RED REAPER - Soldiers Of Fortune [book one]

Chapter FIFTY

Lucky O'Cléirigh

...the next morning...

I am surrounded by an unforgiving blackness, sticky, suffocating and thick as tar, it clings to every inch of the air and swallows all traces of light.. The endless inky void folds in on itself over and over as I sink deeper into the darkness of my nightmares.. The lonely depths of final space itself consumes me whole, chewing me up on to its nothingness, so cold and slow.. When I open my mouth to scream, no sound comes out, no scream or sobs can be heard, as the sensation of breathing underwater chokes the life from my lungs..

This is what it feels like to die and in my death, I am alone..

As quickly as the shadows had seeped in, they twist in a sickened churn to become a viscous sanguine liquid, turning to blood all around me, drowning me in a violent swell of scarlet.. Red is all I can see, it gets in my eyes and distorts my vision.. It's in my nose, musty and metallic and it flows into my mouth..

In the distance there is a chilling voice, distinctive and recognisable.. It reverberates with a haunting resonance to repeat the final words from the man whose soul I had snuffed from existence.. "He'll send you to the slaughter house.. Sell you off-- just like he tried to do to Abigail.."

"Who?!" I try to make sense of the hellscape that closes in on me, unable to see anything and barely able to breathe..

....

Soaked in a cold sweat, I sit bolt upright on a gasping breath, tangled in the luxurious sheets of Konstantin's bed at the break of dawn.. I turn to the still form beside me to see the slumbering Bear still peacefully dreaming, a quiet snore rumbling from his slightly parted lips..

"Oh, god help me.." I breathe a whisper of nauseous relief, realising it had all been a terrible dream..

But then the dreaded truth returns to me.. It wasn't all fantasy.. Diago really is dead and there is nothing I can do to change that..

Uneasy from the guilt, I climb quietly out of bed, pulling on my panties and one of Konstantin's oversized button downs before I make my way down the hallway and into the kitchen.. I begin opening cupboards to find there isn't a single bean of coffee, there's not even a jar of instant.. I mutter to myself in irritation, a nasty hang-over and a ponding headache tormenting me.. "Ugh, God.. What kind of psycho doesn't even have coffee?"

Determined to start the day off on a high note, I rummage through my suitcase, pulling my hastily packed items out until I find a set of pink sunglasses and a pair of light blue jeans which I slip on, tucking in the hem of the oversized white shirt at the waist before I pull on my sneakers and fluffy winter coat..

The first thing on the agenda for this morning is caffeine, and maybe some fresh pastries from the bakery up the road.. Then I can begin to wrap my head around everything that had happened last night..

I smile down at the signet ring on my finger, recalling the one shining light in the mess I've made, the one thing I'm sure I did right.. I said yes..

Today, I'm getting married to the man of my dreams and nothing is going to keep me from my happiness..

Grabbing Konstantin's keys, I turn on my cell phone before I slip out of the apartment and take the stairs down to the street.. Once outside in the bitter frost I dial out Kirby's number as I begin my journey up the sidewalk towards the twenty-four hour convenience store on the corner of the block..

My sister answers the call after several rings, grumbling in a croaky voice.. "Lucky? What the hell--It's 6am!"

"Goooood morning, Sis!" I chirp in an overly merry tone that is sure to piss her off.. She never was a morning person..