Light the Shadows (A Grimm Novel) (30 page)

“
Go ahead and show the house, doll.” Sully kissed her on the forehead.“No, we should take care of this as quickly as possible,” Micah said with a frown.

Sully rested his chin on his fist then looked at her. “I agree, but we need to find out where she’s at and if she’s got any friends
with her. I don’t want any surprises when we confront her again. That’s going to take a little time.”

As Micah left to get dressed
, Thomas turned to study Sully. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re trying to get her out of the way.”

“Do you blame me? I don’t want her to get hurt.” Sully turned to look his friend in the eyes. Thomas didn’t look happy. “I have to know you’ll do your part, Thomas. If it comes down to it, can you destroy Natalie?”

“You can count on me, Sullivan.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Micah stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror. Her mind whirred as she applied gloss to her lips. Her gorgeous Reaper was safe and back in her life. She couldn’t be happier, but several doubts still clouded her thoughts. What if Natalie was too strong and they couldn’t get rid of her? Would she keep coming for them until she managed to destroy them all?

Anna appeared next to her. She leaned forward to squint at the mirror. “I’m glad Sully’s okay.”

Micah nodded. “He seems to be, for the most part.”

Her ghost smothered a grin. “Yeah, Thomas and I heard the two of you last night.”

“Good lord.”

Anna shrugged. “What can I say? The house is small
, and the man does have stamina.”

Micah put the makeup away. Her cheeks heated
, and a knowing grin spread across her face. “Yes, he does.”

Slipping shoes onto her feet, Micah surveyed Anna’s reflection.

“I want to thank you for the help you’ve given me. And Sully.” Micah reached out to touch her friend, but her fingers passed through Anna’s shoulder and left her with a slight chill. “You went to see Death for me. You’ve stuck by me, even when the odds were stacked against us. I owe you one.”

“No
, you don’t.” Anna said. “You would have done the same.”

Micah wished she could hug the resident ghost. Anna had become so much more than some bratty teenaged haunt. She was Micah’s best friend and closest confidant.

“Why don’t you come to the showing with me?”

Anna trailed down the hallway behind Micah. When she reached the kitchen, Anna said, “Oh, I forgot to tell you, the guys left while you were in the shower. They went to see what happened to the motorcycle that was left behind when Sully was taken.”

Micah frowned, wondering how the two of them managed that without transportation.

Anna seemed to read her mind. Grinning, she said, “They called a taxi.”

Moments later, they were speeding down the highway in Micah’s Mini. She and Anna chatted about trivial things like the newest Maroon 5 song or the last movie they watched.  It seemed neither of them wanted to discuss the impending showdown with Natalie.

“We’re here,” Micah said as she parked in the circular driveway.

Both she and Anna stared up at the Spanish style home. Anna said, “It’s beautiful.”

“If I can unload this property, the commission will be outstanding. I can afford to have a pool put in my backyard.” She grinned then shook her head. “That sounded a lot like Diane’s way of thinking, didn’t it?”

Anna got out of the car and glanced around. “Looks like you beat the client here.”

Her car was the only one in the driveway
, and no one waited in the courtyard or on the front patio. Unlocking the door, she pushed it open then went into the kitchen to plug in a cookie scented warmer. She’d read somewhere that realtors used baked cookies to put the client at ease and make the house smell more homey. It certainly couldn’t hurt.

She and Anna did a quick sweep through the house, making sure everything was in order. Last was the pool. She crouched to pluck a couple fallen flower petals out of the sparkling water. She and Sully had made memories here
, and oh, were they special memories. Emotion cascaded over her, and she felt her face warm. Sully loved her. He’d said so himself. She was the luckiest, happiest girl in the world.

Anna whirled around to face the house. “Someone’s here.”

Movement directly behind Micah forced her to her feet. Had the client finally arrived? The smile died on her face when she saw who it was. “Ben? What are you doing here?”

“I didn’t think you’d come.”

“I don’t like this, Micah,” Anna said. “Let’s get out of here.”

Wiping her damp fingers on the thigh of her pants, Micah frowned in confusion. “Where is Mr. Calhoun?”

“You’re so naïve sometimes.” Ben laughed then kicked at a fallen bud. “No one’s coming, Micah. That was me, disguising my voice. I knew you wouldn’t come if I asked you to meet me.”

Backing away, Micah cast an unsure glance at the house. Ben had closed the sliding glass door when he’d come outside.

“What do you want, Ben?”

He cracked his knuckles. “You’ve ruined everything, you stupid bitch.”

Anna cast a furious glare at Ben. The fallen buds at his feet kicked up in a whirlwind, but he took no notice of the ghost’s anger.

“What are you talking about?” Micah edged away from him. For every step she took, he matched it.

“Diane is leaving me.”

“You’re cheating on her. What did you expect her to do?” Micah asked.

“Diane was my cash cow. If she leaves, she’ll take everything. She’ll take the business, the house, and half of everything I’ve got.” Ben gripped her upper arms and dragged her closer. The vein in his forehead throbbed in time with his heartbeat. “You just couldn’t keep your damn mouth shut, could you?”

“You’re hurting me.”

“I thought I took care of the problem.” He gave her a rough shake. “Can you imagine how scared I was when I saw you alive and well?”

“Oh my
God, Ben.” Her voice had risen slightly, fear beginning to take hold.

“You didn’t say anything, going on about this amnesia bullshit, so I thought you’d learned your lesson. Since you didn’t seem to remember anything, I thought I was in the clear.” There was a maniacal gleam in Ben’s eyes. “But as soon as you saw me and Karla, everything came back, didn’t it? You remembered walking in on us before, didn’t you?”

“Before?” Understanding washed over Micah in a tidal wave of shock and terror. A memory flickered behind her eyelids. The real Micah’s memory became her own. Everything he’d just said was true. Was this the reason he’d tried to kill her the first time? She’d walked in on him and Karla in a compromising position?

“You called her to tattle on me as soon as you caught me and Karla together again.”

Micah tried to jerk away from him. “She already suspected. I didn’t have to tell her anything.”

“Stupid bitch.” His fingers squeezed harder, bruising the skin.

“Let me go.” She raked the toe of her shoe down his shin and tried to pull away. If anything, his grip tightened.

“You’re going to be sorry you ever fucked with me.” Ben growled in her face.

Desperate to reach safety, she pushed away from him then ran for the house. Her shoes slipped on the wet tile, and she crashed onto hands and knees.

Ben’s fist twisted in her hair before she could gain any ground. Her nails scrabbled against the tiles as he pulled her backward then hauled her up to her feet. “Your step-daddy showed up
, and I wasn’t able to make sure you had actually drowned. I won’t make that mistake this time.”

“Please, Ben. You don’t have to do this.” Tears stung Micah’s eyes
, and her roots were on fire. Her nails clawed at his hand, but he refused to release her.

Micah screamed, praying the neighbors might hear and call for rescue. Not caring if she ripped her hair out by the roots, she struggled to break free from him. Cursing, Ben wound an arm around her waist and hauled her up and off the ground.

Micah threw her head back and cried out in triumph when the back of her head cracked against his nose. Ben cursed and stumbled backward, but didn’t loosen his grip. Together, they fell into the pool.

Anna screamed then disappeared. Micah could only pray she had gone for help.

Together, they were sucked beneath the water, and Ben’s arms flew out to keep from striking the pool bottom. In that instant, Micah kicked away from him, determined to break the water’s surface. Bubbles exploded from her mouth and nose when Ben’s fingers curled at her waistband. He jerked her downward, deeper.

She twisted her upper body, clawing at his eyes and any other fleshy part she came into contact with. His nose was bloody from where her head had smacked him. Crimson twisted like a serpent away from his face. Her thumb gouged his check, just under his left eye. He cried out, bubbles exploding from his mouth, then let go. She took that advantage and lunged away from him.

Micah broke surface, sucked in a deep gulp of air then was tugged beneath the water again. She clawed and kicked at Ben, but he managed to keep his most vital parts just out of reach. Her shoulder slammed against the ladder. She gripped it, struggling to pull herself upward, knowing she’d likely die if she didn’t succeed. Her lungs ached for oxygen, and she was lightheaded. She had to get away from him.

Ben hauled her up by the hair. She sputtered and gasped, still holding to the ladder’s rail like the lifeline it was. When he tried to pry her hands away, she kicked him in the balls then pulled herself upward. He caught her by the ankle then dragged her back down into the water. Her hands slipped off the rail
, and she lurched forward. Her forehead clipped the curved handrail. Black dots swam across her vision, and her stomach heaved.

Oh
God no, Ben was going to kill her again!

She was pulled beneath the water, Ben’s hand still tangled in her hair and in her clothes. He held her head beneath the surface in an iron-like grip. Each time she tried to raise her head, he shoved her deeper. His body pinned hers against the side of the pool
, and there was nowhere to go. Micah’s legs kicked out, desperate to knock him down. Her arms flailed, but she was beginning to weaken and could not knock his hands away.

A tendril of red floated across her vision as blood trickled out of the stinging cut on her forehead. Her lungs burned
, and despite trying to hold her breath longer, bubbles leaked out of her nose. Her hands fell away from his, and her legs gave out. She floated in the water the same way her consciousness floated on the edge of nothing.

Someone’s muffled voice crept into the edge of her awareness. She could barely lift her head or fight for her stolen life. Just like her strength, life was ebbing away. At the edge of her vision, through the water’s depths, she spotted a shadowy form at the pool’s edge. Ben’s fingers released her tresses
, and she was able to grip the ladder’s lowest rung. Resting her cheek against the cool metal bar, she struggled to catch her breath and make sense out of what was happening.

Sully wound a forearm around Ben’s throat then hauled him up and out of the water. Screams turned to gurgled pleas as his fingers clawed at the
Reaper’s shirt sleeve. Ben’s feet thrashed the pool’s surface, sending waves radiating out to the middle of the pool. Ben’s body grew limp, and his hands fell to his sides.

Sully tossed him aside like a useless ragdoll. He turned to reach for Micah, his hand held out to her. “It’s going to be okay, doll.”

Gasping and sputtering, Ben scrambled up to his feet. He snatched up a rather large gnome statue that sat next to the patio table. With a cry of anger, he swung it at Sully’s head. The pointed hat narrowly missed him. When Ben swung again, Sully growled a curse and knocked it away. The gnome clattered across the tiles then rolled just out of reach.

Ben tried to back away as Sully sprang up to stalk him. He’d just reached the glass doors when Sully’s fingers fisted the back of his shirt.

“She’s going under!” Anna screamed.

Sully released Ben, giving him a shove and smacking his face against the glass. “Touch her again and I promise you’ll be a dead man.”

Micah tried to pull herself from the water, but her arms were far too weak. Her fingers loosened on the ladder’s rail, and she fought to keep her eyes open. Sully yelled her name then sprinted across the small lawn. The last thing she heard was a splash as he dove in to rescue her.

She drifted to the bottom of the pool, her cheek bumping against the rough tile. Her eyes shut
, and she exhaled the last precious breath.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Sully dove into the water, fearful he wouldn’t reach Micah in time. It had been stupid to pursue Ben when she was too weak to pull herself from the water. If she died, part of him would surely die
, too.

His fingers closed around the front of her shirt
, and he hauled her upward. Her head fell back as she broke surface, and he feared the worst. He dragged her out of the water then laid her on the ground. Water puddled beneath her head as it ran off her hair.