Soul Searcher Book 1

Since he knew where she worked, Samael thought he’d hang around on the boardwalk across from the club in hopes of catching up with her before she had to go to work. He milled about for a few hours before finally spotting her leaving the building. It dawned on him then that she must live above the club because he hadn’t seen her enter, only exit the place. Without a thought of hesitation, Sam began to follow her, looking for the perfect moment to ‘accidentally’ bump into her. He was relieved when the opportunity presented itself minutes later as he watched Cassie go into a corner café. A growl of satisfaction slipped past his lips as he entered the small building seconds after she had gone in and saw that she was alone. No friends nor Rim were awaiting her arrival so he hopped in line behind her and brushed up against her intentionally so that she would have to look behind her. “S-sorry,” Samael began to apologize, pretending to not recognize her at first. “Oh! Hey! Cassie, isn’t it?” As he acknowledges her, he lets his most charming grin take hold of his lips.

“It’s O...” Cassie’s eyes grow wide in shock as she realizes who is standing behind her. “Right, yeah, that’s me, Cassie. And you’re Rim’s friend, right? Samael.” She smiles awkwardly at him, debating whether or not she should pull her phone out of her pocket at that moment and let Rim know that Samael was so close to her. “Um, what are you doing here?”

“Uh, what? Oh, I was in the mood for a coffee and thought I’d come in here. Fancy meeting you here though. Is this a place you enjoy coming to? Is the coffee good here?” He grins at her before looking up at the menu so that he can keep his façade going of having come into the shop for a drink and not because he had been stalking her.

She hesitates briefly before deciding to give Sam the benefit of a doubt, “yes, quite good actually. I would recommend the dark roast. It’s my favorite.” Thanking the stars in the sky, Cassie was beyond relieved that it was now her turn to place her order. After she placed it and paid for her drink, she moved further down the counter to where the staff would hand off the cups.

“Cassie, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind joining me? I would like to get to know the person who has enraptured my friend so,” Samael asked as his drink was handed to him almost immediately after Cassie had received hers. She stood frozen; indecision evident in her eyes as they moved from the exit back to Samael a couple of times. “I promise, I don’t bite,” Samael added offering her his most charming grin.

“Um, sure. Why not.” Cassie sighed and rolled her eyes as she moved away from the door and let her eyes wander until they found an empty table. Lifting her hand with the coffee in it, she raised her forefinger and pointed; “is that okay?” Not giving him a chance to say yes or no, she began to make her way over to the two-seater table. Once comfortably seated Cassie turned her gaze to Samael, “so, what would you like to know about me?”

Samael grins widely at her, liking her abrasiveness. “Straight to the point kind of gal, I like that.” Unimpressed by his compliment, Cassie wasn’t able to stop the second eye roll from happening. “So, tell me, did Rim tell you what he is...” The look he gave her felt condescending causing her body to heat up in anger.

“If you’re referring to him being a Halfling, then yes. He told me all about his angel father and his demon mother and him being the result of them being together. Tell me, Samael, why do you care if he has told me? Hmm...”

Samael chuckles. “Well, has he told you why he is here in Myrtle Beach? About the mission I have him doing for me?”

With an annoyed sigh Cassie says, “if you have something you’d like to tell me, just do it! This beating around the bush, coyness you’ve begun with me is tiring. No, even more than that, irritating.”

“Damn girl, I can see why Rim has fallen in love with you. But okay, I have a tale of my own to share.” Sam raises his hand to keep Cassie from talking. “Don’t worry, it will be short and to the point. One quick question before I begin though, did Rim tell you who or rather what I am?” Cassie shakes her head slowly no. “I didn’t think so. I am a Reaper, you know, as in the Grim Reaper. An angel of death.” Laughter flashes in Sam’s eyes as he watches Cassie’s eyes grow wide in shock at his claim.

“I wish I could say I’m surprised by this but honestly, I’m not. I told Rim I got bad vibes about you so...” Cassie waves her hand indicating for Sam to continue his ‘story.’

He laughs almost menacingly at her. “I had sent Rim on a quest to find me a Pure Soul because I want to become mortal.”

“And?” Cassie asks frustrated.

Samael smiles eerily at her. “He has found the Pure Soul I require... it is you, your soul that I need. All you have to do is willingly give it to me for me to be able to transform.

Cassie scoffs at him, “you’re mental dude. Why would I ever willingly give you, my soul?” She stood up so quickly from her seat that the chair fell backwards, hitting the floor loudly. Cassie didn’t care, her blood was boiling she was so mad. Grabbing her coffee, she stormed off pulling her phone out of her pocket as she pushed through the doorway, clicking Rim’s name as she exited the building and listened to his phone ring as she waited for him to answer the line.

“Cassie?” Rim answered the line with concern in his voice. “Are you okay?”

Cassie’s voice shook with anger as she tried to speak. “You won’t believe who cornered me in the coffee shop a little bit ago when I went to get a drink!” Her hands trembled as she tried to contain the rage inside her.

“Okay, take a breath and tell me who. What’s got you so upset? Where are you now? I can come to you.” Rim said as he walked out his front door.

**

The anger I hear in Cassie’s voice has me very worried. However, the fear coursing through me at the thought of who may have cornered her has me practically running down the boardwalk in search of her. “I’m near my apartment. Where are you? I’ll meet you halfway or something,” Cassie says in response to my question.

Being a Halfling I am able to run way faster than the fastest human and in no time at all I am standing (maybe slightly breathless), in front of her. Cassie throws herself into my arms and I hug her tight to my chest. My tee shirt feels a little damp and I push her gently away from me so that I can look at her face. “Who has made you so upset, love?” I ask as I place a hand on either side of her face, cupping her cheeks before kissing her lips. I feel almost murderous towards who has caused her tears.

A whimper escapes her lips as she says, “Samael. He was in the coffee shop at the same time as me. He asked me to sit with him and to chat with him so he could ‘get to know me’, stupidly I agreed. He then proceeded to tell me that he is a Grim Reaper, is that true?” Her wide, ocean-blue eyes stared into mine as I nodded my head yes, confirming what he had told her was the truth. “Okay, I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t lying. Anyway, he then told me the reason you were here in Myrtle Beach. Am I really a Pure Soul?”

Once again, I nod my head yes. “Do you remember how I reacted when you came out of the bathroom holding that amulet?” Cassie in turn nods and I hear her whisper, ‘yes’. “Well, that amulet if not near a Pure Soul is dull in color, not bright and vibrant like it was when you were holding it. The amulet you held was a Moonstone and it has magic within it so that the wearer of it will be drawn to the innocent, the good, and the pure souls that roam the earth. And, if in close proximity to an absolute Pure soul i.e., you, the amethyst set within the Moonstone will produce a bright purple light. Which it did when you were holding it.”

“Um, wow. But then I’m of no use to him if I don’t willingly let him have my soul, right? So, everything is okay. There’s no way in this world or the next I would ever consider to willingly give him what he wants of me. We shouldn’t have anything to worry about. He will just go away and leave us alone if I don’t agree with him, won’t he?”

“If only that were the case,” I try to laugh but it falls short. “When Samael sets his mind to something, he won’t back down until he gets the outcome he wants. He can be very vindictive and conniving if it means getting his way. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to use Khloe, Ginny, or even me for that matter to get you to do what he wants you to do.”

Cassie lets the tears fall freely from her eyes and I attempt to brush them off her cheeks with my thumb, but I shouldn’t bother because it’s as if a faucet were turned on and they continue to fall so I do the next thing that pops in my head, I lean into her and kiss her. Partly in hopes of stopping her tears but also because I have a need to. It was the only comfort I could offer her at the moment. “Let’s go inside,” I suggest as I take her hand in mine and lead her to her apartment. “We can talk more comfortably up there, okay.” Cassie agrees and we come to stand in front of her door. She hands me her keys and I unlock it for her, and we go inside.

Walking her into her bedroom, I help get her undressed and then pull an over-sized tee shirt over her head before finding a pair of pink sweatpants for her. After helping her into them I remove my shirt and then pull her comforter back, away from the bed so that she can climb in. Once we are both snuggled against one another, I pull the blanket up, tucking it around us and then I just hold her. I want to tell her I have an idea about getting Sam to leave her alone, but she drifts in and out of consciousness mumbling a few words as she does so before I feel her breathing evening out and realize she has fallen asleep. Nuzzling my lips against the side of her neck, I whisper, ‘sleep well my love’ and wait until I am confident, she is sleeping soundly before slipping out of her bed. Scooping up my tee shirt, I leave her apartment so that I can find Samael.