Fatal Sight (Harbingers Of Death Book 2) by LeAnn Mason (universal ebook reader txt) 📗

scrubs or something. The nurse left to gather what I needed.

“So… you’re invisible?” I asked the twins. “But I can see you.”

The first held up a finger. “We are seen by those who need to see us.”

The second nodded enthusiastically. “And those who do not see us do not need us.”

It felt like I’d fallen down a rabbit hole. “I’ll assume Mister Disappearing Act is the captain of your team? Where does your unit cover anyway?” Please, don’t say fire. Don’t say fire. Don’t say…

“Here,” said the first. “Harbingers of Death Hospital Unit.”

I blinked. “That’s gotta be busy.” There was no way one unit did all that. “Do you focus on one ward?”

They nodded in unison.

If it’s the burn unit, I’m going to—

“We specialize in children.”

Shiit…

“Come.” The second beckoned. “Meet the Captain.”

They walked right through the door itself while I gaped after them. Not only could I not follow in that manner, being corporeal and all, but I was still waiting on non-ass-bearing attire. Stone would love it.

Wait… “That wasn’t the captain?”

Doesn’t matter, I reminded myself. I had a new mission. I am a team of one now.

Once the nurse provided me with regulation scrubs in a nasty yellow that reminded me of the bile I’d decorated Stone with, I signed a release form and headed into the hall, waving off the wheelchair escort.

I saw no sign of any creepy death omens. Ditching them would be easy when they vanished through walls and popped out of existence. My march for the exit was faster than a casual walk, and I had a small hope that I would be home-free.

But as soon as I stepped into the elevator and reached out to hit the button for the lobby, the twins floated through the thick steel doors to occupy the space with me. I let out a peep of a scream, my sore throat preventing a louder display of my vocal range.

Somehow, the spirits were solid enough to push a different call button. Could they turn it on and off? Or was it like a manifestation of their will?

“Come,” said the first, breaking me from my contemplation.

“The children need you.”

I ground my teeth. When they phrased it like that, it made me feel like a real asshole to stomp off. Maybe I could give this one a chance? Hospitals were low-key, unlikely to have high-intensity danger that might also bring about my own expiration. Though, screaming in a children’s ward didn’t sound like the best plan either… I’d have to really work on the be-quiet part of Seke’s lessons.

And perish the thought that I was referring to sexy times. Never happened. Never would.

We stepped off the elevator into a pediatric ward as evidenced by the bright colors, drawings taped on the walls, and animal-printed scrubs worn by the staff. Some folks looked at me twice; never at my companions.

A chill hit the nape of my neck, and I looked over my shoulder, feeling followed, and nearly screamed. “Shit,” I gasped then apologized to the nurse who glared at me as she passed. The reaper was creeping along steadily and solemnly behind us.

“He follows.”

“Come,” the twins assured me.

“So, how does this work?” I whispered as we paused outside a playroom scattered with toys, games, and stuffed animals. Several sickly children colored with crayons at mini tables. Others stacked blocks or played with dolls. “Your unit, I mean.”

I was curious how I could be of help here. This did not seem like a unit that could benefit from a banshee. Screaming in the middle of a hospital seemed like a grade-A way to get me moved quickly into the psych ward. And as far as I could tell, I was the only visible member of the HDHU.

“We patrol the rooms.”

“We check the patients.” They traded off lines.

“Gal watches over the child—”

“—that we believe is next.” Both twins pointed a hand that slid right through the viewing window, and I followed their trajectory toward a black cat curled in a corner next to a quiet girl braiding the hair of a doll. It appeared quiet, but its tail was swishing, and yellow eyes judged me.

Gal? Like… “Galinthias?” The servant girl turned into a cat by Hera, the Greek goddess?”

The twins nodded.

Man, the crazy myths I’d been taught as a kid were actually becoming useful. I never would have thought that.

“And then tall, dark, and creepy ushers the souls to Valhalla or whatever?” I asked, purposely not looking behind me at the reaper. They couldn’t have assigned a less… horrifying harbinger to assist these young, innocent souls? “What do you need me for? Sounds like you’ve got it covered.” My shoulders relaxed; I could leave without a heavy conscience.

“Sometimes, death surprises us,” one said with sadness, both turning to me.

“A different child succumbs,” the other added.

“So, I’m here to scream my head off when a child is going to die suddenly instead of fading away while you watch?” My gaze swept the room of children, and I slammed my eyelids shut as that unwelcome feeling rose in my gut. The scream clamored to announce to the entire hospital ward that one of their little ones was about to have their life cut short.

Yeah... nope. Not happening.

“Best of luck,” I gasped out, slapping a palm across my lips, preventing what could either be bile at the horror of my impending proclamation or the physical shriek I was withholding. Maybe both. Then, I booked it out of there.

Look at that. I’m listening to my gut like you told me to, Seke. 

A flash of Seke’s handsome beard-clad face appeared in my mind. I shook it loose. I’d leave it all behind. The Harbingers of Death was not for me. It was time to return to human normalcy.

10

Cole dove for the target, but of course, its insubstantial form provided no resistance, and he sailed right through the befuddled soul. “Captain,” he called slowly, his deep voice full of warning.

Bounding back toward their target, he covered the