Ashes of Revenge

Chapter 12: Deal with Death

Raven's eyes shot open, and she sat up, inhaling deeply as she did so. Liquid filled her throat, cutting off her breath. The next thing she knew, she was coughing up something. It pooled out her mouth and onto the ground beneath her as her hands desperately scratched and clawed at her throat. She could feel her eyes straining due to the pressure, and she felt like she was about to pass out.

After a few more seconds, the liquid subsided. Air flowed back into her lungs, and she took deep, strained breaths. Her bloodshot eyes looked down at the fluid, and her shaking fingers lowered to it. Pulling her fingers away, her eyes faintly widened, and her face paled when she recognized it as the black liquid that had come out of Ash's hand.

"Sorry it's so messy," Death said from behind her. "It's either that or soot and ash."

Raven quickly turned around on the ground and faced him. Death's feet were on a wall – at least five feet in the air – and his arms rested against his knees. A giant smile was resting on his face, his white teeth twinkling in the dull light.

Raven looked around for any sign of the decrepit woman, and when she didn't see her, her muscles untensed. "What's tha point of tha black liquid?" Raven's shaking voice asked as she staggered to her feet.

"To give you an incentive to do as I say." Before he even finished his sentence, he flicked his wrist, and Raven gasped for air once more. She could feel the liquid pooling into her lungs and wrapping around her organs. A scream tried to come out, but every system began to shut down.

Raven's fingers desperately entered her mouth, trying to throw up and relieve the pressure, but even her gag reflex wasn't working.

"Sorry, but I have to ensure that things run smoothly, and I can already tell you dislike me." He had hoped the pair could begin on level ground, but she had already made up her mind. Nature was such a peculiar thing.

Suddenly, the liquid went away, and Raven quickly removed her fingers. Gasping for air, her body began to tremble again.

Death pushed himself off the wall and walked the few feet to her. "So, now that we have an understanding of what is to be done do we have a deal?" He reached his hand down to her, but she firmly shoved it away.

Death breathed out a laugh as he smiled. Raven made her way to her feet, staring at him.

"Ok, how about one more incentive. . . . If you don't agree to the deal now, I will hurt Richard and Colt." He watched as fear seeped into her body. "As I've stated before, it's not permanent, you'll come back. We both get what we want. I'm still giving you a chance at your revenge!"

"Why are yeh makin' me do this?"

"Because every time it happens, I get to take something from you and those little bits add up." He stepped towards her. Once more, he outstretched his hand. "Deal?"

"What did yeh take tha first time an' what will yeh take tha second?"

"That's for you to find and figure out later." His hand still extended to her.

Raven stared at his onyx fingers for a second, thinking about what she was about to give up. But she couldn't stomach the thought of Death coming after Colt and Richard because of her stubbornness. Besides, he had said that it wasn't permanent, so she would still get to follow through with her original goal. Pain was temporary; she knew that. She had been through so much torture that the thought of it happening to her would simply be another small gash.

Instantaneously her hand slipped into his cold one.

"Excellent, my dear!" He pulled his hand away. "Now that we have a deal, I'll let you guys go. All you hvae to do is simply outrun them."