A Touch of Death Read online

  “Death, I want you.” She murmured against his mouth, holding onto him, wild delight ripping through her.

  His teeth grazed her lower lip and he pulled his hand away. She cried out in frustration, but he ignored her demands. Gripping her hips, he lifted her and spread her thighs before he drove into her with one powerful thrust. He gave her no time to catch her breath before he began rocking in and out of her. She had no control as he left her mouth and kissed a path to her neck. Digging her nails into his shoulders she held on to him as every pump of his hips sent pulses of pleasure exploding through her. She came apart at the seams, her inner muscles clenching to him as he continued to drive into her.

  He slammed home in a frenzy and his climax burst through as a second tsunami shattered her world. She shook with the force of it. If it wasn’t for his support she would have collapsed into a heap on the shower floor.

  When the water turned cold he shut it off, sliding free of her slowly and reluctantly. Her mind was almost numb, raw sensation skittering through her. Wrapping her in a towel, Death carried her out of her shower and dried her off. Her legs trembled, but she obediently followed him to the bed. For the first time since she was a child she felt completely content and safe.

  * * *

  Jael brought a pitcher of iced tea to the table where Gemma, Jaz, Nathan, and Cleg gathered. Death stood near the counter, but she didn’t mention his presence. It would only excite and make Gemma nervous, and Jaz wouldn’t understand, but that was about to change.

  “Jaz, I know you and Cleg have had a rough week, with the murderer on the loose, so thank you for coming over tonight. I wanted to talk to you about something important.” With a trembling hand she poured the iced tea. Would telling someone about her being the Grim Reaper ever get easier?

  Gemma had taken the news reasonably well. At first, she’d thought it was stress from Jael’s mother’s death, but soon realized she wouldn’t lie about something so serious. Nathan was much easier to tell since he had a hidden gift of his own and could see Death. Telling Jaz wasn’t going to be as easy. As a police officer, he wouldn’t believe her, and she didn’t know how to convince him. Here goes nothing.

  Lowering onto the chair between Cleg and Nathan, across from Gemma and Jaz, she glanced at Death, who gave her a subtle nod.

  “Jaz, there is something you need to know about me. You’ve been told that I saw one of the murders.”

  He leaned forward, setting his tea aside. “Something about that never sat right with me. It was hours after the murder when she was found, but who am I to question Captain Henningsen. But we caught the man responsible, and he was just as you said he would be, so why does it matter now?”

  “It matters because things like this might happen in the future and you deserve to know.”

  Cleg cut her off. “You deserve to know what Jael and I are.”

  “Whatever your secret is I don’t care as long as at the end of the day the perp is behind bars.” There was the Jaz that Gemma fell in love with, the one willing to help anyone in need. It’s why he became a police officer. He had a heart of gold.

  “You might not say that when we’ve finished.” Her lips curled to a frown, and her stomach twisted into a knot. It was possible she was about to push one of her closest friends away. Jaz was like a brother to her and Cleg. Cleg met Jaz in the police academy and introduced her and Gemma. Their easy friendship and closeness might be a thing of the past after today.

  “Well, out with it, don’t keep me in suspense.”

  Gemma placed her hand over Jaz’s. “Jaz, what Jael is about to say is going to sound bizarre, but just hear her out.”

  “She’s right, and you probably won’t believe me.” Jael took a deep breath and spit it out. “I knew about the women’s murder because their spirits came to me.”

  Jaz’s eyebrows knitted in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about? What do you mean they came to you? How is that even possible?”

  She didn’t want to say those two little words, the ones that first sparked fear in Gemma’s eyes. “It’s hard to explain. I can tell you everything that happened to each of the women, describe every detail of them to you. I saw them.”

  “Cleg told you, or he showed you the reports and then you dreamt it. Maybe you’re working too many hours. Maybe you should take a few days off.” There wasn’t much anger in Jaz’s voice, just confusion.

  “I told you it was ridiculous, but she’s telling you the truth,” Gemma said. “Jael is the Grim Reaper.”

  Jaz pushed from the table, nearly knocking over his iced tea. Cleg’s quick reflexes saved them from having a mess to clean up.

  “Damn it, Gemma, I was trying not to mention that.” Jael shook her head. “I remember the fear that flickered in your eyes when I told you.”

  “I’m sorry. I was just trying to help.” Gemma turned her attention back to Jaz. “Babe, please hear us out.” She reached for him, but he pushed away.

  “You knew?” Disbelief was clear in his voice.

  “He told Maddie’s parents, tell him about her mother clutching a pink and silver keychain and the engraving,” Death advised Jael.

  She rolled her eyes, thinking it wouldn’t help, but tried anyway. “When you told Maddie’s parents, her mother held a pink and silver keychain like it was the lifeline to her daughter. There was an engraving in the center. You’ve always been and always will be my mother. I love you. Forever, your Maddie.” When Jaz stared at her, she added, “Maddie was adopted. That wasn’t in the case file, was it?”

  “What?” Cleg asked.

  “Maddie’s biological mother and adopted mother were twin sisters, and she died in childbirth. Rose took the kid and raised her as her own.” Jaz sank back into his chair as if the air had leaked out of him. “I didn’t know when I went, it wasn’t in the file. No one knew and since it didn’t pertain to the case I promised I’d keep it close to the vest unless it was needed. How did you know, Jael?”

  “Maddie was there as a spirit. When she crossed through me to the light, I saw everything.” Jael gained more confidence now that Jaz seemed more willing to listen. “Maddie was the first one that came to me. Once I spoke with her and the others, I went to Cleg.”

  “What do these…spirits expect you to do?”

  “I help…” She searched for the right words. “I help people move on once they’ve died. I assist them in finishing whatever business that’s keeping them here.”

  “But this power only exists in the movies.” Jaz clutched the table.

  “She gave you proof that she’s spoken to Maddie. What more do you need?” Nathan spoke for the first time since Jael began.

  “You…you too? You know about Jael’s power?”

  “I can’t see what Jael sees, but her ability has been proven to me in other ways.” Nathan’s smile was weak.

  She was thankful he didn’t say it was Death’s presence that had given away her secret. Unlike Gemma, Nathan could see Death, but that wasn’t always comforting.

  “This is all so unbelievable.” Jaz dragged his hand through his hair.

  “While we’re on the unbelievable…” Cleg paused, shooting a quick glance at Jael.

  “You’re part of all this as well? Do you see the dead?” Jaz looked at Cleg as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  “No. Actually, I’m the heir to Hell.” Cleg stated it as if he was telling someone there was milk in the refrigerator.

  “The what?” A touch of alarm was in Jaz’s voice, and even Gemma and Nathan stared at Cleg and Jael as their eyes widened with shock.

  Cleg took a long drink of his iced tea before answering. “Our father is Lucifer. He has made me the heir and Jael is the Mistress of Hell. I realize this is all hard to believe but you are our closest friends and we thought you should know. It’s likely there will be some unusual things happening around us. If you want to distance yourself from us, now is the time, because before long our enemies are going to be lining up at the door for a
piece of us.”

  Gemma reached across the table and wrapped her hand over Jael’s. “We’ve been friends since grade school. I’m by your side through thick and thin.”

  “That means a lot. Thank you.” Jael breathed a sigh of relief, the worry of losing her best friend slipping away.

  “We’re partners I’ll cover your six anytime.”

  “Thanks, Jaz.” Cleg nodded and rose. “How about Chinese? I’ll order.” Everyone seemed to agree with the food choice.

  “Same with us, Jael. I’m not going anywhere.” Nathan smiled at her.

  Tension from the kiss still hung between them, and she had yet to tell him she was committed to Death. It was something she had to do in private, not with everyone gathered around. Until then she had to control herself, not send wanting glances at Death. The doorbell rang, pulling her from her thoughts.

  “I’ll get it. Captain Henningsen was stopping by on his way home to pick up the reports since I won’t be going in tomorrow. I have business to attend to with Lucifer,” Cleg explained before going answer the door.

  “I still can’t believe your father is Lucifer.” Gemma shook her head. They both had gone through a wild stage in their early teens when it was all black clothes, and they even dabbled a little in witchcraft. Most of it harmless stuff, but they had read their fair share of literature on Lucifer and demons. Maybe that phase of her life would help to prepare her for the battle ahead. Somehow she doubted she’d ever be ready for what her future held.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jael stood from the table, slightly lightheaded, and went upstairs to her loft. It was the only place she could go for a little privacy. Was there no place sacred from the ghosts? Could she not spend a night with her friends without a ghost barging in?

  “You okay?” Nathan asked. He must have followed her without her realizing it.

  “Yeah. I just needed a minute.” She plopped down on her large king-size bed, grabbing one of the throw pillows and holding it. Death’s scent drifted to her from the pillow, reminding her that this life was worth it to be with him.

  “You saw something, didn’t you?” When she just looked at him, he continued. “I know you did, so why even lie to me?”

  She nodded. He was right; there was no reason to lie to him about it. She was tired and wanted to get rid of everyone, but Cleg and Henningsen were discussing business. Lou, another officer that had accompanied Henningsen, hovered nearby waiting for the Captain.

  “Talk to me.” He joined her on the bed. “What did you just see?”

  “Lou’s sister.”

  “His sister?”

  She let out a deep breath. “Yeah. She had cancer and passed a few months ago. She’s clinging to him, not ready to let him go.”

  “Maybe you can help her pass on?”

  “I don’t think so. She wants to be with him, to protect him. In his line of work, maybe he needs it.”

  “You can’t help everyone. You know that, right?”

  She nodded. “It’s just so freaky.”

  “I bet. I couldn’t imagine seeing people others don’t. But it is a blessing, not a curse, and you have to realize that after today.” Nathan ran his hand over her leg.

  Death popped in and stood before her. “We could smudge the loft area with sage, which would prevent ghosts from entering.”

  “That would be nice. Then at least I won’t have to worry about ghosts popping in while I shower.” There seemed to be something extremely wrong with a ghost watching her bathe. “Later, though. Death, could you give us a moment?”

  When he was gone, she turned back to Nathan. “Since you transferred from the fire department and took the place of my former partner, I wanted you to returned my affections. The easy flirting between us never seemed to go any further, until the other night.”

  “That kiss I hope will be the first of many more.” His fingers teased up her thigh.

  She wiggled out from under his touch and stood. “I’m sorry.”

  “You made your choice then?”

  The disappointment was clear is his eyes. “It was somewhat pushed upon me, but it was the right one. Death and I belong together, we can do so much good.”

  Nathan rose off the bed and stalked to her. “With him, your life will be surrounded by death all the time. You’ll be danger constantly.”

  “Nathan, I see spirits everywhere I look. I can’t get away from that. There will always be danger, but either way I don’t think Lucifer will give up without a fight. He needs to divide a wedge between Cleg and me.” She refused to take a step back even when Nathan invaded her personal space. “I’m truly sorry, I believe we could have had something special between us if the timing had been different.”

  He just gave her a sad nod before stepping away and down the steps. She could hear his boots on the hardwood floors as he made his way to the front door and left. A piece of her wanted to cry as the last normal chance she had with Nathan left. Part of her wondered if in a few weeks’ time she’d have to sit down with another partner and tell her story over again.

  “You okay?” Death asked from behind her. She was so wrapped up in the loss of what could have been between her and Nathan that she didn’t feel Death appear.

  “I’ll be fine. He was the last shred of normalcy in my life. Maybe it’s for the best. Around me, no one is safe.”

  He came to her and placed his hands on her shoulder. “It won’t always be like this. One day we’ll have that peaceful life you always dreamed of.”

  “With spirits popping in and out? I don’t consider it peaceful.”

  “Let’s put it this way, without the danger that Lucifer holds.”

  She slipped her arms around his waist. “We just have to make it through living hell first.”

  “Yes, about that. Cleg is going to Hell for a few days. He’s going to deceive the great deceiver and act the part.”

  She started to pull away but Death held her to him. “What do you mean?”

  “Cleg is going to appear as if he wants to learn more about his duties if he accepts his destiny as heir. It will give us an insider to what Lucifer is planning.”

  “It will also put my brother in grave danger.”

  “Kochanie, you’re both in grave danger as it is. Which is why Cleg and I have agreed on certain things. I swore I wouldn’t tell you about his plans until after he left, and I promised I’d take you to Nightscape for a few days. We need time to work on your abilities, somewhere you’ll be safe.”

  She strained to hear downstairs, but there was nothing. “Cleg!” She hollered, fear making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

  “He’s already gone. He’s arranged for both of you to have a few days off, but he promises to be in touch. Either way, you can feel him, you know he’s in no danger. I’ll teach you how to communicate with him without relying on the phone or being together.” He released her, but kept a hand on her hip. “Let’s gather your things, and get you safely to Nightscape. We need you to be ready when the first demon attacks.”

  “Is Nightscape the safest option? After all, Abaddon is there.”

  “It will be fine. While we’re gone I’ll have Thunder smudge your loft. It will at the very least keep evil entities away from here. Most spirits will be deterred from it as well. There will be some who will ignore it, especially white spirits, the ones only seeking your help not revenge. The ritual will need to be repeated every six months.”

  If she wanted to survive, she needed to be ready, and that meant making sacrifices. First one was spending a few days in Nightscape working on her abilities. It would give Nathan time to adjust, and hopefully when she returned the tension would be gone.

  Better yet, it meant alone time with the one man she wanted to be with the most—Death.

  Marissa Dobson

  Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Marissa Dobson now resides about an hour from Washington, D.C. She’s a lady who likes to keep busy, and is always busy doing somethi
ng. With two different college degrees, she believes you’re never done learning.

  Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave her the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read she has always had her nose in a book. It wasn't until she was a teenager that she started writing down the stories she came up with.

  Marissa is blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He’s her other half and allows her to stay home and pursue her writing. He puts up with all her quirks and listens to her brainstorm in the middle of the night.

  Her writing buddies Max (a cocker spaniel) and Dawne (a beagle mix) are always around to listen to her bounce ideas off them. They might not be able to answer, but they are helpful in their own ways.

  She love to hear from readers so send her an email at [email protected] or visit her online at http://www.marissadobson.com.

  Other Books by Marissa Dobson

  Tiger Time

  The Tiger’s Heart

  Tigress for Two

  Night with a Tiger

  Trusting a Tiger

  Storm Queen

  A Touch of Death

  Snowy Fate

  Sarah’s Fate

  Mason’s Fate

  Winterbloom

  Unexpected Forever

  Losing to Win

  Christmas Countdown

  The Surrogate

  Clearwater Romance Volume One

  As Fate Would Have It

  Learning to Live

  Learning What Love Is

  Her Cowboy’s Heart

  Half Moon Harbor Resort Volume One

  Restoring Love

  Secret Valentine

  The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas

  Praise

  Alaskan Tigers

  Tiger Time:

  This is the first book that I have read from Marissa Dobson and it definitely won’t be my last. I loved the tiger shapeshifter aspect of this book which I haven’t read much about in previous books. ~ Jennifer at Books-n-Kisses