Page 73 of Reaper

It’s over.

With Blackstone’s lifeless body at my feet, I move quickly to shield Ace from the gruesome sight. The air around us feels charged as I callforth the magic within me.

“Close your eyes, Ace,” I whisper. “I’m going to make sure he never hurts anyone again.”

I glance behind me to make sure Ace isn’t looking. He’s curled in a ball facing the wall. I’m glad he won’t be able to witness this. I’m not sure if it will even work, but I’ve got this strange feeling I can make it happen.

My hands tremble as I summon the dark energies needed to banish Blackstone’s spirit. A whirlwind of shadows and mist erupts from my fingertips, encircling his body. The atmosphere in the room grows heavy with darkness, and I can feel the presence of malevolent spirits gathering around us.

“Reaper!” Scar’s voice cuts through the darkness.

Nitro, Talon, and Matrix burst into the room behind Scar. They’re just in time to witness the demonic creatures emerging from the shadows, their monstrous forms surrounding Blackstone’s spirit.

“No! Let me go!” Blackstone’s spirit screams, struggling against the demons’ grasp. But it’s futile. They grab the essence of his soul, pulling it free from his corpse. Blackstone’s wraith-like spirit struggles to escape the evil dragging him toward a whirling red and black swirl.

I can’t tear my gaze away from the nightmare of torturous beings gathered at the precipice waiting to claim one of their own. Forthe first time ever, Blackstone’s eyes hold fear, and his terrified expression is the last thing I see before he disappears into the vortex that leads straight to Hell.

A sucking sound followed by an eardrum-popping rush of air closes the portal. I drop to the ground, spent from expending so much energy. But unlike the times I’ve brought people back to life, I’m less drained.

“Ace,” I whisper as I crawl across the floor toward his cage.

“Can I look now?”

“Yes.”

“Is the bad man gone?”

“Forever.”

When I reach the cage, Ace’s wide eyes stare back at me, his body trembling. My heart stops as I reach for the lock. With a simple flick of my wrist, it snaps open. The door swings free, and Ace hesitates for only a moment before throwing himself into my arms.

“Thank you for saving me, Daddy,” he whispers, burying his head against my shoulder.

Hearing him call me “Daddy” hits me like a punch to the gut, and tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. But I swallow them down, focusing on keeping Ace safe.

“You’re gonna be safe now, kiddo,” I promise, my voice cracking. “I’ll always protect you.”

“Good riddance,” Scar spits, his eyes fixed onthe spot where Blackstone vanished. The others nod in agreement, relief and satisfaction etched on their faces.

“Damn right,” Nitro says, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “He deserved every bit of that.”

Talon takes a deep breath, his eyes filled with unshed tears. “We’re free, brothers,” he whispers. “Finally free.”

Matrix nods, a solemn expression on his face.

“When the hell did you get here?” I ask, reaching to grasp Matrix’s clammy hand.

“Just in time.”

“I’m glad you made it to see that,” I say.

“Me too, brother. Me too.”

As I stand there, surrounded by my brothers, the weight of our shared past lifts from my shoulders. Blackstone is gone. We’ve finally put an end to the torment we suffered at his hands. And now, together, we can begin to heal.

As I carry Ace up the stairs, my brothers follow close behind. We find Tucker waiting for us in the kitchen, his face pale but resolute. He doesn’t know much about our pasts, but he knew Blackstone was a monster. I don’t know if Tucker came downstairs and saw what I did to Blackstone, but it doesn’t matter. If the prospect did see something, he wouldn’t say shit about it. I trust him to keep his mouth shut.

Scar, Nitro, Talon, and Matrix gather in one corner of the kitchen, whispering to each other.I grasp Ace’s hand and wait while they work something out.

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