Only The Lonely (A Death Gate Grim Reapers Thriller Book 1) Read online

  Instead of reacting with sympathy Braden turned smug. “Oh, so you did this.”

  I wanted to smack him. Hard. He wasn’t wrong, though. “Yes. I understand you have to report it to the home office. It’s on me. I take full responsibility.”

  “It was an accident,” Oliver repeated hurriedly. “She couldn’t have known. They didn’t tell her anything before shipping her here. She didn’t even know about the explosion in our wraith population.”

  Surprise evident, Braden drew his eyebrows together. “Why would they send you out here without telling you what’s going on?”

  I shrugged, noncommittal. “I’m sure they had their reasons.”

  “I’m sure they did, too.” Braden was thoughtful as he snagged gazes with Oliver. “You’ve been around for a long time. What were their reasons?”

  “No one wants to stay in this post long term,” Oliver answered automatically. “It’s not one of the prime positions. Izzy volunteered to take it, but the job description was severely lacking when it was posted. Despite that, she was the only one who applied so ... here she is.”

  “Uh-huh.” Braden rolled his neck until it cracked, causing the whispering from the other side of the gate to increase. His expression didn’t change, reinforcing the idea that I was the only one who could hear it. I knew that from childhood, but somehow I thought that might have changed. Apparently I was wrong.

  “It’s still my fault.” I was big on personal responsibility, so I refused to back down. “I expect to be reprimanded for my actions.”

  Braden’s eyes lit with mirth. “Somehow I think you’ll be okay. If the home office puts up with Grimlock shenanigans, a genuine accident won’t cause a stir. It sounds to me as if anyone could’ve made the mistake, although it does make me wonder if a wraith was hiding in the shadows to take advantage of the door situation or something. How else could it know?”

  That hadn’t even occurred to me. “But ... how would it get into the aquarium?”

  “That is a very good question.” He ran his tongue over his lips as he stared hard at the gate. “I’ve never seen it before. Does it always look like this?”

  “As opposed to what?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I expected more shiny stuff, like glitter. We were taught about the gate at a young age. I expected something fancier.”

  I was offended on behalf of the gate. “Well, we’ll try to teach it some tricks for your next visit.”

  Instead of being offended, he snickered. “You’re funny. I hope you’re not wound this tight on a normal day. I get that this is your first day and pretty much the worst thing possible happened, but this is not the end of the world.”

  His tone grated. “Oh, really? What’s the worst thing that could possibly happen?”

  His eyes flashed with sadness before he caught himself. “There are definitely worse things. Let’s just leave it at that.”

  I considered pressing him further, but the look Oliver pinned me with caused me to change course. “So, what do we do? I mean ... do we ignore it? Do we try to lure the wraith back out? Do we try to send something to the other side to find it?”

  “All excellent questions,” Braden mused. “I don’t have any answers for you.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “Because I’m an excellent conversationalist.” This time Braden’s ready wink was aimed at me. “You need to chill. I don’t have answers. That doesn’t mean we can’t figure it out. It simply means we need a place to start.”

  “No offense, man, but you’re a lot more chill than I remember,” Oliver noted. “You used to be the one who was wound tight in your family. What happened?”

  “Life happened.” Braden reached a tentative finger toward the gate surface. “I wasn’t wound tight, no matter what you think. That was my sister.”

  “And you,” Oliver pressed. “But it’s not important now.”

  “Definitely not.”

  Braden’s finger continued moving toward the gate surface and instinctively I took three long strides forward and grabbed his hand before he could touch the magical ripples.

  “Don’t,” I ordered, shaking my head. “The barrier isn’t meant to be crossed. You could hurt yourself.”

  Braden wrinkled his nose. “Will it hurt?”

  “It will sting,” Renee answered. “You really shouldn’t touch it, dude. It’s frowned upon.”

  “Well, I hate doing things that are frowned upon.” Braden’s smile was easy and light but I didn’t miss the darkness that fleetingly lurked behind those fascinating eyes. “As for the wraith ... .”

  Before he could finish speaking the gate gave a hiccup of sorts. My memories of the gate were clouded by childhood — and one big event — but the slight spasm jarred my memory. For a brief moment I was back in time. It was the night my parents died and my world irrevocably changed. The gate did the same thing ... and then something was there in the room with us, giving chase. I couldn’t remember what it was. The harder I tried to remember, the more elusive the images became.

  That was probably a good thing, because thoughts of the past fled in an instant when the gate surface sparked again.

  “What is that?” Braden asked, casting me a sidelong look. “Is it malfunctioning?”

  “It’s not a computer system,” I growled, my instincts taking over as I grabbed his arm and gave it a good tug. “I mean ... we have a computer system that works in conjunction with it, but it’s not a program or anything.”

  “That’s not really what I asked,” Braden said dryly, refusing to budge. “Why is it making that noise?” When I didn’t immediately answer — I couldn’t because my heart was threatening to pound out of my chest — he flicked his eyes to Oliver. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m not sure.” Oliver’s face was sheet white. “I don’t know what this is. I ... .”

  A hand, almost transparent except for the red fingernails, emerged from the gate. My instincts kicked into overdrive and I tugged as hard as I could to get Braden out of the line of fire.

  “Step back!” I instructed.

  Confused, Braden did as he was told. That was good, because at that exact moment a creature emerged from the gate and stepped into the real world. It was impossible. There was no way to cross over, yet something had. I recognized the figure right away, although somehow it was different.

  “That’s the wraith.” I was breathless as I tried to control my feelings. “That’s the same wraith that crossed over.”

  If he doubted me, Braden didn’t show it. Instead he brushed my hand off his arm and reached inside his coat, coming back with a wicked-looking silver dagger. The wraith seemed dazed, as if the trip had somehow altered its thinking. Still, it recognized the dagger and took a loping and unsteady step away from the threatening reaper.

  “Kill it,” Renee demanded. “Kill it before it touches us.”

  Braden didn’t have to be told twice. He strode directly toward the creature, a little added swagger in his step, but he stopped before he could close the distance when the creature screamed ... and then practically bowled him over as it ran toward the door.

  Braden looked as if he was going to fight, but thought better of it and wisely stepped out of its way as it slammed through the double doors and disappeared down the corridor. Its hissing scream sent chills down my spine.

  Braden found his voice first.

  “Well, that was different.”

  I felt sick to my stomach. “What was your first clue?”

  Four

  I wasn’t having the best first day. So far I’d inadvertently allowed a wraith that may or may not have been stalking the facility to cross over to the other side – which was unheard of – but I’d also allowed it to escape upon return. I wasn’t sure, but that probably had to go down at the top of the list in the annals of bad days everywhere.

  “He’s here,” Renee announced excitedly an hour later, rubbing her hands together as she scurried from her spot at the door where she’d
been holding watch for what felt like forever. “He’s here and he’s not alone.”

  I had no idea what that was supposed to mean. “Who is here?” I jerked my gaze from the computer screen, where I’d been watching footage of the wraith arriving and leaving on a continuous loop, and focused on the door. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

  “The home office sent someone to take over the investigation,” Renee explained. “He’s practically famous in certain circles.”

  “Yes, he’s famous,” Braden drawled, straightening when a middle-aged man who happened to look exactly like him strolled through the door with three other men who shared his eyes and coloring. “He’ll never let you forget it either.” His smile was rueful as he met the older man’s gaze. “Dad.”

  “Braden.” The man’s eyes bounced around the room, lingering on the gate before landing on me. “You must be Isabella Sage.”

  “Izzy.” The need to constantly clarify my name was getting old, but it was something of a reflex. “You may call me Izzy.”

  “Right now I’m simply going to call you Ms. Sage,” he replied, his expression hard to read. “I’d rather not make things personal at present.”

  Something about his tone grated. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. I don’t even know your name. No one informed me that you were coming.”

  “I don’t believe I have to inform you of my actions. I am in charge.”

  His pompous attitude threw me for a loop. “Excuse me?”

  Braden cleared his throat to keep things from flying further off the rails, stepping between his father and me but focusing on the man who clearly served as a source of the entire family’s looks. “Give her a break, Dad,” he instructed, his voice strong and clear. “She’s had a lot to deal with for a first day, and it’s not even ten yet.”

  The man didn’t appear happy with the suggestion. “And what exactly did happen here?”

  That seemed an important question. I had another one. “Wait.” I held up my hand to still Braden before he answered. “I’m not trying to be a pain — at least I’m not trying to be a big one — but I have no idea who you are. I don’t know the pecking order of this particular office. I feel out of my depth ... and kind of like you’re trying to intimidate me. I could be way off on that. It wouldn’t be the first time, but I feel it so I’m going to say it.”

  Instead of immediately responding, all five Grimlock men merely stared in my direction. Finally, the one with the long hair commented.

  “Oh, she’s going to make me laugh.”

  His tone told me that was an insult. “I’m merely trying to do my job.”

  “Of course you are,” Braden said smoothly, his lips twitching. He appeared ready to burst into gregarious guffaws. “In the interests of saving time, I will make the introductions.”

  He extended a finger. “That is my father, Cormack Grimlock. He’s second in command at the Detroit office so ... don’t get him going.”

  Second in command? Uh-oh. That meant the imposing figure was even higher in the food chain than I realized. “Nice to meet you, sir.” I extended my hand, a lame gesture that Cormack clearly found amusing. He shook it, though, which was something.

  “The one in the back who looks as if he’s about to give himself a conniption fit laughing is Redmond,” Braden continued. “The one who looks like he belongs in a band is Cillian. The quiet one is Aidan. We also have a sister, but she’s clearly not here.”

  “I ordered your sister to stay home,” Cormack interjected, his eyes firing. “In fact, she’s done working until she gives birth. I don’t want her out on assignments until her maternity leave is over. She’s due any day, and if she’s trapped on a job when it happens ... .” He trailed off, but his aura quickly shifted from a logical tan to a fiery red at mention of the missing Grimlock. “So, from here on out your sister is officially on leave ... and if anyone thinks they’re going to placate her by breaking the rules, think again. I will dock your pay.”

  The mini-diatribe confused me. “Aren’t we supposed to be focusing on the wraith?”

  “We are indeed,” a new voice said from the doorway, catching me off guard as I peered around Cormack and found an odd sight. “Let’s talk about the wraith, not my pregnancy.”

  “What the ... ?” Braden spun toward the door, surprise evident. “Aisling!”

  I didn’t need Braden to shout the woman’s name to recognize her. Like her brothers, she boasted black hair (although hers was offset with white streaks) and lavender eyes. She wasn’t overly tall and appeared to be thin ... except for her expansive stomach, which looked as if she was about to give birth to a watermelon.

  “I thought you were on maternity leave,” Cillian blurted out, his aura momentarily shifting from green to the same red his father boasted. “You shouldn’t be wandering around without someone watching you.”

  For her part, the lone Grimlock female didn’t look happy. “I’m an adult. I don’t need someone watching me.”

  “You’re pregnant,” Cormack countered, grabbing his daughter’s arm and directing her toward the chair where Oliver sat. “Get up!” He kicked at the chair to get Oliver to move, causing me to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. “My daughter needs to sit down.”

  Oliver did as instructed, not uttering a word of complaint. If he was bothered about being bossed around he didn’t show it.

  “I don’t need to sit down,” Aisling argued. “I’m kickass. I’m always going to be kickass. This doesn’t change that.” She gestured toward her huge stomach.

  “Aisling, you’re going to give birth to my first grandchild any day.” Cormack was firm as he pushed Aisling into the chair. “You’re done being kickass until you’re back from maternity leave.”

  The face Aisling made was one for the record books. “I hate all of you.”

  “We know.” Cormack absently patted her shoulder. “You’ll feel better when I surprise you with an ice cream bar for dinner.”

  Aisling brightened considerably. “Sprinkles?”

  “And gummy sharks.”

  “Sold.”

  I furrowed my brow as I tried to absorb the family dynamics. “How is it a surprise if you tell her what’s happening?” I asked finally, earning an annoyed look from Cormack and an amused smirk from Aisling. “That seems the opposite of a surprise.”

  “My father isn’t above bribing,” Braden supplied, his eyes thoughtful as they landed on his sister, who looked about as uncomfortable as one person could look as she shifted in the chair. “He’s also a nervous wreck on Aisling’s behalf. He can’t help himself. Don’t take it personally.”

  Redmond, the Grimlock with the blue aura, moved closer to his sister and knelt. “What are you doing here? We purposely left you at home.”

  “With a chaperone, no less,” Cillian interjected. “You didn’t hit Maya over the head and lock her in the closet, did you?”

  “Maya is perfectly fine,” Aisling countered, lifting her legs so she could glare at her swollen feet. “They look like sausages ... and they hurt, for the record. If I didn’t need to run after you guys because you cut me out of the action, they wouldn’t hurt.”

  “Yes, this is all our fault,” Aidan said dryly. He moved closer to his sister, his abstract tan aura making for a sharp contrast with his sister’s magenta coloring. Magenta was rare in the aura world — although I’d seen it a time or two before — and Aisling’s personality was so strong the magenta practically rolled off her in waves. “You were supposed to stay home and rest. I thought Maya had some foot soak to make your feet feel better.”

  “She was getting it when I fled,” Aisling supplied. “I waited until I was sure she wasn’t watching, and then I ran for it because I’m mad at all of you.”

  “Oh, well, good.” Redmond smoothed his sister’s hair, which looked as if she’d been trapped in a wind tunnel. “It’s not a proper workday if you’re not angry with us.”

  Watching the scene was diffic
ult. As an only child, I was happy to have my grandfather’s full attention. Once my parents were gone, he was all I had left. He was a strict man, but he knew how to enjoy himself. The idea of sharing his attention with others didn’t sit well.

  The Grimlocks, on the other hand, clearly shared their father’s attention. The sister seemed to be getting the bulk of it at present, but that was to be expected. The way the brothers doted on her was surprising, though. It was almost as if they formed a protective wall around her.

  The entire family dynamic was interesting, but we had other things to worry about.

  “So ... the wraith?” I prodded, hoping to get everybody back on track.

  “I still don’t know what happened with the wraith,” Cormack said.

  I launched into the tale, describing everything in a calm and rational manner. When I was done, the Grimlocks exploded into pandemonium.

  “How is that even possible?” Aisling asked.

  “I don’t understand how the wraith got inside,” Redmond said.

  “Did the wraith touch anyone?” Aidan asked.

  “How did the wraith look when it crossed back over?” Cillian queried.

  “Why didn’t you kill it, Braden?” Cormack challenged.

  I raised my eyebrows at the chaos. “Um ... .”

  Braden took the onus of the conversation off me. “I was going to kill it, but I wasn’t quick enough. Plus, well, it was bigger.”

  “Bigger than what?” Cillian asked.

  “I don’t know how to explain it,” Braden replied, gesturing toward the computer. “We have video if you’d like to see.”

  The male Grimlocks moved toward the computer, leaving Aisling to struggle to stand without the benefit of family aid. Instinctively, I went to her and offered a hand. She took it and groaned as she attempted to find her footing. Ultimately she gave up and waved off my efforts to help.

  “It’s useless,” she muttered, dragging a hand through her hair. “I’ll have to live here now.”