Reaper's Word

Chapter 32: Old Habits

Clair gave a sigh looking up at the metal ceiling above her. She turned over and climbed out of the vent and into the hall. All was quiet at the moment. No one moving around. Granted no one was really left except Carlos and his wife. They hadn't come out in days and she figured that was best if they wanted to live.

Gamma was still growing but with the sudden lack of food she had slowed down. She always seemed to know when Clair came out of hiding and would find her. It was no different today. Though she never led the others to her.

Gamma was an easy companion. Content to look around and learn the layout of the house. There was an air of anticipation in her as more humans would soon be brought here. She could finally hunt herself. Beta it seemed had taken a keen interest in Gamma which the young hell hound didn't seem to mind.

Clair felt the cool feeling sweep over her. It told her that the barriers were in place for the arrival of the new people. Her only thought was to think how long she thought this group would last. She moved down stairs to see what kind of group they were bringing this time.

She heard the ones in the kitchen. Good they had practically no food left. The house kept it fresh but couldn't make more of it. The group being brought in she could hear was a tourist like thing again. Like she'd been brought in. she could smell the cooked food and so could Gamma. Right now she just looked like a black Sheppard.

Clair went past the kitchen. She saw them moving in there. She ignored them and moved to the dining area. She heard someone call after her to stop but she didn't. Fuck them she wasn't going to indulge them by talking to them. Instead she went into the dining room. A group of seventeen were sitting there talking. How normal it looked, how foreign. Gamma could not enter the room and stopped in the hall sitting and watching her.

"Oh are you are guide?"A woman asked.

"No." Clair said. She moved over and grabbed some food eating it. Carlos and Leanne showed up. They looked disheveled and dirty, and incredibly happy for the food.

"Do you live here? Are you two sisters?"

"No." Leanne answered and she looked very withdrawn at the moment. Very hollow.

"Then what are you doing?" A man asked.

"They are eating. You won't get a real meal again. I have eight minutes." Carlos and his wife grabbed food and ran from the room through the kitchen. It was clear they were not going to stick around for his time to be up. Clair looked at him, grabbing a few more items while those around the table looked at Isaiah. It wasn't sinking in with them yet. Clair didn't feel like explaining anything.

"I'd suggest you start running. He hasn't fed in what five days?" Clair noted that his eyes were more black, but not the solid color. The hazel was gone. The rest weren't noticing anything, but they were confused and a couple seemed uneasy now. She was counting the minutes in her head and so was he.

"Something like that." The group looked between them. A few moved to the door the couple had gone out. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

"Several of them are perfect, wouldn't you say?" Isaiah said to Alpha who looked fully hell hound. Everyone around the table jumped up. As always one went to try the outside door. Isaiah's gaze was still on Clair who moved to the kitchen. She was also not about to stick around, and his gaze felt glued to her.

It had been six days since he'd seen her last and better than a week since he'd been able to touch her. It clawed at him like a ravenous animal. He was more interested in getting his hands on her than the

group. However his hunger was starting to outclass that need.

Clair disappeared into the kitchen while the new group darted every which way. With the realization that they could not get out. Gamma paced toward Isaiah. She was extremely excited and he wanted to see how she would go after her prey. She was young and her technique would be different.

"Two minutes." He said to them and all four hell hounds started to follow those that had run out of the room into the rest of the house. Isaiah took one last glance toward the kitchen and then moved off to take care of his hunger. First that, then Clair so he didn't do something by accident.

___Clair___

Clair went into the kitchen and suddenly felt sick. The food she'd just eaten felt far too rich. She should have thought of that she was used to simple foods. At least that was what she was pretty sure it was. Not to mention the smell of a couple items was nauseating. She was sick in the sink. She'd remember this next time.

She ran from the room, mentally trying to figure how much time she had left and then she found the vent she needed and went up. She grabbed her I-pod and put it in to ignore the screams that were going to be coming in a minute. Her stomach was still feeling upset and that made smells sharper to her. She just breathed even and laid back to relax and just wait.

It was some time later when she needed to use the bathroom that she left. Putting her drawing items down and climbing out. Gamma rushed toward her looking very pleased with herself. She showed Clair the human she managed to catch.

Clair felt kind of awkward not sure how to respond, but it was clear that she was proud of how she'd done it. Clair noted that her method wasn't nearly as messy but it was still brutal. She'd caught the man

managing to paralyze him before starting to devour him. He'd been alive the whole time until he passed out and bled to death before she started on anything vital.

"I can see you are a natural huntress." The praise made Gamma giddy, and she ran in a circle before bouncing alongside her to the bathroom. Clair felt ashamed for giving praise at killing someone, but at the same time happy for the hell hound. This place was definitely changing her, how could it not?

‘My master asked where my mastera was, of course I said nothing. I very much enjoy you as my mastera you give me freedoms.’ Gamma’s mental speak was always very precise.

"You are welcome and thank you. You are a loyal and most trusted pack mate." Clair said hoping that was a good thing to say. She didn't want Gamma to think she looked down on her.

"However I will say that if you should betray me..."

‘Never.’ Was her response. Clair smiled at that and left the bathroom.

"I must go back, I'm sure that you have plenty to chase down. To try a different style of hunting." This piqued Gamma's interest and she turned to run off and find another human. Clair stood looking at the grate before her for a moment. She honestly didn’t feel like climbing in. She glanced about and let out a sharp breath. How long could she keep living like this?