Death's Salvation

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Darksiders or Darksiders ll. I do own Willow as she is an extension of my own mind. Happy reading.

Willow woke up snuggled once again against a surprisingly warm Death. She still hated waking up and so nuzzled deeper against his chest, grumbling as she did so. The rumbling vibration signaled that he was chuckling at her displeasure at being woken up. Then she heard it and she could have died on the spot of embarrassment. There was another deeper chuckle in the room and a very girly giggle.

She rose up from the far side of Death and glared at Kora and War who were standing in the room then at Death. She sat up and yawned before stretching. Who gave a crap what they thought anyway she decided before looking back at them. "Well you look chipper this morning Kora." Her friend blushed in embarrassment but not before Death and Willow both caught the glance she shot War from the corner of her eyes.

"I was worried about you." Willow softened her gaze at her friend moving over to stand in front of her before pulling her into a fierce hug. "I know sweetheart." She moved back to sit on the bed, still unsure of how far she could get from Death before the voices would come back to him. "I apologize for Strife's behavior. I must confess it was my fault because I was concerned for my brother's health." Willow nodded.

"How much do you know about what is going on Kora?" She seemed to think about it for a moment before answering, "Most of it because War told me to ease my fears for you." Willow shot War a thankful smile before glancing back at Death. He nodded and she moved to use the restroom and the bath that resided in it.

War watched Death watch her go. "You know she needs to go get more clothes from stores the humans are reopening. Why not let her go with Kora, we can accompany them so that the voices do not return but give them some privacy." Death considered it before nodding his head yes. He could use some fresh air.

Willow soaked in the tub as her friend pulled a brush through her long hair. They had talked about idle gossip and it felt good to do something half way normal. "War wants me to take you shopping at some of the newly opened stores in town." Kora said slowly, gauging her friend's reaction. To her surprise she smiled brightly, "I would love that, I could use some new jeans and shirts since my others are pretty worn out."

"Well I brought you a pair of fresh jeans and another shirt and some clean underwear." Willow smiled her thanks as she got out and dried off before donning her clean clothes.

She was surprised to find Death waiting for her with War as they come out of the bathroom. She gave him a tentative smile and he inclined his head at her. She shouldn't have been surprised that he wouldn't be as affectionate around others but it did.

He motioned for the two women to exit the room in front of him and War. He followed beside War as they let the women wander through town into the various stores, they paying for anything the women wanted. Death noticed that Willow bought the basics that she needed while the other bought whatever caught her eye and War indulged her. His brother was smitten.

Death vaguely wished that she would buy something that she wanted and didn't need so that he could indulge her. They had spent the entire morning and into the early afternoon shopping and Willow had only bought five sweaters. Death liked the colors and she knew it as well as they suited her. One had been another deep charcoal gray, a deep green one, another dusky blue one, a dusty rose colored one, and then finally she had settled on a deep purple sweater. She picked up a few more pair of jeans and some under things.

They had passed a store window when something caught his eye in the window. It was just like her, simple but elegant and perfect. Death excused himself a moment and Willow turned to look at him and wonder what he was doing as he went into the store. Her friend pulled her back into a conversation as War went into the store.

He was surprised to find his brother examining a small necklace. When his brother looked at him he raised his eyebrow in question. Death turned back to the human and chose to ignore his brother for the moment,

Kora noticed that Willow had stopped talking and had turned an ashy gray color. "Willow?" Willow couldn't believe who she was seeing and she felt suddenly sick to her stomach as memories came back to her and she started trembling so hard Kora had to grab her bags to keep her from dropping them.

Willow had never been so scared in her life and never been as afraid of one person as she was of the human strolling casually towards her. When he reached her Kora looked at her questioningly until it dawned on her who this was and she turned and fled to try and find War and Death. Only one person that Willow had ever told her about could have inspired such fear in her friend.

Willow backed up until she could go no further as she backed against the wall and never took her eyes off the man in front of her. "You don't look happy to see me." He gave her a sickeningly sweet smile as he swept his gaze up and down her body. "Kyle, it was over then, it is over now. Get away from me."

He chuckled darkly as he grabbed her arm in a painfully tight grip. "Is that so?" She shook her head forcefully and held his gaze steadily. "I have watched you all morning and the way that Nephilim looks at you, dotes on you. You play whore well enough now don't you?"

"Kyle let me go before you cause a scene, just walk away." She hissed through clenched teeth, her trembling now from barely controlled anger and not fear. This didn't sit well with him; he wanted her afraid of him. He needed her afraid of him, it was who he was and how he was. "You want me to cause a scene?" She shook her head, her defiance showing clearly in her eyes, "No I want you to walk away and forget you know me."

He snarled and jerked her arm painfully as he tightened his grip. She gave a strangled cry as her ribs wrenched painfully and bit her lip. She braced and jerked her arm, no longer caring if it escalated into a full blown tussle in the street. This didn't sit well with him and she saw the fury light his eyes before a loud crack echoed down the street. Her head snapped back and she hung limply in his grip for a moment, dazed.

Kora ran into the store out of breath and trembling, tears falling down her cheeks. War was instantly next to her, "Kora calm down, what is wrong?" She fought to swallow a sob and was pointing outside to the street. "Someone…from her…past…he came after her…he hurt her…before…" Was all she could get out between sobs before Death was out the door and War was right behind him, dragging her.

Death froze only dimly aware of his brother behind him as he heard the loud crack and it took him a moment to realize the crack had been the sharp slap as a large human male had slapped the crap out of Willow. He watched her head snap back sharply. She hung limp for a moment, dazed and rattled, no doubt.

She opened her eyes and turned her head to face him, a thin line of blood dribbling from her split lip and already swelling cheek. Tears blurred her vision of him and rage lit brightly in him as he saw the blood dripping from her mouth and her eyes dulled by pain.

By now a small crowd had gathered and Death knew she would be mortified and he was also aware he must not kill this human despite his urge to do just that. However they had to make it clear violence amongst the humans would not be tolerated.

War looked warningly at his brother when the man caught sight of them and he sneered. Willow gave a sharp cry as Kyle grabbed her hair and drug her over to them, with every word he spoke he would shake the hand wrapped painfully in her hair. Death cringed inwardly with every movement he made because he could see her struggle not to cry out.

"Release her." He delivered the warning in a soft voice but one that no one would mistake for anything but an order. The man sneered at him, "You want her? Come and get her." Willow found herself thrown at Death's feet and looked up at him pleadingly. What she wanted him to do was unclear, other than to get her away from this crap.

Death went at him then and snatched the man up by his throat and brought him level to his face. Everyone got very quiet as they watched the Nephilim dangle the human in front of him. Death sneered back at the man, as he reeked of fear now and urine as he had pissed himself. "Stay away from her. If you ever put your hands on her again I will personally feed you to a demon."

With that he dropped the man and was relieved when the other humans applauded him as the man stood up and took off back down the street. Most likely to change his drawers and think about what the Nephilim had said. Death gave no indication of approval to the humans gathered as he collected the sobbing girl into his arms and took off at a steady jog towards their building.