Thank you
Chapter 19
Natasha paced nervously around the room, her thoughts racing. Would Drogen be able to convince Gracie? What if Gracie refused? Would her killer go unpunished?
The air suddenly felt heavier, tingling with an eerie energy. Natasha sensed the presence of two grim reapers, her heart pounding in anticipation. Moments later, they appeared.
Gracie stepped forward, her new appearance commanding attention. She was dressed in a sleek, dark outfit that clung to her like shadows—tight black pants paired with a long, flowing coat that shimmered faintly like liquid smoke. A belt of silver skulls circled her waist, and a sharp, crescent-shaped blade hung from her side. Her eyes gleamed with a newfound intensity, a mix of power and determination.
"Gracie!" Natasha cried out, running toward her.
The two friends collided in a tight hug, holding onto each other as tears streamed down their faces.
"I thought that was the end," Natasha sobbed. "I thought I'd never see you again."
Gracie clutched her harder. "i swear, I thought I was done for."
Their sobs gradually subsided, and they pulled back to look at each other.
"I have so many questions," Gracie said, attempting a frown but failing as a smile crept onto her face.
"Yeah, I know," Natasha replied with a laugh.
Gracie's expression turned curious. "So, tell me, how can you see grim reapers?"
Natasha glanced over her shoulder at Drogen. "It all started when I met him."
Drogen crossed his arms, his usual cold demeanor unchanging. "Even I found it strange that she could see me."
"But here's the thing," Gracie said, her brow furrowing. "When I was still alive, I could see you too."
Drogen raised an eyebrow, then held up his hand, showing off his emerald ring. "With this ring on, I'm invisible to humans."
"So... you're not alive, but not exactly dead either?" Gracie asked, tilting her head.
"I died 700 years ago," Drogen said flatly.
Gracie's jaw dropped.
"Damn. You're old." Natasha snorted
Drogen's piercing glare silenced her immediately. "As I was saying," he continued, "I died a long time ago, but I was cursed with immortality. That's how I came back to life. I'm both human and grim reaper."
"What exactly got you cursed?" Natasha asked.
"I don't even remember," Drogen said, frustration flashing in his eyes. "That's the most annoying part, being punished for a sin I can't even recall."
"Well, moving on..." Gracie said, changing the topic. "Nat, what happened after that?"
Natasha spent the next half hour recounting everything, how Drogen asked her to kill him, how he brought her back to life, how she became a target of the Soul Society and was later pardoned on the condition that she'd work as a grim reaper after death. She left out no detail, and Gracie hung onto every word.
When Natasha finally finished, Gracie turned to Drogen. "Your name is Drogen? That kinda sounds familiar."
Drogen's face remained unreadable. "My name is the only thing I remember about my past, and I couldn't care less about what happened before. All I want is to be free of this curse."
Gracie tilted her head. "Shouldn't you be happy you're immortal? I mean, it sounds kind of cool."
Drogen clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "That's because you have no idea what it's like. I can't form real friendships because I'll just watch everyone grow old and die. I have to change my identity every 60 years to avoid suspicion. Life gets unbearably repetitive, and worst of all... I can't even love someone if I wanted to."
Gracie shrugged. "Still doesn't sound so bad."
Natasha shoved her playfully. "Sounds like something you'd want, doesn't it, babe?"
"Absolutely," Gracie replied with a grin, and they both broke into laughter.
Drogen sighed and facepalmed. "It was a terrible idea to bring you two together."
When the laughter died down, Natasha asked, "Gracie, do you remember who killed you?"
"No," Gracie admitted, her face turning somber. "Apparently, souls are made to forget their deaths so they won't chase revenge. It's supposed to help us move on and be reborn."
Natasha frowned. "That's going to make things difficult."
Suddenly, a soft glow lit up Gracie's neck.
"Hey, your necklace is glowing," Natasha said, pointing.
Gracie touched it and smiled. "Looks like I've got my first mission as a grim reaper."
"You're going to kill someone?" Natasha asked, wide-eyed.
Gracie grinned. "No, I'm collecting their soul. Don't make it sound like I'm the bad guy here, but I'm still kinda nervous though."
"Good luck"
They hugged tightly one last time before Gracie disappeared, vanishing into a wisp of smoke.
Natasha turned to Drogen, her expression turning serious. She took a deep breath, walked up to him,her heart pounding, she sat on his legs, strandling him, and without a word, pressed her lips to his in a brief kiss.
Before Drogen could react, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered.
Drogen sat frozen, his mind reeling. Of all the things he expected, this wasn't one of them.
Natasha pulled back slightly, her face still close to his. "I mean it."
Drogen blinked, utterly unprepared...but at the same time...that brief kiss gave him a feeling of warmth and pleasure. He wanted to feel her lips on his again, and his c.o.c.k hardened with anticipation.
Natasha looked at him, confused on why he wasn't saying anything, he couldn't love her, she knew that...but any man should have a reaction to a woman's kiss.
She felt a pang of disappointment and decided to pull away from embarrassment, but Drogen instantly pulled her closer by the waist, his other hand on her hair then kissing her deeply.
Natasha kissed him back with equal intensity,.their tongues intertwining as his hands cupped her breasts, caressing them softly. When she felt him hard against her, she couldn't help but move her hips, grinding her ass against him.
Drogen groaned, flipping her over on the couch, his hands gripping her waist as if letting go wasn't an option. He pulled back just enough to let her catch her breath, their eyes locking in a heated stare that sent shivers down her spine. Then his lips crashed into hers again, hungrier this time, like he couldn't get enough. His hands roamed over her body, claiming every inch, while a low growl escaped his throat. He wanted to mark her, to make her his in every way, to drive her to the point where the only thing she could do was moan out his name. The tension between them was unbearable, the kind of heat that burned and thrilled all at once.
He was already rock hard, barely keeping himself in check as his need for her grew stronger. His hands moved slowly, teasingly, as they trailed down her body. Gripping the straps of her gown, he slid them off her shoulders, his fingers brushing her skin and making her shiver. The gown slipped down, inch by inch, and the way her breath hitched drove him wild.
He trailed his kisses down her body, his lips finding their way to her sensitive peaks, His tongue flicked over her hardened nipples, drawing a sharp gasp from her lips. Her back arched against him, a soft moan escaping as waves of pleasure coursed through her. The way she responded to his touch only increased his desires for her.
He kept kissing and sucking on them, one at a time, her c.l.i.t ached from arousal, she wanted him down there so badly. She could already feel her arousal wet her pants. "D_drogen please" she moaned his name as she tugged gently on his hair.