Reaper's Word

Chapter 43: Epilogue

Clair held the old tattered book in her left hand. Her voice smooth and fluid as she spoke the words on the page. The night was cool, and the sky held a bright full moon. The light making the shadows she stood in deeper hiding her and the two with her.

Not far from them was a tall stone wall that had a small double iron gate there. Inside the walls was what looked like a warehouse and several sets of buildings. Music and distant talking could be heard. Those inside had no idea what was coming. That death was about to walk among them.

The last of the words flowed out of Clair starting the binding ritual. The book she held was the one she’d signed long ago. However it now served a different purpose and her name no longer adorned the pages. Still the magic done bound her and Isaiah forever. She more than anyone understood what had to be continued.

Clair looked up at Isaiah as she finished the words. She gripped the black blade that he was holding until blood showed. She let go of it and Isaiah took his free hand and lifted up her injured one to bring it to his mouth. His tongue swirled over the cut even as her blood dripped off the blade. Her wound healing. A shiver went down her spine. There was a bit of heat there in his gaze. She never got tired of seeing his desire for her.

“You are sure of this? None will be spared, innocent or not. We will collect them all, to feed us and for our home.” He warned her and Isaiah’s free hand touched her face. His thumb sliding over her lower lip. She knew he asked as he did not want to deal with her getting upset. That ship had long ago sailed however. For the most part.

“Yes, he needs to learn. I know that some will not deserve what is going to happen. However I’m more than happy to choose a den of depravity for you to destroy. To collect from and teach our son.” Clair said seriously. Isaiah gave a slight smile and leaned, giving her a harsh but deep kiss. He was never

going to get enough of her. His perfect female, perfect mate. Isaiah lifted his head and glanced to the left where a younger man stood.

“Wait. I will complete the barrier then you will add to it.” The young man gave a slight head bow that he understood. His eyes were a darker green that were sharp. Isaiah gripped the blade adding his blood to it and moved forward toward the wall a short distance away. He was out in the moonlight now and you could see the color of his skin change along his arm. A hand tipped with talons and he was drawing on the wall with his blood and the blade.

Clair turned from what Isaiah was doing and looked at her son. He was technically a human adult now. However still a child by the standards of a reaper. Very young, and it would take time for him to learn and master his abilities. To control himself and the fact he could not always shut off emotion like Isaiah could. He looked very much like his father.

“Zacharias, promise me you will not be cruel to those you kill.” Clair asked quietly. This was not the first time they did this. Finding a place to trap others in to teach him. To sacrifice to their home and magic. This book had tied them to the house and caves, the magic there. It needed new blood from time to time. It had to be fed, or they would suffer too. Magic always came with a price. Regardless if you were willing or not.

Zacharias needed to learn and feed, as did Isaiah and the hounds. Clair however was given the task to choose, and she chose the worst of human society. This place housed horrible people that enjoyed trafficking others. Among other horrible evil acts. There was no shortage of horrible people. So this let her sleep at night. Zacharias sighed and stepped up to Clair.

“Mother,” He started and reached up to push a bit of her hair from her face behind her ear. “I can’t promise something I won’t be able to keep.” She of course had taught him that along with Isaiah. It was imperative that he never make a promise he could not keep.

When he was younger he nearly died when he promised to never do something again that Clair had scolded him for. Neither of them realized how serious his word choice was. Both her and Isaiah had thought him being half human would not carry the same punishment like Isaiah, which was death. When he’d broken it, he’d began to seizure and then for days after he’d thrown up blood. Some had come from his ears and eyes. He’d stopped breathing once but they’d gotten him back with quick action. Clair had been beside herself with worry for him. Barely eating and stayed by his side.

“Intentionally cruel to anyone that isn’t one of the criminals in this ring or gang. Just the unfortunate ones trapped. That’s all I’m asking.” He gave her a smile. It softened his face and made him look devilishly handsome. Clair sighed inwardly. She loved her son. However he was going to be seriously dangerous to the female population. She meant that in a good and really bad way.

“That I can promise.” She smiled back at him and touched his arm.

“Don’t try anything too foolish either. Just because you can heal and are hard to kill does not make you invincible Zacharias. I love you but you are too daring sometimes. Never underestimate humans. We are a cunning conniving bunch.” That made him laugh. Zacharias looked Clair over. Knew he was very lucky to have her as his mother. No other would have nurtured him, taught him like she had. His father was beyond lucky to have found her.

“I’m aware. I hope they are. A challenge is always good.” He sounded a bit too much like Isaiah right there for Clair’s liking. “Besides, if I’m lucky one of these times I hope to find one, like father found you.” He was aware that his parents were not a society norm. His father was a creature of death, but as such Zacharias was going to have the same needs. No normal human woman was going to do. He wanted what his parents had, yet it was going to be so very difficult for him to find.

“Hopefully not in a place like this. You deserve better.” He smiled at her again. She gave an answering one.

“There will always be diamonds hidden in the rough.” She raised an eyebrow at him. He had a darker light to his eyes, and oddly it made her smile. A darker one too, oh the poor soul that he decided to love. Clair knew exactly what was in store of her.

“Zacharias.” They both looked at Isaiah who stood there near them. No sound at his approach. He held out the black blade to his son.

“Finish it.” Zacharias gave a nod taking the blade and walking down where his father had been.

“You bring him back out to me whole Isaiah or so help me god…” Isaiah stepped closer to her and slid his hands into her hair, tipping her head up to look at him.

“If god answered you Clair you would not be with me.” He gave a slight smirk. “So don’t threaten, it's pointless.” Clair put one hand to his chest. The other at her side holding the book.

“I mean it Isaiah, you bring our child back to me whole. Or you won’t touch me again.” His gaze grew dark and he pulled her against him. His mouth brushing hers.

“Do not think I won’t punish you if you break your word to me. You are mine and I will have you when I wish. Touch you when I please.” He took her mouth then and kept her there against him. She didn’t stop him or push him away. He craved her like a drug and it just grew more so over the years. She was bound to him. His heart knew exactly what Clair meant to him, even as his mind refused to say it.

“Let nothing happen to him.” Clair said when he stopped kissing her. She was aware Isaiah wasn’t going to kill her. However if she upset him or ever broke her word he would find another way to punish her for it.

“He will come back fine Clair. He has grown stronger. He will heal and this he must do. You know this.” Isaiah felt irritated, Zacharias was very capable. The two of them had taught him well from a young

age. However Clair loved deeply. The only time ever in Isaiah’s existence that he had ever felt fear was when Zahcarias nearly died.

He knew he cared for his son. However, it was the knowledge that if he lost Zacharias he’d lose Clair too. She would not emotionally survive the death of her child he realized. Obviously he was going to make sure he came back. Isaiah honestly had no idea what he would do if Clair died. He couldn’t even think about it as a possibility. Just Clair, she held a part of him he didn't even know he had.

“Promise me.” Clair demanded of him. ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“I give my word.” He stated exasperated. He stepped back slightly and placed his hands on the sides of her stomach. The obvious bump there, and he enjoyed the fact immensely. She carried his second child and that was why she was staying out here. Not coming with them.

“You have another too worry over Clair. Zacharias will be fine. He is no longer breakable like you or her are.” Clair sighed.

“It does not change how I feel. I feel better now, I have your promise. You always keep your word.” She gave him a half smile that was a bit darker. He felt the instant response inside of him.

“That I do.” He commented and turned away from her before he couldn’t. They had a task before them, and it was time to feed. To remind mortals that they were not as powerful as they thought.

Isaiah moved up to stand besides Zacharias. They looked at the smaller gate before them that was partially open. Isaiah took the blade offered, with a harsh downward motion tossed it into the ground. It sank in handle up. Instantly all along the wall deep blood red lines began to crawl like vines as the spell took full effect. No mortal creature was going to be able to escape now.

The two of them stood there and an eerie fog started to roll in that was unnatural. It surrounded and hid the place from view. The magic at work was not just human magic. It was also mixed with the talent

that Isaiah had, what he was to do and cause. His eyes turned black like obsidian glass and his features less human. He looked at Zacharias whose own eyes were black as well and a smile on his face.

“Care to teach me how to play a real game father?” Zacharias challenged and his smile this time was full of dark things. Things his mother would never understand but his father did. The desires that rode them.

“Such as?”

“A game of minds. Teach me how to break a mind.” Isaiah’s own smile deepened and it was full of sharp teeth.

“My favorite kind of game. One they never win.” The two moved forward into the compound through the gate. Both men felt an elation at what they were about to do.

At the tree line Clair watched them disappear into the gate. The fog rolled around the trees behind her. Through it four large forms came forward. Clair didn’t look but she felt them there. The hell hounds stood and Clair lifted the book up. It opened it to the last page of names where there was space still.

They waited in their line, Zeta and Alpha on her left. Gamma and Beta on her right. Between the two of them was a smaller hell hound with orange colored eyes and an eagerness about it. The first hunt for their pup Delta. The eagerness in the hounds to hunt their prey infected Clair. It made her feel giddy too, but rules were rules. The hounds had to wait a moment.

Clair saw the first name appear across the page and knew the first life was taken. The first sacrifice made and collected. She looked up from the book and toward the gate. A slight breeze ruffled her hair and she slowly closed the book.

“You are free to hunt.” At her words, Zeta and Alpha sprinted in. Beta and Gamma just a bit slower with Delta between them. Clair felt an odd smile as she watched them enter the gate.

Clair held her hand up and closed her fist sharply. The gate slammed closed and the red lines snaked out from the symbols made to seal the gate shut. Just like the door had slammed closed on Clair’s mortal life so many years ago. She just smiled slightly and looked at her stomach moving her hand over it. This was worth it. What she had was real. Oh so dangerously real, and oh so very worth the price.

_________Quote___________________________

“He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.”

-Friedrich Nietzsche

German Philologist

1844-1900