Reaper's Word

Clair opened her eyes. Light was spilling down from above. It had to be near noon, she wasn't sure what time she'd gone to sleep at. Just that time was growing shorter on her. She had a bit of a plan now but had yet to find the exit over the past few days.

The day after the attack Isaiah had stayed rather close to her. Immediately demanded to know where she was going if she when to leave the room. She kind of liked the sudden protective air, but she wouldn't tell him that.

Right now she was laying against Isaiah. Her face against his shoulder and one of her legs over his. She sighed to herself, she enjoyed the feel right now laying against him. His one arm along her back. How she had come to liking this when not so long ago she would have tried anything to run from him.

She wanted to say that she did it because she had to. Because she had no choice, but that wasn't completely true. She'd come here, stayed in his room of her own freewill. At first when this thought came she would feel a bit ashamed of herself, but not now. Now she just felt content. Content and sad at the same time.

Clair was in love with him, she shouldn't be. It was completely nonsensical to be. He could kill her anytime that he pleased. He wasn't the kindest person in the world and he was overly controlling, but she still did. It wasn't the 'oowe-gooey' kind of love either. She realized it was what the other was giving that created it. The safety of being wanted by him and her filling the void he had. She enjoyed how he looked at her, and as of recently his treatment of her was far different. He spoke and talked to her like an equal. Like she actually had opinions and ideas that mattered and seemed to listen.

Clair moved to get up, he didn't really move but she didn't expect him to. He was starting to grow weaker and the height of the sun was really starting to affect him. It had been over a week since Amis had attacked her and even before that he hadn't really fed. What he took from her was not enough and the drain of him from those that leeched immortality was great. She had been gifted with it from him, they had taken it. So she didn't drain him.

He'd killed Amis and hadn't used him for food. Those that kept him here had to be coming with others soon. They would grow weak as well. From what she understood they drained him, pulling energy from him to be immortal. The ones left in the house were just two. They were doing a really good job of hiding. With Isaiah getting weaker it made it harder for him to track them. So she was sure the family would feel this and bring him more.

If they let him go for a good amount of time those who recently added into the ritual via what they took from Isaiah would suffer first. His energy would dip lower and he'd be unable to supply to all of them. Those that were the newest additions would be cut off from him. Depending on their age or how long they'd been alive they would die aging faster than possible in a matter of hours. She thought about the conversation she had with him.

"What about if you got out, would they die then too?" She'd asked.

"No, my being trapped here isn't completely related to them gaining immortality from me." She could now understand how being held against your will could start to leave a stain in one's soul. She'd given up on being angry about it now. No sense in crying over spilled milk, and she was much more free now.

Clair slipped from the room and paced the house. Today was a good day to search again. Isaiah had to know where the exit was that was a given. She hadn't thought of a way to trick it from him. Gregori had said that a man had made it out onto the grounds. He'd run for his life but the hell hounds had caught him. It seemed like years ago that she'd spoken with that man about such things.

She thought about what she knew about Isaiah. He liked to play games with people. He'd have told them all how to leave she knew it. It would be fun for him to see if anyone was smart enough to figure it out. She was sure that it was extremely difficult to do. Of course once you got out you had to deal with the hell hounds. She racked her brain on all the things Isaiah had ever said. He'd be careful, but still he'd have done something to show them.

Clair moved to the grand staircase. She paused just to look out the windows from the top. At freedom so close yet so far away. At the bottom of the staircase she could see the drawing that she had made for him a while ago. She walked down the stairs to look at it. She really was proud of it. She felt that she'd captured the mood of the place well, a kind of desperate hope. As she looked at the image she noted the difference. In the picture the stone statues were different than when she'd drawn them.

to hook under her opposite arm. Her head was up facing the light now where water flowed in. One hand down and the other held

above. Her hand was bathed in light and Clair suddenly understood. How simple yet it was exactly what she'd thought. He would. He fucking would make it obvious and yet obscure. Unless you'd

to get up to the opening, but he'd

that you

the stairs. She moved down the hall she had to wait now. Had to make her timing perfect. When they brought others, that would be perfect, fifteen minutes. Could she climb

of blood he took from her wasn't enough to sustain him. She had a feeling he was mentally tracking the others in the

Inside she wondered how her leaving would affect him. At times she thought that he really did care for her. It showed the couple days after she'd been attacked. The

"They have to keep their battery working." she said with a smile.

ceiling for a moment. There were still two others left in the house. They were hiding well and he

put his finger on. Like the knowledge was just slipping right past him. She looked far healthier now that she had a few weeks ago. There was

was appealing to him, she was always appealing to him. Just her presence calmed and pleased him. He wanted her around so very much. She lifted a weight that seemed to have hung around him as of late. If he were to pick someone to keep forever as a mate it would be her. He didn't really know what his kind would call someone they chose to stay with. They didn't really do that where he was from, but this was his world

to be such a permanent thing would be to conceive a child with said person or being. He had yet to see Clair even remotely show him anything that told him she was even the slightest bit capable. She had the right blood type, he

wondering about that mental block more and more, could that be a talent? Was the block hiding something? He'd been thinking to test it more than he had, but it would cause her a great deal of pain. Plus he was sure it

the sense having his child bonded them. So Kind of like a mate he guessed. However he would have killed her anyways. He'd had none of the feelings he had toward Clair with her, not even close and

side of her face. He just studied her for a moment. She seemed in a very good mood today. It was

asked her, he was curious. He was never able to hear her thoughts. It had bothered him so and still did. Though not as much, he found that not knowing what was going

particular." She answered as a shiver went through them both. They felt it instantly. Her reaction a bit different than his. He dropped his hand because he

starving." He stated turning

be away from where she needed to be. Her only problem was going to be the hell hounds. She knew that they would be in the caves. She hoped that they had left. They had to be starved and this would be like ringing a dinner bell. They were nearly to the front and she was going to turn and go back, slowing her pace. Someone stepped out into the hall between her and

paying attention. She normally didn't when with Isaiah, a mistake this time. This was the man who'd hit her and pulled her in the room with the two others. The one that seemed to know Amis

Isaiah had stopped and turned to look at them. Something very dark passed through his eyes. He couldn't

loved Amis like a brother and almost a bit more than that.