Reaper I: The Beginning (4 page)

My fingernails were again as long as fork tines, then cat’s claws…then much like my own fingers.

“Your victims…did
they
beg for mercy?” I asked him, my smile one of pure menace. “Did
their
pleas fall on deaf ears?”

Two long slender spikes of the glistening black organic material were now, at my will, growing from the back of my hands, like scalpels at first, then as long as bread knives.

They looked like features found on a carnivorous insect and I knew they would be as sharp as razors since I willed them to be that way.

I seemed able to transform through my willpower, through imagination alone.

The Dark Thing seemed content to respond to my silent commands…

“Tell me,” I demanded, “Did they beg for their lives just as you’re doing now?”

I willed the weapon of my left hand to grow strong and hard as I punched into the flesh of his shoulder, burrowing deep with the jagged spike, pinning him against the brick wall.

“
Did they
?” I demanded.

A scream of agony was his only answer.

I was pleased.

As I twisted the spikes, torturing him, his shrieks of torment were like so much music…

So much sweet, sweeping music.

The Dark Thing, sustained by my victim’s anguish, fed greedily on his readily available blood.

Images of his past conquests flooded my mind and I was surprised to see that, despite his young age, he had scores of victims.

Even more victims than the other two who had fallen this night by my hand.

“Please…God…don’t…” His young face streaked with tears and his terrified eyes, he begged me not to kill him.

I thought of his young age and then I thought of my own.

Who was the greater evil at this point—him or me?

I had killed two killers tonight.

I was about to kill another.

For all that he had done, to me – to countless others – did he deserve to die?

I felt so.

At the very core of my soul, there was a sense that it was the right thing to do.

There was no point in prolonging this drama.

His screams might have drawn the attention of Good Samaritans who may have called the police.

With the further outpouring of his blood came the knowledge of his crimes and those terrible secrets filled me with fury.

It was shocking. Baby Boy was only a few years older than I was, yet so many innocents had died at his hands.

So many.

“All of the things that you have done…they’re
beyond
evil.” I seethed, twisting the blade of my hand in his shoulder.

He howled with pain. “Please…”

“End of the show, fucker. It’s curtains for you.”

I pulled my left hand out of his shoulder and, crossing the two blades under his chin, much like a lethal pair of scissors, I drew my forearms apart and up cutting deep through his neck, turning him into a human Pez dispenser.

His remaining blood washed over me, covering my chest, my arms, feeding the Dark Thing whose hunger for the blood of the wicked seemed to know no limit, no boundaries on this, the night of its birth.

The young thug’s body fell against me and I let it drop to the concrete, unimpeded.

I didn’t care who found this vermin first—the rats or the cops—it made no difference to me.

My work was done.

I had done my part, had exacted revenge and answered the call of the Dark Thing—the call for the blood of the guilty.

Justice was served.

And it wouldn’t be for the last time…

Up next?

Reaper II: Neophyte

Coming to Kindle Winter/Spring 2012

About the Author

Amanda M. Holt is the oldest daughter of an oldest daughter.  

She enjoys being single, has no pets and no plans of parenting.  She has had a variety of
jobs
through her adult lifespan and now finds herself in a very gratifying
career
that she is very devoted to.

Her first and truest love is creative writing, which she does as often as life and the Muse of Procrastination allow. 

Her Kindle Direct Publishing Amazon Author
Central Page can be found at:

http://www.amazon.com/author/amandaholt

She has a Blog at
http://www.amandamholt.wordpress.com
and a website at
http://www.amandamholt.com
, both of which are not updated very often. 

At the time of writing this entry she is 32 years of age, looking forward to 33, learning a few languages and maybe even getting re-introduced to the piano!

She lives in Manitoba, Canada and is proud of her humble roots .

She loves Halloween.

This is her at Halloween 2011:

She is very grateful for your support of her craft and chosen charitable organizations and promises entertaining works to come (edits in progress, cover art licenses already purchased from Jimmy Thomas –
http://www.romancenovelcovers.com
, formatting for ePublishing in progress, et cetera). She receives and returns email at [email protected] and looks forward to hearing from you (no forwards about guardian angels or spam, please).

Happy reading!

A.M.H

Look for more titles in Winter/Spring 2012!

About the Cover Art

Licensed photography by Jimmy Thomas
www.romancenovelcovers.com