Reaper's Word

Chapter 41: A Releasing Escape

Clair moved fast through the vent. She had one chance and fifteen minutes to do it. She went to herlittle home in the wall and grabbed the gun that was there. It was the only thing that she wanted andthen she slid down the shaft on the other side. It would deposit her in the basement and not far from adoor that led to the caves.

She was sure that Isaiah would hear her and come but he couldn't touch her so long as the spell held.She hoped that was the same for the rest of the yard and not just in the house. She hit the basementfloor rather hard. She ran to the caves and Gamma came toward her looking confused.

"Please help me Gamma. I have to leave. Say nothing to the others and don't speak to Isaiah. I can'tstay here. I don't want to die." Gamma ran alongside her as they entered the cave.

She ran to the water's edge. Gamma stopping there making a promise to not speak and she wouldmeet her outside. Clair swam through the chilled water and to the waterfall. The roar of it wasdeafening. She climbed fast and with little problem, she felt an aide to her. Like something else wasmoving through her limbs and she was thankful for it.

It felt like the energy of this place was helping her climb faster and safer.

It was growing cloudy out and the sun was moving lower in the sky so it should be okay for Gamma tomeet her outside. Direct sunlight could kill her in hell hound form. So she would have to stay as aSheppard which would curb her ability some. This was the thought going through Clair's head. Shecouldn't do this on her own, she'd need some help.

It took her closer to ten minutes to get up the waterfall and crawl out onto the forest floor near the river.She turned and ran down the path there. She knew it was the only way that she could go, she couldfeel it. Or she'd be dragged back by magic. There was a kind of presence again guiding her, aiding herin the speed she knew it. She ran out into the backyard and Gamma came to her. They ran around the

front of the house. The yard was huge and she didn't know how far she could get before the fifteen wasup. Just a few minutes now she knew.novelbin

She came around the side of the house. She knew that Isaiah watched her from somewhere but shewasn't going to take the time to find him. She could hear the sound of car doors closing as she ranaround the side of the house and into the driveway. She recognized Michael and the older man next tohim as they spoke. The two vans were already pulling away, but one slammed on their breaks as thedriver spotted her. Clair ran toward the two men. A few more coming out of the van that had stopped.

Clair was covered in mud and filth from the climb but she didn't care. She was outside and so close toleaving. Gamma moved around the side of the vans going to kill those she found. They got out butdidn't see her. Clair pointed her gun moving forward slightly.

"Get out of my way." She demanded. Their car was on and the closest to her and most likely the fastestone. Several reached for weapons but she fired, nearly hitting two of them and the others ran for cover.There was sudden screaming inside. Looked like fifteen minutes was up.

However it had nothing to do with her firing and everything with the occupants of the house. Over bythe first van there was shouting and the sound of a short snarl. Gamma moved from man to mangetting those that tried to run as Clair approached the car. They had their hands full with the fast hellhound.

She held out her hand and the weapons that the two behind the car had came to her. She let them fallto the ground. She just glanced up enough to see that Isaiah was on the roof watching but notattempting to do or say anything.

Gamma had run to the other van not far from her but farther ahead to take care of those there.Leonardo and Michael stood facing her as she got to the closed door of the small car. She kept her gunpointed at them. They didn't have a weapon at the ready and their hands were up.

"We don't want trouble." Leonardo said, but Clair had heard them talking low over here. Leonardo wasangry with Michael because he'd told them that they had killed her. Shot her in the head. Clair knewthen that they had killed Leanne and Carlos. She wouldn't hesitate to kill them either. The softer sideshe'd once had was long gone, and these men had fucked her over good.

"Back away." She said watching them. The sounds of Gamma attacking came to them, the sound ofbreaking glass and other destruction from in the house. They backed up and looked at her.

"You can't shoot us to kill us." Michael said.

"Who said I wanted to kill you? I just want to leave. I'm more than sure that a bullet to the head mightdo the trick though." The car door opened but Leonardo made a motion and it slammed closed. So hewas talented as well.

"We can't let you leave, not without you joining us. I'm afraid we'll have to kill you otherwise." A mancame from the first van that Gamma was just moving to. He was a short distance behind Clair but shewas aware of him. Gamma was finishing with the last of the men though on the other side. In a shortamount of time the other hell hounds would be out here. All of them knew it, and they needed to get offthe property.

"Just answer one question. The answer will be whether we kill or let you live." She gave a rude sound,she sensed the truth of it. Should she answer right then she could live. However it probably wouldn't befor long. Just long enough for them to do something to her.

"He can tell if you lie." Leonardo said pointing to the other man behind her.

"We aren't getting younger here." Clair said opening the car door with her mind again. This time itstayed open even when he tried to close it. She had a smug look about her.

"Better than you thought."

"You fooled us all." Leonardo said, glancing to where Isaiah was, and she waited. It was Michael whospoke next, moving slightly but her gun moved to him and he paused.

"Do you really want to let him out of this house?" He asked her first.

"I have less to worry about if he gets out than you do. I don't mind the thought of him tearing the two ofyou apart." Clair answered.

"If you leave you could release him instead of gaining control over him." Clair didn't understand thatcompletely, but then she figured if someone escaped and got control of Isaiah... no wonder he was sointense on killing those that even had a remote chance of escape.

"And?" She said using Isaiah's tone of voice when she asked questions.

"If you carry his child you'll let him out by leaving the property. He'll kill all of us." There was silence inthe yard as Michael spoke the words. Really? Well wasn't that just a kick in the pants? Looked like shehad less to fear than she realized, and they were screwed.

"Are you?" He said after a moment when she just stared at them. No one moved. It was like the houseand grounds even froze waiting for her to speak.

"Am I what?" She asked turning slightly as she watched him. She would dive into the car easily thisway when she answered. She'd answer too, just to show them how fucked they were when she got offthis property.

"Pregnant, you stupid bitch." Leonardo snapped. There was anger in his voice and he wanted ananswer, though he already had it.

"Yes." Clair dove into the car as the man behind her fired the bullet missed and clipped Michael's arm.She slammed the car door and hit the gas as she put it in gear. She nearly hit Leonardo as he dove out

of the way. She slowed only enough to let the passenger door open and Gamma jumped in. It was likesome stunt out of a movie and she felt her heart beat faster. Adrenaline surge and joy skyrocket insideof her. Fuck yes she did it.

Her tires spun up dirt and gravel as she peeled down the driveway. Another in pursuit of her. They'dhave to kill her to reverse what she was going to do. They'd have to drag her back and kill her to traphim again. Clair knew the moment she was beyond the grounds of the house. She felt this invisiblesnap in her chest and rubbed it slightly but had a smile. When she hit pavement, she gunned it.

The car was quick and fast. Faster than other larger car could ever be. Next to her Gamma was havinga hard time staying on the seat but she didn't complain. She enjoyed this high speed chase around awinding mountain road. Clair wasn't stopping for anything, and she was already starting to lose largervehicle.

__Isaiah__

Isaiah stood above the scene below, watching, waiting. He could barely breathe as Michael asked thequestion all of them wanted to know. The reasoning for it a bit different. He felt such a sudden andexplosive relief and joy that he nearly jumped down right then and there.

He had to wait though, just long enough for her to hit the edge of the grounds. As his thoughts turned toleaving he felt the welts forming on his skin. That didn't matter just another minute or so. She wastearing down the drive having gotten Gamma. Isaiah felt the moment that the spell crumbled, everyonein the house was dead. None to escape and gain control now that they could come and go at will. Hecame down off the roof landing in a slight crouch and straightening. Damn it felt good to be outside, nopain or invisible lines tearing at him.

One large vehicle had taken off after Clair. However his two main targets were still in the yard movingaway from him and around the side of the house. He followed after them. They wouldn't get anywhere.

They were trapped now and the three hell hounds were already outside. The family didn't get control ifthey got off the property. They weren't part of the contract, so he wasn't worried about the one followingClair.

Isaiah caught Michael first. His talons sinking into his shoulder, slicing bone and flesh. He tossed himforward a moment later to where the hell hounds were pacing stopping Leonardo's progress. Isaiahslowly felt the rush of all that he was coming back to him. The power that he'd lost returning. He'd killthese men and laugh while doing it.

Isaiah came up behind Leonardo, and first grabbed him as he tried to get away snapping his arm inthree places with ease. He cried out and Isaiah kicked the side of his knee. The bones snapped andthe knee dislocated, white bone sticking through the skin and he fell. So damn satisfying.

"Devour him, slowly. Make sure he stays alive for most of it." Isaiah said to the three hell hounds andthey moved to Michael whom he'd indicated. Isaiah bit into Leonardo's neck. He took as much as hecould without killing him.

He let go, and now he was going to take his time to kill this man. Isaiah knew every single way to killsomeone. Which ones hurt the most, which ones tore you down making you beg for death. It was hisjob after all, he was the personification of death and he knew what each person's fear was. At leasttheir greatest fear of how they would die. He could hear it all now.

"You take time to kill us, and she gets away." Michael's screams were horrible to hear if there had beensomeone with a conscience in the area to hear them. They just made Isaiah smile and the hell houndsmore worked up. If he had to work to get a hold of her, he knew that no human was going to manage iteasily. Clair wasn't one to take lightly.

"I'll find her, I'm not worried about it. I'd thank Michael for bringing her to me but he's beyond listening atthe moment." Isaiah took hold of Leonardo's throat and held him up. Isaiah was starting to look less

human now. Leonardo had fear in his eyes for the first time. How good that finally felt. He knew justhow fucked he was.

There was nothing that he could say or do to save his life this time and they both knew it. He'd createdhis own hell the moment he'd trapped Isaiah here. Isaiah would first cause so much pain in his bodyhe'd wish he was dead. Then shred his mind to where he was a hollow broken shell. Not one piece ofhim was going to be recognizable when Isaiah was done with him. The dark smile he gave Leonardowas full of nasty teeth. His black bottomless eyes held no mercy or caring.

"How I'm going to enjoy this." He hissed out with glee.