Death's Dilemma (DHAD #2) (4 page)

The dust of the old gym collected in the cracks of my shoes and dried out my eyes. With as many students that attend Lacie’s school, you’d think they would have enough money to do some updates in this place, but nope. It stood probably just as it had when it was built in the ‘50s. The faded purple banners remained on the walls, reminding the school of the only time they had a winning football team, which hadn’t been in the last twenty years. The school colors of purple and white maintained their somewhat dingy majesty just like the rickety remnants of the gymnasium. The floors creaked and even dipped in certain places so you always had to be careful while running, unless you wanted a twisted ankle. The only thing that was remotely new was the scoreboard that hung in the center, but even that was a hand me down.

P.E. was my least favorite of her classes because it was hard to stay close to Lacie. Too many of the activities required us to separate, especially today. It was a fitness test, and we were advised we would have to do all sorts of things. I watched anxiously as she climbed all the way up the rope without skipping a beat. I thought she surely wouldn’t make it, as I’d never seen her work out before, but she had a small frame, so I guess it was less weight to carry. I let out a breath when she finally made it back down.

“Your turn.” She came by and showed me her rope burned hands. “Don’t look so shocked. I needed this for a B.” I grabbed onto the rope and began my climb, purposely going at a slow pace. If I wanted, I could have been up and down this thing in seconds, but as it was, I needed to appear human, so a snail’s pace it was. I counted to ten in between each tied section and made sure to place both my feet on each knot, to add for the acting of giving myself a boost with my legs. One more knot to go. As soon as I had both feet in place, I used my right hand to touch the top. I high-fived the ceiling and was about to make my way down when a chill washed over my body, making the hairs on my arms stand on end. I couldn’t see anyone just yet, but someone was coming or already here, hiding. I slid down the rope, not caring anymore who saw.

“How’d you do that?” I heard from Myah as I passed her by while moving toward Lacie who was at half court, talking to Chad and a girl named Rachel. The snapping of the wire hissed in my ears as my eyes frantically searched. Another creak directed my attention to the scoreboard that was conveniently hanging above Lacie.

“LACIE!” I screamed as I ran toward her. Things moved in slow motion as the final wire holding up the scoreboard snapped and the massive metal fixture came crashing towards Lacie’s body below. At the sound of the last snap, her head tilted up to watch what would have been her ultimate demise. I was going to be a step short. Shit! I dove towards her, projecting all my weight into her body. I felt the gym floor crack and rumble from the impact. It only took a few seconds to hear the screams. I blinked to try and clear the smoke from my eyes. A loud shriek rang in my ears, taking the place of the ringing the impact caused.

“Are you okay?” I asked Lacie as I got up from lying on top of her. Unlike other times I’d leapt to save her, I had no second to spare thinking about our landing. She sat up, but didn’t stand, and grabbed the back of her head.

“My head is killing me…what happen—?” She didn’t finish her sentence, and her eyes went wide as she looked past me. “He… he...he...is...where is... no…” she started to cry, and I looked behind me to see why. Underneath the scoreboard, a pool of blood had formed. Who had she been talking to? Chad. Shit.

“Myah go get the school nurse,” I shouted to her as she stared at the scoreboard with her mouth hanging open. “Myah…did you hear me? MYAH!” She finally looked over to me. Her eyes were blood shot, and tears began to fall. “You can do this, Myah, please. Lacie, needs a nurse.”

Myah walked away slowly, and I hoped she’d make her way there.

“Was that…”

“I’m not sure. I felt something while I was up there, but I didn’t see anything.”

“Is he...”

“Probably. I haven’t checked yet.” I took a step back towards the scoreboard but froze when I heard another snap. “It’s the lights.” Sure enough, the wires holding the lights up were starting to snap one by one. Soon, they’d start falling on top of the remaining students. If this gym had been updated lately, that wouldn’t been a problem, but these lights were old school and heavy duty. I wasn’t going to put a bet on if they hit someone just right that they’d be able to take them out or, at the very least, give them a broken bone or missing limb. Someone was trying to play whack a mole.

“RUN…THE LIGHTS ARE ALL FALLING!” I screamed as loud as I could. Students backed away from the score board and rushed towards the doors. I needed to get her out of here, but I couldn’t port her with other students around, and with no light above her head, the spot she was in currently I assessed to be the safest. Before the last students could make it out, the lights began to crash down one by one like a hammer on nails, taking out anyone in their way.

“Stay,” I commanded at Lacie as I waited for the students to either be taken out or through the exit. “As soon as they all clear, I’ll port you.” I looked over and saw Guardians standing at the exits, like they were watching and waiting for something.

“What about them though? What is happening?” she said as she grabbed her knees and started to shake. The last student who didn’t get wacked left through the exit. “Okay, now. Grab my hand.” I ported her home just before Drake appeared in front of me, seemingly out of nowhere. He sprang past my right shoulder and crashed into John who had just ported right behind me apparently. Drake tackled John to the ground, holding his neck in his hand as he straddled his body. He put John on his back in two seconds flat, and I forced my bottom lip to find the top, closing my gaping mouth. What had just happened? I looked to where the Guardians had stood before, but only one was there—Catherine, waving at me with a prissy little smile before making an exit.

Chapter Five

Reaper Reunion

“What are you doing here, John?” I asked, but waited to question Drake, considering he’d sort of just saved me from being blindsided.

“Let me go, Drake! You’re hurting me. I didn’t know you wanted this win so badly. We all thought you told him no,” John said in short breaths with the little amount of oxygen that Drake was allowing him to still have. I pulled out my scythe and raised it above Drake’s head

“What are you both doing here?”

“Don’t say ‘both’, I am not here for the same reason this scum is. Is it not obvious why he is here, Cendall? Look what he has in his hand.” I looked down at his hands, and a scythe was in his grasp.

“None of them were vulnerable; I would have felt it. I mean, I felt the Reaper presence, but no vulnerability until they were already dead.” Was I losing my touch?

“They weren’t. He was forcing it.”

“Why?” And with that, John let out a laugh.

“You have to be kidding me, right?! You betrayed our whole realm. Do you think that would happen without consequences?”

“And you thought you’d be my punisher?” I gave him a drawn out chuckle. “Don’t you remember the last time we faced off in training? I had you defeated in thirty seconds flat.”

“Things have changed. I’ve been training.”

“No amount of training would bring you up to my speed, or did they forget to tell you about these little powers I’ve developed?” I threated. Putting my palms up to show him a glimpse of the light blue electric force I could now use at my fingertips’ disposal. His eyes went wide.

“Ah, so they haven’t. Well, make sure and tell your little friends about this new development so maybe they’ll have some sense and leave me alone.” For effect, I let the light leave my hands and strike a few feet from where Drake still had John straddled. It uplifted the boards and left a black, burnt streak in its wake.

“Get the hell out of here, John. You can let him go, Drake. If he tries to get me again, I’ll handle it.” Drake rolled his eyes but let him go. John made his first wise decision of the day and ported out of the gym.

“Why are you here, Drake?”

“The more important question is why did you let him live? You know what he was here to do, don’t you?”

“Why are you here?” I asked again.

“Could I at least get a ‘thank you’ before you question me?” He smiled

“Thank you for what?” He rolled his eyes. “Fine, thank you.” It had been a long time since I’d seen Drake. He still looked mostly the same, dark, dangerous, and gorgeous, of course. I’d forgotten how his long, black hair complemented his dark blue eyes. I couldn’t help but notice how strange this felt. I had, for so long, hated him, but I’d be lying to myself if I said I still did. Something changed last year.

“So, what’s new?” I asked, and we both laughed awkwardly. I felt the heat reach my cheeks as my mind decided to give me a mental picture of the time I’d kissed those full, thick lips when he told me he was my future husband.

“Oh nothing, just checking on my future wife.” He laughed, and I stepped on my tip toes to punch him in the shoulder. Had he grown again? A light playfulness filled his eyes as he let out a small smile. Why couldn’t he have been like this when we were growing up? If he had, hell, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten myself into all this trouble. Maybe I would have fallen in love with him and been okay with the fact that marrying him was the only reason why my realm let me train to be a Reaper. Probably not, but I’d always ponder that particular
what if.
When he acted like this, my mind almost forgot the years of teasing and ridicule.

That’s what really made the news such a shock when I’d confirmed it with my father. All those years I’d thought they’d let me train because I was born a Reaper. Yes, I was the first female Reaper ever born, but I thought, because of my bloodline, I was still given that right. Apparently, however, when I came about, the board was only convinced to let me train if my father agreed to have me married to another strong Reaper family. Their hopes had been that I’d produce some super Grim Reaper baby. That was the funny thing about me and plans, though. Somehow, I always managed to mess them up, but at least I got training out of it.

“Seriously though, why are you here?’ He pointed at the scoreboard that still held Chad’s lifeless body captive.

“But I thought you said no one had been vulnerable?”

“They weren’t. I was just monitoring him. We’ll call it a coincidence.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences.”

“Okay, I might have also been checking up on you. It was just a convenience that you were here as well. Killed two birds with one stone.”

“I’m still alive,” I said, stepping back.

“You know what I mean. If I wanted to bring you harm, I could have a minute ago. I really was just here to check on you. None of this makes sense. You’re protecting a girl you barely know, going against something you trained your whole life for. I know you, Cendall, and something about all of this just doesn’t make sense. I’m not connecting something. You should be back in limbo where you belong.

“I stopped belonging there a long time ago.” The truth of my words twisted into my stomach like I’d just been stabbed with a freshly sharpened dagger.

“They’d take you back if you brought the girl’s soul with you. All would be forgiven. Well, you’d probably still have to go through with that little arrangement too. But you haven’t turned nineteen yet, so if we still got married, the oath would be fulfilled and then they’d have to let you back in. I know things have changed, but I’d go through with it still if you wanted to. Seriously, it’s where you belong.”

“You know you don’t believe that they’d never forgive me. Even if I went through with the arrangement, then it’d probably be worse. They’d shun you as well. And you don’t want to marry me, Drake.”

“How do you know what I want?”

“Aw don’t tell me you miss me, Drake,” I said trying to make light of the situation. I didn’t know what he wanted. Hell, I didn’t know what I wanted half the time.

“It’s not just you. Your dad still hasn’t returned, and shit’s just not the same. Herald sent everyone on a mission to kill you, Cendall. Fucking kill you! Since when do we kill one of our own?! I’d never heard of it, and well, I just had to find out what really happened for myself before I decided to take on his assignment”

“And…?” I held my breath, still trying to digest the fact that I had a hit out on me.

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“You have to leave. A Guardian could be back here any minute.”

“I fear no Guardian. Plus, in case you can’t see,” he said, stretching his arms out and looking around, “…no one is here. They all ported as soon as the girl was gone. Do you really want to work with people who don’t stay to protect one of their own?”

“I’m not one of them.”

“Then what are you? You won’t come back home, yet you don’t seem to be getting along with them either.”

“When I have an answer to that question, I’ll let you know. Now, seriously, leave. I know at least one of them will be here to lecture me any minute, and I don’t feel like arguing with him on the fact that we’re speaking right now.”

“Cendall, the ultimate ‘female Reaper’ who cheated to get top of her class is letting herself be ordered around? I’d stay just to watch that.”

“Oh shut up. You know I beat you fair and square for first last year. I just don’t feel like having the argument. This day has been long enough. You have your soul. Now get it, leave, and don’t come back here. Trust me, it would be in your best interest to not try and figure out what happened. Just try and kill me like the rest of them. The list is already long enough; one more name won’t make a difference.”

“Uh huh. Dave wanted me to give you a message too,” he said as he handed me a note. “Goodbye Cendall.”

“I’m serious, Drake.” He turned. “Oh and, Drake, tell them I said hi,” I said as I waved the one finger salute. He smirked and shook his head at me before porting out. What the hell had that just been? Drake had saved me from being sucker punched from behind, and then we had a normal, almost flirty, conversation. I really hoped he listened to what I had told him. Drake didn’t need to get wrapped in this mess too. I secretly hoped he wouldn’t try and kill me either though. I’d said it was no big deal, but I’d only beaten him once, and I had to take a spear to the chest to get the win. That was not something I wanted to repeat. Hopefully, since he’d gotten his target, he’d leave me alone. I opened the note in my hand from Dave.