Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
“Do we have a deal, Grim?”
“Yes!” I blurt out without thinking.
“Wonderful,” he says as his eyes glow brighter. “You have twenty-four Earth hours.”
“Twenty-four hours?!” I say with a gasp. “No! I need more time. A human soul takes time to court.”
“And yet, you claim you’re both already in love. Twenty-four hours, Grim. That’s all you get.”
My hand squeezes into a fist as I glare at him. I should never have trusted this demonic fucker.
“I’ll even make it easier on you,” he says as he waves his clawed hand. “I’ll have an old friend take care of your Reaper duties while you’re out wooing this human female. I’m sure you remember Grim.”
Rage flares through me as a familiar Reaper steps out of the shadows. He was the one who started this horrible adventure. He was the one who came for me at the lake.
He peels back his hood and reveals his weathered gray face. I didn’t think it was possible, but this Reaper looks even more horrifying than the last time I saw him. His light gray skin is pulled so tight, I can make out every curve of his skull. Pale gray eyes sunk deep into his eye sockets watch me with amusement as he drags the wooden butt of his new scythe on the rocky ground.
“I’ll see you up there,” he says with a gruesome smile. “You and your pretty little lover.”
“You stay away from her!” I roar as I charge toward him. The cave rumbles like an earthquake as long snaking cracks rip through the ceiling. Bright orange light shines down on us as a forceful grip tightens around my arms.
I don’t take my rage-filled eyes off him. “You come near us and I’ll end you, you hear me? I’ll end you!”
I’m yanked up through the ceiling and spit back into the plane of existence.
With my mind and body raging, I look around with a growl. Where is he?
I grip my scythe and scan the area. I’m alone.
In front of Anna’s house.
The anger drains out of me as I rush toward the front door and glide through it. Soft music hits my ears. It’s playing from upstairs.
I sprint up the stairs with my scythe and head straight for her bedroom. The bed is made and she’s not in it.
How long have I been gone? How long did the Soul Collector keep me?
It felt like minutes, but it appears a day or two has passed.
I follow the music to the bathroom and glide through the closed door.
She’s here.
My Anna.
Just the sight of her grips my core and makes everything okay. The Soul Collector, my replacement Reaper, their plans, their schemes, none of it matters. All that matters is that we’re together.
She’s laying in the bath surrounded by bubbles. A candle sits on the back of the toilet, washing the room in soft orange light. She looks radiant. So full of life. So full of peace.
Her eyes are closed and she’s listening to the nice music. That gorgeous black hair is tied up into a messy bun on her head. I walk toward her, letting my eyes roam down her body. The bubbles are covering most of her, but what I can see drives me crazy. Her slick arms hanging out of the tub, the top of her chest dotted with droplets of water, her knees protruding from the bubbles. I love every inch of her. I’m obsessed with it all.
Those peaceful brown eyes slowly open and she perks up when she feels my presence.
“Hello?” she whispers softly. “Are you there?”
I stand here, watching her, hidden from her, mesmerized by her, and unable to move. My body is humming with energy, wanting so desperately to join her, but terrified that she’ll see my true nature and turn me away.
I don’t know how I’d ever recover if she rejected me. An eternity is a long time to live with that kind of unbearable pain.
“Show yourself,” she whispers. “Please…”
I pull myself right up to the plane of existence, but then stop myself right as I’m about to pierce through.
“I’ve missed you,” she says in a sweet gentle voice. “I want to see you again.”
I’m afraid, but I do it anyway. I’ll never let fear hold me back from loving her.
Her eyes widen with excitement as I slide through the plane and enter the human world once again.
I’m suddenly standing over her, gripping my scythe. My black hood is pulled over my head, the dark shadows hiding any trace of my skin.
Those beautiful pink lips part as she looks up at me in awe.
“I’m not sure if you’re real or if I’m going crazy,” she finally says as we stare at one another.
“You’re not going crazy,” I say in a deep throaty voice.
“You’re real?”
I nod.
“Show me your face again,” she says as she moves her legs through the water. “I want to see you.”