Soulless Read online

  Promises

  Betrayal

  Arise

  Touching Evil

  Scorched

  Waterfall

  Waterproof

  Furthermore: An Anthology

  If you purchased this e-book from anyone other than Hallowed Ink Press or a licensed HIP reseller, you should be aware this e-book is stolen property.

  This e-book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Hallowed Ink Press

  Hallowed Ink Press is an imprint of Bokheim, Inc.

  http://www.bokheim.com/publishing

  Copyright © 2014

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  All graphics and text associated with Hallowed Ink Press are registered property of Bokheim, Inc.

  Formatting by Inkstain Interior Book Designing.

  Manufactured in the United States of America.

  First Hallowed Ink Press edition June 2014

  ISBD: 978-0-9858480-3-3 (print)

  978-0-9858480-2-6 (e-book)

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  No one invites Death to a party.

  Luckily, I wore a disguise . . . and I wasn’t Death, exactly. It’s true I might linger around humans on their way out of this world, but I wasn’t the one who decided their fate. I just had to explain it all.

  Knowing what type of scene I was about to enter, I decided to use my free time in this realm—as well as my natural petite body—to their fullest advantage. Grimacing at the hideous tunic I wished I could leave behind forever, I morphed into a pair of skinny jeans, black corset, and high heeled boots that clung to my calves like liquid leather. Concentrating a little more, I looked down to admire my success. The matching hot pink thong and lower back tattoo peeked out in all the right places, promising these poor souls favors I would never honor.

  At least I didn’t plan on it.

  “Wow! Where did you come from, Angel?”

  I looked up to see a tall, blond frat boy standing next to the door. His hungry eyes and wide smile tempted something inside me. Not lust, it was pity. He eagerly grabbed at his friend’s arm, directing his attention toward the new fresh meat. I hadn’t even made it up the porch of the old house before being spotted. Although, if being honest with myself, I loved his reaction. I walked up the stairs and stood in the doorway.

  Horrible reggae-techno music blasted onto the street, and with each beat of the overly loud bass the windows pulsated. I’d just stepped into the middle of a raging college party. A brief sense of sadness crept through me as I imagined the life I could’ve had as one of the living, if only it hadn’t been cut so short. I never made it to college. Never had a chance to get drunk and be stupid. Never even had a real date.

  But when I took in my surroundings, I remembered that I wouldn’t have missed very much.

  College students littered the ground floor with their gyrating bodies and arrogant sense of selves. More spilled onto the stairs leading up to the bedrooms, reminding me of cows being led to slaughter. A combination of darkness and smoke from legal and illicit substances created a ghostly haze throughout the house. Glow sticks hung around people’s necks and settled in the bottom of clear plastic cups, giving the cheap beer an odd tint.

  “I don’t think we’ve met you before.” The doorman commented while using the proverbial fraternity ‘we’. He was cute. Young and inexperienced, but still cute. Built like an athlete with round, dark eyes and fashionably messy hair, I knew college would probably be the best years of his life. I wondered how long he’d have after that; after losing the hair, gaining the beer gut, and sitting with his co-workers from a hideous job talking about the good old days.

  “No, you haven’t.” I smiled, turning on the charm. “I’m looking for Todd.”

  “Is that so?” He stepped away from his post and moved closer. Devouring me with his eyes, he offered a wicked smile full of blatant innuendos. He stood close enough for me to smell his cologne over the cigarettes and stale beer stench clinging to his clothes. Not bad. I placed a hand on his muscular arm and rose up on my toes.

  “Yes, that’s so.” Not a sexy statement, but I knew how to make it one. I’d had a good teacher when I joined the ‘other side’. Ignoring the sudden pang of longing in my heart, I continued playing my role. With a slight whisper, my lips passed by the frat boy’s neck and brushed close to his ear. His sharp intake of breath let me know I’d hit my mark. Bending his head down to accommodate our height difference, he returned the flirtatious gesture by speaking directly into my ear.

  “Oh, that’s too bad.”

  His hand slid around my lower back and ever so slightly pulled me a little closer. He took a deep breath, seeming to commit my scent to memory. A small sensation of his lips against my shoulder sent shivers through my body just before he let out a deep sigh.

  “Are you sure you want Todd?” He sounded rather serious, but frat boys had a code, and if I belonged to Todd this one wouldn’t give me too much trouble. Not unless I asked for it.

  I giggled and gave a tight squeeze on his arm. “I am right now, but I’ll let you know if it doesn’t work out.”

  Pulling back, I looked into his eyes and saw the potential a few more moments of flirting could hold. And the danger. It had been a long time since I commanded this kind of attention.

  “Promise?” he asked with a wink.

  I nodded, and he pointed to the living room-turned impromptu dance floor. Giving him a final killer smile, I sauntered toward the center of the party feeling his gaze on me the whole way.

  Todd McCormick was drunk. Reeling on wobbly feet, he attempted to dance with his girlfriend, whose slurred speech and loud laughter indicated her own state of induced oblivion. As the center of attention, he sang a bad version of Brown Eyed Girl to Emily in between cheek kisses and gulps of beer. A couple of his friends joined him on the chorus and gave her a serenade only the inebriated could truly appreciate. They were enjoying themselves.

  I’d been watching Todd for two decades, and one thing I could say was that when he wanted to let loose, he gave it his all. I suppose I envied him a bit for his youth and naïveté—two characteristics I’d lost a long time ago. Responsibilities, angst, and death now filled my days. I suppose one could argue that I chose this for myself, but I could also argue that I really didn’t have much of a choice at all. And now, here I stood, flirting with college guys while watching others make complete idiots out of themselves with no idea what was in store for them.

  Suddenly, Todd’s eyes caught mine and I noticed a brief hint of recognition. But it quickly faded and his attention fell back on Emily when she grabbed his face as a slower song began to play. Realizing how I almost messed up, I forced myself to concentrate before I ruined my assignment.

  I sat on the arm of an ancient brown couch that had been pushed to the side. Todd and Emily continued kissing and groping each other while trying to dance. A couple on the couch made out like the world was about
to end, but I ignored them. The shivers rolling through my body told me I wouldn’t have to wait much longer now. If I could see my eyes right now, I knew they’d be glowing yellow in anticipation.

  For the next hour I watched, deciding to remain invisible to the rest of the party guests so I could maintain focus. When Todd grabbed Emily and started pulling her toward an exit, I stood and prepared myself for what was to come next.

  They stumbled out the side door, laughing and touching and speaking way too loud. I took one last look at my enticing bouncer-boy who appeared to be scanning the crowd for me as well. He wouldn’t be able to see me now, and with a slight pang of regret I followed the couple outside.

  As they got into Todd’s car, I materialized into the backseat. After trying to get the key in the ignition a few times, they started driving toward the campus gardens and their favorite privacy spot. Their destination was only five miles away, but the myriad of sharp curves and blind spots lit by not one streetlamp, turned into a dangerous ride when combined with Todd’s impairment. They continued to laugh for a bit until Todd starting taking the bends too fast. Emily, who apparently was less impaired, soon recognized the situation and began pleading for Todd to slow down.

  Unfortunately, it was too late. I quickly removed myself from the car and waited for the inevitable. The vehicle began to slide and Todd’s overcorrection sent them straight forward when the road curved left. Screeching tires overpowered Emily’s screams, and the sound of crushing metal and splintering wood quickly muted them both. In just a few seconds, it was over. The tingling in my limbs intensified and heat radiated through my hands in preparation.

  Somewhere nearby, a soul waited for me.

  Metal twisted around the tree leaving the make and model completely unidentifiable. All car accidents had the same impact on me. I found the absolute destruction of something completely whole just moments before remarkable. In an instant, a life would change. I should have been used to that notion by now, but each assignment and every reason for my presence, still caught me marveling at the mysteries of life and death.

  I moved toward the wreckage, stepping over pieces of rubber, glass, and metal. Emily sat slumped in the passenger seat, eyes closed and heart beating slowly. Blood covered her face, seatbelt still firmly holding her tight like a protector. Todd had disappeared and I turned to see him lying face down in the grass beyond the now metallic tree.

  I walked over to him and watched, waiting for him to get up. It took several moments before his body shuddered and began to move. First, he lifted his eyelids and let out a long breath. Shaking his head, he used his hands to push himself back on his knees. He sat that way for a while, staring straight ahead beyond the patch of grass, into the darkened forest. Then, standing up slowly, Todd assessed his injuries: he patted down his shoulders, chest and stomach, while shaking each of his legs in turn in order to see if they were still attached.

  I saw it. I saw the realization the second it sunk in. Todd thought he was alive. A smile lit up his face. But slowly, eventually, the gravity and the truth of the situation caught up with him. I felt like I was watching a movie. His eyes went wide and he held his breath. Still touching his body, he whipped around to look at the car and instead…found me. Todd staggered, offering me a look of complete confusion as he stood before me relatively unharmed.

  “It’s you. Weren’t you in my…my biology class? I…I remember seeing you somewhere…” Struggling for words, Todd ran his hand through his hair and looked around at the gruesome combination of car and tree. Shaking his head in disbelief, he blinked several times before trying to speak again. “What happened? Where’s Emily?” He trembled as he recognized that his college love was absent, and immediately his breathing quickened.

  I placed a hand on his shoulder and forced him to look at me. “Todd, you and Emily were in a car accident. You’re dead. My name is Nora and I’m your Death Warden.”

  “Wh-What? What the hell is going on? I saw you earlier. I’ve seen you before. Who are you?”

  He pushed my hand away and stumbled backward toward the forest. As he moved, he passed through his human body lying motionless on the ground. His face twisted in utter horror. Straightening his spine, he slammed his arms down against his sides in denial. “What is this? I don’t know what you’re talking about! What’s wrong with your eyes?” He began to panic. They all did. It was part of the acceptance process. The knowledge that they were dead; the fact that I existed…I’ve been through this hundreds of times and nearly everyone behaved the same way.

  I maintained my calm demeanor and tried to soothe him, even though my body sensed the call of my Elders crossing over the realms. I ignored their interruption and focused on my charge. “Todd, I’m here to help your soul move into its next existence. I’ve been with you since the day you were born, watching over you and waiting for this night to come. Now we don’t have a lot of time, so I’m going to need you to follow me.”

  “You’ve been with me? Why isn’t Emily here?” Attention darting to the wrecked car, he sucked in a shaky breath. “Is she okay?” His eyes shifted around nervously while he continued patting his body, as though he could wake himself from this nightmare.

  I took a tentative step toward him. “She’s still alive.” I turned and looked through the shattered windshield. Steam from under the wrecked hood danced slowly through the air in time with his girlfriend’s faint breaths. “Barely, but it’s not her time to move on yet.” Emily would have many more years ahead of her with husbands, children, and grandchildren before being gathered. I took another step closer and reached out to him again. “Todd, I know this is a lot for you to take in, but I need you to trust me and come with me…now.”

  I already felt it. The night darkened around us as the forest fell still. No chirps, no croaks, no wind rustling through the trees. The sinister vibe and complete silence could only mean one thing.

  “Todd, we need to leave!”

  He was getting quicker, finding my souls within minutes after I acquired them. A cold rush of wind brushed my back and I quickly spun around, pushing Todd behind me in a defensive stance.

  “Show yourself, Theron!” I yelled, refusing to play his game.

  Wind encircled us, locking us in our positions like trapped animals. I sensed Todd’s fear and confusion, and knew I should comfort him. Yet, the only emotion I felt at that moment was searing anger. Tired of having this fight, I screamed out in frustration.

  The wind abruptly stopped and the air shimmered like a mirage directly in front of me. Within seconds, a tall human form with jet black hair and piercing blue-gray eyes materialized before us. Young enough to pass as a college student, he wore all black again tonight, complimenting his dark skin and exotic features. Tight shirt, jeans, boots, and a leather jacket made up his standard Soul Hunter attire. Standard, and extremely effective. After all, how could any soul resist the gorgeous, dangerous man promising a life free of rules and consequences?

  Theron’s gaze moved up to my face and his lips curled into a seductive smile. Light eyes admired my wardrobe and lingered on the curves underneath. The desire I’d felt earlier rushed to the surface, provoked by memories of a time when I’d claimed his attention all for myself.

  “Hello, Nora,” he purred, with the slight hint of an old accent. “Such a pleasant surprise seeing you here tonight.”

  He stalked gracefully around us. I continued to rotate with him; keeping Todd protected and pressed close against my back. This seemed to amuse Theron.

  “I wasn’t expecting a fight over this one, but any chance I get to wrestle with you is an experience worth treasuring.” The glint in his eyes represented a threat, just as it did his longing for our past physical relationship.

  “He’s mine, Theron, and you know this.” Todd tried to step forward, but I quickly pulled his arm and twisted him back behind me. Speaking through gritted teeth, I refused to turn my focus from Theron. “Don’t. Move. Todd. Don’t speak. Don’t look at his eyes. And don
’t listen to anything he says.”

  Todd started to ask a question, but a harsh glance from me and a quick twist on his arm stopped him cold. Fear made him tremble, but I also felt his trust in me. He knew I would protect him.

  Theron moved closer to my charge. “Todd, there’s no need to be afraid of me. I’m here to offer you the chance of a lifetime. Well, in this new life, that is.” As though I were invisible, he looked right through me and directly at Todd.

  “How would you like to live forever? To never feel pain again? To have eternal youth and strength and, most importantly, to not have it all end tonight? You have so much life ahead of you to live, Todd. It would truly be a pity to throw it all away because of one bad decision.” Theron’s hypnotic voice sounded as soothing as a trickling brook. I felt myself slipping under his spell, so I knew Todd would be affected before I even turned around.

  I spun on my heel, grabbed Todd’s arms to pull him to my level, and stared straight into his eyes—my own glowing with the power I had inside. “Don’t listen to him, Todd. He offers you nothing! Nothing but a life as a lonely bounty hunter working for those who will use you and then toss you aside. Delivering souls to the corrupt and evil, leaving humans to subsist in fear. Scavenging around for mere survival!”

  Todd finally lowered his gaze to me, breaking the hold Theron had on him. While I had his full attention, I continued, “You’ve lived a good life, Todd.” I brushed a strand of his hair away from his eyes. “And now it is time for you to accept this end and move on, into the light and peace where your soul can rest.”

  Todd suddenly grabbed my shoulders with a jolt and looked down at me, fear and desperation pushing to the surface. “But I don’t want to die!” he whined. “I’m too young!” His gaze flickered between Emily and the wrecked car and me; manic behavior reflected his internal battle. And then I saw a look pass over his face. A look of clarity and decision.

  He wasn’t going to cooperate with me.