Deadly Kisses (18 page)

“Let me straighten the back for you.” Her mom took the hair gadget, doing the back of her head. “I hope you see some of your old friends when you go into town.”

“They think I’m crazy. They’re afraid of me and call me a witch. I can’t blame them, seeing what happened when the Grim Reaper almost got Sabrina in school. Look at me. I’m homeschooled now because of it.”

“Oh God, things got so messed up. I’m sorry, I know how hard this is for you, but you can be homeschooled as long as you want. Sabrina will always be with us and she lives on in her sisters. I’m awful at saying the right thing about death.”

“Mom, there’s nothing you can say that will make me feel better. I’ll always miss her.”

“Are you sure everything is okay, honey?” Bee’s mom kissed her cheek.

“Fine, thanks Mom. Love you.”

“Love you, too. Have fun tonight and be careful driving with all those kids walking around.” She left her room and Bee came to me. She reached up and looped her arm around my neck. I lowered my head, so it almost touched her forehead.

“Aiden, I want you to ascend when this mess is over. You don’t have to wait for me.” She looked deep into my eyes. Her hand ran through my hair, entwining her fingers around it.

“I’m waiting for you, and I’ll help you until this has finished.” Our breaths clashed and I drowned in her. I was going to reap Jaleb tonight, and all I cared about was kissing her.

“I promise, but I also promise to protect you to the best of my ability.” Bee glowered.

Jaleb looked over to me and winked. We needed to make a plan without, Bee. She would be furious that I planned on reaping Jaleb and he had already agreed to stay a Grim Reaper to save his family.

“I need to talk with Aiden alone before we take the twins trick-or-treating.” Her jean pocket bulged from the blood stone that was inside of it.

“Wait, before I leave you two talking.” Jaleb looked to me with a stern stare and pointed. His lips then went into a goofy grin. “I have something for you, buddy.”

He left. I had no idea what he was up to. When he came back he carried something.

I jumped up when I saw my guitar case. “No way man! I can’t believe you have this. I thought for sure it would’ve been pawned.” Jaleb handed the worn leathered case to me. I smoothed it like I did to Bee’s hair sometimes.

“Your band and I stormed your house. Your mother didn’t know what to say, so she let us take some of your stuff.”

“I didn’t think I would ever see my guitar again. This is amazing. Thanks Jaleb.” I patted him on the shoulder, but I could have hugged him to death.

“Can you bring it to wherever you live?” he asked.

“Yes, if you’re lucky enough to get stuff from this world it’s a plus. Possessions need to be given to you, or you can’t take it.”

“Well, good luck trying to open it because we never found the key.”

I pulled the chain out from under the heavy cloak. I slipped it off my neck and my hair rumpled forward. The key fit snug into the case. The latch clicked open to reveal my acoustic guitar with a green pick nestled between strings.

Bee smiled as I took it out of the case, reacquainting myself with an old friend. I looked to her with a sparkle in my eyes. “Do you mind if I play while we go trick-or-treating? Only you two would be able to hear it, seeing I’m invisible to people who are alive.”

“I’d love to hear you play again.” Bee jumped, her straight hair frizzed.

Jaleb held up his hand to me, signaling he would give us five minutes. We had to go take the twins out trick-or-treating and bring them home as soon as possible.

I sat on the bed, plucking the chords, singing low. The sound of my voice lured Bee to the floor at my feet. She leaned her head on the clumped up sheets on her bed. Her eyes closed as she lost herself in the music.

I started into the song that Bee hummed—the song I had written for her—except now I had words to go along with the music. I sang of the girl who danced with bees in a field of daisies. The notes moved me to a happy place as she hummed along.

Bee didn’t even notice the song ended as she continued to sing its hypnotic melody. I slid off the bed and onto the floor beside her. She opened her eyes and I was there.

Our faces were inches apart again and she made a squeak when I drew in a breath too fast. I wanted to stare into her dark eyes forever. Tingles danced on my skin at our close proximity.

I clutched her hands and brought them to my heart. “I don’t want to lose you again. Say you’ll stay with me, let me take your soul instead of Jaleb’s. It wouldn’t be a glamorous life, but I would make you happy.” I don’t know what made me ask her that. It was stupid and selfish. I didn’t want her to die.

I was crushed when I felt her answer before the words formed on her tongue. “I would choose to ascend after we found Kessler Flynt. I’m sorry.”

“I shouldn’t have asked you that.” My heart shattered into tiny pieces.

“We better go before Hope and Faith take a tantrum messing up their costumes.” Bee wouldn’t look at me, and her voice was strained.

“Jaleb and I will meet you at your Aunt’s house.”

“Okay.” She put on a fake smile and walked out of the room.

Jaleb came in, pacing. We waited until Bee’s footsteps faded down the hallway.

“Jaleb, you understand what you want me to do, right? You will be reaped, and Bee will go on with her life. I need you to understand, so you won’t back out at the last minute. I can’t bind Kessler to the ground, ending his wrath, only a Flynt who is a Grim Reaper can.”

“I know what I have to do. I can’t let anything happen to my sister, but I know her and she will get in the way.” Jaleb sat on her bed and picked up a pink bunny.

“I have a plan A and B,” I said, walking over to her corkboard, looking at the years I missed. I took out my phone and began to take pictures. I wouldn’t forget her.

“What are they?” Jaleb flung the bunny. It landed upside down.

“Plan A, Bee will release my soul, step aside, and let me reap you,” I said.

“And plan B?” Jaleb stared at her photos.

“When I reap you, I’ll have to control Bee’s movements, using my scythe, so she doesn’t freak out and mess things up. It’s easy and Ivar does it to me. Then to become a Grim Reaper like me, find something you’ll regret and think of only that thing. Can you do that?” I put my phone in my pocket.

“Together we’ll fix this mess. I’m in.” We fist bumped and walked out the door into the backyard. We had a plan. Now we had to get through trick-or-treating with two toddlers. That would be interesting.

Bee looked at me with remorse. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up any reference to the car accident. I know why you chose the river. I wouldn’t want to drive again either.”

“No. It’s fine, really. I’m over it.” I winked.

It was dark, but I could see the concern in her face and the way she didn’t take her eyes off me. I hoped I wasn’t scaring her, but I had to put the cloak back on. She watched the way I used my scythe.

“Do you think the twins are sleeping yet?” Jaleb’s voice echoed off the walls.

“You let them eat too much candy. They’ll be awake until next week.” Bee elbowed Jaleb in the leg.

“I’m glad I won’t be around to get yelled at about that,” Jaleb said.

“That’s not funny, and we haven’t decided who it will be,” Bee said. “Let’s just go with the flow and see if we can make another bargain or something.”

The water rippled around the boat and the moans died down.

“Is this your first All Hallows Eve sacrifice, bud?” Jaleb asked.

“Yup, I read about it at the archives. Reina told me they’ve been doing this for the past thousand years. Abe’s been working to stop it.”

“What’s the point of these senseless reapings?” Bee huddled into herself, shivering.

“They do it so families are off balanced, making more reapings, so we are needed. Rumor is they want to cut our jobs. That would mean Ivar would go to Hell. He still wants to walk the earth.”

“Death politics. It’s worse than presidential debates,” Bee said. “My legs are cramped down here. Any way we can stop for a stretch?”

“We already lost time trick-or-treating and we have to see Marlin before we go to Stonehenge. That’s across the state, but you can help me steer. Give me your hand.”

“Are you nuts? She drives like a maniac,” Jaleb remarked.

“Hey, I can drive better than you. Besides, I see Grim Reapers driving around.”

I took her hand to steady her. She stood trying to balance the gondola. Jaleb held onto the sides using his body to keep it from rocking back and forth. She came face to face with me. “Turn around slow. I’ve got you.”

Bee turned her back to me and I pulled her close into my body. She fit like a piece to the puzzle. Her warmth radiated and thrummed through me. I wrapped my left arm snug around her waist. She jumped.

“Your hands are freezing. Let me warm them.” She leaned into my ear, whispering.

Jaleb sat with his elbow on the edge of the gondola. His head rested onto his hand. He was in deep thought and not paying attention to us.

Bee put both her hands over mine, animating me.

“You’re so warm. Being near you restores me, but having you touch me . . . well
you
are my heaven.”

A wheeze of air escaped through her lips.

“Tonight you’ll have to release my soul, or I’ll have to take it. Abe doesn’t think it will come back out, but we have to try.” I leaned into Bee’s neck to smell her, talking low so Jaleb couldn’t hear.

She nodded, but I was hesitant. I wanted my soul back, but a bigger part of me wanted it to stay within her. “Put your hand on mine. I’ll show you how to use the scythe.”

“At least I know I won’t fry if I touch it.”

I chuckled, making some of her hair fly upward. “No, but Jaleb would. You’re bonded with it.” I felt her hand eagerly grasp mine. “Close your eyes. Merge together with me.”

“I don’t know how.” Bee panicked.

“Yes, you do. Without knowing, you seek me out all the time.” I waited until our souls united.

She held onto my hand tighter, drawing closer to me. I was her willing prisoner. Without her knowing, I tried to draw our souls into their right bodies, but my attempt failed. I would have to try again when we got to America’s Stonehenge because I didn’t want to fail her. I loved her so much my heart felt like it would burst.

“Tell me what’s bothering you, Aiden,” Bee said.

“I’m fine,” I lied.

“My mother says
fine
stands for Frustrated-Insecure-Neurotic-and-Emotional. Talk to me. It’s making me nervous. My chest is tightening. There is a hunger in your soul.”

I swallowed hard.

“I’m begging you.”

“This is wrong to tell you, but don’t hit the messenger.” My heart rammed in my chest. It beat against her back. I released her waist, wiping my forehead, and put my arm around her tighter. I hunched down until my chin rested on her shoulder. My lips were mere inches from her ear.

“Just spit it out, Aiden. I’ll feel so much better when your soul releases this pent up energy. Please,” she pleaded.

I whispered to her in the dark of the tunnel. “I love you! I have always loved you, and I will always love you!”

That pent up energy Bee described released through her. Her soul surged. Tendrils of energy swirled and danced, binding us together. It finally burst through our bodies into a blinding white light. The cave lit up. I could see the moss curtains that hung from the stone ceiling. The black water revealed skeletons that floated about. I saw other gondolas were docked on a distant cemetery exit and then it went black again.

“What the hell was that?” The boat jostled from Jaleb’s jerky, nervous movements.

“Nothing!” Bee and I said in unison, like a choreographed dance.

“We’re not under attack, are we?” Jaleb looked down the river.

“Nope, no attack. Sit back. We’re almost to Marlin’s. You’ll feel stronger after you get more of her herbal tonic.” I closed my eyes, letting Bee guide us. My body relaxed, succumbing to her.

Jaleb hunched over, leaning on both hands. I hummed Bee’s song to her and her soul buzzed inside me.

I was content for the first time since my tragic death. I basked in it, because it would be the last time. I still had to reap Jaleb. Bee would hate me for it. I would honor my agreement with both the Ancients and Jaleb. I had promised Jaleb years ago to watch over Bee. I never go back on my promises.

When I reaped Jaleb, it would be another notch of regret, and another incident that would keep me a Grim Reaper for eternity.