Death Dealer

By Ashley Robertson

Death: a word Mia Baron was all too familiar with since the murder of her parents when she was a young girl. Her drive for vengeance was the reason she became a Death Dealer—a soul guide through the spirit realm—signing her life away in her own blood. Pain forged a concrete wall around her heart and no one or nothing would ever penetrate it...until she got what she desired most—revenge.

Deacon Gage craves justice for his own horrific tragedy that forced him into the same life Mia chose, with the same promise of vengeance dangling just out of reach. His expert training makes him an Elite—one of the few Death Dealers to ever achieve such a status—and no one can shift his focus from the blood he seeks.

But when the two are partnered for yet another job and a heart-shattering case rips open Mia’s heart, Deacon realizes he’s the only one who can save her...at a price that might be too much to pay: opening his heart to her. The clock is ticking and her life hangs on the balance of whether he can truly let go or will hold onto his desire for blood.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashley Robertson
• Release date: Jun 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301172931

Ashley Robertson

2014 Romcon Reader's Crown Finalist 2014 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist 2013 Chatelaine Awards First Place Winner for Romantic Fiction 2013 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist 2013 Paranormal Romance Guild Viewers Choice Awards Finalist 2013 Honorable Mentions for the Top Books of 2013 by A Girl And Her Kindle Blog 2012 Voted Best New Author by Popular Book Blog Nose Graze Sagittarius Ashley Robertson resides in sunny Orlando, Florida, and loves writing about anything paranormal. She also composes poems and songs, though she learned long ago she doesn't have a singing voice. When she isn't writing you'll find her spending time with family and friends, sharing personal training and nutrition advice via ExtremeMakeovers.com, traveling and exploring new places, and drinking fine wines and gourmet coffees from her Nespresso machine. Visit her website to learn about her upcoming releases, guest blog posts, and featured giveaways at: AshleyRobertsonBooks.com

Book preview

Death Dealer

A Death Angel Novella—Book #1

By

Ashley Robertson

Published by Obsidian Publishing

Copyright 2013 Ashley Robertson Books

License Notes

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Table of Contents

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BLOOD PROMISE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MORE BOOKS BY ASHLEY

~ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS~

1

The full moon’s reflection gleamed brightly in the iridescent glass pane of the first-floor nursing-home window, framed by chunky, weathered slats that had been painted white at some time in their existence. Crowding just below the glowing orb’s mirrored image was a mass of thick shrubs, uneven in shape and slightly overgrown with pinkish flowers still dangling from a few branches, the tips of their petals browning as if touched by death. Death. A word Mia Baron knew all too well. She inhaled deeply, the cool air tickling the back of her throat and forcing her to stifle a cough. The last thing she needed was to get caught snooping outside the PB Retirement Community. Her need to see the person just beyond the reflecting glass of the window yearned deep in her heart. Realization that this was the last time she’d ever see this person clenched her stomach with grief.

Crouching low to the green herbaceous cover that was a mix of soft, straw-like grass and spurge—a type of weed that grew in places the ground was kept moist—Mia shimmied through a small opening in the shrubs that was probably created by her comings and goings over time, and once she reached the gray brick exterior wall of the nursing home, she turned left and crept until the window she sought was directly above her. Slowly rising, she placed her hands on the sill and peered through the crystal-clear glass at an angle where the moon no longer obstructed her view. Though slightly darkened with tint, which would have made it difficult for the average person to see through, she gazed longingly at the old woman reclined in a twin-sized, remote-controlled bed that elevated her upper body. A tray table was suspended over her waist, most likely rolled there from across the room when the nurse brought her dinner. Leftovers of what appeared to be mashed potatoes were piled in the corner of her plate, and the remnants of green Jell-O were in the compartment directly above that, which surprised Mia because the old lady usually ate all of those disgusting, wiggly squares.

The door opened and a middle-aged nurse walked in. Her eyes looked tired with dark circles her cover-up did a poor job of concealing, and her smock was the blandest color of blue Mia had ever seen—matching the nurse’s mood, no doubt. Flashing a forced smile at the old woman, the caregiver ran a hand through her short, auburn hair, then retrieved the plate of leftover dinner and any other trash from the tray table before rolling it back to the corner of the room. Don’t be up too late watching television. You know that stuff just rots your brain, she called over her shoulder as she walked out, pulling the door shut behind her.

A normal person wouldn’t have been able to hear any of that—unless they could read lips, which Mia couldn’t do very well at all. No, the reason that her hearing and vision were so precise didn’t have anything to do with normal, because Mia Baron was far from normal. A fact she’d gotten accustomed to.

It pissed Mia off that the nurse hadn’t asked the old woman if she were feeling okay, or if she needed anything else, but those questions had only been asked the first week the old woman had been admitted. The politeness had worn off after that, blending in with the stale environment of the place a lot of older folks would spend their last days. What saddened Mia more was the fact that she’d always wished those she came for would be of this age, where they’d already lived their lives to the fullest and now were trapped in an existence where death would be welcomed. But most of the ones she came for didn’t live at the PB Retirement Community, or any other retirement community for that matter. No, most of the people she came for were younger and should have had so much more life ahead of them.

Which was why it should have been a blessed night that Mia was finally getting her wish. Only the weathered person she stared at through the window wasn’t just some old woman who was going to die—it was the one person who’d raised her since she was a little girl.

Lifting her hand from the sill to place it on the cool glass surface of the pane, Mia was momentarily lost in her past, the memories flooding in with snapshots of images long forgotten. Catching butterflies in an open field with wildflowers spread across the ground, the old woman, petite and pretty for a woman in her sixties, her hair a mixture of gray and white cut short with small curls set tightly to her head, laughed as she watched a six-year-old Mia swoop her brand-new butterfly net over the tops of several flowers and come back with a beautiful monarch. Sitting on a wooden swing that hung in the corner of a wraparound porch, watching the cars zip by on the highway just up the manicured hill, ten-year-old Mia’s head nestled on the old woman’s shoulder. Mia driving the 1966 soft yellow Ford Thunderbird with booger-green interior for the first time on her own, glimpsing the old woman in the rearview mirror wearing a red-and-white-striped apron over her floral sundress, waving and shouting to Mia as she maneuvered up the rocky driveway and onto the smooth, paved surface of the street.

It became harder to breathe as Mia fought the tears that had, unbeknownst to her until now, welled up in her eyes while she’d been lost in thought. Surprise flitted through her mind as she wondered when the last time she’d cried even was. But tears didn’t matter—she knew that with certainty. Nothing could change what was coming and Mia dreaded it with every ounce of her being. The only comfort she could take was in knowing that at least the old woman would be asleep when it happened. No more pain. No more sadness. No more nursing home. Soon, all of that would be gone, taken away by her death.

So when the hand that held the remote went slack and the old woman’s head drooped slightly into the pillow, Mia knew it was time. Trepidation tightened in her chest as she gripped the top wood frame of the window and pushed upward, using some extra power in the movement to ensure the window would open—even if it were locked. With a snap, pop, creak the pane shuddered ajar. The wood, swollen with moisture, forced Mia to stop, not because her advanced strength was tested, but she simply didn’t want to make any noise that would awaken the old woman. It would be better that way—for both of their sakes.

Now with a gap about three inches tall, Mia stopped her efforts and lowered her hands to her sides. This was more space than she needed, and she quietly chuckled to herself, sometimes underestimating her own power. She glanced at her surroundings once more to ensure she was alone and then closed her eyes and concentrated on being inside the room. Her whole body prickled with energy seconds before the pain sliced through her like sharp, twisting metal that attached to her insides and squeezed around each part. Sweat broke out across her brow and pooled between her breasts—like it had every time before this one—as her physical body slowly broke down, piece by piece, disintegrating into an opaque gray mist that now hovered just outside the window, drawn inside by the three-inch opening and the person sleeping unawares. After entering the room on a current of cool air, she floated to the side of the bed, still in mist form, letting her senses fill of the old woman. Peppermint, most likely the mouthwash she’d used, was most dominant, but under that was the soft aroma of roses and thyme, her favorite perfume, and just beneath that was the bite of body odor that confirmed it’d been days since she’d been properly bathed. A growl rippled through the opaque haze of Mia’s misty shape as anger surged red in her mind, drowning out the television that played an old rerun of Bonanza. No more of this shit, Mia thought, I’m taking you away from here—far, far away from this God-forsaken hellhole.

Mia materialized back into

Reviews for Death Dealer

[authorraezryans · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Death Dealer is a quick read, perfect for a rainy or lazy day.

It shows two points of view, Deacon and Mia, as their story unfolds. Both are death dealers, or as I like to call them, reapers. Both have had people they loved murdered, and our in this service for revenge. But what is a reaper? Ah, they usher the souls of the dead between the gates of heaven or hell, while trying to survive against the deviants attempting to kill you.

So what happens when you finally get your revenge?

I really like the idea of the death dealer and will follow this series just to see how Ashley Robertson builds the world and characters. I have a very morbid streak, but it's nice to see death in a book, and have it not be another vampire (or zombie!) The relationship between Deacon and Mia was quite believable and I like how neither set out looking for this relationship. It just kind of happens, but they'd known and annoyed each other for awhile.

Things I would of liked more of, or a better explanation on is how Mia found the death dealers. Maybe this will be addressed later on in the series, or perhaps I did over look it, but I like to know about these things. This one part is all that stands between me giving it a five star rating. I'll keep on reading it regardless.

If you're an adult and like reapers, death, and love stories then check out Death Dealer

[vampiregirl76 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent story. I found the idea of this novella really intriguing. Death Dealer is a fast read. A story that is death and vengeance, but a sweet romance as well. Having lost a parent at a young age, it was easy to related to Mia and many of her emotions. Mia and Deacon are both strong characters - bent on their missions. But there attraction for each other slowly seeps into their conscious. The reaction the two characters have to their mutual attraction is delicious and worded beautifully by Robertson. A great beginning to a new series. I definitely recommended reading this one.