Reaper Kissed

7. Stalked by Shadow

Lauren awoke in the Empty Edges' throne room – sitting on her gigantic throne. Her eyes widened in terror and she jerked upright.

"Fuck!" Lauren cursed. Her wrists were secured to the thrones armrests. Lauren's breath fogged up the frigid air around her as she struggled against bonds she couldn't even see. She repeated a string of curses, fear causing tears to fill her eyes. Hadn't she endured enough yet? She'd lost everyone – she'd been sent to hell – when would she stop being punished?

The stone was freezing cold and Lauren's teeth began to chatter from the cold. She was dressed in only a skimpy nightgown. The black silk had ridden up her thighs and was creeping up higher. Lauren heard the creaking of Murias' headdress. Giving up on escape Lauren wriggled instead – trying to get the hem of her dress to more appropriately cover her modesty. The plunging neckline she could do nothing about.

Murias stepped into her line of vision. He had only one metal wing – the other had been shorn down into a stump. He shuffled toward her, his hunched spine stooped over. His headdress had once pulled his cheeks back wide into a constant grin but – in a rage with her – he'd pulled too much against the cruel mechanics. His cheeks were freed but torn to ribbons. In the passing time his cheeks had healed a little. The skin was swollen in the scabby joints and was so taut that you could see the outline of his teeth beneath.

"I thought I was free to go." Lauren attempted to keep bite in her tone. But Murias wasn't fooled. She'd been his prisoner for too long. Her every instinct and fibre utterly feared him. He'd broken her and he'd enjoyed the process.

"Yes, and you're free to come back." He pointed a gnarled finger at her. "You brought yourself back to me."

Lauren shook her head.

"I want to go back, now." She demanded. Murias chuckled. "If I brought myself back – what's with the outfit?"

"You can come back anytime – but I chose the manner. I'm the reaper – not you." He smiled, revealing brown and broken teeth. "Next time," he cocked his head to the side, "how about naked – hanging from one of the towers?"

He laughed at her expression. Lauren cringed at the foul sound. He laughed on and on – the sound grating against the old walls and setting Lauren's teeth on edge. A sudden thought occurred to her.

"What about Thorn? Is he still here?"

Murias' laughter came to an abrupt stop.

He stalked toward her – all humour vanished. Lauren braced herself against the throne – her hands clenched into fists.

"You've been thinking of me." The warden accused her, confidently. "Hearing my voice in your head, feeling my breath on the back of your neck." He was now standing right in front of her, his legs against her shins. He was leant over her and Lauren had no room left to recoil. Tears shone upon her lashes.

"Why?" She didn't attempt to deny it. He was right – and as time had gone by it had only gotten worse. "Have you been watching me – have you been with me the whole time?"

He pressed a putrid finger against her lips.

"One kiss was all it took," he traced the line of her lip – his finger leaving a foul smear, "to claim you forever."

Nausea assaulted Lauren's stomach and she clamped her jaw firmly shut. Murias made an appreciative sound in the back of his throat. "So beautiful." Possessively he caressed the line of her throat. "So soft." Silent tears slipped down Lauren's face as the warden stroked her breasts. He groaned and suddenly squeezed her hard. Lauren clamped her eyes firmly shut. Panic – pure panic was filling her head. She didn't want him to touch her. She needed to get away. Suddenly Lauren couldn't breathe.