Dark Alpha's Awakening--A Reaper Novel Read online

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  For Charity

  For your dedication, your organization.

  But especially for your friendship.

  “Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.”

  -Sun Tzu, The Art of War

  The Beginning . . .

  The nothingness was vast. So far-reaching that it never ended. An eternity of stars and solar systems for her to explore.

  She didn’t know how long she drifted in the darkness, staring at distant stars. It could have been days or eons. Time meant nothing. She didn’t even know what time was.

  One day, she grew curious about a planet she passed. For the first time, she wanted to leave the ocean of black and see what was on the massive globe.

  Once on the ground, she was astounded to find a world of vivid colors so bright, she had to shield her eyes. As she walked, she took in the moist air and the mountains rising around her covered in tall trees and clumps of beautiful blooms that took her breath away.

  Then she heard it. A deep trumpet call. Unable to stay away, she followed the sound until she came across the beast. She had no idea what it was, but it was magnificent. Tall, muscular, with giant horns extending outward and upward.

  The soulful, dark gaze of the animal met hers. She took a tentative step closer, wanting to touch such a creature. It didn’t move, just waited patiently for her.

  Suddenly, the animal reared up, a scream of pain bursting from it. She spotted a thin rod sticking out of the animal’s neck. The beast tried to run, but its legs buckled, and it fell over, dead.

  She stared in absolute horror, trying to understand what had just occurred.

  Then, they came.

  The beings were enormously tall and thin, their limbs long. They wore animal fur for clothes, and their skin was covered in some kind of yellow paste that had dried and cracked. They held weapons and rushed around the beautiful creature they had brought down. To her dismay, they began to cut into it.

  It was then she realized that they planned to use the beast for food, clothing, and weapons.

  She listened to their words, and slowly began to understand them. One was talking about being hungry.

  Hunger. She didn’t know what that meant.

  She wondered why none of them had seen her, especially since she stood out in the open field among the tall grass. Yet, not a single one of them looked her way.

  As she studied the beings, she noted their lack of hair. She reached up and lifted the long black strand that fell over her shoulder. Then she noticed the three fingers on their hands. She raised hers and counted five digits. But that wasn’t the only difference.

  Unable to watch the animal slowly destroyed, regardless of the reasons why, she returned to the darkness she knew. Except she couldn’t stop thinking of the creature and the beings, of the rich colors and amazing smells.

  She began going from planet to planet, trying to find beings who looked similar to her. Surely, she couldn’t be the only one. There had to be someone else out there.

  She finally found them.

  They were beautiful. Each and every one. As was the world. Flowers were everywhere, so many bright and fragrant buds. She spent more time with the plants, admiring the shape of their petals, learning the subtle scents.

  But she also absorbed the language of the planet’s inhabitants as she did. She walked among them, learning their words, and somehow not surprised that they couldn’t see her.

  They were Fae. And while the section of land she was in was stunning, apparently, there was another set of Fae. The Dark. Curious, she went to find them, as well.

  Dark was an apt name for them. They cared for power and standing. Where the Light world was draped in colors and cheerfulness, the Dark’s half of the realm was nefarious and sinister.

  The wickedness touched some Dark more than others. At first, she grouped the Fae into Light and Dark. But the more time she spent with them, the more she realized it wasn’t so straightforward.

  There were Light who ran on the fringes of what some would call Dark. And some Dark who rarely caused harm. But the Fae didn’t care. You were one or the other.

  She stood by and watched as a civil war erupted. Despite that, she remained. She walked among the Fae, noting the similarities between them and her. And it wasn’t long before she realized that she belonged with them.

  War and death were all she witnessed, decade after decade. While she was interested in the Fae’s magic, it was their weapons that she truly appreciated. So, it was no wonder that she discovered where they were crafted.

  There, she watched as the Fae designed and fashioned each blade with expert precision, each a stunning weapon, unlike anything she’d ever seen.

  Eventually, she grew bored of surveying. She was lonely. Observing conversations, laughter, arguments, and even lovemaking made her long to find someone who she could interact with.

  But that wasn’t meant to be. Her mistake was remaining with the Fae during their endless, relentless war. It became ingrained in her. Instead of wanting to make peace or find someone to be her friend, she came to crave one thing—death.

  One day, she decided she’d sat on the sidelines long enough. It was time to take action. She made her way to the Fires of Erwar, the secret mountain where special blades were made. There, she forged her own weapon out of beautiful, black metal. Then she clothed herself in the attire of battle. Instead of picking one side of the Fae to join, she went out into the universe again.

  It wasn’t difficult to find wars. She willed herself to become visible and joined her first skirmish, and soon learned how good it felt to wield a sword. It took her some time to discover how to use the weapon, but once she did, she was unstoppable.

  She was soon dubbed the Mistress of War. Any army she joined rejoiced, knowing they would defeat their enemies with her by their side.

  She bathed in blood, delighted in death.

  Celebrated victory.

  But she didn’t pay attention to how quickly—or violently—her power grew until she destroyed her first realm. She thought it was just a fluke until the second and third realms were demolished.

  It wasn’t long before the armies that once cheered at the sight of her now ran in fear. Still, she didn’t stop. She comprehended then that she didn’t need anyone. She had always been on her own. And she always would be.

  So she waged war by herself.

  For a while, it helped mask the loneliness that consumed her. She didn’t know who she was, how she had the power she did, or where she came from. She had no name, no friends. No home. And no family.

  For centuries, she visited realm after realm, laying waste to them. Until one day she looked down at the blood that covered her. Once, it had been the very thing she sought. But now, it made her sick to her stomach.

  She ran fast and far until she found herself back in the dark nothingness between realms. She crie
d, holding herself because there was no one else. Once more, she drifted, but this time, she didn’t care about realms or the distant stars. She no longer wanted to exist.

  That was her last thought as she lowered her lids and willed her heart to stop beating.

  When she opened her eyes again, she found herself lying on a soft bed of grass with birds chirping around her. She rolled onto her back and bent a leg. A dragonfly came to land atop her knee, its large eyes staring at her.

  She smiled at it. When it flew off, she sat up and looked around in wonder. Amid the mighty forest were animals of all kinds, watching her curiously. She got to her feet and spotted the tranquil, blue waters of a lake.

  With the use of just a small bit of magic, she discovered she was the only person on the realm. It was the first time she’d felt at peace. It was contentment the likes of which she had never experienced before. She knew she’d found her home. This was the place she would call her own, somewhere she could be herself.

  She looked down at her hand and spied her sword still clutched tightly in her fist. Before she could enjoy this new realm, she needed to set aside who she was. The Mistress of War would have to disappear. And to do that, she needed to return to where she had been fashioned.

  When she revisited the Realm of the Fae, she discovered that their war still raged. She attempted to speak to the rulers of the Light and Dark, but neither were interested in peace.

  That left her few options. She could easily best both and bring about her own ceasefire, but she had no interest in ruling anyone—much less an entire race. She would have to think of another solution.

  She walked aimlessly for days, looking for some kind of inspiration. To her surprise, she found it on a battlefield.

  He was utterly resplendent and battled with a fierceness that stole her breath. A natural leader, men followed him, quickly and easily doing as he bade in order to win their battle.

  She could have watched him for an eternity. He was a formidable opponent in war, but with his friends, his smile outshone the sun. He was valiant, fearless, and intelligent. He alone could win the war for the Light.

  Yet when he looked her way, she hurriedly veiled herself. She might want to talk to him, to touch him, but she couldn’t after everything she had done. He fought, not because he liked it, but because he protected his people.

  She’d waged war because she enjoyed it. How could he ever want to be around someone like her?

  Feeling more alone than ever, she continued onward, intending to forget the handsome Fae. Her mind, however, was still on him when she stumbled across another Light. He was battle-weary.

  There was a kindness about him that instantly drew her. She stayed, trying to figure out why she liked him. For two days, she followed him, learning his movements and his acquaintances. He was a fine warrior for the Fae army. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong friends.

  They betrayed him, sinking a blade into his back before they deserted their post and headed toward the Dark. She remained with him, easing his passing as his last breath left him.

  She touched his hand, and his eyes opened. She smiled at him.

  “Are you Death?” he asked.

  She gave a nod, an idea suddenly forming. “I am.”

  “What happens now?”

  “I have a proposition for you, Theo. You’re dead, and you can remain that way if you wish. But I can bring you back. You will be the first of my Reapers.”

  Doubt swirled in his silver eyes. “Reapers?”

  “I am Death. I will be judge and jury to the Fae. As a Reaper, you would carry out my orders.”

  He blew out a breath. “You mean kill.”

  “I mean justice.”

  “Yes,” he replied instantly. “I accept.”

  She pushed some of her power into him. It not only healed his wound, but it also made his own magic stronger. “You were betrayed by your so-called friends. Hunt them down and bring them to me.”

  He rose to his feet and bowed his head. “How will I find you?”

  “You need only call for me. I will find you. Oh,” she said and touched his arm before he left. “You’ll discover your magic and power increased. No one can best you as a Reaper.”

  He smiled and left.

  “Death,” she said to herself and nodded. She now had a purpose. But first, she had to put her sword somewhere that no Fae could ever find it.

  With one last look back at the handsome Fae she knew she would never forget, Death left to find a realm to hide her sword. Because today was the start of a new beginning.

  And the Fae were about to be delivered a reckoning.

  Chapter One

  March

  Inchmickery, Scotland—Reaper stronghold

  He was dying. Cael didn’t need to look at his wound or the blood pooling around him to know that his life was coming to an end.

  Shite. Everything hurt. He leaned his head back against the fallen tree. He could hear the distant sounds of battle. How could he have been so stupid as to follow two of the weakest, most cowardly Fae into the forest without backup?

  He should’ve known something was wrong the moment he entered the woods, but he’d been too intent on stopping the pair from deserting. It wasn’t until the last second that he realized they had been a distraction all along.

  The minute the two deserters stopped and faced him, Cael knew things were about to go sideways. And had they ever. He was surrounded by Dark within seconds.

  Yet it hadn’t been the Dark who killed him. It had been his men.

  He coughed, blood running from the corner of his lips. With a swipe of his once useful arm, he wiped it away. His injuries would keep him immobile and ensure a slow, painful death.

  Certainly not the fitting end for a warrior.

  Not the passing he’d expected for more years than he could remember.

  Cael coughed again. He had to get his mind off the agony of his body. He tried to think of Corla. She had promised herself to him. He had thought he loved her. Would have sworn his heart was Corla’s.

  Then, he beheld the woman on the battlefield. Even now, he could recall every detail of her. He was in the middle of combat, dodging Dark orbs and using both his magic and his sword to push back the enemy. His focus had been entirely on his foe.

  And yet, for reasons that he couldn’t explain even now, he’d turned his head to the side, and his gaze landed on her. Beautiful didn’t begin to describe her. She stood on the fringes of the battle, unfazed by the carnage as she stared at him—him!—with lavender eyes.

  He had to know her, had to find out who she was. But by the time the skirmish was over, she was nowhere to be found. Cael had searched the dead, fearing she had been killed. But he found no trace of her.

  Yet, her image lingered in his mind. Blue-black waves of hair, falling freely to her waist. And eyes that knew not only the secrets of the universe but which had seen everything.

  He wanted her heart and her body. Because in that millisecond of time, he knew he was meant to be with her.

  Knowing it and finding her were two different things, however. Nearly a thousand years passed without a single trace of her. So much for his vow to locate her again. Now, he would likely go to his grave without knowing her name.

  The sound of footsteps approaching alerted him that his torture wasn’t finished. He looked at his sword. With his teeth clenched, he leaned to the side to reach for his weapon. Blood gushed from his wounds, and pain sliced through him, robbing him of breath.

  Sweat beaded his brow as he fought not to make a sound while he struggled to right himself again with only one hand, all the while holding his sword. If he were going to die, he’d do it while wielding his weapon.

  The Dark were closing in on him again. He counted six of them. Then, out of nowhere, a petite figure appeared, spinning and turning from one Dark to the other while a sword danced as swiftly as the attacker’s feet.

  Cael had seen a lot of Fae fight, but he’d never seen one who moved l
ike this. The speed was unlike anything he’d ever witnessed, but it was the way the assailant attacked that was staggering to watch.

  Within seconds, the Dark were dead. And all without one finger being laid upon the tiny person. The warrior stood with their back to him, a helmet on to hide his or her face.

  He wanted to tell them how amazing they were and thank them for the help, but he was fading fast. Cael kept his eyes on the figure as they turned. His heart skipped a beat when the helmet was finally removed, and he found himself looking into the face of the woman he’d been searching for.

  The helmet and sword vanished, as did her bloodstained clothes, suddenly replaced by a long, black gown with a full skirt. Her black hair in an intricate braid.

  “Hello, Cael,” she said.

  He had no idea how she knew his name, but it didn’t matter. She was with him. He wouldn’t die alone.

  Cael fought to keep his eyes open. She knelt beside him and took his hand, her lavender gaze locked with his. He couldn’t believe that she was there and touching him. The betrayal of his men didn’t matter anymore.

  “I can offer you another life,” she whispered.

  He frowned, unsure whether he’d heard her correctly. Then, his lids became too heavy to keep open, and they closed. It became harder to breathe. He wanted to stay with her. He would endure pain for eternity just to be with her. But he no longer had any say in such matters.

  Her hand flattened against the side of his face as his life faded. Seconds later, the pain left him, but he could still feel her touch. He opened his eyes once more.

  “I’m Death, Cael. I’m here to offer you a position as one of my Reapers.”

  * * *

  His eyes snapped open as he sat up in bed. Cael couldn’t remember the last time he’d thought about the day he’d become a Reaper. The dream had been so vivid, it was as if he were reliving the entire event.

  He swung his legs over the side of the mattress and dropped his chin to his chest. He stayed there only a few minutes before he rose and dressed.