I awoke with a slight headache which was annoying but would pass away soon so no need to worry about it so far at least, I went and brushed my teeth before washing myself and picking out new clothes that consisted of jeans and a red loose shirt. I walked down the stairs till the table which had plates of chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes which were my grandmother's best.

I felt sad but kept it contained as I picked up my fork before I stood up and yelled that breakfast was ready which earned groans from all around the house, I smirked to myself before I started eating my breakfast eager to go outside and teach Frey fetch which was bound to be fun especially since the Raven would come with us I suddenly remembered something.

''Hey Mara, do you know any names for Ravens, Wolves and Horses?'' I asked her because I knew she was right beside me, she was sitting in a short red girl dress (probably because we were on farmland) which I knew she wasn't too happy to wear.

''Names? Well, you can find lots of horse and wolf names but ravens? I don't think so'' she answered with an uninterested air and a shrug causing one lock of her hair to end up in her face which she blew out of her face which looked a bit funny.

''Thanks anyway'' I answered before taking my plate to the sink and washing it before I brushed my teeth again, finally I was ready to play with my puppy and Raven.

I ran upstairs and noticed my relatives getting dressed, brushing their teeth or just taking showers which justified that I had an early start to the day, I smirked to my myself as I neared my room because I was going to have so much fun playing with Frey. Puppies were always fun to train and I just loves Frey cause he was so cute, the Raven was cool but you can't really play with one can you? Nope, I think that would be animals abuse to throw a basketball or a disk at a bird.

But just as I opened the room my blood ran cold because of something I don't know but I sure hope Death didn't knock on my door, plus wasn't he supposed to only come at night or something like that? This was unfair anyway. I called Frey and found him hiding and shivering with fright underneath the bed and so I calmed him down on my lap as I searched for the Raven.

He would never answer to a call like Frey so we had to search for him or more like hunt with Frey sniffing the way and I moving things around, we didn't have luck and soon both of us were panting like we'd run for a while because so suddenly it had become so hot. I sat up and instantly Frey perked up ready for more action and searching but I was through, I didn't want to play that game all day plus fetch hadn't even started and so I groaned before taking my pillow and throwing it over my face.

Frey went and liked my hand to wish I removed the pillow and explained to him why I wasn't happy at all and how the Raven was missing, suddenly the Raven limped with it's wounded wing battered out into the room through the door. I was there in a second already picking him up and using my knowledge about the simple health kit run through my mind and soon the Raven was there but with his wing in a sling which was something like an old handkerchief.

I looked at him and he looked back with those black eyes staring right at me while it stood there on the edge of the bed looking wounded, I fed it some bacon before I placed it in the room and locked the door so it won't get hit again. Then I ran downstairs with Frey excited by my excitement raced after me down the stairs and then with a comment '' I'm going out'' I was out indeed with Frey and a disc.

I wondered why my friends had not shown up for breakfast or to play fetch so I sighed and entered back into the house to ask, my mother who was speaking with my grandmother about something to make like a met loaf or something with meat. She was telling grandmother that she wanted to learn that recipe so grandmother started listing off ingredients before she moved onto the way and after she was finished I I poked my mother slightly.

''Yes dear?'' my mother asked as she looked at me with curiosity, it must have looked strange for me to come back in the house after I had just left.

''Where is Valera, Fiona, Jenna, Caroline and Beatrice? I haven't seen them at all. Did you see them this morning?'' I asked my mom as I looked at for an answer but all I got was surprised look.

''what do you mean? They went out long before you and said they were eager to play with you Fetch with your new dog. Have you not seen them at all?'' asked my mother and seeing my confusion mirrored in her face and features I turned to my grandmother.

''Rose may we speak for a few moments?'' asked my grandmother calmly before she signalled for me to follow her which I did.

We walked up till we were in her bedroom where I had seen Death, I shivered before sitting next to her onto the bed and faced her as she faced me with her green eyes gloomy as if a terrible thing has happened. I tried not to think of what it may be, but I instantly heard her speak and her words made me shiver even if it was hot outside.

''The curse is reborn, someone is playing with the ancient family magic and they with their foolishness have unlocked the curse which is based on the story I had told you about. You see our family has a deal with death because we tried to cheat him once so he placed a curse upon us which is;

''One with a soul to live

Must die, lest all shall die

If they hand Thee Soul

All shall be free

To live Life

As Before''

I shivered from the words but grandmother continued;'' One of the family did give their life and so our family has been able to live for as long as we did, but some is trying to keep me from dying and that means the curse is going to take place soon. None can escape it's doom and one of our family members has to sacrifice their lives or all shall be lost in the curse, this is horrible it means one of us has got to sell their soul to Death and that mean no afterlife but just serving him the way he sees fit. We must fix this quickly before something else happens like our dead ancestors coming as lifeless souls seeking to drag us to the grave with them. Do you now know what is happening?'' asked my grandmother who had been shaking ever since she had spoken the curse and I nodded to which she smiled a small smile.

''Then lets get everyone who is in this house back in including you friends, Mara's boyfriend and everyone else quickly'' she told me as she looked outside and then she mumbled something before she reached underneath the bed for a large book.

''What is that going to do? Lessen the Curse?'' I asked her and she simply started chanting when she was finished it seemed as if the coming dark cloud (it was supposed to be hot) retreated slowly as if it had been burned which I suppose it had been.

''This is a spell to give us yet another day so tomorrow the curse begins and oh dear if the person who is casting is still casting then we are doomed'' she said and my face went pale because I didn't imagine all of this was happening but since Death I had believed that anything was possible to happen even a crazy family history and curses being cast.

I had outside to check for my friends when suddenly Frey had sniffed to the barn which was old and unused for a long time, never-less I opened the old doors only to find my five friends and Brittany and Madison tied to one of the old barn pillars and hurriedly I started unlocking the knot with Frey biting it as hard as he could and finally it budged and they had tears and fright in their eyes.

''What the fuck happened?!'' I asked in disbelief and looked at them with tears in their eyes and anger as well which was weird because after all I didn't know what happened.

''S-someone hit us one by one and suddenly we ended up like this and I-I was afraid they would kill us!'' exclaimed Jenna with fear in her voice as she looked at me.

''They had some kind of drug on a handkerchief but that stuff was strong, they were creepy as well with no eyes!'' exclaimed Valera as she walked beside me on the way back to grandmother's house which made me have a sinking feeling as if I was sinking slowly in quicksand.

They all continued with their description but the one thing they agreed upon was that it had no eyes and instead of eyes were black hollow holes, I shivered and thought that I was living inside some crazy fucked up and messed up dream and that I was going to wake up but I didn't so I walked along them trying not to imaging the creepy eyeless guy who had kidnapped my friends.

When we reached the house I saw everyone was in the living room with all the adults except my mother looking between each other with fear, while my cousins complained that grandmother's crazy curse story was believed by most of the adults that didn't mean they couldn't go do something else which would be better than sitting and huddling like some sort of crazy counsel.

But Aunt Jennifer silenced everyone by telling mother and explaining everything in detail and when mother heard she looked at her with questioning eyes, it was clear she didn't believe it but would pretend she did and I wished this all was some fucked up creepy nightmare and that none of this was real but sadly it was and weather I accepted that or not it was real.

We all sat down and Aunt Sandra prepared hot tea for everyone and everyone sat there sipping tea and glancing between each other as if they wished the other would volunteer, I didn't even want to think about the volunteer deal because there was enough weighing my mind as it was so having more unwanted thoughts wouldn't help me at all.

The question of why were huddled with the only light being the fire was answered with '' the lights cut off'' every single time, in the end mostly everyone just leaned on something or someone and stayed there calm and almost would seem relaxed if not for the fear and tension weighing the room heavily. Suddenly I remembered the Raven was still up there and even though it was a silly thought I would have felt safer with it around which didn't make any since.

But after a long with Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Simon about how unsafe it would be to go up the stairway when it was dark, but in the end I was permitted and as I walked up the stairs slowly I felt colder as if something had been frozen for aeons and suddenly the beginning of it presence somewhere brings cold like never before which reaches into you soul before truly settling in in a very unpleasant manner.

I walked carefully so that I wouldn't trip over anything before finally reaching my room's door and taking a deep breath of shilling air I slowly opened the door.

What awaited me on the other side was someone I never thought I would meet in person but her I was and here he was, his long robe was pitch black and so was the long handle of his scythe with terrified me the most about him. The edge of the scythe was shining as if it were silver but I knew it was much stronger because I felt a heavy air around it, his hand was pale white and so was his chin and nose but his lips were dark red and from afar they would've looked blue but her I was before him; Death.

I looked at him for a while waiting for sudden movement but he simply stood there as if awaiting me to act or do something, so I did and ended up moving towards the bed before sitting on it all the while shivering from the cold. I never took my eyes off of him and I watched as he came closer and closer till he was in front of me and close enough to reach out and touch my face if he wish but he simply stood there before he spoke and his voice caused a shiver of fear to course up my spine.

''There is yet another part of thee curse, so beware of thee grandmother for she is not who thee seems. Thee missing part of thee curse is thou shall change skin into thou of thee darkness, it was a mistake to gather everyone together for thee shall feast upon thy skin for it is a cursed soul who awaits below for thee take no heed of what thy shall say and I shall help thee myself'' he finished as he looked at me through his hood while I stared dumbfounded because everything was just becoming so complicating that I needed to cry so I did.

Death looked at me as I cried before he sat next to which did not make me feel better at all which all as much because now I was confused as to whom I should believe, I had a gut feeling that I would pick Death because would know best and he was a supernatural being. But maybe that's a reason NOT to trust him, this is so hard! I thought when suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and turning around towards Death I saw his cold hand on my shoulder which was to mention bare because of the loose shirt so it was basically skin to skin contact, with a weird guy who spoke in odd English, with Death.

He must have seen my eyes widen and suddenly his hand patted my shoulder as if to confirm that he was trying his best(as Death) to give me reassurance, I widened my eyes just looked at him before his lips turned upward and his other hand came up to pull down his hood and I held my breath not knowing what to expect would be the face of Death? A skull? A bony inhuman face? An animal head? An old man? I didn't know.

The hood had fallen revealing what he looked like which was something I didn't expect at all after all the weird thoughts about skulls and old men, he was young but his eyes held an ancient look to them which was bound to be true for after all he was Death. He had long black hair which reached past his shoulders and framed his sharp angular face, sharp cheek-bones, sharp jaw, and sharp nose. His eyes were a startling dark blue like midnight which twinkled with age, his skin was pale and looked yet paler in contrast with his hard which was so black I thought it was where the colour came from.

He looked straight into my eyes before he spoke with his cold way of speaking but with no old English in the sentence at all; '' My name Rose is Thanatus and I am the Death in person, I see you are special in a very rare ability which is why I am speaking in the first place. You have the power to defeat the evil and give your grandmother's soul to me so that it can rest, and your Raven well that is where you power lies for not many can tame a Raven of Darkness...I am please to meet you'' he said before stretching his hand to me and I looked at it uncertainly before taking it and shaking his hand, after all he was my only hope even if I didn't understand what the Raven had to do with anything I let get passed me.

''I have a question, could you teach me how to control the raven power or whatever you meant?'' I asked uncertainly and he smiled which was a bit odd but then again who was I to judge? I was fine with him being as friendly as he could be.

''of course I would, now for the meantime lets fly shall we?'' asked Thanatus as he removed his robe so that it was loose, I could see a belt tied around a weird clothing I think was called a tunic but it looked more like a dress to me.

I glanced at him when he held my hand and guided me towards the window where the Raven was perched with no injuries at all, but when Thanatus's hand was around my waist and his wings had formed from his back looking black endlessly large to which he bent them before he was getting ready to jump I screamed ''wait!'' before he swooped down and clung on to him tightly as any normal person would.

Then I opened my eyes again and realized that I was actually flying and cheered which got Thanatus looking as if he found it somewhat endearing which I did not believe actually passed his eyes, I was so happy to fly now that we weren't going to swoop and I was imitating different birds with my hands not taking notice that Thanatus was looking at me with a small smile.

Suddenly a thought struck me;

''wait a sec, are you the Ancient Greek god of Death? Or is that just one of your titles?'' I asked looking at him with curiosity because that would be even more weirder than Death was that I was flying and holding onto the God of Death just sounded awkward.

''yes I am The Greek God of Death Thanatus'' he answered looking at me with his midnight blue eyes holding a soft hidden sparkle, his face angular but elegant and his soft hair that I wanted to run my hands through_wait a second you did not just think those things.

Yes I had done it, I had fallen for The God Of Death Thanatus in half than a split second.