Reaped

Chapter Nine

I sink down on the floor and reach into my pocket as the gunmen turn to go check more of the offices, leaving us with one man who isn't looking at us. I dial Jake, waiting for the screen to show he's answered and I start whispering.

"Four gunmen, in the news office, sixth floor. Two dead." And I repeat it until the line goes dead and I just hope he heard me and is getting help. None of the hostage situations have been stopped, but maybe my call will help this one.

I get the phone back into my pocket as the last of the people from the offices are brought into the room. Another gunshot rings through the office, and Moira disappears. Charos just stares at me, his eyes blazing red, and I remember what Moira said about reapers going off the reservation. I wondered if anger would be enough to push him over that edge. He starts raising his hand and Moira is there, holding it down and leaning into him so close I can't tell the difference between both of their robes.

"What are you looking at, lady?" One of the gunmen is kneeling next to me and I hadn't even noticed him walking over here.

"The grim reapers having an argument over there," I nod toward Charos and Moira, knowing nobody else will see anything.

"You're kinda cute for a crazy bitch," the man says, and reached down to pull me up by the back of my jacket.

Charos pushes away from Moira hard enough that she actually falls back, disappearing before she hits the floor. His hand comes up, and the man holding me falls to the ground. The soul that comes out of him doesn't glow. Instead, it stretches out of him like a black sludge, dripping from Charos's hand before dissipating like the others.

I look down, mouth hanging open, at the very dead man who had been alive a second before. Then fire rips through my right shoulder and I watch in slow motion as Charos leaps over the people in front of me. I see the gunman aiming again, then everything stops.

I look around, frightened faces staring at me, the gunmen with their mouths open in shouts that are silent. Moira pops back in as Charos kneels in front of me, but then something else is in the room behind him.

His robes are white with an odd green undertone, and his hands go behind his back. He doesn't move any closer than the ten feet that separates us.

"Fuck, this hurts," I groan, my hand going to my shoulder and feeling blood. "Thanatos, I presume?"

"Yes, little moira," his eyes flash green. Great. Death is laughing at me. "It is not your time yet."

"Police are on the way," I gasp and move my arm so I'm hugging myself. That seems to be the most comfortable way to hold it. "Is it too much to ask that you hold this pause thing until they get here?"

"They are waiting for the rising box." I snort. Oh, my God. He was worse than Charos.

"It's an elevator," I supply the word. "So I'm not dying?"

"No. But these souls should not have been here."

"I think I'm supposed to give you a message. Rowan wants to talk about stud services, or something." I lean forward against Charos, feeling a little lightheaded. I hoped the police brought some medics. I can hear them in the halls now. "They're here."

"They will see more than some of them can handle. Is your wolf with them?"

"Becca?" Jake answers that question himself. "What the hell is going on in here?"

"Uhm, hey Jake," I call. "How many inhumans are with you right now?"

"About three, why?"

"I think my hallucinations are about to become your hallucinations."