Reaper's Word

Clair was on her stomach when she woke, and she had slept remarkably well. She figured it was the soft bed that had made the difference. Her dreams had been fairly messed up and twisted. At times she hadn't even been sure they were truly hers, but Isaiah was in all of them. How could you dream about a man that terrified you? Dream about him doing things to you? She buried her face in what she thought was the pillow for a second unsure if she wanted to laugh, cry or scream.

There was a strong smell of sandalwood and clover in her nose and something soft was against her face. Her arm was over it as well. It felt like fur, Clair came fully awake and sat straight moving away from the hell hound who lifted his head looking over his body at her. He yawned, his jaws gaping fully. How she hoped those teeth never got hold of her. Jesus had she been cuddling the thing? And it had let her? As if life here couldn't get any weirder.

"Sorry." She apologized sitting there with her knees up. She didn't know what time it was but seeing Isaiah wasn't here yet it must still be early. So she must have slept only for a few hours. A few good hours that made her feel refreshed.

Beta jumped down and sat scratching behind his ear or trying to. It was very odd to see him do this. Like an ordinary animal, he let out a breath of air and tried to scratch again. Clearly it wasn't doing the job. He lowered his head to the floor and tried to rub it against the carpet. The sight of it was so ordinary, so normal that she could almost believe him to be a real dog. Granted a very large and deadly one.

Clair felt the laugh come up and out of her. She hadn't laughed since the day she'd been brought here. Nothing real at least, just a smile or two that she honestly felt. His head snapped up and he seemed to glare at her.

"Sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." He looked away from her and tried to scratch again. Clair took pity on him. He hadn't chomped on her while she slept so she guessed she could help him out.

"I could get that for you. I promise not to do anything foolish or try to harm you." He stared at her and then jumped up on the bed. He sat down right next to her, his large head facing her. She felt her mouth go dry and fear prickle down her spine in a wave. Beta was huge up close and his jaws mere inches from her, she reached forward.

"Okay, you want to make a sound when I reach the spot?" He gave a head bob and she found it very odd and slightly funny to be talking to an animal, then again she spoke to the house.

She reached behind his ear and he made a sound when she moved it slightly down. She sunk her fingers in his fur and half scratched half rubbed. His eyes closed after a moment and his head lowered. She kept a firm circular motion. His one foot moved slightly and then faster, a purr almost coming from him.

His leg stopped moving and she dropped her hand. He pawed her hand his eyes narrowed. She gave a shrug and did it again. He closed his eyes and Clair put her other hand on the other side and rubbed along the sides of his neck. Beta's ears lay flat against his head and he moved slightly closer to her. Clair found it funny but just bit her lip instead of laughing. She didn't think that laughing would be productive to her health.

She moved her hands to the front of his neck and chest. He raised his head letting out a low kind of howl, it was very quiet. She kept up the kind of massage she was doing and he left his head like that.

"You like that?" She asked him in a calm tone.

"Yes he does, very much." She jumped letting go of Beta. Turning to look at Isaiah who was standing in the doorway, just leaning against the frame.

"You continue to surprise me Clair." Beta jumped down. She moved off the bed keeping her gaze low.

"Isn't my job as your property to provide entertainment?" He thought he heard a bit of bitterness in her tone but he just gave a smile.

"Yes it is, that and sustenance." Her hair was slightly disheveled and her clothes askew. It just added to her appeal. Beta moved over to him, there were waves of contentment and something close to happiness coming from him.

‘Let's not kill her just yet.’ He said via mind and Isaiah looked at him.

"No, not yet." He moved for Beta to go out. He was hungry and having Clair next to him all night long hadn't helped the need. Though it seemed she wasn't as much as a desire to the hell hound as she was to him. Isaiah couldn't help but look her over. The clothes she was wearing did not do her justice.

"How do you talk to them?" She asked her gaze still not meeting his.

"In my own way, very complicated creatures they are."

"Nothing is ever simple. The moment you believe you have figured it out something unexpected comes along." She commented in a kind of sigh.

are going to the caves." Her head snapped up and she looked at

can go there?" From the look it seemed she hadn't meant

can go

she made a quick movement around him to get out of reach. Not that he would grab her, wouldn't do so well for him.

the right side where he chose a flight down and took a left. The hall grew odd and stony here, she could smell damp earth after a moment.

and he pulled her close to

into a crevasse or hole, you will stay very close to me and

though her hand

to see." He said and moved forward, she moved with him, it did get very dark. And soon she couldn't even make him out in front

he walked. When he moved to the side she did as well. A couple times she

to him anymore and then she could hear the roar of a waterfall. They came out on a large ledge that overlooked a

cave hall. It was massive and there were ledges and tons of odd stalactites and stalagmites, all different colors and sizes. The waterfall didn't

The huge pool that could have been more like a lake was brilliant shades of blues and greens. Vegetation was coming down and over the large hole above and growing along the walls of the cave as well. She saw small things fly in and out every now and

Another entrance to the house. It was open

at the center island where two statues stood. One was a dragon its head tipped up and looking at the entrance to the cave where light spilled in, illuminating the island at the moment and water. Its tail was very

had one hand outstretched and up. Her head was down and her hair veiling her face. The other arm was bent outward from elbow to shoulder but her left hand hovered level at her down turned face. It was an odd scene. Like she was waiting for something, an instruction to twist around or move. The dragon while it looked up seemed very aware of the woman statue. It's tail waiting to strike out should she make

the

miles. Unexplored and still very active. This is what I want you to draw Clair. Because I want

in the bedroom. When he'd opened the door he'd found her just sitting there petting Beta. Beta had been letting her do it. Neither of them had realized he'd been watching them until he

mumbling to herself and shaking her head slightly then looked down. She shook her head

this. She seemed to get excited about drawing. How he got excited about music. To each his

the house. Clair just gave him a glance. She could do this in less than

as she tied back her hair and started. She really emphasized the light on everything. Paying very close detail to the opening and how it looked. Trying to match it exactly. Then the statue, as

by it when she finished it, and moved on to the statue’s details. She found it odd that even as the light shifted the woman always seemed to be in shadow. She would bet her life that

good amount of light. Looking down she noted that the hell hounds were all

she could fix a few things, was it what he wanted? It looked alive like you could touch the image. It

She requested. From here it was hard to tell who was who

wanted, she just needed one and she preferred it to be Beta. She tinkered with it while she waited and not five minutes later Beta came from the tunnel and loped over to her. From where she sat she turned the board and

in and Clair felt very trapped but hoped that the promise was being upheld. Zeta looked at the lower right corner and then down at where they had just been. In the image the three of them lay down

put it down and Alpha made a sound. She put it back up as this was what he seemed

other

is saved." She said and they quieted. After a while she rolled it back up and took another sheet of paper out, and secured it to the board. There was still plenty of time that

and used the blues and greens. She really focused on where the waterfall entered the pool catching the ripples and splashing. The waterfall was white and grey with a slight dark blue tint behind it. The pool was a sharp green with blue accents the waves and reflections of

The air here was different, it wasn't good or bad. It just felt like it was waiting and looking at the statues she thought that the dragon's head looked ever so slightly lower than earlier. She stared at the woman statue and felt transfixed for a moment. Like it meant something to her. She felt a strong nudge to her arm and turned her head,

be this close to such a

He raised a paw and hit her wrist. She glanced at Beta who was watching a tip to