Charmed (Death Escorts #2)(79)
Author: Cambria Hebert

The pair fell silent.

“Piper, sit in the car,” I ordered. “Storm, you’re coming with me.”

Once we were out of earshot from Piper, I said, “This probably isn’t going to end well for me. Will you watch out for Frankie?”

“Yeah, I’ll watch out for her.”

“Thank you.”

He hesitated like he wanted to say more, but there was no time. I had to get inside. Her property was gated, but otherwise, it didn’t have any extra security other than a regular alarm system (this is why learning background information about a Target is crucial. It’s a real timesaver later). So once we got past the gate, it wasn’t any trouble to make it up to the house. I knew the security system was likely off because it was afternoon, so I didn’t hesitate to walk up to the front door and try to open it.

It opened.

I ran into the house, yelling Frankie’s name, praying all over again that I wasn’t too late to stop her from making the biggest mistake of her life.

“Olly?” she called, coming around the corner and stopping in the wide archway that led into the large kitchen.

“Please tell me you didn’t…” I rushed forward.

Her face went pale and the bottom fell out of my stomach. No. Please. No.

Rosalyn walked around the corner behind Frankie. “Who’s this?”

All the air whooshed out of my lungs and I felt myself smiling. I grabbed Frankie and pulled her against me, crushing her into a hard hug. “Thank God I made it in time.”

“How are you here?” she asked me, her voice muffled against my chest.

“It doesn’t matter. We need to leave.”

“What’s going on?” Rosalyn asked. “Frankie, is everything okay?”

I released Frankie so we could make up some lame excuse and get the hell out of there, when a black cloud rose up behind Rosalyn. It looked like one of those heavy rain clouds that blow over entire towns quickly and unexpectedly just before dumping a ton of hard rain over everything.

He acted fast, holding out what I assumed was both his arms, and then placed his hands over both her ears. His soul worked fast, funneling itself inside the Target, slipping into her head in seconds before she even knew what was happening.

She lifted a hand to her head to wipe her brow like she had a headache, and when she looked up, Storm had taken over.

“I figured it would be easier this way,” Storm said, his voice now the voice of the Target. “Plus, now you won’t have to hear her ask a bunch of questions.”

“Thanks, man.”

Then I swiftly snapped her neck.

She fell to the floor instantly. Dead.

Yes, it was that quick. I wasn’t about to draw it out and make things harder than they already were.

And this was hard.

This wasn’t something anyone wanted. Least of all me. I was weary of killing. Weary of death.

“Oh,” Frankie gasped. “Is she…?”

I stepped aside so she could look down at the body. So she could fully understand what she was getting into when she said she wanted a life with me.

No, I didn’t want her to change her mind, but I didn’t want her to one day look in the mirror and wonder who the hell she had become. I understood that feeling well.

“She’s dead,” I said, flat. “Give me your cell phone.”

She pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to me. I dialed G.R. and handed the phone back. “Tell him it’s done and then hang up.”

He answered a few seconds later.

Frankie did as I told her and then stared down at the body. So did I, but not because of the incredible guilt I felt (though, I admit I did feel guilt), but because I was wondering where Storm was. Why was he still in that body?

I didn’t try to comfort her because there was no comfort in this and coming from the man who just murdered someone without blinking, the comfort probably wouldn’t be that good anyway.

The Reaper appeared like he always did and Frankie looked at me swiftly, fear in her face.

“He already knows I’m out. I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

“Well done!” G.R. said, looking at Frankie. I hoped she realized she was going to be taking the credit for this. She was the one that had the deal to fulfill.

“Don’t congratulate me on her death like it’s some sort of sport. You make me sick,” Frankie said.

It appeared that whatever kind of shock she was in from all of this was now gone.

“I like you,” the Reaper said, smiling. “Such spunk. You would make a wonderful Escort.”

I stiffened and stepped a little closer to her.

“Tell me, though…” he began. “I’m surprised you were able to snap her neck like that. Is it something you’ve done before?”

“No,” Frankie replied.

His eyes speared me. “You, on the other hand, know how to snap a neck quite well.”

“Can’t take the credit for this kill,” I said, shrugging.

“We had a deal,” Frankie reminded him.

“Did you think I was stupid!?” he spat. “Charming is the one who made the kill, not you! We had a deal. A deal that you would finish the job in exchange for his freedom! The deal has been broken!”

“No, it was me!” she exclaimed, rushing forward, but I yanked her back, angling myself in front of her.

I could have told her to run, but really, what good would it have done? You can’t outrun Death.

“You can’t protect her, Charming. Not anymore.”

He started coming closer, wiggling his fingers in anticipation for his touch. I began to build up energy in the palm of my hand, knowing it would only slow him down but wanting to do everything I possibly could to help her.

Just then Storm began to rise up out of the Target. He was making a weird sound like he was struggling to get out. All three of us turned to look at the black smoke that trailed out the Target’s ears and nose as he groaned as if he were in pain.

The mist seemed to surround the body, filling up the space around her, until he came together, creating more of a shape.

“Damn. I didn’t know being in a body when it died was going to be like that,” he said. Then he realized the Reaper was standing there watching him. “Uhhhh…”

“How did you get in that body?” the Reaper hissed.

“It’s something I know how to do.”

“You mean to tell me that one of my Ghost Escorts knows how to take over a body and use it as their own?” He seemed more intrigued than angry.