As Willow lay nestled in the comfort of her bed, she felt an unexpected presence in her room. Slowly awakening, her eyelids lifted, looking through the thickness of the darkness that enveloped her. A voice, cutting through the stillness, brought her senses to full alertness.
"Is this really your room? Is it a haven for teddy bears?"
Startled, she shot upright, clutching the duvet tightly around her, her heart racing and panic surged through her as her urgent calls for her mom reverberated through the silent space.
"Mom!"
However, no answer echoed back, and the frantic footsteps she anticipated down the narrow corridor remained absent.
"I stopped time, she won't hear you" the voice explained, shattering the stillness.
Stopped time? She thought confused sliding her hand over her nightstand to find the lamp when her fingers touched something cold. Her startled yelp filled the air, and instinct propelled her out of bed.
"Get out! Mom! Mom, call the police!" She voice trembled as she yelled, sprinting towards the bedroom door only to crash into something hard and leathery. Panic surged through her, her wide eyes locking onto a pair of piercing baby blue eyes that gazed back at her. "Let me go!" Her voice quivered with a mixture of dread and anger, but his hold remained unyielding, pulling her closer against his chest. The peppermint scent that radiated from him engulfed her senses.
"By death, relax will you?" He sighed, his cold fingers making contact with her forehead. The moment they touched, a series of images started to flicker behind her eyes, and a wave of recognition washed over her.
"For fucks sake! How about not terrifying me to dead?!" She growled, finally pulling herself out of his arms. She could hear him chuckle somewhere in the dark as she fumbled for the light switch. "Seriously?" She sighed as the light didn't turn on after trying a couple of times.
"Time has stopped, that's also means you can't operate electronic devices until it starts again," He started to push her towards her bed. "Now get your things, we're leaving." His hushed words were accompanied by a soft light emanating from his bandaged hand, revealing a small black flashlight adorned with an hourglass with a skull carved in the middle carved on its side.
"Now? As in right now? My mom's gonna freak out if I suddenly vanish in the middle of the night!" She protested, eyeing him as he settled on the edge of her bed, his long legs crossed.
With an arched black brow, Jack stared back at her, his hand raking through his hair.
"And I should care why? We made a deal, a soul deal. Trust me, the last thing you want to do is going back on a soul deal or blood deal for that matter. You're mine, I don't need to care about what your mom thinks." He snapped, reclining on his hand. "Can't you just leave a note?"
"First off, I'm sixteen! She won't accept a note, she would send the whole police force after me, you know! And what the Hell is a blood deal." Willow rolled her eyes. He might not be much older than her, but she suspected he had forgotten what it was like to be human, assuming reapers had ever been human at all.
"Blood deals are deals pretty much everyone can make and not one you wanna break, ever. And it leaves you with a pretty awesome tattoo." He smiled, looking up at her through his dark eyelashes. "A soul bond is only something reapers can do with a human, but basically the same as a blood deal with a few changes. Soul bonds were created by Death for those reapers that want a pet, because we can't do blood deals. Can't explain it simpler than that at the moment," He sighed as he rose from the bed and headed towards the door. "Pack your belongings, I will deal with it."
Willow glanced shortly after him before started to pack what could be in her green school bag, looking sadly at the panda teddy still lying in her bed, knowing it was too big to fit. She didn't care about soul bonds or blood deals or the consequences it had for breaking one. She had made her bed and now she was gonna lie in it.
Slowly starting to realize she was actually leaving home, she zipped the red drop-shoulder hoodie with cinched waist with shaking fingers, wondering if he was gonna take her to that icy place again. She located a pair of faded black ripped jeans before slipping out of her room and into her brothers across the hallway. Carefully, not to wake him she opened his door, seeing his small figure laying sound asleep in his red race car bed.
Her heart ached at the thought of leaving him, but he was at least safe and alive.
Willow knew Jack had told the truth about transferring the injuries, because only a few hours after Peter woke up had the police called. They had found John in a morgue in Oldenburg after he had gotten a heart attack on the streets. She felt only a little bit guilt over being the cause of his dead, but it was quickly washed away by the relief of her brother being alive.
Sensing a presence behind her, Willow turned her head and found Jack there.
"You ready? I dealt with your mom." He started to head down the hallway, while Willow nervously followed.
"Dealt? What do you mean by dealt?" Wide eyed she gasped when a thought occurred. "You haven't killed her have you?!" She turned to bolt down to her mom's room when she got yanked back.
"Of course I haven't killed Jennifer! It isn't her time yet. By Dauði's scythe will you relax a little?" Jack's exasperated tone cut through the tension. "I created a fake memory of you going on vacation with the school and therefore had to leave before they got up," He guided her down the hallway and into the inviting, open-plan white living room. Willow couldn't help but wonder if her mom would truly buy the idea of a school trip on a Saturday. "Later a BustyrÃa will fake a car crash over a cliff or something, making you family believe you're dead and there isn't a body to bury. That way they won't be concerned for you."
Not really listening she looked at her feet trying to hold back her tears. How could she do this to her family, make them believe she was dead and in all the ways, a car crash? She knew it was better for them to think so than wonder where she was. Or worse, knowing she had made something called a soul bond with a reaper.
She grabbed her army-green utility jacket and black sneakers with trembling fingers, then turned her attention to Jack.
"Who is Dauði and what is a BustyrÃa?" She questioned, putting the backpack on before taking the hand he reached towards her. In the blink of an eye, he teleported them to a field situated in the heart of a forest. However, an unsettling aura hung over the place, eerie shadows skulked about, and the field's barrenness was striking. "Where are we?"
"You ask a lot of questions."
"I'm curious by nature. Plus I'm standing God knows where with a reaper. Forgive me that my whole world has been turned upside down and I'm a little scared," She retorted, her fingers absently toying with a lock of her hair.
"You don't need to be afraid, I will protect you. You're my pet, it's kind of part of the contract, and mostly I'm usually good at taking care of my things," he grinned and strolled into the center of the field. Willow hastened to follow him, not wanting to be left alone in the eerie forest. "BustyrÃa's are housekeepers, maids, servants or whatever you wanna call them. They work on the island and most are descendants from pets that lived on the Reaper island and got children. We let them live there if they work for us. Dauði is my boss, the big man. Mister Death."
"So you guys live on an island?" She said, surprised, as he came to a halt in the middle of the field.
"Yeah, it's to protect the pets, as other supernatural beings might try to harm you, to get to us. So most reapers with pets live there, or reapers that want to. Most have places in the different realms though," He crouched down and started to dig in the dirt, not at all realizing her eyes widening by the word worlds. "And for where we are? We are in the Hoia-Baciu forest in Transylvania. There is a gate to the island here. And now you shut up so I don't regret this anymore than I already do."
With a smirk, he pulled up a rusty silver pocket watch with a broken glass face from the soil, revealing an electric blue background adorned with numbers made of crystals.
Jack reached out, gripping her forearm, and once again, she found herself in the heart of another forest with a blink of an eye. Unlike the previous one, this forest wasn't eerie at all, in fact, it looked quite ordinary.
"Is this Reaper Island?"
Looking around she had to admit she had expected more from this island. Willow looked up at the sun that hung high, indicating she was far from home.
"Yes it is, we always land in some part of this old-growth forest so if someone finds one of the gates they won't end directly by the mansion. The island is magical enough for most to still not find the mansion before we knew about them being on the island, but rogues would be able to." He mumbled the last part as he started to walk off, forcing Willow to follow.
Even though she intended to hold her end of the deal, did she already feel the familiar empty feeling in her stomach when she was far from home.
They walked for what felt like hours, the sun gradually descending in the sky.
No matter how many times she asked where on Earth the island was located, would he not say anything else than she wouldn't be able to swim home if she intended to try and escape and it was cloaked from everyone but reapers and Death.
The forest floor was overflowing with flowers and insects, while Willow clearly heard wildlife in the distance that certainly didn't live in the area of Germany, she lived in.
Gradually emerging from the shadowy embrace of the trees, Willow could hear voices before she was greeted by an astonishing sight. She found herself standing at the edge of a breathtaking garden, where flowers of every hue imaginable bloomed. A soft gasp of wonder escaped her lips as she took in the kaleidoscope of colors that surrounded her. The garden was impeccably tended, a testament to the skill of those who maintained it. Or more like the hundred people that would be needed to maintain the formal garden as it was enormous. The garden seemed to stretch on infinitely, the path they stood upon winding its way through the meticulously arranged flora. As her gaze traveled down the path, Willow's eyes were drawn to a brilliant white and shimmering object gleaming at the trail's end.
The garden looked like something you would find in front of a castle, with the different trails leading to different secret places.
Nonchalantly Jack strolled down the trail, not even looking at the spectacular view around them. Willow saw plants and flowers she had never seen before as she tried to keep up with Jack but kept stopping up to look at something new.
Bees and butterflies flew around buzzing between the bushes and flowers, making her wonder if she somehow had ended in the middle of a postcard. They way the path intertwined made it almost like a maze, which made her relieved Jack slowed down as she feared she would get lost if she accidentally walked off the main path they were on.
Tanned people of all ages walked around in the flowerbeds or trimmed trees and bushes, all smiling at Jack as they walked by.
Why are they all only wearing electric-blue clothes? Is it some sort of uniform she wondered as she felt their stares on her back as she hurried after Jack.
She yanked up in her bag while pulling at the neckline of her hoodie.
"Get used to it, it's always warm on the island other than December where Darlia makes it snow." He grinned, eyeing her. Before she could ask how that's possible they came closer to the ending of the garden, and she realized the white shining thing she had seen was a gigantic mansion.
They walked up the few marble gardens steps leading up to it, and she allowed herself a little grin. Green lush branches embraced the beautiful white walls on the enormous mansion, from the massive trees and the blossoming front garden. Tree roots embraced the decorative pillars.
Jack had told her on the way through the forest that the mansion had existed for hundreds of years, and with its ancient feeling she believed it, but it was maintained and still shining in the low morning sun.
Willow leaned against the decorative stair rail on the steps leading up to the mansion and the spacious stone pavement front with the fountain in the middle, just amazed by the sight.
Glancing over her shoulder she looked down at the well-kept garden that was out of some fairytale, imagining a princess walking through it with small animals following her around.
Willow had never seen anything so spectacular and magnificent as this island.
"This, this is breathtaking"
"You have not even seen half of it. We are self-providing to most extents. We have wineries, fields, vegetable garden and the farms and horse stables which are mostly located near the village, so they have easy access to it." He put a hand on her lower back and gently pushed her up the last stairs. "Forest and mountains cover most of the island, but about five hundred hectares was cleared back in the day to make the mansion and such. There is a lake behind the mansion and a little version of the front garden."
Willow nodded half listening, while thinking that maybe it wouldn't be that bad to be a pet if this was how she would live.
"I can't believe an island this big is just hidden in plain sight," she mumbled in awe.
"That's the beauty of magic, if you're strong enough you can do nearly anything," He pointed towards the path on the right of the mansion. "That path leads through the forest, it leads you to the village where the housekeepers and maintenance folks live."
"How big is the mansion? It looks like there is more than enough room for them to live in the mansion too." She asked as walked across the forecourt past the marble fountain of a beautiful woman reaching for the sky in the middle.
Horses drew carriages laden with people and various items, their normal attire the same electric blue hue that had caught her attention earlier. The pedestrians bustled about, walking around with basket filled with groceries from she guessed the vegetable garden Jack told her about.
"There probably is but it's only for reapers and pets, the village are for the BustyrÃa's The mansion has 5 floors and can house all reapers if Darlia wants it to, so try not to get lost." He grinned, moving out of the way for a horse carriage. "Trust me you won't get bored. There's enough to do with the sports fields at the left of the mansion and hiking trails all over the island."
"That's amazing!"
"Most of these people will never leave the island, so when it was built back in the day, it was made with that in mind." He shrugged.
"How big is the island?"
"Around the size of Bornholm in Denmark I would say. But that doesn't mean I won't find you if you try to run off, I will always know where you are. Plus you will die rather quickly as the island is also habituated by wild animals" He smirked.
Willow frowned slightly, offended over he thought she wouldn't hold her end of the deal.
"Is there any electricity or am I going to live Victorian style," Willow asked ignoring the curious gazes from the people around them.
Jack let out a snort, ascending the portico's grand steps while absently fiddling with the bandage around his hand. He paused by the imposing pair of wooden doors, casting a glance at Willow with a raised eyebrow.
"I may be dead, but that doesn't mean I'm going to live like I am. Some engineers and electric workers from Denmark came and put windmills up and taught some of our people how to maintain it. Though of course they don't remember that," Pushing open the massive doors, he stepped into the expansive entrance hall, leaving Willow standing there in awe of the entrance.
Walking inside Willow almost felt like she dirtied the room with her existence. Above them was a mosaic crown ceiling of a crest, with a big glass chandelier. A wooden table with letters and flowers from the garden stood in the middle of the room, giving some light to the hall tilted in white marble. Intricate patterned wrought iron railing complimented the elegant dual curved main staircases leading up to the second floor and the floors after that.
Still struck by its beauty she didn't realize Jack had left before he yelled her name. Quickly she hurried towards the voice, seeing Jack standing in a huge rotunda beneath the stairs, with multiple doors and corridors leading from it.
"Shouldn't we like, take our shoes off?" she whispered, looking down at her dirty black sneakers.
"If you want, but think Darlia is on the patio" he shrugged, walking into the hallway right in front of them.
Hastily, she slipped off her shoes, feeling the luxurious grey carpet underfoot as she hurried to catch up, her shoes in hand. Willow wondered how long it would take her to find her way around, or if she ever would learn it, as they walked right into an elegant living area.
The expansive room was adorned with plush chairs, couches, and bean bags arranged in various cozy clusters. Most of the seating faced the windowed wall that opened onto the backyard. Artful paintings adorned the walls, while decorative items lined the shelves. In one corner, a collection of couches and chairs was oriented towards the largest television Willow had ever seen. However, she didn't have much time to take in the details as Jack moved toward the curved glass doors, motioning for her to follow.
"Either I'm death or John gave me a worse concussion than I thought," She mumbled to herself, wondering how such a luxurious place could really exist.
As they stepped outside into the backyard, they found themselves on a sprawling veranda that spanned the entire rear side of the house. Much like the indoor living room, the veranda boasted comfortable chairs and couches, providing a cozy space even on rainy days. The veranda seamlessly transitioned into a patio area, adorned with inviting garden furniture. A set of stone steps led down to the lakeshore, where a pier extended into the water. At the end of the pier stood a round gazebo, positioned in the middle of the lake.
Jack led the way to a cluster of sun chairs on the patio, where an elderly lady was seated, enjoying the sun with a glass of iced tea and a book in hand. She appeared small and plump, with grayish-dark hair, gentle features, and the beginnings of wrinkles. Adorned in a yellow summer dress, she reclined comfortably in her chair. Her warm, dark brown eyes turned their gaze toward Jack and Willow, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she focused on the latter.
"For the love of Dead... I knew you did it, but I really hoped you did not," She sighed, putting the book down in her lap.
Jack smiled boyish, scratching his neck nervously. "Yeah, I did...." he mumbled, his gaze momentarily dropping before snapping back up. "But it isn't every day you find someone that's fit to be a good companion. And we already made the deal. And Death did make the mark, so he was okay with it." He babbled nervously.
Darlia's sigh filled the air as her gaze settled on Willow, who stood there twirling a strand of her hair, her own gaze darting around the surroundings.
"It is nice to finally meet you Willow," she said, rising from her seat and approaching Willow with a warm smile. She extended a hand in greeting. "My name is Darlia, I am the one in charge here. Welcome to Reaper Island."
With a nervous smile tugging at her lips, Willow accepted Darlia's hand, wondering why Jack seemed so nervous because of her.
"Darlia was the first reaper to be created, and Dauði put her in charge of all new reapers. As well as this island that were created for reapers to hide their pets so they can't be used against them by other supernatural beings and for us to stay" He smiled earning a raised brow when he said pets from Darlia. Reaching up she touched the bruises on Willows face with a frown.
"Nice to meet you too, but how do you know my name? Jack did too." Willow asked curiously.
"Darling, a reaper knows everybody's name, its part of the job. All reapers know every person's name, birthday and dead day so we know when to harvest the souls. And when we meet them, we will just know where they need to end," She chuckled softly, waving at them to sit down in the grey couch while Willow remembered Jack said something about knowing people's birthday and dead. "By looking at the souls' memories we will know where they belong. Heaven or Hell, and we will bring them there. It is a little gift our great Death endowed us with." As she talked she kept looking at Jack.
"As I said before, we serve Dauði, and assist in maintaining the natural order. We don't serve or are aligned with neither Heaven nor Hell. Reapers are required for death to occur, we wait until the person meets the end of their lives either through accident or it's the natural point of that person's life to die, or of course if Dauði orders us to." Jack explained.
Willow felt like her head would explode due to all the new information. She couldn't believe how much humans didn't know, that there was a whole other world hidden in their own.
"Maybe you can tell me what I actually signed up for? Cause it still not really making sense what a soul deal actually is."
"A soul deal is a deal made with a reaper to become a companion. Your soul will be bound to your reaper until your death, which will be shown by your reaper marking you. A soul deal must not be broken until you die, and if you somehow do break it, you will meet a fate far worse than what Hell could do to you. A soul deal will only be fulfilled when you die, meaning your reaper cannot get another companion until your passing as just as you are bound to him, is he bound to you. Death created this deal as close as he could to what is called a blood deal, which even the Gods themselves is afraid to break, and with good reason." Darlia said the last words with a serious tone, looking into Willows eyes to make sure she gets the message. Willow nodded slightly, fiddling with a lock of her hair. "I do think that is enough information for now. You are both home now, Ian took care of James Smith so do not worry about that."
"Thank you," Jack smiled.
"Take Willow to her room, she must be tired after a day like this," Darlia waved them off. "I am not pleased with this Jack, you are far to young to get a companion, but since the dark lord has allowed it so will I." She sighed, earning a nod from Jack who sheepishly waved for Willow to stand up.
" I will just give her the collar and then I will let her rest." Jack said, starting to undo the buckles of his leather jacket with the double-breasted top adorned with the same crest she had seen on the ceiling as he walked toward the mansion.
"Hold on, collar?" Willow whimpered softly, following him.