlike Asher, the evil living inside of him was palpable. I hated him, and yes, I feared him.
“That’s because I’m not stupid, and I am human.” I glanced down to where my hand was glowing, less than an inch from his heart. Apparently, I didn’t need to concentrate my Will for it to work under a threat. “I may be afraid of you, Grim, but that doesn’t mean I won’t do my best to kill you.” He backed up a pace and looked down at me like he’d never really seen me before.
He smiled, and his teeth elongated, just a little, into fangs. “I begin to see what Asher sees in you, but you still aren’t worth the price he’ll pay. Nothing is.”
“What price?” The question slipped out, almost against my will.
“His wings.” Black, pitiless eyes cut into me. “He promised Suriel his wings in exchange for your freedom.”
Not his wings. There was no way Asher would give up his beautiful, dark wings; not for me. “You’re lying.” My throat tightened up and my voice came out sounding like someone I didn’t recognize.
I was so focused on the Reaper in front of me that I didn’t hear the door open. “Iz, are we entertaining visitors? You should have told me. I would have brought refreshments.” Gwen flipped on the overhead light and I flinched at the sudden brightness.
Grim backed away from me a few paces and smiled as he looked my friend up and down. She still had the white angel costume on. He spent an awfully long time studying the length of bare leg on display. “Hello, Gwenevere. You’re looking well, if a bit underdressed.”
“Grim.” She inclined her head. “Aren’t you supposed to be out killing something?”
What the hell? “Am I missing something?” I turned to Gwen, thoroughly confused. “You can see him?”
Gwen sidled up next to me. “I told you, Iz… once you see one of them, you always see them.” She took her jacket from the back of my chair and shrugged it on. The room was slightly chilly.
Grim watched her with a predator’s stare. “Gwen and I are becoming fast friends.”
She smiled, but it never reached her eyes. “You wish. I still think you’re an asshole, in case you’ve forgotten.” She wasn’t fooling me, that look in her eye told me she was preparing to fight. That was the last thing I wanted.
I kept myself between my father and Grim. I was shaking inside, but I couldn’t let him see it. “Thanks for visiting. Thanks for the information, but you need to go, now.”
“You mistake me, little sister. I’m not asking for your cooperation.” I had no chance to fight him; he moved too fast to track, much less block. He knocked the wind out of me as he grabbed me, and pinned my arms to my sides. Instant rage exploded out of me in a white-hot fury. There was a muffled scream, and then we spiraled into darkness.
Chapter 24…Asher
There was a harvest to be made. I felt the old, familiar tingling of the Summons. This one was different than any I had ever felt before. It was painful in its urgency. There was no denying it, nor any way to ignore it, even if I had wished to. I gave in and let it take me where it would.
It brought me to a roadside embankment near a clearing and a handful of trees. Confused, I looked around for my harvest, but found nothing. The place looked vaguely familiar to me. I walked a circle, looked for someone, possibly hurt and definitely dying, but there was no one there. Only a couple of fast heartbeats could be heard, and those belonged to the deer watching me silently from the shadows cast by the light of the full moon. This was unheard of; the Summons makes no mistakes, and yet I found myself in the middle of nowhere, without a harvest.
I heard them before I saw them. They screeched like demon-spawned harpies. Grim appeared in the clearing with Isabel kicking in his arms, and her friend draped across his broad back, hitting him in the head with the heel of her hand. What was going on, here? Why would Grim be fighting with the girls? And why would I be called to witness it? This made no sense. Yet, I saw it with my own eyes, and honestly, I was not sure who needed my help more. Whatever had happened, Grim had royally pissed off both of the girls.
The blonde girl sank her teeth into his ear and ripped, viciously. Blood sprayed from the wound, and soiled the girl’s white dress. She looked like a bloodied angel as she spat the grisly bit of flesh to the ground and gauged at his eye with her thumb. In a rage, and maddened by the pain, he tossed both girls to the ground, none too gently. They both rolled out of the way, but the blonde girl was up first. Obviously, she’d had some kind of training. Her fumbling hand went into the pocket of the jacket she wore over the dress.
“Gwen, run!” Isabel came to her feet and tried to shove her friend away.
“Screw that! You run!” Gwen’s hand came out of her jacket with a small silver canister of pepper spray. Grim’s shriek turned savage as she sprayed it directly into his eyes. The skin around his eyes reddened immediately as the liquid fire burned and blinded him. I should have realized she wouldn’t abandon her friend. Her loyalty would most likely get her kille
d. It was suicide, trying to fight the Reaper, but that was exactly what she was doing.
The girl dropped into a fighting stance before he had a chance to recover. She swept Grim’s leg out from under him, and dropped him like a rock. It was most impressive, especially given that she fought in a dress and high heeled shoes.
Isabel moved much faster than would have been humanly possible. She landed on his chest with a shriek like a banshee. Taking great handfuls of his dark hair, she commenced to bash his head into the ground. Repeatedly. Such a delicate little flower. I smirked from where I watched them. He had it coming. They could not really do much damage, anyway. He was immortal, after all. But they were more than getting his attention. I really should have stepped in to stop it, but it was sort of entertaining. And so unexpected.
Gwen commenced kicking him in the side, the legs, anything that was exposed, really. She moved with precision, every blow counted. The girl was not stupid; if he got up that would be the end of it. I saw it coming a split second before I might have warned him; a well-placed and brutal stomp to the groin. Young ladies today seem to have a lot of rage, and very little mercy.
Immortal or not, that had to hurt. Grim screamed as he rolled out from under them, utterly enraged, finally. He came to his feet, nightmare-black wings unfurled, and no longer in the mood to play. I started towards them; the fun was over.
Fate materialized out of the low-lying fog, as if by magic. What was she doing here? “Enough!” Her voice echoed through the small clearing, ringing like a bell. At this point most people would stop fighting. She is, after all, Fate; when she speaks, entire worlds tremble. And she is not used to disobedience.
They didn’t stop. The two girls turned towards her, but apparently Fate didn’t register as an immediate threat to them, because they went right back after Grim. Like two really annoying Chihuahuas attacking a Pit-bull. Isabel was small, but she had inhuman strength. Her friend had had some training, and she knew how to use it to her advantage.
Wings of Darkness: Book 1 of The Immortal Sorrows Series Page 29
