Jack A Grim Reaper Romance (11 page)

“As he should.” He pinned her with a stare, his hands clasping hers in a tight grip. “Lilly, the only reason any of us are here is because the Elders allow it. Forget that, and it’ll be your demise. I’d have thought that much was made clear this morning. Have you already forgotten?”

A cold shiver traveled down her spine as he spoke each word. “I’ve not forgotten, but visiting his family seems so extreme.”

“Less extreme measures have failed, my love. You wanted to go find him, and that’s what we’re doing.” He settled back in his seat, shaking his head. “I don’t understand you at times.”

“Perhaps that’s for the best.” She also sat back, but kept her distance. They rode the rest of the way in silence with her thoughts as her only companion—and a poor companion at that. When the carriage pulled to a stop, she reluctantly let Mason help her out onto the street.

“Try your best to not look like you despise me, love.” Before she could protest, he kissed her cheek and tucked her arm in the crook of his elbow.

Taking the stone steps to a large oak door, Lilly was impressed with the neighborhood and the home. She couldn’t help but wonder if Jack once lived here with his family, or if it belonged to the new husband.

When the footman answered the door, Mason gave him his calling card and cast a bit of glamour. “I’d like to speak with Mrs. Ana Chester.”

“Yes, sir. Please have a seat while I summon her.” The footman escorted them to the sitting room.

Typical of the day’s fashions, the décor was elaborate and busy. Cut crystal vases held a riot of summer flowers. The large mirror above the marble fireplace was gilded in gold, with the sofa and chairs covered in a butter yellow brocade. Pillows and figurines were present in abundance as were the paintings hung on every wall.

Mason wandered around the room, his head cocked to the side as if trying to sense something. “Do you feel it, Lilly? He’s been here.”

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment to concentrate on the energies of the room. Mason was right, even if the energy was faint. “Visiting his wife doesn’t mean he murdered that woman, and I doubt we’ll find him hiding behind the curtains or under the bed.”

Mason let out a low laugh, but bit back his retort when the door opened and a woman in her fifties entered. Lilly felt a slight pang, for the woman before her was quite lovely and rather exotic in her coloring. It made Jack’s pain all the more real to see what he’d been forced to leave behind. Lilly could only imagine how beautiful she must have been in her youth when Jack married her.

“May I help you?” Ana’s gown was of a fine linen in pale blue, which accentuated the amber of her eyes and her golden complexion. Though the cut was rather conservative, the styling was recent and likely cost a modest sum.

Mason gave her a slight bow of the head. “I’m sorry to disturb you this late into the evening, but I have a few questions I must ask.”

Ana’s eyes glazed over as Mason cast a glamour. “Has your dead husband visited you?”

“Mason.” Lilly was shocked he’d ask such a question, however, Ana nodded.

“Yes. Lately. He often visits me in my dreams. And though he does not look the same, I know without a doubt it is him.” A smile came to her lips as she recalled the memories.

“Can you feel him touch you? As if he is there in the same room with you?” Mason was soft spoken as he pulled the information he wanted from her.

“Yes. His kiss is just as I remembered it, though my husband would be very angry if he found out. They’re only dreams, but he’d not like it one bit.” Her smile faded as did the light in her eyes. It twisted Lilly’s gut to hear the fear in her voice, and could only imagine what it must do to Jack.

“And can you send Jack a message?”

“Yes. He showed me how, though he does not always come to me when I ask. He said it is sometimes difficult.” A frown marred her beautiful face.

“I want you to tell him you had a visit from his dear friends, Mason and Lilly. Can you do that for me as soon as we leave?” When she nodded, he continued. “You will remember nothing else, my dear.”

“As you wish.”

Chapter Eleven

Mason concentrated on gathering the energy he needed to build a mental wall around the home and surrounding area. If Jack passed through it, Mason would know.

“Now we wait.” He gave Lilly a hand into his carriage and then slipped into the seat by her side. His driver took them for a short ride, like he’d been instructed. By the time they returned to their original spot outside the house, the carriage would no longer be detected—not even by Jack.

“Do you think him an idiot? He’ll know it’s a trap, even if he can’t see us waiting for him.” She spoke with such incredulity, he wondered if she was right.

“He may know it’s a trap, but I guarantee he’ll not be able to resist checking in on his wife to make sure she’s still safe.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips, her skin delicate with a lingering scent of lavender. Then in a moment of honesty, he said, “I know I’d not be able to stay away if I thought you threatened.”

By the light of the street lamps, he saw her brows furrow as she pinned him with a questioning stare. “Even if it meant you may not survive? I highly doubt it, Mason. After all, you
are
chancellor, and I suspect you’d not make any rash and emotional decisions.”

“Believe what you will.” He placed her hand on her lap and let it go, annoyance creeping into his chest until every breath took an effort. Why it should bother him, he knew not. She was nothing more than a distraction in a life lived too long. And yet, he had to fight the urge to shake her until her teeth rattled. The girl must be blind.

But blind to what? Surely nothing he’d willingly admit, even to himself.

He thought of Damon’s revelation about the child, and felt his heart ache. Mason wanted to believe him mistaken, but knew it’d be nothing more than a feeble attempt to deny the truth. He had not been the one to bring her over after her death, but recalled that she had died of fever. No mention was made of a child.

He thought of Lilly’s difficulty to adjust to this life and give up her past, and he now understood why. Yet she’d never said a word to him. Not even with their recent relations—and he hated that it bothered him as much as it did.

He should have checked into the life she’d lived, but it wasn’t something they bothered with unless there was a problem. It had been a mistake to not look into it further, especially when she was so hesitant to leave her past behind.

“So we’re going to just sit here and hope he shows up?” Lilly pulled him from his thoughts, shifting to face him, her movements stiff with tension.

“What would you have me do, Lilly? By all means, if you have a better idea, I’d like to hear it. How would you catch Jack? Because I’d like to know—as chancellor, since you like to remind me every chance you get.”

“Hmph.” She crossed her arms, and looked straight ahead.

He knew he shouldn’t be annoyed with her. After all, why should she open up to him? Their relations, though more frequent as of late, had not ever turned towards the serious.

Or had they?

He looked at her, and it was as if he was seeing her again for the first time. His heart pounded a rapid beat, even though she sat there annoyed with him. Truth was, it made her all the more irresistible—and already he found it hard to resist her charms. But there was more, he suddenly realized, even if he refused to acknowledge it for long.

“Tell me, my love, how would you catch Jack?” He leaned in and nipped at her ear, ignoring her when she swatted at him like she was ridding herself of a pesky fly. “I did not think you’d want me to force his hand by doing something extreme.” His lips trailed down her neck, and though she pushed him away, it was half-hearted, her defenses weakening. “I’ll not let you get bored while we wait… I promise.”

“Damn it, Mason.” She shifted far enough away to hold him in her gaze—a gaze that halted his very breath. “I can no longer play your games. It’s one thing for us to pursue a casual relation, but it leaves me dizzy, for it never feels casual. Instead I feel like I’ve been swept away by a winter storm into a tumultuous sea—and I’m drowning, Mason. I cannot do this.”

It wasn’t what he’d expected, and his heart tightened as if it no longer had the space it needed to beat. “Lilly… I don’t understand.”

It had been a long time since fear gripped him like it did just now, and the thought of losing her left him wondering how he could have put himself in such a vulnerable position. He cupped her cheek, his eyes searching hers for a glimmer of hope. “I’m confused as to whether you want to see less of me or more.”

“I wish I knew, Mason.” She leaned against his hand, her eyes half closing. “The truth is I’d feel a fool to give you my heart for I do not think you can keep it safe, and yet…”

“What, love?” He pulled her close and nuzzled her, desperate to not lose the little they had between them. “And yet?”

“… my heart breaks to think of not having you in my life.”

When she turned away from him, his frustration sparked in fear. “Have I not proven my loyalty to you? I do not understand what more you want. You certainly seemed to have few qualms when it came to pursuing something with Jack.”

With a shake of his head, he cursed himself for letting his emotions get the best of him. From the moment he set eyes on her, he’d known she’d cause him nothing but problems and heartache.

“It was different with Jack.”

“Different, indeed. For who could resist his good looks or his penchant for murdering prostitutes?” The woman was infuriating.

“Yes. Those were my exact thoughts when I took him to my bed.” Lilly’s eyes blazed, no longer looking away, her voice edged with anger. It took all he had to not kiss her then and there. “For such an intelligent man, you certainly are a fool.”

“A fool, am I?”

And then his nerves were set alight with warning, his body going tense. “It’s Jack. He’s heading for the house.” He was already out of his seat and heading for the door. “Stay here.”

“I’m coming with you.” She was right behind him, gathering her skirts up out of the way as she prepared to follow him.

“I’ve no time to argue with you. You’re to stay here—that’s an order.” He’d not risk her getting hurt.

“Back to chancellor, are we?”

He ground his teeth, his patience with her gone. “Stay. Here.” Her growl of frustration was enough confirmation as he exited the carriage and moved towards the house.

He drew his pistol and held it at the ready. With a bit of aim and luck, it’d be enough to immobilize Jack so he could be captured. Though they could not die like mere mortals, they could still be wounded and feel pain—a none too pleasant experience to live through something that should kill you. The body would heal itself, and recovery would take only a fraction of the time.

Mason kept to the shadows as he moved towards the back of the home where the breach in his wall occurred. With a final glance over his shoulder to make sure Lilly stayed put, he turned his focus on finding Jack.

Had he gone into the home or was he still lurking outside? Mason mentally felt around for Jack’s energy, and followed the breach towards the back gardens. He let himself in through the back gate when the rusty hinge squeaked, breaking the silence of night.

He’d barely turned around, when the tackle came out of nowhere. Catching him off guard, he was knocked into the gate, the pistol sent flying out of his hand. The iron points of the gate tore into his back as Jack pinned him with a shoulder, landing blow after blow into his guts and ribs. Mason fought back, but pinned as he was against the gate and with Jack carrying an additional three stone of muscle and several inches, it was impossible to get any power behind his shots or shift free off the irons.

Gathering what energy he could, Mason shot a mental blow at Jack and then another, though it did little to slow Jack who was riding a wave of anger and had his mental defenses up.

“You fucking bastard.” Jack landed another blow, and pain erupted across Mason’s side as a rib cracked. Mason threw more mental blows at him, and though he knew he was hitting his mark, Jack was in a rage unlike anything Mason had ever encountered. “Go near my wife again, and I’ll find a way to fucking kill you.”

“Jack. Let him go.” Mason barely registered Lilly’s voice as the blows continued, when a shot tore through the night. “I said let him go.”

Mason would have laughed had it not hurt so much. For there she stood on the other side of the gate, looking like fury unleashed, the pistol he’d dropped held firmly in her hand. His dearest Lilly, come to the rescue.

“Come to defend him, have you? Go ahead then. Shoot me.” Jack took a step back as Mason struggled to pull himself upright. “But you’d better be quick.” A pistol appeared in Jack’s hand, the metal catching the light.

And then another shot rang out in the silence of night.

Chapter Twelve

“Stay clear of my family.” Jack turned and vanished into the night, as Lilly stood there, her shot firing after he’d already gone, too late to stop him.