Reaper's Word

Over the next two days Clair moved around the house unimpeded. She noted that there wasn't really anyone left just her. She was worried about the full moon. She didn't know if her deal with Isaiah counted during that time and she wasn't going to go and seek him out.

Hell fucking no. She was avoiding him like the plague. If he even remotely came toward her part of the house she ran for it hiding in the vents. She wasn't letting him near her until she had to. Even then she didn't want to.

Those that kept Isaiah here had yet to bring him a new supply of humans since waking from the winter slumber. She wasn't sure how well he was doing or if he needed. She felt the house and there was no presence she could find but him and the hell hounds. Since yesterday it seemed to be just her really.

Isaiah and the hell hounds were nowhere to be found today, but she knew that it was full moon. She'd been watching and the moon would be up shortly after sundown. She was in the piano room playing a song on the grand piano when she felt the trickle down her spine. She hadn't felt Isaiah or the hounds approach, but this was a different sensation. One she knew well now.

Clair got up and looked out a window. Two white vans showed and they were pulling people out of it. She wondered where they managed to get such large crowds, but these ones were a little different. Most were bound and tied. Sure didn't look like they came willingly.

She stayed where she was. She was just going to wait until they left to see what this group had been told. To see where they were from. Her growing hate for the group that had brought her here rivaled her desire to run from Isaiah. Clair saw them finishing up and started to move to the front of the house.

___Leonardo and Michael___

"Do you feel any left alive?" Michael looked at his father Leonardo Grietio. He shook his head.

"It is silent, he and the others are to weak at the moment to come and greet us."

"Excellent. Unload these things and let us be on our way." Leonardo was finding it harder to get people, but easier at the same time. He could always buy them. Always offer a poor soul on the street that no one would miss the chance for shelter and food, with a day's work. Then lock them up until he needed to feed the beast that gave him and his family immortality.

This group was one such group. He'd kept most of them in cells deep below his family home, they were well fed and cared for. Just kept to bring here. Leonardo liked his immortality. He liked the power and riches he had, that his family had.

So he would take others to sacrifice to Isaiah so he could continue to live, him and his family. So long as none of them crossed him. He was however keeping an eye on his one son, something was up with him. The family should know that if they tried to do something. Tried to usurp him or change the hand of power concerning Isaiah, he'd send them to die.

They had been very lucky the day that they'd caught Isaiah and locked him in here. Incredibly lucky. He'd killed his daughter for immortality and then climbed out of the cave trapping him. Him leaving these wretches was nothing to him.

"You've checked them all, thoroughly, and the women." He asked every time. They could not risk one that was like Athena getting in. Yes it was incredibly rare, and they had come across a couple but either left them alone or killed them if they knew to much. No woman that could replace Athena was getting in this house or they were all fucked.

"Have I made a mistake yet?" Michael snapped. Michael checked everyone for psychic talent. It really didn't matter about the men. It was the women, and a lot had a touch of talent. That didn't count, they had to be a fully developed psychic. As far as they were aware it was just not possible to hide it. Michael could always sense it.

"Don't grow complacent. You could overlook one that hides it well." Michael gave a sneer and pulled a woman from the back of the van lifting her and taking her into the house. She was looking around scared.

"Everyone gives a signature. I haven't missed anyone." It was his talent to sense if they were talented. He might not know with what, but he could feel the strength. His sister had shined like a beacon. So he knew what he was looking for.

Leonardo looked up at the house, his family's old house long ago. It looked bigger now. Like it had grown over the years. Which it had, it was no longer his house. It was Isaiah's and would do for him what it would never do for another living soul.

They would have to go in soon and get blood from Isaiah to reinstate the ritual. To make sure the binding didn't grow weak on them. He didn't think it ever would, but he was going to be positive. Never take anything for granted. There was a reaper of souls in that house. No one wanted him to get out. The world had no idea what he trapped here.

They unloaded the humans. Most if not all would be dead by dawn and they would have to bring another group that much sooner. Michael would come and check in a few days to see how many were left. They traveled far and wide to gather groups. It was too dangerous to get them from the same place too often, or the same method. This house was a three hour drive around the mountains to find, not easy. It was also encased in magic to hide it.

kill his own daughter he sure as hell could toss people that he didn't even know into a house to die. Athena, he'd loved his daughter. He'd just loved what he could get from

were very specific needs for that to happen. However he'd found her notes, saw what she was doing. That she had taken a different route to immortality. She was trying to get his favor, his blood by a child. She was trying to willingly get the gift from Isaiah. Leonardo decided to

been set in motion. Isaiah promised to come back for her the following night after she'd told him of her condition, and so he had. Leonardo had killed Athena to seal him in the house and his life to feed their immortality.

charm but there had been a bit of a blood bath with the ones who were still in the house. Oh well it wasn't him. He’d been using others to extend his life already. So all it took was

they were masters of manipulation as well. The world nowadays had no real knowledge of them and what knowledge there was was mostly verbal. In this house there was information. Athena's journal was still in the library. Didn't matter Leonardo knew what to do. He’d searched for anything else, but couldn’t find it. Fine by him, no

and powerful magic to pull a reaper from the other side and make them human. To his knowledge only one other reaper had ever existed and it was dead now, or rather sent back to the other side. It had failed in its

all got in the vans and drove off quickly. If they were lucky they wouldn't have to visit for another two months, but

__Clair__

twenty one bound and struggling strangers. They never skimped on the numbers that was for sure. She helped free them and then those that were freed helped the

are we?"

that damn cell of theirs for months." There was talking going on and one moved toward the door. Clair was sure that they had a system set up to keep people. Whether this family was the one directly watching them or

that!" Clair called as one tried to go out the door and was thrown back. They had all signed the contract. The room grew silent and everyone looked around, a few others tried the door

Clair snapped and most turned to look at her. "Your best chance to live is to run and hide, and hide well. There are things in this house

"Bullshit!" Someone said.

here for a while now. I'm lucky to be alive. Listen to me, just give me a couple minutes and then you can do as you wish." she explained as best she could about Isaiah and the hell hounds. Only a few seemed to believe

just a human trafficking ring. Are they going to hunt

stay alone it's easier to hide." With that she turned and left the room. She needed to find a place to hide as well. Well she knew where she was going. The others now moved around the house. She still wasn’t sure why

west and it was growing dark fast. She'd stayed out too long, though she was sure that the moon wouldn't be up for a bit. She'd watched its crescent shape come over the mountain

room with the chute and the door slammed in her face. She jumped and looked around, no one was there. However she heard doors starting to slam all over the place and people calling out

to the middle of her chest by an invisible hand. She stumbled back. The house went silent the moment that a

could remember the sound of that thing from the last moon. She wouldn't ever forget it not until the day she died. Then three low howls echoed behind

her and appearing around the corner. It was a man with light brown hair. He was pulling a woman along with him. She looked a whole lot like Clair.

you, what was that?" The man

during the moon." Clair said, turning and running down the hall to try and find a hiding place. Or

The woman said as

watching it rise over..." She slowed slightly and felt like an idiot. "It's

closed. Clair turned around she was going back to

you

a while. Clearly you know something to stay alive." Clair didn't want to share her hiding spot, not at all. However she couldn't very

them to rip into the walls." She went into one room

The woman said. Whose name was Leanne her husband Carlos was behind her as they leaned against the

clicking on the hardwood floor told them that something was on the other side. Clair turned her head and looked at them, she

bedroom. She told them to stay there. It was a better hiding place than most and as Clair stepped down from the dresser she crumpled to the floor as

to her, moving