KILLERS CAN LOVE TOO, Mary Claire Garcia [the gingerbread man read aloud txt] 📗

she didn’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing for Cam to be in the same room with her. What if she accidentally turned everyone to dust?
News about the hot transfer students travelled fast even before they reached their own classroom. No one knew they were actually Reapers. Tanya felt everyone’s eyes on them as she and Cam went inside their classroom. The teacher asked for their introductions and they complied. She had never felt more alone in her whole life. She was a killer but she still felt loneliness. Cam left her like a hot coal and went off to make several friends and flirt with several giggling girls. She thought he was just trying to enjoy himself so she didn’t really mind him even when he was already French kissing a girl while everyone was distracted watching a documentary film. But when she tried to talk to him he walked away from her and surrounded himself with his newfound friends. He didn’t even glance at her the whole day. The siblings ignored her too even when she was desperate for anyone to accompany her and talk to her. She tried to talk to one of her classmates but everyone ignored her. She heard Cam instructed them to do so. So he was playing games with her again. Damn sadist.
“She looks weird,” said a girl with contact lens. Tanya knew they were talking about her.
“Her hair looks disgusting,” replied the girl’s friend.
She couldn’t bear it anymore. She walked towards them.
“Ignore me if you want but don’t you dare talk about me,” said Tanya.
The girls laughed. Tanya wanted to turn everyone to dust but she knew it would be wrong so she stormed off instead. It was lunch time yet she was not in the mood to eat. She went to the library instead. The library was beautiful. It was made in Victorian style with the cathedral ceiling, stained glass windows and mossy grey bricks. It made her smile. The only place she liked in the whole school was empty. Perfect. She wandered in the library. Searching for nothing particular but just enjoying her surroundings. She loved the sense of peace in her newfound sanctuary. Cam would never go here. She settled on a seat near a stained glass window. Tanya yawned. She knew there wouldn’t be classes in the afternoon because of a teachers’ meeting or something and she didn’t want to be stuck inside the classroom with Cam and his followers so she didn’t worry if she would fall asleep in the library. There wasn’t even a librarian in it! Luck was with her. She yawned. A quick nap would be completely harmless to do, right?
Everstone Orphanage. The children were playing and laughing with each other. Then a strong wind came and the girls fought to get their dresses in control while the boys chased their bonnets. The wind stopped and the children laughed. Everyone was playing again except for a small girl with long white hair and brilliant blue eyes. She was breathing hard and her pupils were dilated. Her knees dropped to the ground and a boy watching the pretty girl at his window shouted to everyone to go to the girl. The children ran to the girl’s side not knowing what to do so they shouted for help. Then the girl suddenly screamed and everyone turned into dust. Her breathing went back to normal and she began to cry. The adults came running and she began to cry more.
“Wake up! You’re having a nightmare!” said a voice.
The speaker shook Tanya waking her up from a dream of her past. At first she thought it was Cam and she wanted to get his hands off from her but there was something different about the voice. The voice was nostalgic and caring. She opened her eyes and looked at the speaker. His face was inches from her and they both looked surprise. He had silky blond hair and brown eyes that looked amber in the sunlight. He had broad shoulders and obviously looked taller than her even though he was sitting in front of her. He was the complete opposite of Cam. If Cam looked like the prince of darkness, the boy who woke her up looked like Apollo himself.
“I’m not sorry for waking you up,” said the mysterious Apollo-lookalike with a smile.
He had a dimple. He really was good-looking. She blushed.
“What are you doing here?” asked Tanya.
She finger-combed her hair and realized that they were alone in the library. He ignored her question but instead wiped the tears from her cheeks. If he didn’t do that she wouldn’t have known she was crying.
“Are you alright now?” he asked still regarding her with a cute worried look.
She nodded.
“I’m Raphael Warren. May I know your name, sleeping beauty?” he asked.
She blushed. Damn his dimple and his Apollo-looks.
“Everstone,” she replied.
“First or last?” he asked.
“Last,” she replied and got up to leave.
“He’s looking for you,” said Raphael.
That got her attention. She turned around and faced him.
“Did he send you?” she asked.
“He sent everyone. I’m glad I’m the first one who found you,” said Raphael.
“What do you want?” she whispered.
He walked towards her and she went to her favourite battle position. Both hands in karate chop position, feet apart, knees a little bent, and eyes that give off predatory aura. He ran towards her. She attacked. He blocked her every move and she knew he was really strong to block level 999 attacks. She didn’t stop. Succeeding punches, karate chops, kicks and yet Raphael was not even breaking a sweat! He wrestled her and pounced on her. They both hit the floor and he was on top of her. She could not move. She stopped fighting and knew it was pointless. There was no way she can turn him to dust and say it was for self-defence. That would ruin her. She looked at him straight in the eye and blushed when he smiled innocently at her.
“I won’t give you to him,” he whispered then hugged her.
When the hell did her life get so out of hand? Two can play in this game, Cammie. She hugged him back.


 
CHAPTER III
“You haven’t told me your first name yet,” said Raphael.
They were at a café and it was her first time to be inside one. Her life had only revolved around chasing criminals and turning them to dust ever since she had become a Reaper. He was sitting beside her. They were in a booth squeezed in one sofa. He had refused when she told him he can just take the sofa in front of her but instead sat beside her.
“Tanya,” she whispered.
“So the sleeping beauty’s identity is the queen of faeries,” said Raphael with an amused smile.
She was surprised. It was the first time someone had known the meaning of her name. It was a name she had chosen for herself. Every Reaper was required to change their names. Her cell phone vibrated. It was time for her to feed. She stood up. Raphael looked startled.
“I need to go,” said Tanya.
“I’ll drive you,” offered Raphael.
“No. I…have somewhere else to go. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she replied quickly and ran off.
She went outside running and disappearing away from Raphael’s view. His cell phone rang and he answered it.
“Sir, the laboratory’s empty. The bastard got away again when we got there. But he left some computers and we hacked into them. We know his plans now. You were right. He wants the girl.”
“Damn it! So…any more info you got?” asked Raphael.
“He developed a sort of anti-virus serum. We can’t understand it much yet but… all we know is that it’s not to cure the Reapers. The serum sort of… makes anyone who drinks it…immune to the Reapers for a short while.”
Raphael cursed and began to run to where Tanya ran off.
“So the Reapers would be defenceless against his guys?” he asked.
“Yes, sir and if we’re not mistaken…he’s ordered his guys to get the girl right now”
“Send me the team. I need backup. I’m at…the old park right now. Tell them to get their asses here right now,” he ordered.
“Roger!”
He placed his cell phone back in his pocket and searched for Tanya.
Tanya looked at the message in her cell phone again. The message said that the prisoner was at the park but she couldn’t sense anyone. Was the message wrong? Minutes ticked by and she got worried. Any longer and she might accidentally turn the whole park to dust. She ran and tried to control the fear bubbling inside her. Her instincts screamed at her that something was wrong. She knew that but she didn’t know exactly what. She knew it wasn’t Cam’s prank either. He loved tormenting her but he cared for her when it came to her needs as a level 999 Reaper. She knew he wouldn’t let her die despite his sadistic nature. She decided to call headquarters. There was no signal. This never happened before. Then she heard footsteps. But she hadn’t felt any presence! She didn’t care. She was hungry and she wanted to meet her meal with open arms. She ran towards the sound despite the bad feeling gnawing at the back of her mind. Then she saw them. It wasn’t her meal and there were several owners of the footsteps. They were all wearing a Grim Reaper mask and fear was tearing her apart.
“Give up, girly. He wants you and there’s nothing you can do,” said one of the masked people.
There were dozens of them and she knew she was outnumbered despite her abilities.
“Who wants me?” she asked watching the masked people carefully. They were so close to her already. They laughed.
“The Mad Hatter of course! The one who made you, girlie!” they laughed.
She had heard that the one who made the virus called himself “Mad Hatter”. She smirked.
“I’m sorry but…I’m not in the mood to have tea with him,” said Tanya.
They charged towards her. She willed herself to turn them all to dust but they were still running towards her. Her eyes widened. Nothing was wrong with her ability. All the plants turned to dust except or them! For the first time, she suddenly felt she was the prey. She ran. Two caught up to her and she fought with all her strength. Then all the masked people restrained her. She did what every girl would do in her situation. She screamed.
He heard her and ran towards her screaming. Then he saw them. He fired shots and some went down and several didn’t. She barely saw Tanya’s bewildered expression. He ran to her side and realized they had injected drugs to her. She fainted and fell on the ground. He continued to fire shots to them and the masked people fled. He called his backup to chase those who escaped. He carried Tanya in bridal style. Her eyes were closed and she as having a hard time breathing. He sat down on a bench and laid her head on is lap. Raphael then took some tablets from his coat.
“Tanya swallow them and you’ll feel fine again, okay?” he whispered then made her swallow the tablets.
Her breathing returned back to normal and her cheeks regained their colour. Her eyes were still closed but he knew she was just trying to recover from the drug. He brought her to his home. Sunlight poured above her and she knew at once that she wasn’t sleeping in her room. Her room was always covered with dark heavy curtains. Her head ached and she groaned. Her cell phone was ringing so she answered it.
“Tanya, where are