Chapter 1

Graduation day at Reaper training 

My name is Skye Evanore Reoch and I'm the only daughter of the reaper king and queen. I'm half reaper and dark witch and possess loads of magic. My parents, Rowen and Ayira rule this reaper section out of thousands that cover the entire earth. Anyway, back to me, being the only girl out of four children, I'm a daddy's girl. I have an older brother Liam who is off being taught some things from his dark elf grandfather and my younger twin brothers Brodie and Brayden. I decided that I wanted to become a reaper and not just a boring princess lounging at a palace waiting for my parents to wed me off to some pompous prince so I enrolled in the reapers training program, which I completed and am currently sitting with my best friend Jenna as we await receiving our own coveted satin reaper box that contains cards with information on who, where and why we're collecting, a pocket watch for getting the reaping done precisely on the right second and sheer gloves that allow us to walk among the humans.

"Are you excited about seeing your first live human," Jenna asked. I grinned at her enthusiasm and shrugged.

"They look the same as us so I'm certain that it won't be too big a shock, plus I believe that in our line of work they're closer to death than life," I replied and she grinned happily. My eyes watched the instructor that I knew well, pulling the cart full of boxes down the rows of students and presenting one to each of my classmates. We all were seated by our last names alphabetically. Jenna's last name was Rannor so she sat next to me. We became fast friends and she had a lot of witch's magic like I did. When the instructor who was my grandfather Viktor's husband Deagon came to our row I felt giddy. Deagon told me congratulations and handed me my satin box.

"You will only have one collection your first week, two the second week and so on. I'm certain you'll be exceptional dear," he winked and put the box on my desk along with a silver pocket watch and micro thin clear gloves. I lifted my gloves and marveled at the material. Once all the boxes were distributed Deagon told the class loudly,"Always remember that young human children, pets and those that have ever had a brush with death or are dying can see you without your gloves. Congratulations, you all are free to begin your reaping." Jenna jumped up grabbing my hands and danced around. I pulled away from her and felt like my reaper box was calling me. I lifted the lid and looked inside. There was one single card. I lifted it and read the information. Ellis Orion, 22 years of age, Dorm room 215 at Spartan University, 2:16:34 pm, drug overdose. I chewed on my bottom lip and felt sick to my stomach.

"What is wrong, you look pale all of a sudden," Jenna mumbled and I handed her the card. Her eyes widened.

"Wow he's the same age as us, how sad," I nodded in agreement and checked my pocket watch. I still had forty minutes. Jenna suggested a late lunch and I nodded as I waved my hand over my reaper box making it disappear. I tucked the card, watch and gloves into my jeans pockets and headed after her to the burger joint across from our training program. We sat in a booth and I dipped a fry in ketchup and bit it. My stomach kept twisting in knots and it all started when I read that reaper card. I huffed and pulled it out of my pocket to look at it again. My eyes ran over the calligraphy gold letters of the name of my collection and I felt an overwhelming sense of longing and it confused me immensely. I huffed and tucked it back in my pocket.

"I'm going to head for my collection so I can get there at the precise time," I mumbled softly to Jenna and she grinned wishing me luck. I laughed nervously and headed outside. I walked through the reaper's side and went in the direction of the human's university. Reaper lived alongside the human world just across the veil. Some humans with extra perception gifts accidentally wandered across to our side. Normally those human's got a sense of unease keeping them from going further. I can see the Spartan University and hold my shear gloves after stepping from the void. I didn't want to be seen yet and lowered my eyes as I searched with my magic for the boys dorm. I see it's located to my south and start weaving through the students grinning because they unknowingly gave me a wide berth. Still having thirty minutes I enter the building and walk up the stairs to room 215. I checked the door and the door is locked. I close my eyes and walk straight through the wood bending the molecules in order for me to step through it. I enter the room and am surprised by the collection of pretty minerals and the hand done mandalas on the wall. I unknowingly grinned and when the bathroom door opened my mouth dropped open at the gorgeous human creature that stepped out and walked quickly towards and entirely through me. I gasped softly, holding my breath and chest. I turned and eyed the blonde emo haired young male with black eyeliner lined steel blue eyes and the septum piercing. He was tying a piece of rubber around his upper arm. I saw the spoon and syringe on the desk and panicked. No, no he couldn't die and I didn't want to collect his soul. He was mine. I shook my hands out and went to the desk. Weaving my magic I waved it over the rock of meth laced with fentanyl (which was what killed him) and changed it to Cyanocobalamin, a vitamin b12. He dissolved the vitamin in the water in the spoon, tore apart a cigarette filter, put it in the liquid and drew up a few ccs with the syringe. I sat on his black sheets on the twin bed and watched him shoot up. Other track marks scarred his veins. A tear rolled down my cheek at my drug addicted male. Ellis Orion didn't realize it yet but I'd just claimed him as my soulmate and I was going to make him, a human, my boyfriend. I giggled softly at my thoughts and watched him tilt his head.

"Fuck, this shits great if I'm hearing stuff," he growled softly and I covered my mouth. Since I announced my claim he could hear me and probably see me now too, fuck I thought. I pulled out the reaper card with his name upon it and quietly stuffed it between his mattress then rose slowly and froze when he turned. I was caught, what a horrible reaper I was turning out to be. I watched mister sexy rub his eyes, smudging his eyeliner and look directly into my eyes. 

"Um hello? Who the hell are you and how did you get in here?" I opened my mouth to speak and closed it abruptly. I couldn't break any more protocol. I sighed sadly and used my magic to vanish entirely. I arrived within my room at the palace rubbing my eyes at my stupid heart and what it caused me to do. I expected Rai, the king of all Grim Reaper's to fly down and punish me. A knock on my door had my heart quicken.

"Honey, it's your mom, I wanted to see how your first collection went," my mother asked me as she opened my door. Being queen she could track all of the reapers so she already knew I took way longer than I should have. I stood there uncomfortably and placated her with a smile and a lie.

"It was good, it just took longer because I messed up my pocket watch times being nervous," I mumbled softly, hating to lie and she said,"uh huh, well you did it so congratulations." I nodded and using my magic made my reaper box reappear. I lifted the lid and frowned slightly seeing another card inside. I pulled it out and gasped.

Ellis Orion, 22 years of age, Dorm room 215 at Spartan University, 1:27:34 am, blood loss from suicide. My eyes began to water as I envisioned his lovely lifeless face. Ayira, my mother came to my side and plucked the card from my fingers to read it.

"Seems like such a waste for a life so young and I wonder if he's the son of the president of Orion Electronics," she sighed and I shrugged, taking the card back.

"That's unusual for you to get a second card so soon, you must be doing super well," she beamed and I said,"yeah me!" She told me to come to the kitchen for a surprise congratulatory meal and cake.

"It's not a surprise if you're telling me," I giggle. Her voice lowered and she said your dad made the cake, trust me when you see it you'll be gobsmacked. 

"That awful?" She shook her head and pretended to button her mouth leaving me to wonder about it as I followed her down to the kitchen.