"Willow, take a deep breath, for deaths sake, Jack this was why you should have waited for Darlia." Fahima sighed, her hand gently rubbing Willow's back for comfort. "You freaked her out completely!"
Willow hid her face in her hands embarrassed, she couldn't imagine that everyone had to go through this every time! She knew Fahima must feel like this with Lina, but she couldn't get herself to say it out loud. How could this be arousing? How should this be okay? Nobody told her it would feel like that! Why didn't Fahima warn her?
Don't talk with Fahima about it.
Her gaze shifted to Jack as he spoke up, and she struggled to regain control over her breathing, even as his intense stare remained fixed on her.
"What?" She managed to utter, still working on steadying her breathing.
"I said, just focus on your breathing." Fahima repeated, making Willow frown confused. Hadn't she heard Jack say she shouldn't talk with her about it? Why shouldn't she talk with Fahima about it?
Because feeding is a private matter, you don't talk about it.
With wide eyes she starred at Jack who tugged at the bandage. He had talked, but his mouth hadn't moved.
How did he do that?
Telepathy, one of the perks of being a reaper, angel and demon but now we're talking about me. He shifted in the desk chair, offering her a brief smile as she panicked internally. Not only could they read her thoughts, invade her privacy but they could also speak to her like this? She really needed James to teach her blocking. You will learn it eventually, but Willow do not talk with Fahima. You don't want her to know how I made you feel, right?
His raised eyebrow and the way he licked his lips made her blush intensely, causing her to hide her face behind her hair.
"Willow? You're turning red, Jack did you take too much?!" Fahima exclaimed nervously, as she hadn't heard what he said. "Jane get some orange juice!"
"No Jane, get the bottle and a glass from my stash," Jack interjected, waving Jane off. She disappeared into his closet, returning with a bottle of whiskey. Jack poured some into a glass and handed it to Willow. "Drink."
"It's whiskey Jack! She can't-" Fahima's protest was cut off as Willow swiftly downed the drink. "Willow you can't drink!"
"Relax, she's a lightweight, this will calm her nerves." Jack dismissed her concerns with a shrug. He settled back into his chair while Willow reclined on his bed with a relieved sigh, the effects of the strong alcohol quickly taking hold.
"How do you even know she's a lightweight," Fahima raised a brow before looking down at Willow. Jack shrugged and just mumbled that he just knows.
"I'm sorry master Jack, but I do have to agree with Fahima, I remember my first time you ate and the effect is quite the shocker." Jane mumbled, making Willow open her eyes.
That's right, Jane had been the one Jack had gotten blood from before her, meaning that she went through the same Willow just did each time.
Had they done it? Had it let to that? What if she hadn't pulled back, what would had happened?
Jack let out a chuckle and she eyed him from the bed where he sat with a smirk.
"What interesting thoughts, are you jealous?"
"What?" She sat up abruptly, taking a hold of Fahima's arm when she realized it hit her quicker than she expected. Probably cause of the missing blood, but she did feel a calmness she wasn't mad about. "I am not jealous! I don't care, and stay out of my head!"
Jane looked from Jack who smirked to Willow with squinted eyes before they widened for a second. Willow too fixated on getting Jack to realize she wasn't jealous didn't see it or hear the ruckus outside the door before it burst open.
"Jackson Silversmith, what in Deaths name did you do," Darlia snarled, looking like a thundercloud in person as she walked into the room that had fallen silent when the doors opened. "I told you not to do your first feeding without my presence! You know that a companion's blood cannot be compared to others, and the blood rush is stronger."
Oh my gosh, this can't be happening, Willow thought glad that the effect of the whiskey calmed her down or she would be trying to jump off that balcony in embarrassment.
So Darlia knew-
"Willow go to your room and get something to drink." Jack suddenly said and stared at her.
"No, Willow stays. This involve both of you," Darlia crossed her arms, but Jack just turned to Darlia calmly.
"I know my impatience was wrong after you called me out, and I truly deserve the scolding," he stood up and walked over to Willow and carefully got her up from the bed. "But as Willow is my companion and I'm still her reaper I would appreciate if it could be done in privacy."
Darlia raised a brow while Willow looked at him with wide eyes. It was the first time he had called her a companion and not a pet, hell it was the first time he sounded that serious.
"Fahima and Jane please take Willow and leave the room," She finally said as she sat down in the couch waving for Jack to come over. "Me, Jack and Ian when he arrive back need a serious talk."
"Shouldn't I also get some of the blame? It was me that reacted strongly." Willow looked from Jack to Darlia, suddenly nervous on his behalf. What if what he did would get him into serious trouble? No matter how much of a pain in the ass he apparently could be, it didn't mean she wanted him to get in trouble.
"No, Jack is right this is on him and should not be done in front of his companion." Darlia said as Jack sat down besides her.
"It's cute you worry about me, but there is no need. I'm a big boy," He let out a hollow laughter as he scratched his neck. Before she could give him a comeback Jane took a hold of her arm.
"We will leave you to it Miss Darlia," She bowed shortly before dragging Willow with her, close followed by Fahima who looked back nervously at Jack before closing the door. Willow wondered shortly who this Ian was before Jane turned towards her, with eyes that could even get a dead dog to flinch. "How dare you put Jack in that position!" She snarled under her breath, taking a step towards Willow that was almost ready to get one right in the face, but Fahima stepped in front of Willow.
"That's enough Jane, Willow is not at fault but neither is Jack. He probably didn't think as far due to hunger, not really remembering how that companions blood cannot be compared to others," Fahima let go of Willow's wrist she had taken a hold of when Jane stepped forward. Jane puffed out her cheeks as she crossed her arms. "Nobody know truly how a reaper react the first time they drink a companions blood. And considered you're not a companion Jane and grew up on the island you will never know what it's actually like for a companion either."
Jane's body stiffened by the remark.
"I was eighteen when I became his! I have been his BustyrÃa for four years!" Her voice rose when she said BustyrÃa and the hatred shone from her eyes. "I know Jack better than any of you."
"You probably right. But you're his BustyrÃa not his companion, it's different, you know that," Fahima sighed, sweetening her voice, probably also knowing that Jane harbored feelings for Jack. "Jack has probably only ever gotten blood from you or Caroline, and Willow is his first companion. I remember my first time and I freaked out just as much and I definitely was not Lina's first. Try and think back on your first time, wasn't it also scary for you even with how it made you feel?"
Jane seemed to calm down a little as she let out a big sigh while pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Just... don't make it worse for him. And for Death's sake learn to block your thoughts." She said with a puckered forehead, biting her lip before walking down the hallway.
"She...She isn't able to read my thoughts right?" Willow frowned nervously fiddling with a lock of hair. Fahima shook her head and let out a shaky laughter as her body eased up.
"No, no I just think it's hard for her Willow. It wasn't a secret that Jane secretly hoped to become one of us. And you coming here and ruin that dream, especially when she has feelings for him?" her voice lowered and her eyes became soft for a second, before waving for her to follow, heading to the stairs with a soft sigh. "Probably one of the big reasons Jack didn't make her a companion. A companion nor a reaper can have feelings for one another because it can jeopardize everything as the reaper may try to prolong or avoid the death of their companion which isn't allowed. If a companion or reaper falls in love..." Her voice died out and she started to twist her fingers before giving Willow a tight-lipped smile, saying it's just not something that can happen.
It sounded like it had happened before, but the way Fahima looked, Willow wasn't going to ask into it.
"I really need to get my hands on those books about reapers, so I at least don't contribute to doing something stupid." Willow mumbled realizing there was a lot to learn. She wasn't much into books that wasn't audio she could take with her on her runs, but with these she would definitely make a exception. Fahima stopped up abruptly making Willow almost crash into her.
"Well, that we can do now in the basement." she smiled eagerly, quickening her pace down the stairs as if she tried to get Willow to think of something else. "Our library is one of the three biggest libraries in the supernatural community. The other two is Hell's and Heavens. Though I been to a library in Enzaya that was also huge." Fahima smiled as she opened a door.
Curiosity peaked, Willow arched a brow. They descended the stairs illuminated by old steel lanterns, and Fahima pushed open another door as Willow asked. "Why the basement?"
"It's so they will be able to close off access if we are ever under attack so they can't get their hands on the knowledge. And just like the mansion is it imbedded with magic making it able to expand to make space for new books." She said giddy as she stepped aside to let Willow walk in first.
A gasp of amazement escaped Willow's lips as she crossed the threshold. Before her spread a colossal three-story library that seemed to stretch endlessly. The arrangement reminded her of a school library with long tables for studying in the center, towering bookshelves flanking narrows aisles on either side. The room was adorned with elegant dark chandeliers and lamps, carefully positioned to light up the space. Cozy reading nooks witch comfy chairs were could be seen among the rows of books.
At the end of a row, Willow noticed a small table with computers. She made a mental note to try using one later to contact her family. Meanwhile, Fahima ascended the spiral staircase to the second floor. Like the lower level, this floor was adorned with shelves meticulously organized in narrow rows. Willow leaned against the railing, her gaze settling on the shelves marked with the letter 'R.' She waited patiently for Fahima to locate the book, the vastness of the library making her cautious, her eyes occasionally darting towards the exit. Inhaling deeply, she absorbed the fragrance of aged paper, ink, and a delicate, sweet aroma that lingered in the air.
"Found it!" She heard Fahima exclaim and seconds after she came out from the rows with three books in her arm. "These are some of the chronicles of reapers. You can read up on almost anything and I suggest you start with these. There are different versions of these, but Darlia have written these ones so should be pretty accurate." She showed the titles and Willow saw one of the titles was companion.
"Different versions?"
"Yeah, there is a lot of... false truths apparently in the supernatural world. Many things people see as fact or truth can at times not be, but is widely known as the truth. Like everyone believes that reapers eat the supernatural's souls as they don't end in Heaven or Hell which clearly isn't true." Fahima shrugged as they headed down the stairs. "These are all written by reapers and will have the mark of a hourglass with a simple skull in the middle branded on the spine to indicate it's a reaper's work, the chronicles of the species and such made by non reapers are in the fiction section."
It was the same symbol she had seen engraved on Jack's flashlight when he had picked her up.
"Huh, interesting." Willow headed out the library ready to pull an all nighter to learn as much as possible about reapers. Unconsciously, she touched the pendant thinking of Jack probably still getting a earful as they headed for the living room, none of them ready to go to bed, though it seemed like everyone else already had.
I'm gonna check in on him just to be sure before going to bed she thought as she sat down in the couch, pulling her legs up under her ready to read when Fahima pushed her shoulder and nodded towards the door.
"Good Lord!" Willow's voice was a hushed whisper, as her wide eyes had shifted over her shoulder to see what Fahima was looking at.
"I know, right? He's absolutely stunning!" Fahima giggled, her gaze fixated on the suave man in his late twenties who had just entered the living room, Jack following behind with a sullen expression. "That's Ian, the first companion and only one to ever become a reaper."
He is hot, she thought.
Both men were engrossed in their heated conversation at the far end of the living room, seemingly oblivious to Willow and Fahima's presence. Ian's fingers swept through his thick, raven-black hair, pushing back a few errant locks from his tousled, yet refined, swept-back hairstyle.
A black leather-gloved hand rested casually on his hip, his pale green eyes briefly meeting Willow's for a fleeting moment before returning to Jack, a playful hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his full lips. He wore an open-collared white shirt beneath a slightly unbuttoned dark gray vest that accentuated his slim, fit-built frame and complemented his light, fawn complexion and a loose tie. His gaze remained fixed on Jack, who appeared to blush under his scrutiny and then averted his eyes when Ian said something. Casually draped over his arm was a gray suit jacket, and a black leather shoulder holster, carrying one of the distinctive reaper blades, added a touch of ruggedness to his attire while making his shoulders look broader. He looked like he had stepped right out of a old mafia movie.
What were they talking about? Willow wondered, her eyes going from Jack to the guy with sharp cheekbones and cute dimple in his right cheek that was slightly shorter than Jack.
"Is it me, or do they kinda... sorta look alike?" Willow asked frowning, looking at Fahima who hid behind the couch with her after Ian had looked their way. They held themselves and smiled in the same seductive way. But there was just something else she couldn't quite put a finger on.
A smoky voice interjected before Fahima had a chance to reply. "Jack is a descendant of my daughter Noali I had before I became Darlia's companion," Their gaze shifted, finding Jack and Ian standing there, smirks playing on their lips and eyebrows raised as they observed the girls huddled on the couch, attempting to hide. He gave her enchanting smile causing her own lips to curve involuntarily as they both straightened up on the couch.
"Oh my God, really?" Her gaze turned to Jack, who simply nodded with a nonchalant shrug.
"The Silversmith Bloodline descent from Ian apparently, guess my surprise when I met him and he told me who he was." Jack said with a grin, while Ian circled around the couch and extended a hand to gently help Willow stand up.
"You have become quite adorable, making me kind of wish I made you my companion first," Ian commented with a soft smile directed at Willow. Her cheeks flushed, and she glanced down, letting her hair cover her face while she fidgeted with a strand of it, so she didn't see the look Jack sent Ian. Then, he gently lifted her chin, his fingers brushing her hair aside as he focused on her collar. "Don't hide behind your hair, a lovely girl like you should never hide."
His words caught her off guard, widening her eyes in surprise. Before she could respond, Ian's hand was abruptly slapped away, and she found herself pulled into an embrace against a cold chest. The sensation was swift, and she barely had time to react before she was enveloped, the suddenness made her unable to answer.
"Hands off, she's mine. I won't forgive any reaper touching what's mine, not even you, Ian." Jack's voice was a low, menacing growl near her ear, accompanied by a rumble in his chest that she could feel against her back.
"Sorry sorry, it's just nice to properly meet her," Ian's voice was laced with a chuckle, his hands raised as he took a step back. He then turned his attention to Fahima, who sat there with wide eyes and an agape mouth. "Thank you for helping Willow feel welcome Fahima, I know that Jack is grateful even if he hasn't said it." He gave Jack a glare out of the corner of his eyes as he said the last word.
"Don't let other reapers touch you, you're mine, not theirs." He growled in a low, almost primal tone before releasing his hold on her. Willow did remember what Fahima had said about other reapers touching another's companion was a no no, especially because it could be dangerous to the companion, but that didn't mean she liked he said it.
"I'm not some toy you don't want to share and can decide who can touch." Willow snarled shivering, slightly surprised by Jack's strong reaction, but it wasn't only from anger to her surprise as she took a step away from him. Ian looked over Willows head at Jack with a warning look Willow didn't see before saying.
"Reapers have a tendency to act like that with their first companion Willow, so don't take it too much to heart," He settled into a chair, crossing his long legs and producing a silver coin adorned with the carving of a scythe on one side and a carving of a crystal crown on the other. The coin danced across his knuckles as he skillfully rolled it, a nonchalant gesture amidst the tension. "Though we also all know that Jack in general doesn't like to share, so it's not a surprise to anyone. But it does not mean you can behave like that towards Willow, Jack." He said with a warning tone.
Fahima nodded agreeably eying Jack who just crossed his arms with a humph, but he didn't disagree to the fact he was possessive.
"I just don't want her to get hurt." He mumbled underneath his breath so the only one who heard it was Ian.
"So you where the first companion?" Willow questioned as she sat down, quite interested in what Fahima had said. "I didn't know becoming a reaper was a possibility."
"It isn't, Death made a exception with me that hasn't been done again because I was quite good with the new companions and reapers," Ian maintained his smile, effortlessly rolling the coin across his knuckles, his gaze distant as if lost in thought. Meanwhile, Jack settled onto the armrest of the couch. "But yes, I was the first companion and was Darlia's who is the first reaper to be made. But stuff like that you can read in the books you have there." He gestured toward the books scattered on the floor, a result of them accidentally pushing them onto the floor as they hid.
Out of nowhere, Lina materialized in the midst of the group, offering a brief nod to Ian before shifting her attention to Fahima.
"Fahima we have a early job tomorrow," she pointed at the clock above the television showing it was past twelve. Fahima swiftly rose from the couch, whispering to Willow that she'd see her the next day when Willow was awake. With that, she followed Lina, leaving Willow alone with Jack and Ian.
"Well, though you two will in the next month's not really have any jobs so we can keep an eye on you," Ian stated, briefly showing a hint of concern directed at Jack before his expression returned to its calmness. He stood up from the chair. "Does not mean you both don't deserve a good night sleep. Especially you Willow, I can imagine it's been a tiring day."
He started to walk towards the door when Jack got up and looked after him.
"Where are you going?" He said nervously.
"I'm sorry, I have a job in a few minutes in Honduras but will get back as quickly as I can," Ian assured in a soothing tone, tousling Jack's hair before he vanished from the room. Jack exhaled, motioning for Willow to get up.
"Please don't have any nightmares tonight, it's hard enough to sleep as it is with your feelings too roaming around in my head." He rubbed the scar in his palm from when he healed her hand.
If it wasn't for the fact that something in his voice told her it had actually bothered him, had she simply told him to then stay out of hers as they headed to their bedrooms.