Reaper of Flames (The Artifact Reaper Saga Book 3) Read online

"It's ready?" His body tenses and he turns my direction.

  "He's putting a new fan belt in and it's ready to go." That's all he needs to know. All the extra stuff I'm going to pretend didn't happen.

  "But you're going to stay right?" His eyebrows furrow and his lips form a thin line.

  Now this is a trap if I ever saw one. The front door rings alerting me to a new customer. "Hey, I better go help them." I turn around fast before he can stop me. I don't want to promise anything I can't deliver.

  As I enter the room, the customer slides into a booth in the front next to the window, away from everyone else. I grab some silverware and head in that direction. When I get to the table, I lay the silverware down and grab my pad. "What can I get you?"

  "Now that is an interesting question." A deep tenor tone I'm all too familiar with fills the air, along with the smell of fire and brimstone.

  No, this can't be. Of course, he'd show up here and now. I lower my pad and find none other than Damien sitting down at the table. "What are you doing here?"

  His blue eyes are glowing and the dark shadows cling to him. "I could ask you that very same thing. Why don't you sit down with me for a minute? We have a lot to discuss."

  "Sorry, no can do." Does he think I would even if I could? I saw what he's done to Becca. "I'm at work and have other people I need to wait on as well."

  He lifts a hand and a dark shadow springs out as if to do some type of bidding. "I don't think you understand. It's not a choice. Unless you want someone to get hurt more than they already are."

  Why in the hell did I think I might be able to trust him, even a little, at one point? I'm not even sure who he's threatening, but it's either my parents, Becca, or Charlie. And what does he mean more than they already are? The last time I saw them, they were fine.

  A smirk crosses his face and he lowers his hand.

  Shit, he knows he has me. I sit down and throw my pad on the table. I hate he still has some control over me. This is going to end and soon. "Why are you here? I left Illinois for a reason." He's never going to leave me alone again.

  "It's Becca." He leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. "You saw there was something wrong with her soul, right?"

  "Yeah, that's why you need to just go." I wish I could slap the smug look off his face. Someone needs to take him down a notch. "You've done enough."

  "Oh, don't be so dramatic." He rolls his eyes and chuckles. "Her soul is breaking apart. I know what is causing it, and it’s an easy fix for me to do. I just need something in return."

  Of course, he does. He also has Beth's soul trapped somewhere. Not to mention, I've got two artifacts; granted they are inside me. He's going to want me to go after the third one. "Let me guess. You want me to go after Hell's Flame?"

  "You're catching on." He raises an eyebrow and drops his arms so he can lean forward toward me. "But yes, that's what I need you to get if you want me to fix her."

  Does he expect this to work each time? We've done this song and dance two other times and I'm sick of it. "No, it's not happening." I'm done doing whatever this is with him. I take a deep breath, trying to reign in my control. At this point, I want to lay down and kick and scream. "Even if I could get to it, I would just absorb it like I did all the other artifacts."

  "You say that like it's a bad thing." He rubs his lips with his finger and leans back against the chair.

  Hell yeah, it's a bad thing. I don't like having this extra power coursing through me. At first it seemed to balance me some, but every day it seems to be tipping the other way. I have no clue why. "I don't see why that would be what you'd want." I sure don't want it. I wish I could find a way to get the other two out so I could go back home.

  "It doesn't matter if you understand it or not." His eyes narrow and an eyebrow raises. "We already have a deal in place, don't forget that. It could get ugly."

  For being a demon, he is a freaking moron. Does he still expect to get a piece of the crystal? "Well, that might be a little difficult for you. It's kind of a part of me."

  "Sometimes I forget how slow you supernaturals are." He chuckles and the inky blackness that shrouds him spreads out causing a chill in the air. He leans forward bringing the smell of smoke toward me and reaches out his hand.

  A quick sharp pain comes from my scalp and then he pulls his hand back with a piece of my hair in it. The ends of my black hair blend in with the shadows. "There, problem solved. Now I have a piece of the crystal."

  No, that can't be true. Is it possible my hair or other pieces of me could be used as the artifact? I hadn't even considered that before right now. And if it's true, we're screwed.

  "So, now you better run and figure out a way to get the flame if you want to save Becca in time." He reaches in his back pocket and pulls out a wallet. He grabs a wad of cash and throws it on the table. "With the rate her soul is getting fractured, you probably don't have much time." He stands and saunters out the door, the shadows following him.

  What the hell just happened? I reach over and grab the money, counting it.

  Holy shit, he left me over four thousand dollars. That's enough to fix the transmission and the water thingy.

  Now the only question is why did he show up now? And why take my hair?

  3

  Five o'clock rolls around and Shirley makes it on time for once. I'm kind of surprised, but she breezes into the kitchen and puts on her apron.

  I've been stressing ever since Damien, and it's time just to put all this to bed. Him showing up here changes everything. He's not going to leave me alone, and he's gearing up to play me again. I've been down this road several times and it never ends well. I've tried handling this alone, and it never ends in my favor. I need to go back home since staying away isn't protecting them. I need people on my side and ones I can count on.

  This is going to be fun telling Jeb I quit. He's going to flip his lid, but the faster I get home, the better. I walk to his office and find the door already open so I knock on it.

  He startles at the sound I make and turns toward me. "What the hell? You're going to give me a heart attack."

  If only he was so lucky. "Hey, sorry. I was about to head out and wanted to talk to you first."

  "Oh, yeah." He clears his throat and turns his chair towards me so he's facing my direction. "You're coming right back so you'll be back in like thirty minutes?"

  "Uh... about that." Shit, why do I hate telling him this? It's not like I've been here long or anything. But damn, I hate disappointing him or putting him in a bind. "Something came up, and I need to go home."

  "Oh, are you feeling okay?" His eyebrows furrow together, and he leans forward.

  "Yeah, I feel fine." Shit he thinks I mean the hotel. I lean against the door and bite my bottom lip. "I mean my real home."

  His face drops, and he clears his throat. "Dammit. I knew this would happen. All the good workers don't hang around too long."

  My heart drops. I expected anger not this. "I'm sorry. Something came up at home and I need to get back there as fast as possible."

  "Yeah, well if you walk out, I won't be able to pay you for your hours until payday." He crosses his arms and lifts his chin.

  "That's fine. Don't worry about paying me at all. Think of it as an I'm sorry." I don’t want to drag this out any longer than it has to be. I’ve got the money I need to get out of here. Granted I hate that it came from the demon, but at this point I'm not going to be choosy.

  "Well, I...." His hands drop into his lap and his mouth opens. "Okay then." He blinks a couple of times and seems to be at a loss for words.

  "Thank you for taking a chance on me." I turn around and head to the front. I need to get out of here and back home.

  Shirley is at the drink station when I turn the corner. The diner is pretty full, but I can't help that. She's worked here for years, so she'll be able to manage it. "Hey, umm... I hate to do this to you, but I got a call from home and need to go back."

  "Oh no. Is everything okay?" She
takes a step towards me and touches her neck.

  That's the question of the hour. "I don't know, that's why I have to go." I glance around the diner taking in the people. "I'm sorry to leave you like this, I wouldn't if it weren't urgent."

  "Girl, don't worry about that at all. Family comes first." She gives me a small grin and touches my arm.

  Well at least she took that better than I expected. "Thanks." Not sure what else to say, I head to the door and walk outside. It's now a little after five so I need to haul ass before the jerk closes shop.

  I rush down the street passing by a few small shops; down at the end of the road is his car shop. I walk into the the storefront. The smell of oil and grease hit me hard.

  There is a section of chairs to my right that appears to be a little waiting area and a desk with a little bell on it. I step up and hit the bell which causes a loud ringing sound to echo through the small office.

  A few moments later, Alex walks out the back wiping off his hands with what once was a white towel. He frowns when his eyes meet mine. "Oh, hey. You made it."

  Well this is a big change from earlier today. "I told you I'd be here. I need to get my car."

  "Yeah, I saw him." He throws the towel down on the desk in front of me, grimacing. "Is that why you said no earlier?"

  What is he talking about? "You saw who?"

  "Look, just because I'm a mechanic doesn't mean I'm stupid." He huffs and leans over to where there is a stack of keys and grabs mine. "I saw the guy with dark black hair that came in right after you went back inside. Is he why you said no?"

  Gross. That's freaking disgusting, but that’ll at least save me some face with him. He did fix my car after all and it makes things a little bit easier on me. I just hate that I have to pretend I'm dating a freaking demon. "Yeah, it is. I'm sorry. I just didn't know what to say."

  "God, I'm sorry." He rubs a hand down his face. "I feel like such a moron. I didn't mean to come on so strong. It's just, hell you're new and I'm into you. Just forget it ever happened."

  Oh, how I wish I could, and this awkward conversation could be over. "No worries. Water under the bridge." Please can we just drop it?

  "So, I finished up with your car and it's ready to go." He pulls out a sheet of paper and hands it over to me. "The total is three thousand four hundred and fifty-five, which covers the rebuilt transmission and fan belt."

  Holy shit that's expensive. There's no telling how long I'd be here if it wasn't for Damien. I grab my wad of money out and count out thirty-five hundred. "Here you go and keep the change." I still have at least five hundred dollars in my hand left over. Why would that demon give me so much?

  Alex's eyebrow quirks up. "Well okay then." He finally hands me the keys and takes the money. "I hope I still get to you see around."

  "You won't." I give him a small frown. "I'm running to the motel to grab my things and heading home."

  "Oh, wow." He puts the money up and nods. "Well, be careful driving back. However, your car shouldn't give you any problems."

  Hell, it better not after the amount of money I just dropped on it. "Great, thank you so much."

  He stares at me for a minute then clears his throat. "Oh, your car is parked in the side parking lot."

  Thank god. I can finally get out of here. "Okay, thanks again." I head out the door without a backward glance. I walk to the side and find the car sitting there. I unlock the door and slide in. I turn the key and hold my breath waiting for it to crank. When it starts without any problems, I let out a breath. Now I'm rocking and rolling.

  I need to grab what little things I have and head back home. It's around a six-hour drive and I have a full tank. At least when my car decided to crap out on me, I had just filled it up. So, I should be coasting into town around midnight.

  Pulling out onto the main highway, my heart begins to pound as I begin my journey home.

  Now that Margaret's gone what will the other members of the Council want to do with me? She was the only one who seemed willing to work with me, but now that she's gone, what will happen?

  I have to figure out who the hell Brad is working with. It’s crazy to think one of my good friends has turned out being against the council. It’s fine, but it’s as if he was using me too to get to the Earth Crystal. Whoever he’s helping must be a bigger player in this whole thing than I realized. He caused a lot of problems that day, but what is their ulterior motive? I'm learning everyone has them, but it's the figuring out what they really are that is the problem.

  Missing Charlie has been the hardest part of being away. He's become such an important part of my life, it's disconcerting. I'm not even sure what it means. When Beth was alive and after her death, he hated me. But something has happened since I've been on the search for these artifacts that has brought us closer. He's my best friend. But is it supposed to feel like a piece of you has been left behind when you leave a friend? I'm not sure what's going on between us anymore and some lines are beginning to blur. I don't know if it's just on my end or if he's confused as well.

  The biggest change of all is my parents. Their one-eighty attitude change. I believe it's sincere, but I seem to have some nagging concerns about it. Can just losing your status and downgrading a house make you change that much, or is this some kind of play? I don't want to entertain this thought, but it's always there in the back of my mind.

  What does it all mean when you have ancient elemental artifacts dissolve into you? It can't be a good thing. And it's not helping I'm beginning to feel unbalanced and I have no clue why or how to get it under control. And now Damien, the council, Charlie, and everyone is going to want me to go after the third artifact. Am I ready for that?

  That's the funny thing about it all. You would think a six-hour drive would take forever, but when your lost in thoughts and dreading returning home, that drive flies by in the blink of an eye.

  So, somehow, now it's midnight and I'm pulling into the apartment complex.

  Honestly, I should be going to mine, but I pull into Charlie's visitor spot. I get out of the car, letting my feet lead me to his door, my hand hovering before I knock. It's too late, but now that I'm this close, I can't go back to my place without seeing him.

  A few seconds pass before the door swings open and I'm scooped up into his arms. "Chris, is it really you?"

  A snort escapes me, but I still wrap my arms around him clinging to him tight. "Yes, it's me."

  "Oh, thank god." He runs his fingers through my hair and breathes me in. "I've been worried sick about you."

  "I'm sorry. I had to get away." I let out a sigh. "It was just too much."

  He pulls back and drops his arms. "Come on in here. We need to talk."

  Oh shit. This isn't going to be fun. I should have just gone home. "Maybe I should come back in the morning." I take in his rumpled hair and wrinkled clothes. "It looks like I woke you up."

  "It is midnight, but you aren't getting out of it that easy." He motions for me to come in and shuts the door behind me.

  Well, I guess I'm staying for a little while. I walk into his living room and sit down on his couch. I'm not sure what to expect. It's been over two weeks since I've seen him.

  He walks over to me and stands rubbings his fingers together. "I can't believe you're here. Where the hell have you been?"

  Now that's a fair question. "Well, I left here and started driving west. About six hours away, in Missouri, my car broke down and I got stranded for a while."

  "You got stranded?" His tone gets a little rough and his hands ball into fists. "Why didn't you call me?"

  "Because I needed time to think and I was trying to protect you." Doesn't he understand that? Granted, it didn't wind up working. Hell, Damien found me, but I tried.

  His jaw ticks and his hazel eyes flash with anger. "Do you know what it was like for me? You left here when two artifacts absorbed into you. Then you call me and hang up when I answer. I've been worried sick thinking something happened to you and I had no way of find
ing you."

  Shit, I haven't thought of it like that. I did leave him when something huge went down and then didn't talk to him. I've been a complete selfish ass even though I was trying to be the exact opposite. How would I feel if I were in his shoes? "I'm so sorry. I didn't think of it like that. I thought I was protecting you and leaving you out of harm's way."

  "Dammit, Chris." He runs a hand through his hair, making it messier and sighs. "I can't stay mad at you. I'm glad to have you back. You can't leave me like that again. Do you understand?"

  My heart speeds up at the intensity I find on his face. "I won't. I didn't mean to hurt you this time."

  His shoulders relax and he comes over and sits next to me. "What was wrong with the car?"

  Now this is what I came back for. Someone on my side who can help me come up with a plan. "My transmission blew, and it had to be rebuilt."

  "Holy crap. That had to be expensive." His eyes widen and his head tilts in my direction. "How did you pay for that?"

  "That's the thing." I turn my body toward him and shake my head. "Damien showed up earlier today at the cafe I was working in to get the money to pay for it."

  "Of course, he did." His nose crinkles and he leans back in the seat. "What did he want?"

  "What do you think?" I bark out a hard laugh. "The third artifact. He said he can repair Becca's soul if I retrieve it. Then he left me a large enough tip it covered the cost of my repair. That's how I got back here tonight."

  "The council was about to come get you, too." Charlie rubs his eyes and bites his lip.

  "It's time that we come up with a plan." I'm tired of them always having the upper hand. For once, let's try to at least have a few of our own pieces in play.

  4

  Just being back here these past thirty minutes has reinforced I made the right decision. I can't believe I thought leaving was the right choice, even if I had good intentions.

  "So... that just means we need to find a way into Hell. If that's where the flame is." Charlie stares off at the blank tv, laying his head back on the couch.