Starfire (Grim Gate 2)

“An alpha.”

“Yeah.” I tip my head, letting my mental shields drop. “I killed the alpha. That’s why it went after Sam and Yuma in the first place. Only the alpha would seek out vengeance like that.”

Ethan looks out the window then back at me. “Even if you did kill the alpha, it doesn’t explain why they are here.”

“Maybe they want to kill me so they can get a new alpha.”

Ethan sets his jaw. “Let them try.” He silently moves across the room, pulling out a locked box from under the bed. He quickly enters the passcode and pulls out a loaded rifle. I’m not a fan of guns and am pro-gun control, but now’s not the time to get into it with him.

“What are you doing?” I ask when he starts to move toward the door.

“I’m going to the guest room with the balcony doors. I’ll kill as many as I can.”

I look at Hunter, trying to find my resolve. Somewhere deep down, I know I should kill them. But for some reason, I don’t want to. “We’ll help.”

“Stay here, let me take out a few before we hit the ground. Or if you want, get the pistol from my nightstand. It’s not loaded, but you remember how to load it, right?”

“I do, but I’d rather use magic.” Holding up my hand, sparks flicker around my fingers. “I can take out a few at a time.”

“Be careful.”

Moving together, we emerge onto the small balcony on the count of three. Ethan steps into the cold night air first, and I’m right behind, holding my hands out at my sides. Right away, something feels off. The night is alive with energy, buzzing like we’re standing in the middle of a storm cloud. It’s so strong I can hear the energy reverberating through the air like a low hum.

Ethan moves into position, sticking his rifle through the posts of the balcony. Less gracefully, I make my way to Ethan’s other side, and the humming gets louder and louder. Visions flash through my mind like scenes from a movie. A reaper bends over a young boy, shot in a drive-by shooting. Another reaper waits in the dark as a sick, elderly man takes his medication. My head is so full of emotions and thoughts. Someone screams. Something laughs. I close my eyes and let out a gasp of pain.

“Are you okay?”

I open my eyes and take in a sharp breath. A beautiful golden glow surrounds Ethan. It burns as bright as the sun and should hurt my eyes, but it doesn’t. At all. He reaches out for my hand, and when his flesh touches mine, the gold explodes into a rainbow of colors, dancing all around him like liquid fireworks.

It doesn’t matter how quiet we were. They can see us, and I never want to stop watching the golden light dance around Ethan. It’s so beautiful. Just looking at them soothes my soul. I need them.

And now I know what the reapers want.

There’s a shift in the energy and a jolt runs through me.

“Don’t shoot yet,” I tell Ethan and get to my feet.

“Anora, stop!”

Ignoring his protests, I stand, commanding the reapers’ attention. I tentatively rest my hands on the railing, chest rising as I inhale. In a blur, the reapers make a mad dash forward, stopping within a few feet of the house. This is what they want—what they need. A leader. The one who killed the previous master and took a blood oath to lead the rest.

Ethan slowly gets to his feet behind me, and Hunter sits at my side. They’re both glowing, and the energy they’re going off is magnificent. Not aware what I’m doing, I push the rifle in Ethan’s hands down.

And then one by one, the reapers bow.

When they straighten back up, the one in the front locks eyes with me and suddenly, I can see into his mind. He shows me a car accident, but the sight of the firefighters scraping flesh off the pavement doesn’t faze me. Three reapers hide in the tall grass on the side of the road, waiting to move in and suck the remaining energy from the man being loaded into the ambulance. The reapers are proud and want to know if I approve.

And for some reason I can’t explain, I think I do.

The reaper holds up his hand, releasing raw energy into the air. It’s what he took from the accident, holding onto it without consuming it just for this occasion.

Still not sure of what I’m doing, I reach forward, fingertips touching the shimmering light floating toward me. I feel a small shock as the aura is absorbed, and it’s like an instant caffeine high. My whole body buzzes, sensing everything around me.

Ethan takes my hand, and the moment our skin touches, the golden glow around him bursts into a rainbow of colors, shimmering and sparkling around us both. The reapers like it. They want it. But I won’t let them have it.