“One last thing, your father was supposed to become a Reaper. Grim was chosen to lead the Graven Bastards, and Lockjaw was meant to stand beside him. You have a chance to join the club he loved and died to protect, to become a vindicator and champion for those who can’t protect themselves.”
Like Rachel’s daughter, Rylee. My sister. Other innocents.
I always felt a pull to the Graven Bastards. It was more than riding a Harley Davidson and patching into a club. The GBMC was a brotherhood and family. They were the missing piece ot the puzzle of my life.
Lucifer’s lips twitched as his grin widened. “You’re ready.”
“I am.”
He snapped his fingers, and a cream-colored parchment appeared in his hand. It popped open and unrolled, coming to a stop at my boots. Words shimmered in a golden hue, sparkling before darkening to a deep crimson. I could see every detail of the contract as I skimmed the words, noting that my only real requirement was to reap the souls Lucifer marked for death. As long as I obeyed him, there wouldn’t be any issue.
“How do I know which souls are marked?”
“The Reaper will show you.” Lucifer tapped the parchment. “Sign.”
I didn’t have a pen.
“Lift your hand.”
As soon as I did, he pricked the end of my finger. Blood immediately began to bead on the surface. Using my own blood, I signed my name.
The parchment trembled like it was alive, soaking up my blood and rolling closed before it disappeared in a shimmer of golden sparks. Lucifer sure seemed to love drama, especially when he created it.
“Now it’s time to meet your Reaper.”
I wasn’t sure what I expected, but it wasn’t being shoved with two hands on my chest, slamming into the ground as I groaned. With a curse, I rolled over onto my back. Something hovered above me, almost a shadow but not quite. It sank into my skin as I sucked in a breath. For a few seconds, my heart felt like it would beat hard enough to break through my chest.
“Ohhhhh,” Lucifer giggled. “This is a good match.”
In the future, I will always remember this moment as the one that changed the course of my life forever. I was no longer alone. There was another presence inside me. Powerful. Energetic. Awe overcame me, and I felt what I could only describe as an internal hug.
Then the entity inside me spoke. His voice filled my head.
“I’m home.”
Lucifer’s dark chuckle followed his words, and then the devil left us, disappearing as I struggled to contain the Reaper inside me. I felt his need to bond—the push to accept him.
“Okay.” I said the world aloud, jolting when I felt him sink further into my bones and organs, attaching to every cell.
He was as much a part of me as my lungs and brain, as important as the blood flowing through my veins. I never felt anything quite like it. His power became mine as a burst of energy filled me.
And then a wave of protectiveness, fierce, intense as Rachel, Rylee, and Michelle filled my thoughts.
“Hey, you’re back,” Patriot announced.
Rael was laughing as I realized I sat on my bike in the middle of the desert. Headlights from all the bikes pointed at me. It was bright as fuck, but I could see them all staring, waiting, watching.
“Yeah, he got fuckered.” Mammoth shook his head. “Lucifer likes his drama.”
“This is the worst part,” Grim assured me. “It gets better, easier to handle.”
“But you’ll still feel overwhelmed with your emotions.”
Yeah. I was there for sure.
“It’s the lust that will fuck with you first. Your cock will want to fuck for days like a horny teenager. Since you can’t have Rachel, you’re gonna rub your palm raw.”
“Thanks, Rael.” I flipped him off. Asshole.
Grim laughed. “Leave him alone, Rael. He’s already got to deal with Hannibal.”
True. My Reaper liked the sound of Rachel’s name. He wanted to see her and urged me to return to The Crossroads.
“Time to get inked, Crypt. You’re a Graven Bastard now.” He ticked his chin toward the highway. “I think Lockjaw would be proud.”
Rael nodded his agreement. So did Mammoth.
I was finally with family, where I belonged.
