Page 16 of Reaping Havoc
I always knew which part of him would speak to me because they were all unique. The Reaper called me one endearment, his beloved. Rael referred to me as his kitten or hellcat. But the Berserker? Lifeblood.
“My lifeblood. Talk to me.”
I hadn’t heard from him in months. That part of Rael stayed buried because he was dangerous, cutthroat, vengeful, and sadistic. Anyone who dared to harm me would feel his wrath and experience his brutality. Never once did he raise his voice at me, but I’d seen firsthand what he could do, and I knew he surfaced now because he could hear the terror in my voice.
“There’s someone here.”
“Who?”
“He’s looking at me through the sliding glass doors. Just... staring.”
“What the fuck?”
“Rael,” I choked, struggling to breathe and speak through the fear and worry that this man would do something to me or the boys before Rael arrived.
“I’m coming home, my lifeblood. I’m close.”
“He’s wearing the same face paint as you.”
Silence greeted me for a few seconds. “What do you mean?”
“It’s the same skeletal face. Black and white.”
In the distance, I could hear the low roar of a motorcycle engine. Wait—multiple engines.
“Can you hear my bike? I’m not far. Stay on the phone with me.”
“Okay.”
I took a few steps backwards as the man wearing the disguise moved forward until his warm breath heated the glass, leaving condensation behind. It puffed in slow succession, nearly fading completely before he exhaled, and another misty cloud appeared.
What the hell did this man want? Why did he choose me and my house?
“Nylah. I’m almost home.”
As the sound of engines grew closer, the stranger finally stepped back and jogged down the stairs, but not before turning around and grinning with that awful macabre smile that made me shiver.
“Nylah?” Rael’s voice held urgency as I finally replied.
“I think he’s leaving,” I informed him, feeling both relieved and disturbed. What was the point of this? To terrify me? Mission accomplished.
I was still facing the sliding glass doors and the empty backyard as Rael rushed inside the house, clutching my belly as worry for my babies consumed my thoughts.
“Beloved.”
Strong arms encircled me as I jolted, blinking as I looked up at the face of the Reaper. Well, the Reaper and the Berserker. They fought for control, wrestling with one another in urgent need.
“My lifeblood.”
“He almost entered the house.” My throat was suddenly dry, and I nearly choked on the words. “Gavin and Gage are napping.” I gently tapped my stomach. “I’m so close to our daughter’s birth.”
Rage contorted his features for a few seconds, but nothing about his fury scared me. I knew this man as intimately as I knew myself. “We’ll find him.”
“What if he comes back?”
That thought scared me more than I wanted to admit.
“I’ll be here.” He held me closer, cradling my head against his chest. His hold tightened around me like he could take the fear away and absorb it into himself. “I won’t be leaving you again, my lifeblood.”
