Reaper Mine: A Reaper Novel (30 page)

Tabitha was screaming at someone, probably Skylar. “They are going to kill each other soon.”

“I don’t care,” Victor said. But after another minute of holding her close he pulled away and they faced the group.

Skylar was indeed in Tabitha’s face. “What in the name of all the gods made you think taking Elle was good idea?”

“I don’t recall asking for your approval,” she barked getting right into the Trackers face. “And don’t expect me to ever ask for your approval.”

“We had everything under control.” Sky looked ready to tear her apart.

“Really?” Tabitha laughed, but the sound was bitter and hard. “Because from the information you were giving Elle and me you had nothing under control. In fact, you had less than nothing under control. You were shipping her around like a sack of potatoes, and telling her even less.”

Elle needed to defuse the situation and stepped forward, but Victor stopped her. “We’re leaving.”

“What?” She tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let her. “No wait, we have a plan,” she told Victor.

“Who is we?” Victor demanded. “We as in the crazy bitch who wants to use you like Aldon? Who took you from me?”

“What?” Elle asked at the same time Tabitha did.

“I didn’t take her from you,” Tabitha snarled. “She didn’t have to go with me. I gave her a choice. Something none of you males did. Tell them, Elle.”

Victor turned to her and Elle swallowed. “I went with her willingly. I wasn’t being told anything. I have been safe here. And I am not going anywhere until the situation is resolved.”

Victor wasn’t listening. He grabbed Elle and steered her toward the way they had come in. “I don’t give a shit, we are leaving. I don’t trust the bitch.” He threw over his shoulder.

Elle tried to yank her arm free but he had her back in his arms and he would be damned if he was going to let her go.

Elle dug in her heels. “Victor, stop! You don’t know what you are talking about.”

“We can talk once you are safe,” Victor told her.

She gave him a look that told him she thought he was nuts. “I have been safe here for the last week. They have been able to handle the attacks. Aldon is following the rules of the Daughters of Eve.”

Victor looked like had seen a ghost. “He has attacked?” he shouted.

Elle regretted saying anything.

“We are leaving,” he said pulling her in close again.

“She is safe here,” Tabitha said just as loud. “Or did you miss the part, where she said Aldon’s attacks have been ineffective? This is hallowed ground, the Freaks can’t get in here. And Aldon wouldn’t dare desecrate this land.”

Victor wasn’t even going to answer those stupid questions. Elle was in danger, as long as Aldon was after her she was in danger and he needed to keep her safe.

“You should ask him about your soul. And that special enzyme,” Tabitha said.

Elle sighed heavily wishing Tabitha would just stop talking. Couldn’t she just give Elle a moment to gather her thoughts?

Elle turned to Victor but the look he gave her made her pause. “Which is it?” she advanced on him. When Victor took a step away from her she felt like she was going to throw up.

“I was going to explain about the enzyme to you. I didn’t want to upset you. You have enough on your plate,” Victor said.

“And my soul?” Elle asked trying to keep from crying. She was not going to cry, she promised herself.

Victor grabbed her. “That is something we will discuss when we are alone. Tabitha should mind her damn business, when it comes to your soul. And especially, mine. She needs to back the hell off.” Actually about the souls Elle couldn’t agree more, so she nodded.

Victor glared at the group. “How many attacks have there been?” he demanded from Tabitha.

Tabitha snorted. “I don’t have to tell you anything.”

“Oh, for the love of the gods.” Elle threw her hands in the air. “Just explain it to him.”

“He has demanded we hand Elle over to him three different times, and each time we have rejected his requests. And after the rejections he has sent in a group of four to six Freaks. But they cannot cross into our land,” Tabitha explained.

“Why?” Victor asked.

Tabitha sighed and rolled her eyes, obviously hating having to answer any questions Victor asked. “Because this is hallowed ground and if he desecrates it his life will be forfeited as will his Freaks.”

“Really?” Victor couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “The same way he should be killed for what he is trying to do to Elle? Or the way you said you were going to kill him originally?”

Tabitha growled at him. “Don’t you dare throw our laws at me. You don’t know anything about our laws. And until you do, Reaper, you should keep your opinions and your mouth shut. Before I shut if for you.”

Victor dropped Elle’s hand and advanced on the bitch, Christian grabbed him before he did something stupid.

“Don’t stop him.” Tabitha laughed just out of arm’s reach. “Do you think I’m afraid of him?”

“Tabitha, you realize he could reach inside of you and take your soul don’t you?” Christian asked. “Without a Ringer you would live but you wouldn’t enjoy it.”

Victor took little joy in seeing fear flit through those green eyes. All he wanted was to get Elle out of here. Then he wanted to sleep. Reapers didn’t need to sleep often, but gods, he was tired. The thought of pulling Elle into his arms and just relaxing and sleeping, sounded like a slice of heaving to him.

Helena had come over. “Elle what the hell are you doing with the Daughters of Eve?”

Elle glared at her sister which made Victor smile. “Why the hell do you care?”

Helena glared right back. “Because I do that’s why. The last time we talked, you were with the Reapers. You were fighting.”

“What the hell do you think she is doing with us?” Tabitha interrupted.

“You are going to use her to get into the Tribunal,” Helena snapped.

Tabitha turned on Helena. “And who the hell are you?”

For all the irritation between Helena and Elle, Helena was still Elle’s sister and Elle grabbed Helena and pushed the woman behind her standing up to Tabitha. “Don’t talk to her like that, she’s my sister. Helena.”

Tabitha actually took a step back. “Sorry Elle,” Tabitha looked around Elle’s shoulder and nodded at Helena. “Pleasure to meet you.” It was the nicest Tabitha had ever been to someone, outside of the Daughters, that Victor had ever seen.

Helena flipped her off, which Victor had come to realize was a favorite form a communication with the woman. “Get away from my sister.”

“Mother of the gods. Why does everyone think I have it out for Elle?” Tabitha asked the group in general.

“Maybe, because you kidnapped her from the group keeping her safe.” Skylar threw out for the group.

“Keeping her safe?” Tabitha laughed. “And by the way, nobody is talking to you Tracker.”

Elle threw her hands in the air. “Are we back to this again?”

“No, because we don’t need to revisit anything. We are leaving.” Victor tried to grab Elle, but she avoided him.

“Victor, the Daughters of Eve are not trying to control me. They have a good plan to destroy Aldon.” Elle pleaded with him. “And if anyone is asking, I’m safe. Hello? Isn’t that what’s important?”

“We do not work with men,” Tabitha snarled between her teeth.

The look Elle gave her nearly made Victor snort. “Seriously?” Elle barked.

“Well that answers that,” Victor said, happy Tabitha had said what she said, and now they could all move on. He grabbed Elle’s hand and pulled her to him. “Let’s get out of here.”

She came quietly into his arms. “I can’t go Victor.”

“Elle.” he growled.

“Their plan is a solid one,” she admitted to him with a sigh. Then turned to Tabitha. “They are here to help. Surely, the more the merrier? The less the risk to the sisters, right?”

Victor snarled low when Elle said that and Tabitha nodded. The last thing he wanted was to put his life on the line for this bitch. For Elle he would do it without a qualm, but for Tabitha? He wasn’t sure he would walk across the street to put her out if she were on fire.

Nope.

He wouldn’t.

Especially, when she agreed to his help, if it only meant less risk for her and her precious sisters.

“Who said we were willing to work with them?” he said to Elle. Because he damn well hadn’t.

Elle turned to him, her beautiful golden eyes beseeching. “I’m tired Victor.” And he could see it in her eyes and she had him and they both new it. “I’m tired of holding my walls up. Of fighting off Freaks and watching over my shoulder. We need to end this. Do you have a plan?”

“Damn it, Elle. We would if we didn’t have to run all over the mortal plane to try and find you.” He pushed a hand through his hair.

“You didn’t have a plan before then. We were running scared before that. Admit it.” He damn well wouldn’t admit to anything, she must have read it in his eyes.

“Why do you make it harder than it needs to be?” he demanded instead.

“Me?” she asked. “I am not making it harder. You are being impossible. Not me.”

“Do you have any idea what we have gone through to find you?” he asked, right back. “If you could have just done as you were told.”

Ryder snorted. “Ah now you’ve gone and done it you dumb ass.”

Victor noticed several women who were standing behind Tabitha shake their heads and take several steps back.

Elle sucked in a breath. Her mouth opened and closed several times, not actually able say anything for a moment.

It should have been a sign for him to keep his big mouth shut but he didn’t.

Celeste stepped forward and put a hand on his forearm “Victor maybe you should take a moment.” Victor shook it off.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was? What could have happened to you? I told you, I was coming back! Why do you always have to push the envelope? Why can you never just do as you’re told? None of this would have been necessary.” Victor threw his hands up; he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and take her to the Infernos and lock her up where she would be safe. But he couldn’t even do that; he was trapped here on the mortal plane where she was forever in danger. He was so upset he didn’t see the danger right in front of him.

“Excuse me?” Elle asked her voice had dropped to a near whisper. “Done as I was told? Like a good little girl?” She pushed him. But Victor refused to give an inch. And stood his ground, she could push him all she liked. Everything he was doing was to keep her safe, didn’t she see that?

“Yes dammit. Is it that hard?” he leaned down so they were nose to nose.

“Yes!” she practically shrieked. Making everyone step back but Victor. “I have spent the last, gods only know how many years, doing exactly what I was told to do. And do you know what that has done for me?” she asked. She didn’t wait for him to answer. “It made me a sitting duck, for that bastard, Aldon! And weak. So weak, the only thing capable of protecting me, was you.” Her voice dropped, to a near whisper “And even you left me, when I needed you most.”

The words cut so deep he stumbled back like a physical blow straight to the solar plexus. Christian caught him.

She advanced with her amber/golden eyes flashing fire on him. She stabbed him in the chest with her index finger. "So, don't you think for one second, that I don't have the ability to make a decision! Now, I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. You can go along with it or not. The Daughters of Eve have a sound plan. One I am going along with, because from what I understand, you-" She glared at the general group."- don't have one. So, I would love, and I truly mean that, if you would all stay and work with us. If you don't want to, then you all know the way out." She shoved him for good measure and walked away.

Leaving Victor shocked and in awe, of his woman. Somewhere along the way she had found her voice. And it was fucking sexy as hell, even though his feelings were hurt over it. He pushed away from his brother. But she was already walking away with Tabitha. The Bitch had a satisfied smile on her face. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do more. Kiss Elle or wipe that self-satisfied look off the Bitch’s face.

Victor went to go after Elle, knowing he was about to eat some crow, but a wall of women separated them; a tall woman with dark robes put her hand up. “I am Diana, the head of The Daughters of Eve. I recognize your claim here, Reaper. We are not using Elle for the nefarious means you claim.” She glared at Helena as she said the last part. “I am requesting you and those in your party, remove yourselves to the clearing where your vehicles are. We will discuss the possibility of an alliance there. We have been waiting for a notice from the Sons of Adam, and our higher order. Lucky for you, we received it this morning. The kill order for Aldon is back in place. Let’s hope we can learn to work together.”

Victor ground his teeth together. “I’m not leaving, Elle.”

Diana looked over her shoulder where Elle and Tabitha were having a heated conversation. “We do not allow men here. You must leave. If Elle wishes to go with you, she can. As she mentioned, they have a well thought out plan of action against Aldon. It would be beneficial for all of us to work together.” With that said, Diana walked away, taking her contingent of women with her.