The Grimm Reapers

Chapter Eight: How is he alive?

I told my father about Ashton, and how I couldn't see his life counter. He tried to look calm, but I saw it. Even if it was only for a second, I knew I saw that look on his face. A look that said something wasn't right, but I knew he wouldn't tell me. 

"Is there anything else?"

"No. that was all I wanted to tell you."

"I see. Well, invite the family over for dinner. It has been so long since we had guest over, it could be...interesting." Who did he take me for, Blake? I love and respect my brother, but he is not the best at reading signs like this. I know my father is really concerned about this, but he doesn't want to let me know why. 

"Very well, I'll call Teresa and invite them." I looked over at my dad one last time before I shut his door, but I saw it. His face could not hide the shock and anger that he was feeling. What ever was going on with Ashton wasn't making my dad happy, and you never want to make the grim reaper mad.

I called Teresa and she said her parents would be more than happy to come for dinner tomorrow. I could tell Teresa was hiding something, because she wasn't screaming from the top of her lungs about coming over. Normally she wont stop bugging me until cave in and let her visit, but now she was quiet. If it wasn't for the fact her mom snatched the phone they never would have known. I have to question her tomorrow, if not I will have no choice but to tap into her mind and see what she's hiding. I promised her I would never do that to her, but I might not have a choice. What ever her and her family were hiding was seriously pissing my dad off, and I wanted to know why.

"Hey sis?" I looked up from my phone and saw Blake and Lenore standing at my door. Something wasn't right, they never come together unless something happens.

"What's wrong?" Lenore came and jumped on my bed. She berried her face in my chest while she clenched tightly on her shirt with her little hands. She's only done this once, and that's when dad was gone for months during a war and didn't have time to come home.

"Blake, what's going on? Lenore never does this unless she is truly worried." He sat on the edge of my bed and stroked Lenore's long Black hair to calm her down. That was something only he and mom were able to do, it never worked for me.

"Do you know why dad's going on a rampage in his office?" I felt my eyes become wide even before my brain understood why. He was mad about what I told him. Whatever is going on with Teresa's brother is bigger than I had thought. I took Lenore and gave her to Blake before I jumped off my bed and ran down to his office. I could hear him breaking things and the sound of my mother's voice. She was trying to calm him down. I pressed my ear against the door and used my powers to listen to what they were saying.

"Alastor, honestly. That is not going to solve your problems." I could hear my dad trough something against the wall, and I wanted nothing more than to see what was happening. I pulled out my contacts and used my eyes to see through the walls while I used my ears to listen. My father was standing next to the broken remains of his once redwood desk, while my mother watched him from the back wall. She was used to this rampage so she didn't flinch when his hand went trough the wall.

"I can't help it Lilith. What Lolita just told me...If what she said is true than I have bigger things to worry about." I saw my mother walk towards him and stroke his check lovingly while she looked into his eyes. I could see the calming affect my mother had on him, it was amazing.

"My king, everything will be fine. We cannot be sure until tomorrow when the boy comes. I am sure that it is not what you fear. Lolita is a very powerful your reaper, but she does wear her contacts. Perhaps they simply blocked to much of her powers." Was that possible? Could I have simply have been blocked because of my contacts. The look on my parents faces told me they hope that's what it was. I put them back on and walked back to my room. Blake was holding on to a sleeping Lenore, and he looked pretty tired himself. I took Lenore from him and walked her to her room, he walked across the hall from my room. He didn't even make it pass the door before he passed out on his floor, sound a sleep.

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The next day Teresa was acting really strange. She made it so I didn't have any time alone with Ashton, almost like she didn't want me to be alone with him. It didn't mater, because my dad will figure out what happened to Ashton. I just have to wait until dinner tonight and then I will know.

"They're here." Me and Blake were watching T.V while Lenore played with her doll Mr. Ragamuffin on the floor. To anyone else, we would look like the perfect family, just we wear a lot of black.

"Hello Marisol, Daniel, come in." We saw the Robin's come in and smile, they have no Idea who's house they just stepped into. I saw Teresa walk in after them and smile politely at my mom, and behind her was Ashton. He has no clue this whole thing is because of him.

"Hello Mrs. Reaper, I'm Ashton. It's very nice to meet you." He shook hands with my mom, and didn't seem to notice the shocked look she gave him before she forced a smile. By the look on my siblings face, they noticed it too. This only proved that it wasn't my contacts that were blocking his life counter, he just didn't have one.

"Hello Ashton, it is very nice to meet you. Come inside, dinner is almost ready."

"Thank you." We sat down and talked for a while before my dad came home. I could tell he was on his way because the temperature was becoming colder. Only we could feel it, since the house was made so that no one could feel the freezing temperature caused by all of us being here. 

"Welcome home dear, we were waiting for you." I still find it amusing how people react when they first meet my dad. Teresa and her parents smiled politely at him, while Ashton stared at him with awe and amazement. 

"I am deeply sorry, work took to long. Hello, I don't believe I've meet you yet." He sat down and looked at Ashton with a polite smile, but I could tell he was scanning him.

"Yes, I'm Ashton Robins, it is very nice to meet you." He shuck hands with my dad, and I know my dad noticed Ashton's ice cold hands.

Dinner went by smoothly, and no one noticed what we were really doing. Teresa looked like she was on to what we were doing, but didn't figure it out since I kept messing with her mind. I didn't like the idea of messing with her mind, but I couldn't have her stopping us. She has been hiding something from me and I want to know what it is she is keeping. 

"Well this was fun, we should so it again some time." We said good bye to the Robin's and agreed to have another dinner date. I saw the look Teresa gave me, she knows I tapped into her mind. She is gonna give me an ear full at school tomorrow, I am not looking forward to that.

"So dad, what did you figure out?" I could tell he figured out what is up with Ashton, but he didn't really want to let us know.

"Alastor, they have to know." My mom placed a hand on his arm, and I knew she had him.

"Very well, come to my office." We took our seat in front of our father's desk, and as always mom stood next to him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Children, it appears with have a bigger problem than just the hunter. As all of you have noticed, Teresa's brother does not have a life counter. Now we know Teresa has the ability to see spirits like us, so it is not surprising that she knows her own brother is not normal. She didn't want us to meet him because she fears that we will take his soul from him."

"Aren't you?" I looked at my brother. How the hell could he say that?

"No son, I am not."

"Why not?! He doesn't have a life counter, that means that he's dead. How the hell is he still alive?" As annoyed as I was with him, I also wanted to know how this was possible. I looked back at my dad and saw him bow his head and let out his sigh.

"The reason that I cannot take Ashton's soul, is because he doesn't have one." I know I wasn't the only one that was shocked. I could even hear Lenore gasp, and she never gets surprised.

"Father, how could Teresa's brother be alive without a soul?"

"Because who ever found Ashton's body, brought him back to life without his soul. So that boy is one of the living dead, or as the humans call them...a zombie."