Chapter Twenty-Four
Reaper
I t’s Christmas morning and I wake up to find Charlotte already gone from bed. I throw on my gray sweatpants and head downstairs. I’m instantly hit with the smell of bacon.
“Good morning, sunshine! Merry Christmas!” Charlotte says from the kitchen.
Her black hair is tied up with her red scrunchie in a wild messy bun with a few loose pieces and she has on one of my white shirts that falls to her creamy thighs. Her legs are bare, but on her feet are red slipper socks with a reindeer's face and a red pom at the tip of its nose.
Why does she always have to look so fucking adorable and sexy at the same time. It’s not fair to my self-control.
“Morning.”
“So, I thought I would make us breakfast and then you can open your gift.”
“You got me a gift?”
“Of course! Even The Bone Reaper deserves a Christmas gift. No matter how naughty you've been,” she says with a wink, and I want to grab her right there and slam my lips to hers.
But I don't.
Of course I fucking don’t.
She serves up two plates of bacon, eggs, home fries, and toast. We eat together mostly in silence, and when we’re done, she orders me to go sit in the living room. There’s no Christmas tree but Charlotte strung up some twinkling lights around the fireplace that brings a little bit of the Christmas spirit.
“Close your eyes,” she hollers from upstairs.
“Closed.”
I hear her slowly walking down the stairs and when the air shifts around me and her intoxicating scent fills the room, I know she’s standing before me.
“Okay. Open.”
I open my eyes and I don't even have the words for what I’m looking at, for what she made me.
“Charlotte.”
“That’s me,” she says with a nervous laugh and smile.
“I don't even know what to say.”
“I hope you like it. I had no idea what to get you.”
“This is amazing.”
I stare at a canvas that's nearly the size of her. It’s a painting. The black shadows pull me in, while the dark red and purple swirls hold me captive. A skeletal hand reaches out from the dark void holding a bleeding black rose and it’s just mesmerizingly haunting and beautiful.
“I decided to finally paint and I thought of you. This is what came of that.”
I smile at her. A smile that reaches my eyes and has my cheeks flushing.
“You’re so talented. I'm glad you decided to try painting again. This is the best gift I've ever received. I'll cherish it forever. Thank you.”
“I'm so relieved you like it. I was so nervous especially with this being my first painting in years.”
“It’s perfect.” Just like you , I almost add but hold back. “I have something for you too.”
I reach under the couch and pull out her gift wrapped in black silky fabric and hand it to her. She sits next to me and pulls the cloth apart, revealing a seven-inch obsidian blade attached to a bone handle that's been polished to a smooth surface and has purple and black leather pieces wrapped around it for a better grip.
“Oh my god. You made this?”
“I thought you should have your own special knife.”
“This is freaking awesome. It’s gorgeous. What is this black blade?”
“Obsidian. Careful, that’s sharper than steel, but it’s also delicate. Stick to the soft flesh with that. Leave the bone work to me.”
“Got it.” She holds the knife in her hand and moves her wrist around as she gets a feel of her new weapon. “I love it so much, Reaper. Thank you.” She leans over to me, and to my surprise, presses a chaste kiss to my cheek, sending heat rushing to my face. She then wraps her arms around my neck, giving me a hug.
“If you accidentally cut me with that right now and get blood on my couch, I’m gonna be pissed.”
She laughs and lets go of me, knife still in hand.
“Now when do I get to use it?” she asks with a smirk.
“Tonight. How about a Christmas kill?”