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The Reapers took me to the "Academy's" gym, which was larger than Death's private gym and thankfully didn't have the Graveyard obstacle course set up. Instead, there were various stations that the boys had apparently prepared for my arrival.

Denim, Gunner, and Flash's station was first. I wasn't at all surprised that it was sword training practice and target practice with throwing knives. Blade certainly got his name for a reason. Dressed in all black, like the rest of the Reapers, Blade wore a belt around his waist that held various knives. I'd soon find out he knew his way around handling the sword Death had given me. Denim officially had the aim of Deadshot. The man never missed, even when he wasn't looking. And Flash...well, he might have been sleepy but he had faster reflexes than all of us combined.

"You three must have a knack for this violence stuff. Because I'm throwing like a girl over here and I played varsity softball." I threw the knife at the target and it weakly bounced off the board and hit the ground. "I mean, come on, that's just embarrassing."

"You're improving," Denim said mercifully in his baritone voice, patiently handing me another dagger. "Remember, you're aiming for only one turnover before it hits the board."

"Or you can just focus on not hitting me," teased Flash as he quickly collected the discarded daggers on the floor beneath the board. "That would be nice."

"Sorry about that again," I muttered shamefully. "How's your...area, by the way?"

Flash pulled his sweatpants out to peer down his pants and smirked. "Everything seems to be in tact."

"Yeah, all two inches of it," quipped Wolf.

Denim chuckled and bumped knuckles with Wolf.

"She's not channeling the Barracuda," Blade hissed from behind me, ruining the playful mood. "I thought Death said she could channel the Barracuda."

"I'm standing right here, you don't have to talk to him like I'm not," I said. "I was under the impression the Barracuda worked by itself."

Blade laughed, running a hand down his ruggedly handsome face. "No, lassie, you must have been unconsciously accessing the power. Have you not been mediating between your slouster sessions with Death?"

I had a snarky response, but the dude with all the knives in his belt and the deadly seventh sin of anger was the last person I wanted to piss off at the moment.

"Death meditated with me once, to try and channel my power." I threw the next dagger that Denim handed me harder than ever before. My face felt hot. Did the Reapers really think I was Death's whore? And shit, I really should have been meditating more.

"And how did that go?" Blade asked condescendingly.

I thought back to our mediation. How I'd ogled Death like a piece of meat and then somehow ended with me straddling Death's lap. "Meditation is hard, okay?"

"I bet it is, a sheòid. I bet it is."

"Blade," Denim growled. "Calm down."

Blade was right. I felt as if there was still a mental block between my power and me. Emotions that I had to learn to trigger it. The fact that Death didn't show up today irked me, as I had hoped he would teach me to hone in better on my abilities. Trying with all my might to keep my emotions in check, I threw another failed dagger. Let's just saw it veered left and Flash had to duck.

"Bloody hell." Blade brought his hands up to his hair and stalked away in frustration.

"Death's little brother?" I joked, once Blade was far enough away. Denim shook silently with laughter and agreed their vile moods were similar. Denim might have been big and scary, but I could tell he had a super soft side was easy to make laugh.

After a water break and a big hearty salad (boo), I was back at it at the gym with hand-to-hand combat with Wolf, Gunner, and Flash that almost made me hurl up the leaves and vegetables I'd mistakenly eaten beforehand. They were the Death 2.0's except with less callousness. Gunner was a stickler on correct form and would make me do pushups whenever I dropped my left arm and leave my face vulnerable. Wolf was intensely smart and would show me every possible scenario in a fight; while at the same time teach me how to understand my opponents body language to predict a counter attack. Flash, although Sloth at heart, was energized enough during the training to be put on duty as the "pretend opponent" who would attack me or Wolf and Gunner during demonstrations.

Death's session typically included teaching me new hand-to-hand combat moves and then repeatedly throwing me down like a ragdoll onto the matt before I could even implement them. Or maybe I was just more out of shape than him after the first hour and a half...

After the sparring session with Wolf, Gunner, and Flash, I was at Romeo's station to learn about various tools and equipment I could utilize.

I noticed Leo watching us from afar like a lifeguard, as the other Reapers were distracted fooling around and fighting each other like Vikings. A secret part of me liked how protective Leo was. I noticed he had a station and had a niggling thought that he seemed to be distancing himself from me since our crazy "explosive" moment in the bathroom. 

"Come one, come all, come up and take a look at the table," Romeo said in an announcer's voice, gesturing at the items with his hands as I captiously approached the two tables he'd set up. "Here we have body armor, headgear, shields, and gauntlets. You'll be wearing a Tarnhelm, a magical hemet that will allow you to become invisible. The helmet is top of the line magic. Magic so good and smooth it should be illegal, and it is, but that's besides the point."

"The hat is black magic?"

"No, sweetcheeks, the hat is Gucci, the lining of the hat is made from black magic," he said in an obvious way. "They come with specialized Gucci glasses for night vision, target lock, and a few other tricks you'll read about in the manual."

"Where is this manual you speak of?"

"As for weapons," he said, ignoring me, "there's your sword Death gave you, with a choice of additional daggers, bow and arrows, small axes, projectile weapons, hammers, and whips."

The miscellany on the tables and the fact that Romeo had spoken a sentence without any lust involved made my eyebrows go up above my hairline. "Whips and weird looking handcuffs." I dangled the cuffs from my finger. "Am I supposed to channel my inner dominatrix against the enemy?"

Romeo snatched the cuffs away. "Careful, sweetcheeks, these aren't your standard handcuffs." He held out his arm to snap one of the pairs of cuffs down onto his wrist and suddenly the cuff transformed into a rope-like object that curled up his arm and tightened like a boa constrictor. "Get these on the enemy and you'll incapacitate and weaken their arms. The more they struggle, the tighter they get. Kind of like sticking your fingers in a Chinese finger trap." The veins in his arms protruded as the cuff jerked around and he grappled to get the key in the lock to free himself. "However, that's only if you can get them on the enemy."

I eyed the handcuffs with a peaked interest even after Romeo shifted to another part of the table.

"Next is clothing," he continued, strictly business "I selected a proper utility belt for you, top of the line D&S garments that won't wear and tear, footwear, outerwear, and pants and shirts that you can select from. Here is your specially designed magical weightless rucksack in hot pink with all the high tech essentials and the standard camper's food, drink, flashlight, matches, sleeping bag, plants and herbs, Nintendo DS Lite with the Pokémon series, Animal Crossing, and four year neglected Nintendogs game cards included, biodegradable cleaning products, tampons, those weird thong panty liners in case of any minor womanly emergencies, ect, ect."

"What about Ibuprofen for the headache you just gave me talking that fast?" 

"Shit, I knew I forgot something."

"Oooh." I reached for the shoes on the table and he slapped my hand away.

"The Yeezy's are just for display," Romeo scolded.

"Are there directions for this high tech stuff?"

"It's all in the manual." Leo's deep voice brought a flutter to my stomach as he nudged Romeo to the side and thumped a thick book onto the table in front of me. It was thicker than Kim Kardashian's butt and the The Lord of the Rings series collection combined. "Arms out, legs spread, let's make sure the gear is fitted properly." He proceeded to strap me into a military vest amongst various gear. I tried not to focus on his strong hands and deft fingers as they brushed the bare skin of my arms. Tightening one last strap, Leo straightened to his full height and our eyes connected for an unexpected intense moment before he assessed my gear. "How does it all feel?"

"No offence, but I feel like an idiot."

"You look fine," Leo said, chuckling. He tugged gently at my vest to make sure it was secure. "Besides, it's about the protection, not how glamorous you look."

"Protection, my ass. I look like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man."

Leo's eyebrow arched. "I wouldn't say that...."

"Ever been sucker punched by an immortal being?" Romeo chimed in, while playing a game on the Nintendo DS. "It's no walk in the park, sweetcheeks. Better looking like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man than looking like a pancake after your opponent crushes your body into the dirt."

Maybe he had a point there...

"You can't seriously think this is acceptable," I said to Leo, motioning mainly to the helmet. "I have to look somewhat edgy and fashionable with equipment that has mobility, or else all of this physical training is for nothing. I'd rather take the risk of becoming a pancake than a piñata as the enemy takes turns punching at me like Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots from all sides."

In all honesty, I was mostly pissy because Death always looked hot and badass in his clothes and now I was going to look like a klutz-o-maniac idiot next to him.

"Faith," Leo said, "You look great. We want you to stay safe."

Gunner, who was clearly eavesdropping as he passed by us with a handful of Twizzles, stopped to stare at us. "There's something strange in our neighborhood," he said seriously, gaining all of our attention. "Who you 'gonna call?" He suppressed his laugh into his fist at his clear Ghost Buster's reference and continued to walk away.

"See?!" I shouted, glaring at Leo. "Even he thinks so! You don't honestly expect me to wear elbow pads when Death and I go to the mausoleum."

"Death gave us clear orders to make sure you won't break any bones out in the other worlds," Leo said. "If you have an issue with the equipment, you should bring it up with him."

"I've just about had it with these "ask His Majesty later" cryptic messages you guys keep sending me. I only have a week to train and he bailed without any notice. Where's Death? Moaning like the dead in a graveyard?"

"The only person moaning is you," sneered Blade, pushing passed Leo to stand in front of me. "Maybe if you got your head out of your spoiled ass you'd learn something instead of relying on Death."

The rest of the reapers shot glaring looks and words of disapproval at him.

"It's not like you all weren't thinking it too," said Blade. "Why should we walk on eggs around her and treat her like a princess? They're bonded. It's not like Death hasn't done that before to that red bitch, Tiara."

My eyes widened at the mentioning of Tiara. Tiara Reed was David Star's assistant, who'd given me a hard time when I'd been visiting the D&S Tower. I hadn't thought about her name in a long time, and now a wave of jealousy speared through me.

"Blade," hissed Wolf, "don't."

"Don't what, boyo?" Blade asked and challenged the reaper of Envy with a vicious glare.

"Someone didn't take his meds," muttered Flash from somewhere behind me. I had a feeling he was serious and my heart picked up.

"I tried to be quiet, for a goddamn hour and a half, while I watched Miss Oblivious throw my knives like a troubled child," Blade continued to rant. "We all know if she can't learn to meditate through the Barracuda then all this training, all these gadgets, mean nothing. The Barracuda was the only shot she ever had." He turned his fury onto me. "Want to know why Death didn't show up today, lassie? He's out beggin' the warlock forgiveness, so that Ace doesn't lash out and obliterate you for nearly killing his assistant. See, you don't stand a chance out there in your world without a caretaker. He knows it, and we all know it. So how the hell do you expect to last in the other worlds?"

My breath hitched at the fact that none of the Reapers, although either shamefaced or furious at Blade, seemed to disagree enough to defend me.

"What if you have to take on demon by yourself?" Blade said, baring his teeth in a nasty smile as his eyes flickered red. "A whole pac of em'? You 'gonna throw out your hand and pray your prophesized light beam shoots out? Are you going to detonate another toilet? Preparation means nothing if you can't find your block. Nothing. There's not enough time."

"Shut up," Leo snarled out in warning, stepping up to Blade so that he was between us. "Go cool down."

"I'll figure out my block," I said with a determined glower back at Blade. "You don't know me, Blade, I don't give up. I have time––"

"Did Death really not tell you that too, lassie?" Blade seethed over Leo's shoulder, and he released a bitter laugh. "We are the ones who don't have time. Death's curse controls our inner animals. Without his scythe, we all are fucked with each passing day. Time is the last thing you have too, lassie. You're better off finding another dick to suck to save you from yourself."

Leo wound back and punched Blade square in the face. Shit hit the fan. Blade's head snapped rearward and his eyes changed from a dull maroon to crimson red. He lashed out, throwing his whole weight into Leo. Black blood splattered the ground as Blade gutted Leo with one quick movement.

"Guys, stop!" I shouted helplessly. "Stop!"

Blade was pulled out form under Leo as Denim, Wolf, and Flash grabbed him and threw his body against the wall with an inhuman force. They held him there, shouting expletives. Romeo and Gunner helped Leo to his feet, while at the same time making sure he didn't go after Blade again.

Coldness darted down my spine.

"Am I interrupting?" growled a guttural accented voice, and we all turned our heads. My mouth fell open a little.

Death came forth from a black swirling mist like a god summoned from the night. The shadows at the far corner of the gym slinked toward him and clung to his body like a second skin. As he strode further into the room, the regal fabric of his obsidian-riding cloak billowed out, whipping at the air conveniently firing at him from the massive fan in the room. He was wearing a cloak for the first time since Ahrimad was separated from Death and became corporeal.

Holy shit.

The new garment was made of luxurious fabric and hung perfectly over his broad shoulders like it was meant for him and him only. His long legs ate up the distance between us, clad in black leather. The opening down the front of his cloak revealed a leather armor chest piece strapped together with modest clasps and buckles at his tampered waist. Paired with his usual gloves, combat boots, and a black cowell hood shadowing the lower half of his face, he resembled a sexy, delicious, rogue assassin.

And he was pissed.

* * *

PRETTY PLEASE vote and leave feedback and add this story to your library to show me you love this story and want more!! If you could share this story with your friends I would greatly appreciate it, too!! :) <3333

You might have noticed that in the previous chapter Faith knew that Malphas is Death's father. I wanted to make it a little easier for myself by putting that in, since in the manuscript she knows in book 1. Speaking of differences between the manuscript and the rewrite, Death will be a little different in the next chapter, I've decided to keep him truer to manuscript Death... It won't be a huge adjustment but you might notice he's described differently or has slightly different mannerisms.... 

Hope you're all excited about the published version of Death is My BFF!!! I can't wait until I have more news to share with you about my journey with publishing!!!  xx

Twitter/Instagram: katrocks247

HEY YOU!! Here's the link to Facebook group for Death is My BFF!! (JOIN USSSSS!! Link in my bio on Wattpad too!) 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/308207282529485/

Here's another cool fan edit for Death & Faith!! I love Tyler Hoechlin so much so I SCREAMED when I found this. x) 

https://youtu.be/LigyoAsHHtI