Reaper Society

Chapter 31: The Power of Death

"Have you had sufficient rest?" Asher asks me after a few more beats of silence. He's gone back to a more business-like tone and is regarding me with a more level look than before. My tense muscles still ache, both from the nightmare and from earlier, but I nod. Though I don't feel like I've mentally rested nearly enough, my mind's clear and my aches will eventually subside.

"I'm done sleeping." I confirm aloud, firmly. I honestly don't think I could sleep now anyway, knowing I'm being hunted in my nightmares.

"Alright, then," Asher gets to his feet gracefully and turns to face me, waiting for me to follow him. "I believe it's time to start educating you on the finer points of your existence."

"Finer points?" I quirk an eyebrow at him, not happy with the sudden formality in his expression and voice, though I am able to concentrate on more than the quality of his sexy voice now.

"Yes, as a Daughter of Death, there is much you will need to be aware of before you can begin working as a Reaper." Asher nods, not getting - or more likely not acknowledging my pointed dig.

"Mh." I grumble out, still not sure I'm one-hundred percent, but I sure as shit don't want to try sleeping again until the memory of the nightmare fades.

"The power of Death is both light and dark," Asher starts, surprising me by just diving right into the lesson, even as he leads me out of my room. The halls are empty as we walk through them, the endless and monotonous sameness of them without people to make them stand out doesn't help with the shock from my nightmare. "You are the epitome of both sides in one being-"

"Okay," I interrupt him before he can confuse me further. "You're making it sound like I'm some sort of freak of nature." I wrinkle my nose, the last few...whatever time it's been...of my Reaper life flashing in my mind. "I am- was - human."

"You are...something new." Asher hedges slowly, his voice flowing through enough tones that I get the gist that he's trying to tread lightly around the truth. "You may have looked human, and still do, but you never were one of them." His words slap me in the face harder than I would have expected. Not human. Never human.

Something in me hums in acknowledgement of his words, a part of me that always knew I wasn't 'normal'. I frown at myself, stopping dead in the hall and reflecting on the memories my 'parents' unlocked in my mind before we went into battle. Memories I ignored so I could focus on the end of the world. Times when I was unbound, my inherent abilities calling to the spirits- souls- of the dead, their spooky specter forms haunting my ass for years before Viv finally tracked me down. In all that time, I felt wrong, trying to ignore the cries and some times pleas of the ghosts who seemed to be able to spot me a mile away.

But, since I've been a Reaper, I haven't felt that 'wrong' vibe. I haven't really felt much of anything, aside from whatever pain I've received from battles and the pleasure shocks from Asher.

"New," I echo, the word echoing in my brain as the groggy cloud of the nightmare finally fades and my usual thoughts start crackling. "So I am a fucking freak." I growl in irritation at the demon-Reaper in front of me. Asher stopped walking when I did, but his back is still to me, so I can't see his face when I speak, but I note the tensing of his shoulders and spike of his scent. Campfire smoke and s'mores and fucking sunshine, the best and strangest combination of things that just make my mouth water. Dark nights and sunny days, safety and something tasty. It both annoys the hell out of me and makes all sorts of pulsing, hot implosions go off in my core.

When Asher turns slowly to face me, his reddish-brown eyes full-red and glow-y, it's both terrifying and alluring. The man/Reaper is the personification of sex and sin. Danger and the promise of utter bliss. I hold my ground against his glare, the smoldering heat of his eyes searing through me. It's like he's trying to force me to take back my bitter words, to fall to my knees and beg mercy. But I've never been one to stand down in the face of danger, or even when I know I should. The will to fight back and rise to any challenge roars against Asher's.