It Takes Time / Reaper x fem!OC

18. Scare Me

The wall hit her back hard, knocking the breath out of her instantly.

I didn't watch the side corridor.

For a second everything span, darkness swirling in her eyes as they were forced to adjust - but it seemed the shadow didn't intend to give her any time to focus.

The jacket suddenly disappeared from her hands, and Sienna found her empty fingers reaching up to the sharp metal and cold leather gripping her arm.

As they reached their destination to lightly touch the hard fabric, the metal vice around her upper arm dug slightly deeper into her flesh. Sienna tilted her head back to lean against the wall and block it out, watching the white mask looming above her slowly come into focus.
You let your fears slip too far away, Sienna.

There were a few seconds of silence, but they seemed to stretch into an eternity as Sienna stared directly into the pale, carved mask, letting herself be consumed in its - his - black sockets. A rush or something she didn't know coursed through her, almost making her shiver under his intense gaze.

But as she let her eyes glaze over, the towering figure moved away slightly, surveying her coolly as she cowered into the wall.

Shifting uneasily, Sienna realised she had no idea what would happen here. Was this the same Reaper she had patched up night after night, spending hours wiping blood off skin?

The smell of him hit her first, in waves of familiar earthen notes that made her hairs stand on end and goosebumps prickle her skin - but the unnatural feeling was only amplified as his husky voice sounded out in the darkness.

'You should have turned back when you had the chance...Don't you listen to the voices in your head, Girl?'

Through the echoing, all Sienna could hear was the pumping of her own heart rushing in her head, working the adrenaline overdose around her system. Her response came out almost immediately, as if she had no doubts about her words.

'You don't scare me'

Her back pressed against the wall, drawing comfort from its stability, and the small part of her brain not preoccupied with his cutting voice told her she sounded believable.

'Oh, I disagree.'

But apparently, not to him.

Slowly, deliberately, Reaper loosened his grasp on her arm, and his claws left her skin aflame, burning from his touch.

He tilted his head at her reaction - a flinch - and Sienna could almost feel the half amused, half mocking expression painted under his damn mask.

'I can see the blood leaving your face; you can't hide it, Girl. I remember this.'

As if to emphasise his point, the shadow-wielder raised his free hand to her jaw and drew closer. To keep his face at her height, he bowed his shoulders and leaned down - so close that Sienna could hear the leather buckling and rubbing as it folded.

'Either way,' he continued, running three claws along her jawbone from ear to chin, and watching curiously as white lines lightly marked her chalky skin.

'I can't let you ruin the surprise now, can I?'

As if to explain, Reaper raised his other hand that was now gripping the torn jacket. Never once did his eyes leave her own - or at least it certainly seemed that way.