Reaper's Word

Chapter 42: Forever

Clair looked around the small house she stood in. It was hers but it didn't feel like home. It felt shallowand fake. She knew that she'd left a piece of herself back at the mansion she'd lived in for months. Wellmore like a year or so if you counted the sleeping time. She felt the pull to go back, not yet though. Itwasn't quite time.

She stepped out the door and onto the porch there to sit down. She sold a lot of artwork. It seemed thatpeople really liked what she had. She signed it all as someone else, Leanne Gionivi. No one couldtrace her. Clair had looked to make sure.

Clair had been lucky to manage to sell her artwork to a gallery as she had nothing when she left. She'dgone back home to America just to see her adoptive parents, but hadn't approached them. She knew itwas better if they thought her dead. She'd looked herself up to see what had "happened" to her.

It seemed that she and her roommate had just up and disappeared after going to a college party. Therehad been no trace of either of them after that. No mention of the tour they had taken. They'd searchedfor them both for a good three weeks and given up.

Clair was sad that she couldn't talk to her family ever again. She just couldn't go back to them andexplain things. She couldn't show up seven months pregnant and be the same woman as before. Shewas changed forever, everything out here seemed so unreal. The very way she perceived things hadchanged.

When she left the house she'd lost the one trailing her, and then she'd gone until she couldn't goanymore. Finding someone to buy the car. Then she'd bought a plane ticket and gone far away. Shechecked the news though. At least globally just to keep track of things. Isaiah would be going throughthose over there killing any linked to him. There were killings all over the place, so it was really hard toeven know. She knew he'd be looking for her once he was done.

She touched her stomach. She was wishing the baby would just come. Her back hurt and she wasconstantly tired. The last doctor she went to had told her that her baby was exceptionally healthy anddoing very well. She hadn't wanted to know if it was a boy or girl. Frankly she was surprised how muchshe wanted the child, and she would try to be the best parent she could. She did however hope that herchild was more like her than Isaiah. It would just be really hard knowing the damage her child couldinflict if they had no conscience at all.novelbin

She knew that Isaiah would eventually come for her. Eventually track her down. She didn't know whathe would do then. She did have the promise from him that he would make her death as painless aspossible. Which eased her tension. Quite frankly he owed her, and she'd find a way to make his life hellin the afterlife if he did kill her just because.

However the first month after leaving she'd wake up from a dead sleep holding the gun she kept on hernightstand. She was terrified of someone finding out about her. That one of those attached to Isaiahwould find and drag her away to kill her and her child.

She looked at the stairs as Gamma came up them. It was nearly nightfall and the yard had plenty oftrees in it. It was colder now, they said that snow should be falling soon. She was in northern Minnesotaat the moment. Her landlady was nice and lived next door to her. She could see her moving about theyard with her husband. They'd taken pity on her being as pregnant as she was. With no husband and aGerman Shepherd for protection.

Her rent was low and they gave her a bit of company. Little did they know that Gamma was all theprotection she needed from burglars or anything else. Not that out in the middle of nowhere did onehave to worry about that much.

"Did your hunting go well?" Clair asked and Gamma gave a short nod telling her with images how wellshe'd done. She was lonely as well though from time to time. She missed the others, though Beta most

of all. Clair found it funny, she was pinning away like a love struck child. Clair however felt a little thesame way.

"Hello dear." Came a soft grandmotherly voice. Mrs. Lewis came up the stairs to stand by her. Gammamoved off to lay down. Keeping her eyes down so she couldn't see the color.

"How are you?"

"Good." She said with a smile.

"It's supposed to get cold tonight. I wasn't sure if you had enough blankets and I have some hot tea foryou." She said and Clair gave a smile. Just like her to worry.

"Thank you. I should be okay. I don't want to take what you may need more than me." Clair said andMrs. Lewis clucked her tongue. Mr. Lewis came over and leaned against the low railing on the otherside looking at her.

"How is it that a pretty little thing like you ends up out here, and pregnant to boot?" He finally asked thequestion she was sure was burning inside of him for a while. It was strange wasn't it?

"Herald!" Mrs. Lewis snapped.

"It's okay." Clair said with a laugh. She knew that Herald didn't mean harm by it, he was angered on herbehalf. She was surprised he'd held his tongue this long.

"I felt it was better if I left than to stay."

"Well someone should find that boy and hang him. You're such a sweet young lady, so helpful. Mindyou be careful in your state to not do so much." Clair gave a smile.

"Well I didn't give him much choice when I left. There were things he needed to take care of and I didn'twant to take part in them." Mrs. Lewis patted her leg.

"You should just move on then. If he really wanted you he'd have come for you." She advised. "Thereare plenty of other fish in the sea. Plenty of interest in town." Clair gave a laugh at that.

"Right for a pregnant woman?"

"Oh, there's interest from a few." Mr. Lewis said. "Been asked a few questions about you by others."She just smiled.

"That's nice to know." She gave a sigh. "But I don't doubt that he will eventually show up for me." Clairsaid. She knew that the two thought her just hung up on him, but they didn't know the things she did.Besides no other man interested her at all. She couldn't stand the thought of another touching her. Clairtouched her stomach as the baby kicked. Around this time of day he or she always would.

"Kicking?"

"Yep." Clair said and Mrs. Lewis touched her stomach and then moved to go in her house and set theitems she had down. From where Clair was she could see that she also adjusted the heat. Clair shookher head and Herald just gave a shrug.

"Thank you both." She said. "I'm glad I got to know you." She added not meaning to as Mrs. Lewis wentdown the stairs. The way she said it sounded like a goodbye almost.

"Are you leaving dear?" She asked.

"One never knows." She responded standing up with a heavy sigh as she straightened. "But I will seeyou later." She said and moved inside as they walked back to their house. Gamma came over to her as

she sat down in the living room. Her nose pushing against her stomach until she felt the kick on hersnout.

She gave a sneeze and then moved to lay down. Clair took the thermos and used the cap to drinkfrom. It was hot and tasted really good. She enjoyed tea a lot, plus she felt hungry again. She got upwith a bit of work and moved to the kitchen. She could feel it like the rising sun, he was coming. He'dbe here soon. She just didn't know how soon.

__Isaiah__

Isaiah stood looking at the small house. He knew Clair was here. He could feel her, smell her. It hadtaken him a while to track her down. Next to him was Beta. The others were back at the house. Thehouse wanted Clair back just as much as he did. It felt that a piece of it was missing. They were allbound to it and the magic there.

He looked through the window on the left. The light was on as the sky was darkening quickly. The smellof snow was in the air. The first snow he'd be able to touch and not have to associate with a long sleep.He noted that the older couple next door seemed worried about Clair and that she lived alone, they feltthey needed to take care of her. Better than other scenarios that had gone through his mind.

Isaiah moved with an easy stride. Nearly flowing across the ground rather than walking. He moved upto the door. Beta stayed where he was. He glanced at the other house, the old woman there noticedhim. He didn't mind her noticing him. She also notice Beta who looked like a Sheppard at the moment.Seeing this the woman seemed to surmise just who he was to Clair. He'd probably wipe their memorybefore leaving, but maybe not. It wouldn't really matter.

He opened the door and Gamma was sitting there. She looked up at him and then toward the kitchen.He stepped aside as she went out the door. She knew he wasn't here to cause harm to Clair, so she lethim pass. She went over to Beta excitedly.

The place smelled of her, it was everywhere and extremely appealing. He just took it in for a moment,enjoying it. Only her and Gamma were the main smell in the house. That was good he'd wonderedabout Clair and what she had told him so many months ago. Apparently she'd spoken the truth just ashe hoped she did. She had not sought out another's company.

He stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. Her back was to him, there was a tired but not unhealthy airabout her. It had been far too long since he'd seen her, touched her. He needed her so much that itmade his skin crawl that he didn't have her near him for such a long time. Whatever bond had formedwas incredibly strong and led him here.

Her head was bent down her hands on the edge of the sink. She was lost in thought and he movedforward coming up behind her. He put one hand over her stomach and the other he sank into thesoftness of her hair. He took a slow measured breath, finally. She didn't jump nor seem startled at hispresence. She knew, and had clearly been waiting.

"You weren't easy to find Clair." He said to her annoyed, pulling the hair from her neck. His mouthcoming down on the skin there. She was far along in her pregnancy. He enjoyed the fact that his childgrew inside of her. You couldn't mark anyone much more than that, as yours. He knew that theenjoyment was solely because it was Clair.

"I didn't want to disappoint you." She remarked. She liked how he felt pressed against her, holding herto him. You never realized the things you craved until you were deprived of them. His hold feltpossessive, and she saw no reason to not accept it. She'd been waiting. She already knew her placeand where she wanted to be.

"I doubt you ever will." He replied with a slight laugh. He turned her head so he could taste her mouth.He kissed her like he was starving for her. The time did not change his memory. If anything it was moresatisfying. Clair sighed, he made a deep sound in his chest and lifted his mouth from hers.

"I've come to take you home Clair." He told her, as she turned to face him. She could see that he wasmuch more than he had been before. She could feel it coming from him, but she didn't get that instantfear that she used to. He was no longer restrained and held down. All that he was was free to him now.

"I know." She assured him. He kissed her again. She closed her eyes for a moment. When she openedthem they weren't in the kitchen anymore. She was not surprised he could move somewhere by just athought alone now. He'd brought them back to the house, and she felt it touch her with a warmembrace. That piece of her didn't feel like it was gone anymore. This place had gotten into her, markedher just as the man before her had.

"I need you, I crave you Clair." He growled against her throat as he set her down on his bed. Clair keptan arm around his shoulders. His hands moved over her stomach before moving lower. She felt likecrying she was so relieved at the moment.

She hadn't realized how badly she felt for Isaiah. How much she herself wanted him. Completely atease with it. She let him strip her of her clothes, before his own and took her body. His mouth over hershe moved it to the side of her head near her ear.

"You'll never leave again Clair." He told her, a dangerous finality to his voice.

"I know." She gasped out, "I'm yours." She commented knowing what he wanted to hear. He was morethan thrilled to hear her say it. He knew that part of him belonged to her as well. Clair however was hiscompletely, he'd already decided that he wasn't letting her go. She would always be right where heneeded her to be. Forever was a very long time, and Clair was one thing he desired to keep forever.

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Love has no shape, no barriers. It comes to us in heat, and leaves us with ice. Forever etched into aheart, forever ingrained in a mind.