Free A Grim Love: Can't Fight Time by Rosi S. Phillips Page B

began to whine.
     
    Grim’s temper flared and he snapped at her: “It wasn’t a request.”
     
    Beginning to walk away, Grim paused and looked back over his shoulder. “Enjoy your stay, Ms. Strathmore. I’m sure we'll meet again. In better circumstances, I hope.”
     
    Behind him, he could hear the soft rustle of cloth as his mother finally followed, and also the grunted retort that Nina bit off: “Not if I can help it.”
     
    ***
     
    “Uri?” Nina asked as they walked to his rooms, where she would be staying. Well, the room adjacent to his, because she had already mentioned about a thousand times that there was no way they were sleeping together, no matter how many years of practice Uri said he had.
    “Yeah?” He answered, hands tucked into his back pockets as he nodded at yet another guard they passed. The guards barely even glanced at her, and if they did, it was usually a glare.
     
    This place has to have more security than the Pentagon, Nina thought. “What does ‘amica’ mean?” she asked aloud. The question had been bugging her after the scary-as-all-get-out reaper had called her it, because Grim called her Amica too. She would have thought it was a reaper thing, but so far Uri hadn’t used it at all, which confused the hell out of Nina.
     
    “It’s an endearment, like ‘sweetheart’ or ‘darling.’ Why? Someone call you that?” Uri asked, wagging his eyebrows at her.
     
    Nina smiled and rolled her eyes, ignoring the information he was oh-so-subtly fishing for. “Where’s it from?”
     
    She watched him shrug and lead her down another hallway. God, this place is big! I swear I just walked a mile! “Attic Greek. The language died long ago, but certain reapers like to hold on to the past.”
     
    Nina nodded, as she walked down the corridor and thought more of the reaper who had called her “Amica.” Could he have been Grim’s friend? The--guy?--seemed like a dick, but maybe they know each-- All at once memories started to flood into her head, tearing into her mind like bullets.
     
    The morgue is sterile. Silver doors line one wall. The floors are white, surprisingly clean for a place where murder victims came and had their body’s torn open. I’m trying to focus on everything and nothing; the body on the silver slab covered by a white sheet is calling to me.
     
    “Leave! Get the fuck out!” I’m screaming at the coroner, I think I’m crying.
     
    I finally look at the body, but I’ve been looking at her this entire time. My vision blurs, overwhelmed by tears. I swipe at them angrily.
     
    “Why is she smiling if she’d dead?” I ask angrily.
     
    “Not again!” Nina moaned, leaning against the stone wall for support as her breathing started to hitch with panic.
     
    “Nina? What’s wrong? Does your head still hurt? Are you still hungry?” Nina could hear Uri asking urgently, but the memories were too vivid, too alive, and they forced their way back into her mind.
     
    My father’s gone, along with the coroner. The room’s empty and cold. It’s just me and my mother’s body. I think I see her smile widen.
     
    I know I’m losing my mind.
     
    “Ugh!” Nina choked, the emotions spilling out of her as she became to shake, tears racing down her cheeks.
     
    “What’s wrong with her?” Nina heard someone ask above her. Stay here! Don’t go back! Her subconscious screamed at her. I’m trying! She screamed back, turning her head to focus on Uri’s blurry form. Nina could swear that there was a black shadow behind Uri, but then she was pulled back.
     
    The world blurs again, and I have an instant headache. I massage my temples, the need to scream and cry and rage is riding me hard.
     
    “Nina…” I snap my eyes open and look at the corpse. I can only see her head and the tops of her shoulders. Her creamy mocha skin is pulled tight and looks pale. I can see her collar bone.
     
    I focus my eyes on her face, looking for any flicker of movement. Maybe she’s