Page 158 of Finders Reapers

“I can still feel her,” Fletcher whispered. “I can feel her inside. She gave her strength to save us, to shield us. She left a part of herself inside our Grim. I can feel that connection. I know she’s going to come back. I just know it.”

The child studied him. “You believe that your soul bond will be able to give Valentina enough strength to return?”

“Could it work?” Charon interrupted.

The child tapped her lip. “I don’t know.” She admitted.

“I’m going to try.” Fletcher jutted his chin.

Jamal tried to feel whatever Fletcher was feeling from his mark, but he couldn’t.

“What about the rest of you?” The Balance looked around the room. “Would you like to remain in the human realities?”

No one spoke, but the child nodded as if they had.

“Very well,” she brushed her hands down the front of her patterned dress. “I hope you get what you are waiting for.”

Epilogue

I didn’t know his name at first. The grumpy one that moved like he was going to start a fight and barked like a drill sergeant. All I knew was that sometimes when he was alone, he would close his eyes and whisper.

The same word, over and over.

Valentina.

I couldn’t pinpoint a single moment when I became aware of my existence. One day I was there. Existing. The next, I was tethered to these four assholes that lived in a suite overlooking the Vegas strip.

It felt like a soap opera at first. Watching as the four guys hunted through the city for something called Purgers, banishing them back to hell with nothing more than a phone and a few words.

I didn’t understand completely, but the guys had called it a ‘grab for territory’ and chalked the presence of those creatures up to ‘typical demon bullshit.’ Whatever that meant.

I liked looking at the lights of the strip, watching the fountains of the Bellagio as they rose and fell in the distance.

Some days, I wished I had a body, and some days, I was somewhere else. Somewhere dark and painful where time meant nothing.

Sometimes I would arrive at the suite and see the four men talking about Christmas, setting up a tree, or preparing a birthday party. Other times I would drift in and just watch them as they went about their day. Relaxing. Watching television. Killing demons.

Always alone.

Save for each other.

It was a waste for sure.

I wasn’t ashamed to admit it—because I knew they couldn’t see or hear me—but I had watched them shower. They were fine with a capital F.

I’d even materialized at the end of Fletcher’s bed once and watched him touch himself. It was glorious.

One day, they were strangers, and the next, they had names.

Fletcher.

Rome.

Maddox.

Jamal.

I had no idea why four single guys lived in a hotel suite by themselves. The only one who could have been in a relationship was Rome, Mr. Tall, Dark and Dangerous. He would pull his phone out when alone and watch the same videos of a girl dancing, laughing, or playing video games. Over and over.