Page 72 of Chaos
You won’t regret it.
Realizing what I’d just done and the possible implications, my tummy gave a nervous flip. I sure hoped he was right.
Chapter
Seventeen
GRIM
Iwas keenly aware that there was something ominous about the image I cut—a dark figure standing out in the pure white snow amongst the bare trees and frozen pond. I was the danger lurking not in shadow but plain sight.
Unbidden, my eyes shot to the ground where my shadow rippled, moving like a marionette although I remained still. He was restless. My power had returned in leaps and bounds over the last few weeks. Admittedly, it had been slow going in the immediate aftermath of Hel’s ritual, but now that I was out here surrounded by nature my power reservoir was nearly overflowing. Unlike my brothers, who had to go out in order to rebuild their strength, I merely had to exist. The circle of life continued no matter where I was. At any given moment,somethingin my proximity was in a state of decay. That was all I required.
Sin liked to remind me how categorically unfair it was that I could be replenished so easily. I’d given up trying to make him understand that with this power, I also suffered the crippling knowledge that I’d never know the touch of a friend or lover without killing them. And while, yes, I could refill my reservoirby walking into a room and killing everyone in sight, I alone knew how fragile mortal lives were. How precious. So I preferred not to. Instead, I reaped souls when I had to in order to serve a greater purpose.
My footsteps crunched across the frozen ground as I made my way back from my stroll. Disappointment threaded through me at the knowledge that Merri hadn’t come out as she usually did. I’d accompanied her daily, though she was none the wiser. I enjoyed watching the way her breath made little clouds as she walked, the sight of her hair blowing in the wind, the scent of her that was left in her wake. She’d become my obsession ever since the dream I’d had.
Oh, who was I kidding? I’d been obsessing over her from the moment we took her. But now? Keeping her in my sight was damn near a compulsion. The longer I went without seeing her, the stronger the itch beneath my skin. Even now it scratched at me, urging me to go seek her out and discover what had kept her indoors today.
A gentle tugging in my belly drew my attention from the ice-covered pond. It was a sensation I was intimately familiar with, and at first, panic gripped my chest. Someone was dying, and the pull was coming from the direction of the house.
“Fuck.”
I didn’t even bother with walking the relatively short distance, calling on our preferred—though less used—method of teleporting. Between one heartbeat and the next, I was at the door. Just as I went to enter, that tugging came again, this time pulling me away from the door.
Brow furrowed, I turned, my shadow lengthening and stretching like a sentient compass, leading me in the direction I was meant to go. The soul I would be reaping wasn’t inside. But who was it?
I followed, rounding the corner until I came upon the broken body of a raven, its wings twitching, neck bent at an unnatural angle. The poor thing must’ve flown into a pane of glass but hadn’t hit quite hard enough to avoid a slow and painful death.
“Hush now, I’ve got you,” I murmured, sending the shadow form of my hand out to the bird.
It struggled for only a moment before I carefully scooped its soul from its body, leaving the remains silent and still on the snow. Before returning to me, my shadowed fist opened, releasing the flickering soul. I watched the spark fly away, its spirit form taking shape the further it flew. Relief filled me as the soul was given back to the universe. Contrary to popular belief, Death wasn’t a sinister enemy. Not always. I preferred to think of myself as the close of a chapter. A necessary break before starting again. There was peace in that. And mercy.
Although, of course, there didn’t have to be. That gift was mine alone to offer or withhold.
Energized from the power boost, I made my way back to the front of the house, my mind still weighing the role I played in this world. It wasn’t until I was halfway up the stairs that I caught the sound of Merri’s laughter and that infernal itching beneath my skin came roaring back.
“What’s so funny, wildflower?”
I hated knowing someone was making her laugh when I couldn’t even touch her. It sent jealousy blazing through every cell in my body to think Sin or Chaos was in her room with her right now.
“No fair, man. You sunk my battleship. You always fucking win this game.” Sin’s voice filtered from the den, followed by Chaos’s satisfied laugh.
“Strategy is not your strong suit.”
Peeking around the corner, I saw that they were alone. No Merri.
If not them causing her mirth, who?
A more rational man would not have taken that as an invitation to go and discover the answer.
Another giggle came from upstairs. There was no way it could be Malice making her laugh. He didn’t entertain anyone.
“Who do you have in there with you?” I murmured as I ascended the rest of the staircase and made my way to her closed door.
With barely a whisper of sound, I cracked it open and peered inside. Merri was sitting at her desk, computer on, fingers flying over her keyboard. From the way she’d been giggling, I couldn’t surmise whether she was working or playing. Fuck me, but I wanted her to be playing withme.
You could always log in and watch.
