Reaper

Chapter 18 -Kouzen

Kouzen’s head was spinning. Something had happened but he couldn’t remember what. He looked around at his surroundings. He was in a house, currently in a bedroom. It was very plain, just a twin mattress was in it and he was laying in it. He shifted, checking to ensure his clothes were still on.

He gave a sigh of relief at the feel of cloth on his skin and then got up off the bed. His feet landed on an old hardwood floor and it creaked so loud a haunted house would have a run for its money. He cringed, he still couldn’t remember why he was here. He made it to the door and opened it.

He stared into the living area of an apartment. There was soft creaking from the room across the way from him and he slowly shut his door as he heard the other open, “Nah, Rami, I swear I heard something.”

“Georgio, you’re hearing stuff. That kid won’t wake up for days,” another voice swept across the empty space. So he’d been taken, that checked out. He peeked through the slit he’d left in the door to see two adults emerge into the living room. They were both thin and lanky. One was much taller than the other with blonde hair. He wore an open plaid shirt with a plain white shirt underneath and a beanie. His eyes caught Kouzen’s and he smirked.

“Not hearing stuff, he’s awake,” He walked to the door and swung it open wider to reveal him. The shorter one came bounding over behind him, eyes wide.

“He’s stronger then. When Portia got me I was out for a week,” the short one had dark brown hair. His eyes were brown as well and he was so short he may almost be considered a midget.

“Where am I?” Kouzen realized his throat was dry and the short one walked off and came back with water in a plastic cup. He examined it suspiciously before drinking.

“In our apartment. You’re a reaper, right? So are we,” the tall one smiled, waving spirit fingers to the side of his face. Kouzen raised an eyebrow, scanning him over.

“Georgio, he just woke up,” The short one helped him to the couch and sat him down.

“Portia is the head of our group. She gathers up others and ya know, makes our group grow,” The tall one, Georgio, offered an explanation, sitting next to him.

“I was kidnapped because I got powers?” Kouzen started to stand and the taller one quickly grabbed his shoulders.

"Portia will want to train you. She doesn’t like stray reapers running around,” Rami smiled causing Kouzen unease.

“Let me get this straight: You kidnapped me because you couldn’t stand the idea of me running around untrained? Let me go home this instant,” Kouzen forced his way off the couch, glaring at them both.

“Uh, not gonna happen,” Georgio shook his head, standing as well to push him back down. Kouzen’s shroud came up in reaction and the kidnappers did as well. They repelled each other like magnets. Kouzen growled at him and watched his captor turn into a wolf inside his own shroud.

“Sit the f**k down, both of you,” Rami geared up too, shoving them both back onto the couch while they were occupied with each other. The three reapers stared each other down, the energy ramping up as Kouzen assessed the situation.

“Hey! Idiots! Calm down,” A woman’s voice rang through the apartment catching them all offguard, “Why is the newbie out? I told you if he wakes up to lock his door.”

He turned to see a blonde woman, hair pulled up in a tight pony tail. She was in a pant suit as if coming from her job. She scowled at the three of them, her eyes scaling him up. He smirked, she seemed like the type to have a stick shoved permanently up her ass. He dealt with Evander long enough she wouldn’t break him.

He sized her up back, eyes drawling over her with that small smirk that made people afraid of him. She didn’t back down from his gaze, but he could sense her discomfort. She walked over to him, her shroud blooming out of her like a flower. She used it to grab him and slam him back into his room, another tendril shutting and locking the door. He got up quickly and pounded against the door, “Let me out! Let me go home! You b***h!”

“New Reapers need to learn the ropes or you invite chaos. Get comfortable, baby. You’re not leaving until you have it all under wraps,” He could hear her smugness in her voice making him ram against the door with his horns. She yelped at the loud crashing noise and he smirked at the splintered door. He rammed it again and when it cracked more the door swung open and he had a cloth shoved over his face. He fought against them, his limbs becoming slower and slower.

Blurrily it all came back to him. He was driving home, lost in a fog of bliss after his date. He’d wanted to stay and snuggle against Van’s warm skin all night, but Van sent him home. He kept picturing his handsome smile, bright white below two beautiful, deep blue oceans that miraculously no longer rippled with waves of hatred for him. The way his tawny hair was half pulled back, curls and waves resting on his shoulders. Things he’d never bothered paying attention to before.

He kept his face clean shaven, but it was clear after kissing so many times he’d have a full beard if he wanted it. The way whiskers that were just barely there brushed against the soft skin of his own face. He wanted those big hands all over him and instead he was in the car headed back home to his bed.

He felt a call from nearby and pulled off on the next exit. He wanted to text Evander but his phone’s signal wouldn’t send. He followed the feeling to a farm house and got out. It wasn’t so far out of his way that he was worried about anything. He walked up to the front door and snuck in. The farmer was in the middle of the room, all his farm clothes still on. He was struggling, a gash in his body that made the inner psycho in him desire to plunge his fingers in to feel his insides. He vaguely wondered if they’d be different since he was still breathing.

He approached steadily, resisting his base urges to touch. He kneeled down, shroud disappearing. He tried to comfort him, holding his hand, offering comfort. Then they grabbed him, cloth pressing to his face as he inhaled a chemical. He remembered calling for his dad and Evander in his confusion as hey hauled him back out of the farmhouse. He was terrified until he blacked out.

Kouzen’s eyes shot open, his heart pounding. He let out a sob in his exhaustion, “Van. Van come find me!”

He didn’t even care if they were listening to him. This was so wrong. How long had he been gone? His dad would be looking for him, he knew. Van would tear everything apart for him, he was worried about that the most. He was flattered but after learning about his future, he’d throw it all away. He squeezed his eyes shut, where were they?

He sat up slowly, gaze lazily looking around the room again. No windows, just the bed. He could hear their voices out in the living room again. He saw the cracks in the door and calculated his next moves. If he could sneak across the floor he might be able to ram the door one more time and break out of the room. The next step would be getting out of the apartment and he wasn’t sure how to do that.

If there was a time to be impulsive, it was now. They thought he was unconscious. They thought he was weak. He wouldn’t let anyone think he was weak again. He balled his hands into fists, staring at the ground. He tried to remember where he had stepped earlier and crept slowly off the bed, testing each step with the tips of his toes before committing to it. Soon he was at the door. He took a deep breath, rearing his head back and struck it with his horns as hard as he could.

It shattered and the group jumped up. There were more now but that didn’t stop him from running for what he assumed was the front door. He reached the door and pulled, then struggled with the lock. They closed in on him and just when he thought he’d f****d up he managed to get it open and ran as hard as he could. Portia was screaming on his tail.

He got out of the front of the building, huffing and puffing. He wished he had his phone, he’d call or text someone. Instead he took a second to assess the situation and chose a direction to run. There was almost nothing around and so he prayed he made the right decision as he kept running, the others closing in behind him. He managed to dart into an alley, his shroud popping out to try and use the invisibility trick he’d used.

“I can see you, you twerp. It doesn’t hide us from each other,” Portia sneered at him as she continued towards him. He cussed, growling as he rounded on her, pulling his scythe in the blink of an eye. He swung at her, pissed as it rebounded off her own weapon. He used his skills, getting more and more angry as they matched each other blow for blow. The others were catching up, starting to surround him.

“If you wanted to train me, you should’ve just asked!” Kouzen kept swinging, trying to get to where he wouldn’t be cornered. He was so tired already and the adrenaline was wearing off.

“I can’t let you just go off on your own. We need to have order,” Portia swung harder throwing him off balance. He panicked, quickly getting back into the rhythm of their fight. He couldn’t fail now, not for Van, not for his family, not for himself.

“So you f*****g kidnap people?! Didn’t all of you have lives before she f*****g kidnapped you,” Kouzen screamed it, some of the reapers in the group paused but some seemed to agree with her. He got even louder with his anger, swinging harder. This threw his groove off and he slipped, falling. He remembered why he didn’t throw punches again, why he didn’t fight. The weapon was coming down on him and he held his arm out. His shroud surged at her, pushing her and subsequently everyone back away from him.

Portia’s eyes were wild as she looked at him, glowing orbs of orange. She grit her teeth, coming at him harder than before. He used his shroud again, using it as a battering ram to shove her away. It worked perfectly, knocking her on her ass. He ran out past her, avoiding her grasp as she reached for his ankles.

He ran until the road ran out and then dipped into the woods around the area. He’d focus on figuring out where he was later, right now he needed to make sure none of them would find him. He’d gotten a good headstart after bowling them all out of his way and so he took a second to assess the situation.

He moved more carefully but still quick as he took in his surroundings. He found a small creek and immediately immersed himself into it, walking down it to try and cover his smell. He hoped Benji would be okay with the state his shirt came home in but at this point he was sure Benji would just be happy to see him. He managed to find a small cave, ducking inside to ensure he fit and no wild animals were inside.

He squeezed his eyes shut and remembered every lecture his dad had given him. He cycled through every survival talk and then quickly made the decision to grab some branches and leaves to cover the front like a bush. He crawled back in and then huddled up, trying to ignore the cold of the air and wetness of his clothes. He shut his eyes, imagining the warmth of Evander’s skin under his cheek. That smile, those eyes—they brought peace into his soul. This would be worth it when he got home, he’d let Evander do whatever he wanted when he got home. He’d wear all the shirts he liked. He’d even let him dress him if he wanted; as long as he could snuggle into his warmth.