Moving in

Chapter 24

Natasha stumbled into Drogen's apartment, her legs feeling wobbly as Gracie returned her consciousness to her body. She blinked rapidly, adjusting to the familiar surroundings.

"That was so damn creepy," she muttered, pressing her fingers against her temples as if to wipe away the lingering dizziness.

Gracie stood nearby, her usually bright aura dimmed by an unspoken sadness. "I have to go," she said softly, her voice tinged with reluctance. "Being with humans for too long is not allowed."

Gracie bid her farewell, although they could still remain friends and see each other, there was a mirage between them which couldn't be crossed, and it pained the two friends to know that.

They hugged tightly before Gracie vanished. Gracie wanted to ask Nat about her relationship with Drogen but she also didn't want to intrude too much, after all...if Nat liked him, then he wasn't a bad person.

Natasha sighed, her chest heavy with the weight of their parting. She wandered into the kitchen and started preparing lunch, her movements slow and distracted. The memory of her earlier encounter with Drake tugged at her thoughts, like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit. Something important had happened, but it remained stubbornly out of reach.

When she was done eating, she got dressed and headed to her mom's house, if she was to move in with drogen, she needed to prepare and gather her things.

****""

When Natasha arrived at her mom's house later that afternoon, the air felt lighter, though she knew the conversation ahead wouldn't be easy.

"I've got a boyfriend," she announced, watching her mom's reaction carefully. "And... I'm moving in with him."

Her mom's eyebrows shot up. "Is he rich?"

Natasha laughed, the question breaking the tension. "Not just rich—he's loaded."

They both giggled, the sound a welcome relief from the usual struggles they talked about. Natasha's father and brother had died in a car crash when she was just a kid, leaving her mom to shoulder all the responsibilities. Things had only gotten worse after Natasha was falsely accused of pushing a classmate down the stairs in high school. The compensation her mom had to pay nearly wiped them out, and life since then had been a constant uphill battle.

Drogen offering her the secretary position and also helping her bring back Gracie had made her overwhelmed with gratitude and before realizing, she'd kissed him—only for that kiss to spiral into a heated make-out session on his couch.

"When do I get to meet him?" her mom asked, pulling Natasha back to the present.

"Soon," Natasha promised. "I'll convince him to come by, but for now, I need to pack" she assured her mom, although she doubted that Drogen would be actually willing to go through the trouble of visiting her Mom.

Natasha gathered her belongings as she gisted her mom about Drogen...but of course, she didn't reveal the fact that he was a grim reaper or that his name was drogen.

******

By the time Natasha left, the sun had set, She boarded a taxi and headed back to Drogen's apartment, her suitcases weighing heavily at her side.

When she stepped into the elevator, it groaned loudly before jerking to a sudden halt. The lights flickered and then went out, plunging her into darkness, leaving her trapped.

"Great, blame my bad luck" she muttered, panic creeping into her voice. She slammed her palms against the doors. "Hello? Anyone out there? I have freaking claustrophobia!"

Her breathing quickened as the silence pressed in around her. The small, enclosed space felt like it was shrinking, and she fought the urge to scream. Then, like a flash of light in her foggy mind, she remembered the blood pact.

"Drogen," she called out, her voice shaky. "Drogen. Drogen!"

A moment later, a swirl of shadows materialized in the corner, and there he was, leaning casually against the wall with an amused smirk. "Stuck, are we?"

She let out a shaky breath. "Oh, you think this is funny? I almost had a panic attack!"

He chuckled, his deep voice echoing in the small space. "Relax princess. I've got you."

Natasha sat on the floor, her head resting against the cool metal as she tried to calm herself. "This elevator really picked the worst time to screw me over."

Drogen crouched down in front of her, his expression softening. "Come on," he said, turning around and gesturing for her to climb onto his back.

Her cheeks flushed instantly. "I can walk."

He raised an eyebrow. "We're teleporting, genius. I need to hold your luggage, so unless you want to stay here all night..."

"Oh," she mumbled, feeling stupid.

Reluctantly, she climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist. His body stiffened for a moment, and she could feel the heat radiating off him.

"Comfortable?" he asked, his tone teasing.

"Shut up," she muttered, burying her face in his shoulder to hide her embarrassment.

With a quick flash, they were back in his apartment. Natasha slid off his back, her legs wobbling slightly as she steadied herself.

"Thanks," she said, avoiding his gaze.

"No problem," he replied, though the playful grin on his face suggested he was enjoying her flustered state a little too much.

She huffed and dragged her suitcase toward the bedroom, determined not to let him see just how much his touch affected her. But as she unpacked, she couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at her lips. For all his smugness, Drogen had a way of making her feel safe, even in the most chaotic situations.

Once she was done unpacking, her stomach growled from hunger, she hadn't had dinner yet. She walked out of her room only to perceive the aroma of food. She hurried into the kitchen to find him cooking, an apron wrapped around his torso. He seemed so... human. And without fighting her urge, she tiptoed closer to him and wrapped her hands around his waist, hugging him closely from behind, leaving Drogen frozen. He wasn't expecting that, and at the wrong place for God's damn sake.