Deadly Kisses (14 page)

“What happened, what did she say?” I prayed for help, not a lecture on why I shouldn’t be a Grim Reaper. I hoped Sabrina would understand.

“Sabrina is helping us, but can you cut the rest of theses vines with your garden tool? You can’t see her because she hasn’t earned her wings yet.”

I walked toward the stone to see the best place to cut. I placed my blade and sliced through the dead vines. They fell to the ground.

“Kessler Flynt? I thought he was buried in the crypt?” I looked, afraid we were being watched by the Ancients, but the night was quiet. Even the coyotes moved on. “I guess Kessler Flynt moves to the top of the list for our research.”

Bee extended her arms out in front of her and cupped her hands. A necklace fell into them. The chain was made from a thin vine and it entwined around a red ruby stone. The same white glow that came from Bee when she healed ebbed around the trinket. Bee closed her hand around it and clutched it to her heart.

“What is it?” I asked, my eyes glued to the necklace.

“This is the key to stopping the Ancient Grim Reapers and establishing order again.” She opened her hand to show me the red stone. “Kessler Flynt is a Grim Reaper. He made the deal. It’s my family’s fault the afterlife is a mess!”

“Is she positive about that?”

“Yes. Sabrina told me that Heaven has a plan. I can use the blood stone to bind Kessler to the ground to restore order.”

“Oh, yeah, well that sounds simple. I can do that, right?” My brain wouldn’t stop thinking of solutions.

“Not exactly. Only a Grim Reaper blood relative of Kessler Flynt’s can bind him to the ground, and Ivar needs to be stopped first.”

“Can Sabrina tell us anymore?” Jaleb had to stay and help break the curse. I had to make him understand. No way did I want Bee involved in tracking down her relative. He wouldn’t go down without a fight. That much I suspected.

“Sabrina has already said too much.” Bee tucked the necklace in her pocket and patted it to make sure it was snug. “She wants to talk with you now before she leaves.”

I sucked in a breath and stepped forward. “Where is she?”

“Directly behind the gravestone. She wants you to put your hand out.”

I did.

“She said she misses you, and she loves you,” Bee repeated.

Tears filled my eyes and hope filled my heart. I wanted so bad to see her again. “What did she say that has you giddy?”

Bee smiled. “She gave me permission to take over for best friend status. She begged me to look after you and keep you from hiding in caves. I guess I’m not the only one you hid stuff from.”

Crazy talk. Grim Reapers can’t have mortal friends. “I can’t be your best friend if I’m dead, Bee. We won’t see each other ever again after Halloween. You know that.”

“I’m just the messenger.” Her dark eyes were vast pools of love and I couldn’t help but do anything she asked. “Now is your chance, Aiden. Ask her.”

My eyebrows drew down. “Ask her what?”

“Ask her if she blames you for her death, so you can ascend.” Did Bee plan on finding Kessler Flynt by herself? I didn’t even want to ascend. I wasn’t going to let her put herself in danger. I know she was capable of taking care of herself, but I had gotten a taste of Ivar’s power and it was scary.

I looked to where Sabrina was supposedly standing my eyes wide, my heart racing. “I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Bee urged me on. Her warmth flooded me. She picked up my hand and held it. “Sabrina thinks we make a cute couple.”

She giggled. “Yeah, but he has the kiss of death now.” There was a pause. Bee’s face looked serious and stone like. “Your twin sisters are amazing, Sabrina. I promise to protect them.”

I stood in utter frustration. “What!” Now I knew how Jaleb felt not being able to see me.

Bee became quiet, too quiet. “She’s still here and she won’t leave until you talk with her. Sabrina knows something is wrong with you. It’s okay, Aiden, just talk to her like she was still alive. She can hear you.”

Bee came next to me and held my hand. It un-nerved me how quick I was to depend on her for comfort.

Bee’s soul surged me into an emotional pool of sorrow. Held in feelings began to escape in low sobs until words formed. “I miss you, Brina. I’m sorry! I tried to save you, but the tree was in me. I couldn’t move. I will never forgive myself for letting you go. I don’t care if I walk the Earth as a Grim Reaper for a million years. I would do it to redeem myself for killing you.”

Bee stared and I looked at her, anticipating what she would say. I crouched down with my head in my hands.

“She’s gone, Aiden. They called her back, but she gave you a message. She said she loves you dearly and she has never blamed you for her death.” Bee put her hand on my shoulder. I leaned forward, my hands still over my face.

“Just leave, Bee. I want to be alone. Go check on your brother. He could be waking up.”

Tears streamed down my face, wet and unforgiving. I couldn’t face her. A searing heat raced through my veins. Something was happening that I didn’t understand, until I realized my death flashback wasn’t coming like it should be after facing the girl I had killed.

I stared wide-eyed at the ground. Bee had made me lose my regret. I was going to ascend to leave her to deal with Kessler Flynt on her own. I started to hyperventilate as the warmth crept into my heart. I didn’t know what would happen and I didn’t want Bee here to see it.

“I won’t leave you like this. I know you’re feeling overwhelmed.” She leaned into me, but I couldn’t take her pity that seeped into my body.

“Go, I need to be alone.” The heat intensified, but cold laced the edges. I couldn’t ascend and leave Bee. I needed to see that everything worked out.

“I already told you, I’m not going to leave you here by yourself. Once I go, the cold is going to wash over you. Is that what you want?” She tried coming near me again, but I stood fast and grasped my scythe. I wasn’t sure if I was going to ascend, combust, or be dragged to Hell.

“Yes, it’s exactly what I want.” The dark and good in me was fighting for control. Thanks to Ivar, the dark won. I raised the power on my scythe.

“Aiden!” Bee screamed.

“Stop it! If you won’t go, then so be it I’ll kill you now. I don’t care if I go to Hell.” The sharp edge of my scythe glowed red down to the tip and the wood warmed. I almost forgot how it felt to collect a soul and revel in its warmth. I could take hers now and keep it for the remainder of the four days. I walked closer, my scythe burning under my grip. She backed up. The fear in her eyes made me move faster toward her.

I was lost to myself as black licorice flavor filled my mouth. It was a hand coming from the very depths of me trying to reach the girl. The girl’s eyes widened and I laughed at her fear. I may not look scary without my cloak but the way the energy swirled around me, I knew, Bee could feel it.

I pushed the part of her trapped in me down into the depths of my stomach so I couldn’t be influenced by her goodness. All I saw was death and I wanted it from her. I wanted to finish the job before Halloween. I felt new powers I didn’t know the scythe was capable of, and it was wonderful. The girl froze and I moved my scythe. She moved, my puppet.

“Aiden, this isn’t funny. Don’t kill me. What about my brother? Please I beg you. I trust you. I trust you with my life, Aiden!”

And like that the dark disappeared. I dropped my scythe. She ran for her life as new regret stopped me from ascending.

“Reina, one. Me, zero. Fine, teach me and don’t make me regret this.”

She giggled. “Your forte may be sucking up souls quick and reading auras, but this is mine.”

Reina disappeared and appeared behind me, on the side of me, and then in front of me. I turned because I couldn’t sense her soul in a dissipated state. She appeared again on the opposite side, and I whipped my head around.

“Come out, you’re making me dizzy.” I snapped my head to the hairspray smell on my right.

“All you need to do is yield the scythe’s power and concentrate on a specific place, or someone’s face. Stay still and give yourself to the power, feel the power. Trust your scythe. It knows you, and you it. Simple, yes?”

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Yeah, simple.”

Reina took out her phone and scrolled down on the screen. “I want you to materialize into Grim City. Look at this picture.”

I looked at the picture on the screen, focusing on the couch. “Got it. Is that your place?”

“Yup. I’ll be right behind you. Close your eyes and go.”

I closed my eyes and concentrated on the torn blue couch and dull gray walls. I concentrated on the mica that sparkled on the floor. There was static as if I was getting interference.

Reina had already left. When my brain began to throb, I opened my eyes. I was still at the cemetery.

Reina reappeared next to me confused. “What happened? This should be like driving.”

“I tried, I really did. I saw the place. I felt myself give in, but there was something in the way. Like another person stood blocking the path.”

“Huh, that’s odd. Try again, but this time, bring me with you, so I can see what’s going on.”

If I learned this, I could get around faster. I clutched her hand. My eyes closed and I pictured Grim City and her place. I could feel her soul trying to probe mine. I didn’t like it.

The path was blocked again, but Reina showed me how to go around it. When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in front of her blue couch.

Reina jumped and hugged me. “You did it. See, not so hard.” Her wet lips squished against my cheek and tried to make their way to my lips. I turned my head.

“What was in the path?” I asked, wiping my face.

“I’ll tell you, but only if you make a pact with me. I can’t stand the thought of losing you and being alone with Abe again.” Reina paced, looking at her nails.

“No way. I’ve already done enough damage for one assignment.”

“You might want to reconsider since you’ve already made a bargain with Ivar to save her because you also need to do one other thing to free her. If it were my personal test I would want to know, but hey to each his own.” She started to walk away and I growled.

“What about Bee? You can’t say that and just not tell me.” I held her arm.

“I just want a pact saying you’ll remain a Reaper and will help me if I get into any trouble. It’s not much to ask.”

I put my hand on my forehead. “And if I do this, you’ll tell me what it has to do with Bee?” Reina was the only friend I had. She wasn’t like Sabrina, but I would help her. I was becoming the patron Reaper of good deeds.

“Cross my heart and hope to die.” She crossed her heart.

I lowered my scythe’s powers to almost nothing and clanked it together with Reina’s, sending white and blue sparks into the air. It wasn’t as binding as a contract, more like a hand shake.

Her smile reached from one ear to another. “I think Bee can use your scythe. You need to find out, because if it’s true, you could easily take your soul back from her. The problem is, it’s risky.”

“Am I going to turn her to crispy chicken risky, or just give her a little jolt risky?”

She grabbed my arm and her confidence leaked out. “Crispy chicken, but I know I’m right. I’ve been researching night and day for you, seeing how you despise history lessons. Make her touch your scythe to see what happens.”

“Grim Reapers fry when they touch someone else’s scythe, but someone alive . . . she could get electrocuted!”

“But I know I’m right.” Reina winked, picking up a can of pink hair spray, shaking it. “I saw it in a book.”

“Did the book say if there were others who got their souls entangled together? Can you tell me how this happened?”

“Most of the pages were torn out and the juicy info went with it. The only chapters left were what I read about. Just think, if it’s true, you can undo what she has done, get your soul back and send her packing. You in?” She frowned, picking up a can of green spray.

“Obviously I don’t have much of a choice. You better be right about this.”

“Trust me. Let’s get your soul back. First, help me pick a new hair color. Green or pink?”

“Green.”

Green reminded me of Bee and her vitality, so alive.