Reaper's Word

Chapter 19: Three Days Earned

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.

Isaiah agreed. "Come, we are going to the caves." Her head snapped up and she looked at

seemed she hadn't meant to say that, but

go

said, moving past him into the hall. He noted that she made a quick movement around him to get out of reach. Not that he would grab her, wouldn't do so well for

left. The hall grew odd and stony here, she

to him and he pulled her close to

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

she said though her hand on his side

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

she did as well. A couple times she had to turn sideways as instructed. She could feel that the tips of her toes hung

sudden grey light ahead and they moved a bit faster. Clair didn't hold so tight to him anymore and then she could hear the roar of

ledges and tons of odd stalactites and stalagmites, all different colors and sizes. The waterfall didn't look

a small river coming down from above into the cave. 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

left and below was a large flat area and what looked like a door in the cave wall. Another entrance to the house. It was open and two of the hell hounds were down there curled

illuminating the island at the moment and water. Its tail was very close curling around the woman's feet that stood there. It seemed that the tip was near her right ankle,

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 a sudden

far do the caves go?"

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

found her just sitting there petting Beta. Beta had been letting her do it. Neither of them had

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

guess." She said and he could feel that she was excited to draw this. She

back through the tunnel to the house. Clair just

to herself as she tied back her hair and started. She really emphasized the

and moved on to the statue’s details. She found it

what time she started, but there was still a good amount of light. Looking down she noted that the hell hounds were all there now.

an opinion she was worried that even though she was satisfied with it, though she felt perhaps she could fix a few things, was it what he wanted? It looked alive

at her. "I... I need an opinion please." She requested. From here it was hard to tell who was who but one turned and darted off. Then the

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

sat down as the other two came in and Clair felt very trapped but hoped that the promise was being upheld. Zeta looked at the lower right corner and then down

made a sound. She put it back up

at the image. After a minute the other two moved and

rolled it back up and took another sheet of paper

in as well last night, and used the blues and greens. She really focused on where the waterfall entered the pool catching the ripples

bit tired. 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

in her throat. You couldn't be this close to such a predator and not feel small and

He raised a paw and hit her wrist. She

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