It's been almost four months since I was taken from my lover. The Grim Reaper Council had been looking for me for a long time, and managed to track me down by using the unusual energy my twin babies were emitting. After a long discussion, my captors had decided to keep my children and me alive to use for their own benefit. While I was initially grateful, I was beginning to wonder what horrors awaited me once the twins were born. There were times when I would cry over the hopelessness of my situation.

The elders had put a silvery metal band on my left arm to block my connection with my lover, Adrian, and my weapon partner, Fenrir. Another pair of silver cuffs encircled my wrists prevented me from using any of my powers while they were locked on. Only my jailer had the key to my cuffs, and I never saw it except the time they were put on my arms. The only good things about my cuffs were they were light and loose enough to be comfortable.

I was given a bedroom with a closet full of clothes to accommodate my growing belly, and there was a bathroom attached as well. Everything was colored in white and light gray, and it all had a hotel fill to it. Everywhere I looked just reminded me that I was in a prison. All and all, it was a nice space, but there were no doors for any of the rooms. There wasn't even a door to the room I was locked in, except when I would get a visitor. The problem being, I only got one visitor, and I wished to never see him again.

A tall gray headed reaper by the name Christopher would come to bring me my meals and talk with me everyday. He was one of the elders on the Council, and I was placed in his custody so he could study me. The reaper had never mistreated me and was pleasant company for the most part. The male would poke and prod my belly while he asked questions about how I was feeling, how many times the babies had moved, and other random topics that would come to his mind.

At first, I wanted nothing to do with Christopher. He was nice and accommodating except when it came to my cuffs. He made sure I had plenty of books, sketch book materials, and other things to occupy my time. I wanted to hate the elder, but he treated me with all of the charm my Adrian possessed. There were times when I would catch myself enjoying the time I spent with the Councilman, and I would shut down as soon as I realized it.

However, as time passed, I noticed the elder watching me with an unreadable, dark look in his eyes. He began to seek out more physical contact with me, and his touches would linger on any bare patch of skin. His duel iris eyes would watch me with an intensity that made me terrified, and I would cringe away from his spidery fingers when they stretched out for me. Ever time I would press further from him, Christopher would become angry and threatened to lash out at me. He hasn't harmed me yet, but I fear it would be sooner rather than later before he did.

Once Christopher would leave, I would rub my growing stomach and talk to my unborn children. I would tell them all that I knew about their father, about how he was looking for us, and about how Adrian wouldn't stop hunting until he found us. I knew deep in my heart that my tiger was searching for me, but I would always remember with a sharp pain in my heart that he was unaware of the twins resting in my belly.

I would cry myself to sleep those nights dreaming of his excitement when he would see the roundness of my form. I could picture his hands cradling the swell as he felt little punches and kicks, and his eyes would light up with a laugh. Every morning I woke up, I would stretch my arm out to touch my lover, but the only thing I always found was cold sheets. I felt the empty feeling in my heart all over again when this would happen.

I started to look out of the window more and more often. All I could see of the landscape, was a mass of large, fluffy clouds that moved in the wind, but I would strain my eyes trying to catch a glimpse of silver and black. I would sit on the window sill for hours watching the whiteness until the setting sun would paint reds, golds, purples, and any other color on the blank canvases of the clouds.

I was sitting on the window sill in a long, white loose dress with an open book in my hands as I watched the puffs of water and air dance outside. I was twirling a lock of my copper hair around my finger as I absentmindedly watched the clouds change shapes. It had grown to almost my waist by now. I managed to open the window to welcome the fresh breeze, but my mind had wondered to the silver haired mortician as it often did. I hoped he was doing well, and he wasn't running himself ragged searching for me. The sound of a tray clinking pulled me back to the present.

"My lovely lily! It's time for breakfast!" Christopher walked in with his grin as he set the tray down on one of the nightstands. "I brought you some fresh fruit, porridge with honey, and wheat toast." I looked out one last time before I shut the book and turned back in the room. I sat down on the bed, resting my back against the headboard with my legs stretched out in front of me. The gray haired reaper set the tray over my legs as soon as I got settled. Looking up at the reaper dressed in the traditional dispatch suit, I nodded my thanks.

No sense in being rude when it came to food.

He had a very attractive meal brought up to me, but as I took a bite, the food lost its appeal. I mechanically ate all that was on my plate to help my babies grow. Once I was done, Christopher set the tray aside to do his daily examination. He set his hands over my belly and closed his eyes. I fought the urge to squirm like I did whenever he used his energy to check on both of the twins. The feeling left me with a desire to scrub every inch of my skin when he would leave.

"You and the babies seem to be doing just fine, darling. Everything is normal for this state in your pregnancy." His words did keep me calm about the health of my children, but his hands that were now stroking over the bump of my midsection made my anxiety rise. "They are growing very strong, and I can feel some further development in their powers. Isn't it exciting, pet?" One of his hands caught mine and he lifted up to kiss my knuckles.

I gave a nod as I absentmindedly moved further back to dislodge his hands on me. I pulled my hand out of his slowly, but I caught the dark look in his eye before he hid it with a smile. His unwanted affection was growing no matter how hard I tried to show it was unwanted. The elder was worse then the demon, Sebastian, when it came to touching me.

"It is exciting. I think their father will be very pleased when he finds out, don't you?" I asked without thought. I rubbed the place where his hands had caressed my stomach to erase the feeling.

I blinked when I found myself sprawled on the bed, and a burst of pain flared up in my cheek. I sat up covering my cheek as I looked over at the elder with wide eyes. I shrank in on myself when I saw the black rage on the elder's face, and I shuffled as far away from the enraged man as I could. I dropped the hand on my face to put it protectively over my belly as the reaper seemed to loom over me.

"I've told you to never mention him." The words were growled out as he struck out to grab one of my ankles to pull me closer to him. The fabric of the dress bunched up around my thighs as I struggled in his harsh grip. The sight of my skin seemed to anger the elder further as I kicked out at the man. "HE isn't here, and he won't find you ANY time soon!" One of his hands found its way in my hair, and pulled me up by the roots so I was eye level with the man. I reached up to hold his wrist to alleviate some of the pain as he looked over me in a thoughtful manner.

"Perhaps I've not been clear on my meaning, darling." The hand holding my ankle released to cup my chin. I was lowered so my knees were just barely holding my weight. The grip on my copper hair had relaxed a bit, but the threat of his hand was still there, and my fingers still held tight to his wrist. Christopher tilted my chin so I was forced to look at his sneering face as he leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"I wanted to gently ease you into this, but you leave me no choice." I was suddenly dropped back on the bed. I kneeled on the plush mattress with both hands covering my swollen belly. Christopher quickly sat down and pulled me onto his lap. He grabbed my wrists and held them pinned to my chest with one large hand as he slid his other arm around the back of my waistline to hold me close to his lean form. It was impossible for me to do so much as wiggle in my seat the grip on me was too tight.

"I told you before I could replace my brother in your bond, and it's starting to work. Granted I cannot completely cut a soul bond, but I can make it latch onto a similar energy. I'm sure you can already feel something for me, am I right?" Christopher looked at me expectantly, and as much as I wanted to deny the fact, I couldn't. He was right, and I wanted to wipe the smug smile growing on his lips off his face.

"My brother and I have very similar energy. We were formed close together, and we shared life forces before we were 'born'. Siblings in the grim reaper realm are very rare. As long as I block the majority of your connection with Theodore, your bond will latch onto anything that is similar to his life force. The further you are from him, the easier it is for me to take his place. I wager that before your twins are born, your soul connection will have fully tethered you to me." My eyes widened at his last statement, and anger surged in my veins.

"I will never let you replace him." I hissed at the elder. One of his eyebrows lifted past the rim of his glasses. "I didn't make a bond with you! Or Theodore Warren! My bonded is Adrian Crevan!" That got me a confused look. He grabbed a chunk of my hair to force my head to the side to look at me bond bite again. I tried to pull my hands loose, but his grasp just tightened in a warning. I glared at the reaper out of the corner of my eyes as he studied the side of my neck.

"You are lying. I know about scars left behind by Theodore better then any being alive. Those came from my brother." The hand in my hair was used as a rein to turn my head to meet his gaze head on. He jerked his head to the side so his scar on the side of his face was exposed to my eyes. "We have left our marks on the other a long time ago…" He allowed his words to drift off as he furrowed his brow in thought.

The cackling that suddenly rang out of the reaper as he threw his head back in his mirth. I narrowed my eyes and managed to pull myself out of his arms. Christopher just kept laughing, and the sound made my heart feel like it was being squeezed. The elder wrapped his arms around his middle as he rolled onto his side, and tears were glistening on his cheeks. I backed away to the other side of the room.

"I can't believe it!~" He gasped out between roars of laughter. "That coward! HAHAHAHAHAH! He really-!" The reaper couldn't say anymore due to the sheer amount of humor he was experiencing. He fought to get in air as he tried to calm down, and he slumped down on the bed. His hair had sprawled around his face making the situation seem very familiar, but this time I wasn't amused. I glared at the man with more venom then from earlier, but he sprang up before I could say any more.

Chuckles were still slipping out, but he seemed almost put together as he grinned up at me. Christopher took one of his hands to slick his hair back out of his face as he let out one last sigh. He then took his glasses off with his free hand to wipe the tears from his face using the sleeve of his jacket. His duel iris eyes gleamed at me as his spectacles were placed back on the bridge of his nose.

"A change of his name will not change who he is, darling. I'm curious about something…" Christopher sat back upright and leaned forward placing his elbows on his knees so his hands could dangle in front of his lap. All trace of humor was erased from his expression, and a serious glint entered his gaze. I was rooted to the spot when he asked his questions. "How much of him do you truly know? Has Theodore told you anything about his past?"

"I know enough about him. I don't need to know more then Adrian is willing to tell me." The words were spoken softly but without any hesitation on my part, and I was proud of that. I narrowed my eyes at the elder still sitting on my bed. "I don't care about what happened in his past, all that I'm concerned with is who he is in the present." Christopher tilted his head to the side.

"But you haven't answered my question, lily. Has he spoken about it to you? I would've asked about it if I were you. Perhaps not the whole story, but he must've told you some bits and pieces by now. After all, you are his soul bond." The elder pushed adamantly. His tone never once altered nor did he move from his spot as he watched me.

I blinked and looked down to the right as I lowered my head. I found myself giving a little shake of my head in response. He made a noise in the back of his throat as he stood. I flinched a bit when he walked over to me. Spidery fingers tipped my chin up so I could look at reaper. His eyes were focused on the bruise that was darkening on my cheek.

"You should think about that. When you want to know, just ask. I'll leave you alone for now, flower." Christopher stepped back and collected my dishes as I stayed pressed against the wall of my room. When I looked back up, the elder was gone to my relief. I slid down the wall to sit on the floor, and I lifted a had to gently prod at the spot where Christopher hit me. He didn't even apologize for it.

But the elder's words kept ringing in my head. Why did Adrian never tell me anything?

I wasn't sure how long I sat there lost in thought, but I was brought out of my daze by something tapping on my window. My head jerked up to see nothing, but my eyes narrowed as I cautiously crept closer to the only place where one could see the outside world. I drew back the curtain and peered out, and I caught a flash of blonde hair. I took a step back in surprise as I saw the upside down face of Ronald Knox. A smile grew on my face that was mirrored on the young reaper.

"Hey, Ginger snap! How's it shaking?"