Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye by Imari Jade Page A

not toy with me, Vanquisher. I am the Soul Gatherer. It is your turn.”
    Now, why didn’t the world end before this? Isabella wondered.
    Collena pulled out her cell phone from her pocket and dialed. “Hello, Angela. This is Collena. Find me everything you can on a demon called the Soul Gatherer and get back to me ASAP.”
    Collena hung up. “Angela is checking this thing out. She said Taj and Maestro are on the way.”
    “Good—more souls,” the demon replied. “The more the merrier.”
    Shit. More mortals to protect . Isabella moved so quickly that no one saw her…it was a gift inherited from her father, Darius.
    “You impress me, Vanquisher,” the Soul Gatherer replied.
    There was a sound outside the ballroom.
    “Our guests have arrived.” The Soul Gatherer released the doors and they opened. Taj and Maestro, PAK’s resident magicians stood in the hall. While everyone’s eyes were averted, Irene was swept up by one of the tentacles.
    Irene screamed as the razors cut into her skin.
    Collena was about to go to Irene’s rescue when her phone rang.
    “Answer the damn phone,” Isabella ordered. “I’ll get her.”
    “We got a lock on that thing.” Marc shouted to Isabella. He awaited her instructions.
    Collena interrupted the conversation. “It’s Angela, the researcher. She said this thing is the real deal. It collects souls. There are only two known Soul Gatherers, one in the United States and the other one is in England. As of the last writing, there is no known way to kill it.”
    “Great,” Isabella replied. “It’s a damn Grim Reaper.” She kept her eyes trained on the thing and Irene. “Let her go.”
    Taj and Maestro entered the ballroom and began to chant.
    The thing holding Irene shook her wildly like a rag doll. Thankfully Irene fainted, which was a plus in their favor.
    The sounds of the chanting and conjuring from the magicians echoed in her head. She had to get Irene but first she had to find a weak spot. Isabella pulled a dagger from her boot and charged the creature, plunging the knife into what she hoped was a wet stomach. Fouler goop oozed from the wound. The Soul Gatherer dropped Irene and turned its attention on her. Marc and Clifton ran over and picked up the young woman and carried her over to Collena.
    It spoke in a language Isabella did not understand and suddenly her body grew limp. Isabella struggled but the thing pinned her arms to her side and paralyzed her legs. It also messed with her breath.
    Isabella cleared her mind and joined the chanting with Taj and Maestro even though she could barely breathe. She called on the Loa, Papa Legba for strength.
    The door of the building opened and closed; a great energy flowed from everyone in the room. Otto and Ernie joined the magicians, using their abilities to strengthen Isabella’s mind.
    The engineer’s equipment rattled. Marc and Clifford held on, trying to keep a grip on the energy field of the Soul Gatherer.
    Isabella looked over at them. Collena wrapped herself around the unconscious Irene. She was alive but badly injured. The thing lifted Isabella into the air. She couldn’t struggle any more.
    “I have her in my power,” the Soul Gatherer shouted. “You are mere mortals and no match for me.” He made the walls bleed again. “I have captured millions of souls and now I have the great Vanquisher. She will be a worthy opponent in my kingdom of horrors.”
    Isabella opened her eyes but was not conscious of what was going on around her. She saw a light…her guide from Papa Legba. Isabella concentrated on the light, locking her mind with it.
    The Soul Gatherer stopped. “Open your mind to me, Isabella and stop fighting.”
    The magicians kept up the chant.
    Isabella felt her strength returning back to her.
    “Stop it,” the Soul Gatherer shouted.
    “She is with Papa Legba now,” Ernie told the Soul Gatherer.
    “No, she is mine.” It covered Isabella in blood.
    Isabella used her power to drain the Soul