Death Love Lust_A Naughty Bedtime Story Anthology

by Aurelia Fray

  “It had to be? Or you felt you needed to fill something that was missing in your life?”

  My foot tapped faster.

  After the session I sighed heavily, at least to myself.

  “So what did you think of the therapist,” Kelly asked. “I think he might be able to help us.”

  Not likely. But to Kelly I said, “Let’s hope.” I took her hand in mine and squeezed it. “Hey I’ll be right back. I need to go to the bathroom.”

  “Okay, see you in the lobby.”

  I watched her leave in the elevator. I turned around and headed back to the therapist’s office. It was easy to sneak past the receptionist. People rarely saw me unless I wanted them to.

  It took him a moment to focus on me. “James?” He looked surprised. “If there is something you need we can talk about it at our next appointment.”

  Sorry, doc. That won’t be a next appointment. Not for you.

  Then he saw me. Really saw me.

  His eyes widened in shock. “What?”

  I watched the recognition sink in. It always took a few breaths for someone to understand.

  To realize they’re going to die.

  ***

  He was going to die.

  “Sorry about this,” I said, “It’s nothing personal. It’s just… well, your time is up.”

  There it was – that look of defiance. I could tell he thought he might be able to talk his way out of this logically. Then he would offer a deal. More time. They always wanted more time.

  Hell, I wanted more time. With Kelly.

  Right then I wasn’t interested in talking. I had talked to him enough. I passed my hand through his chest. My fingers hooked on his essence. It strained against my pull. But it came free. Souls always did.

  After all, I was a reaper. Taking souls was my job.

  I slipped the soul into what I’d always felt looked suspiciously like a purse. It was black, naturally, but shiny and lined with sequins. Seriously. Who puts sequins on death’s soul collection bag? I suspected it was meant to mock me. A joke at my expense. The drag reaper.

  Speaking of which, I pulled out my little black notebook. I made a note of a collection fulfilled and crossed out the therapist’s name.

  Well done.

  I frowned at the words. I still didn’t know who was writing them. But I didn’t have time to wonder now. I walked back to the elevator and took it downstairs where Kelly was waiting for me.

  “Hey you,” she said. She smiled at me. I loved her smile. It reminded me that living was so worth it. She was worth it. As long as I kept doing my work Kelly would be safe.

  That’s all that mattered.

  “So do you think things will work out with this therapist?”

  I coughed. “Somehow, I’m not sure he’ll be able to fit us into his schedule.”

  “Oh.” She looked down. I could see her disappointment. I reached out and took her hands in mine. “Hey,” I said. “We’ll find what we need. I promise you.”

  Her smile returned. “You’re sure it’s not because you’re having second thoughts about us, right?”

  I grinned. “Trust me. I want you around for a long time.”

  Her smile was an explosion of sunlit warmth. “I’m glad you feel that way. Still, what is up with these therapists? It’s the third one.”

  I shrugged. “I can’t help it. They’re dropping like flies.”

  Keeping her safe was all that mattered.

  That’s why I had agreed to become a reaper.

  Death itself.

  ***

  Death. The literal specter.

  Well, a human being filling the shoes of the specter of death anyway. Three months ago I heard a sound outside of my girlfriend’s apartment and went to investigate. There were rumors of peeping toms.

  What I found outside of her bathroom window, while she showered, and trying to peer in, was a dark figure in a hood.

  I hit what I believed to be the offender’s leg. “Hey! Get down or I’ll call the cops.”

  The figure, startled, lost his balance and fell off of the trashcan he’d been balancing on. He hit head-first. I heard a crack and winced. “Uh, hey are you alright?”

  I waited. The figure didn’t move.

  Shit.

  I knelt down to shake the body. “Hey. Hey!” I reached out a hand but all I found was dark cloak and suit. I tore at the fabric but I couldn’t find anything. Except for a letter. I opened the envelope, half-expecting, half-hoping that I was being punked and at any moment cameras were going to jump out catching my moment of embarrassment.

  Any moment now.

  After about a minute I realized no one was going to come out. I glanced at the letter and almost dropped it.

  “Congratulations! Because of the role you played in killing Death, you are hereby nominated to take his place. Due to the previous tenant of this position taking an early retirement, it will be up to you to fill his shoes until a suitable replacement can be found. P.S. the manual is in the pants.”

  I snorted. This was stupid. Death? Manual? Screw that shit. I tossed the fabric and letter into Kelly’s trashcan and went back inside.

  “Hey where did you go?” Kelly asked.

  “I thought I heard someone snooping outside of your apartment,” I said. “Just some idiot playing a prank. He’s gone now.”

  “Shit. I swear this neighborhood is going to hell.”

  I nodded and followed her back to the bedroom.

  In moments like these I appreciated just how much of a blurry mess my life was until Kelly. All I’d done was whatever was asked of me without regards to my own wishes. And then she slipped into my life.

  Quite literally slipped into.

  I had been sitting at a cafe down the street from where I worked enjoying my typical coffee. I drank it because everyone else did. Hell, I don’t even like coffee.

  Suddenly there she was. She sat down in the chair opposite of me and started talking like she already knew me. For over a half an hour I stared spellbound at this audacious girl who talked nonstop about her job, what she did, where the world was headed, and her favorite coffee.

  And then she asked me something that no one had ever asked me in my life. She asked me what I thought of it.

  That was it. That’s all it took. I was head over heels for her. She isn’t some classic beauty. She’s the girl next-door type you can talk to about anything. But for me she was the most beautiful person I had ever met. And out of a room full of people she had chosen me to spend her break with.

  If that isn’t love I don’t know what is. No, I mean seriously I have no clue what love is. Fortunately for me, she has more patience than I could ever have.

  By the time we finished our coffees, we’d made arrangements to see a movie later that day. I didn’t care by that point.

  We never did make it all the way through the movie, which was a chick flick. No, we ended up at her apartment. A place where I frequent most of my nights.

  And that night we were heading to her bedroom. My logical brain was still focused on the death prank. My secondary more primal brain knew what was important and was rising to the occasion. Kelly turned toward me. All it took was for her to smile. Every rational thought and worry disappeared. My logical mind shut up.

  Kelly’s hair was still wet from the shower. I loved the feeling of it dripping through my fingers. Touching her was an orgasm in itself. I leaned in and playfully nipped her wet throat. Yes, all that mattered was being with Kelly. I felt her hands reach for my zipper. She reached inside and cupped me. I groaned in pleasure as my vision went white with desire. I pulled the edges of her robe apart and leaned in, taking her nipple between my teeth. She braced herself for my bite but it didn’t come. I ran my tongue teasingly along the tip until she relaxed.

  And then I bit her.

  She jumped and moaned. I could tell she didn’t want to wait any longer when she reached for a condom, ripped my pants down and rolled it onto me. Sex with Kelly was fa
ntastic. I’d never been with anyone that left me as breathless or full of pleasure. I didn’t think it could get any better.

  But this had been one strange day and it wasn’t over yet.

  Somewhere in the back of my mind I saw myself as death lying with her in this way. I thought the visual would kill my sex drive. But it didn’t. I felt a stronger need, a burning desire fiercer than ever before, and pulled her tightly against me. Her eyes widened in surprise but her mouth smiled. She met my thrusts and urged me on. We gave and took from each other. Her nails dug into my back and I knew I wanted to fill her with everything I was and could ever be.

  Okay, so I’ve learned I’m not really a submissive one. Neither is Kelly. But tonight she didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.

  I groaned deeply and thrust one final time. She arched her back and lifted herself up to meet me. We collapsed together in each other’s arms. Nerves I had never felt before came alive and sizzled at the feel of her skin against mine. But it wasn’t enough. No, I wanted more. I hungered for a world that only she could give me when I was in her arms.

  Before I had desired Kelly.

  Now I lusted after her.

  Then she smiled at me again. I was going to be good and just lay there with her. I really was. But she smiled. And my secondary mind jumped again. Oh yeah, this was one weird day but man was it finishing up to be really great. Screw worrying about death. The only thing that mattered was how it felt when Kelly wrapped her legs around me again.

  ***

  The next day I headed back to my apartment though I could have stayed at Kelly’s. Hell, she had invited me to move in. I wanted to. I really did. Especially after that prank. But it’s hard to give up a guy’s first bachelor pad.

  My thoughts returned to the prank. It was so stupid. I went to my closet to grab some fresh clothes. There, hanging from a hanger, was the dark suit and cloak. I stood there for a long time. My heart hammered. My eyes glanced across the clothes until I saw a note pinned to it.

  I didn’t want to read it. I wanted to run out of my apartment as fast as my legs could carry me. My hand, unbidden, and not responding to my silent command to stop, rose and grabbed the note.

  “Don’t think you can get out of this. The only certain things in life are death and taxes. And its collection time, baby.”

  ***

  I threw the clothes down the garbage shoot. Now someone had broken into my apartment? The shit just got real. It was bad enough to try to spy on my girlfriend, but to break into the pad? Heads were going to roll as soon as I found the punk responsible.

  I gritted my teeth, called my landlord and demanded he change the locks. I put it all out of my mind and headed into work and my job as a bank repossessor.

  Ironic given my occupation now, I suppose.

  My assistant was waiting for me when I arrived at the bank. “Good morning, James.”

  I grunted with a small nod. Why was the woman always so cheerful in the morning?

  “You have a meeting with the bank president. I’ve also picked up your dry cleaning and put it in your office.”

  “Oh, thank you.” I said. “Wait, dry cleaning? Who told you I had dry cleaning to pick up?”

  “I got a call telling me you had dry cleaning to pick up. Not that it’s in my job description, mind you.” She winked. “Just remember me if you get that pay raise.”

  Shameless. Then again I don’t blame her. I’d been sucking up to the boss for the last few months too. I wanted a raise and a level up. It was my time. I was sure of it.

  “Wish me luck.”

  “Luck, boss.”

  The president of the bank was a middle-aged man with a powerful presence. Fortunately, he was also a close friend of my father’s. Pros and cons. When I did well I was praised. When my boss felt I was being a bit lackluster, I heard it from both of my corporeal parental units.

  “Come in, James,” Raymond said and pointed to an empty chair.

  This was it. Here came the good news.

  “I’ve got a tricky assignment for you, James. If you can pull it off its time to talk about that raise.

  Score! Wait. Tricky assignment?

  My eyes must have narrowed because Raymond held up his hand. “Easy son. This one needs to be cautiously handled. That’s why I want you to do it. It’s a repo of an elderly woman’s apartment. Her son is on our board. He is convinced she isn’t taking care of herself and needs to be moved for better care.”

  I smiled politely. You mean he wants to sell off her place and be rid of her. I might be a repo man but there were some lines even my colleagues wouldn’t cross. And here I was being told to deliver or kiss goodbye my raise.

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Raymond beamed and clapped me on my back. “That’s the spirit. I’m seeing your father later today. I’ll convey to him how happy I am with you at my side.”

  Translation – pull this off or face the old man. Joy. Maybe it was time to consider a career change. Yeah right. My father would kill me.

  I sighed and walked back to my office. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but it was mine and had my name on the door. I entered and skidded to a stop. There, hanging from a hook in the corner was a garment bag. A note was pinned on it.

  Surely it couldn’t be.

  Inside the garment bag, I found the death suit, freshly cleaned, with a new note. “Your death suit has been cleaned and pressed. The bill has been charged to your credit card. This is your last warning. Wear the suit, or the next time you see it, it will be to collect you.”

  Now thoroughly frightened, I threw the garment bag into the trunk of my car. This was nuts. Now, I was being threatened? I figured I’d deal with Raymond’s repo order and then go straight to the cops.

  They would know what to do.

  But first, the elderly woman’s apartment.

  I shook the whole drive there. I’m not someone who is easily rattled, but the notes and suit struck a chord. My mind told me it was a prank meant to scare the crap out of me. My stomach told me something else. Not to take this lightly. Someone had threatened my life and indirectly threatened Kelly too. That steeled my heart. I was going to deal with this person and show them they messed with the wrong man.

  The elderly woman. I needed to focus. I had a job to do.

  I knocked on the door. A woman a bit older than I answered. Her lips were pressed tightly together. “You’re from the bank?”

  I nodded. “My name is James.”

  “Harry said you might be stopping by. You’re here to take my mother away.”

  I coughed. I had never been one for much conversation. In my line of work you could expect a certain amount of hostility. This woman showed relief. But it wasn’t a compassionate relief. It took me a moment but I realized what she was feeling.

  Relief to be done with it. Done with her grandmother.

  I felt embarrassed. Like I had walked into a fight between family members I had no business witnessing. She either ignored or chose not to see my discomfort. She led me inside and then excused herself, and left me alone with her grandmother. The elderly woman ignored me at first. She pulled her blanket close around her. I stood there awkwardly. Repo men were given scripts to read from but I’d never cared for such things. The least I could do was give a certain measure of civility. Even if I sucked at it.

  “Hello,” I said.

  “So you’ve finally come.” She glanced up. I could tell from her eyes she was going blind. “I’m ready.”

  I smiled politely. “Ready?”

  She looked at me like I was daft. “Ready to go.”

  “Go?” I said stupidly. “Go where?

  “I mean for you to take me on. I’m ready. Take me, Death.”

  I stared at her uncomprehendingly. I didn’t know what else to do or say. So I laughed. It was a nervous twitter. It sounded alien.

  Without another word I turned and stormed out of her apartment. She stared after me. I didn’t care. I went to my car and got in.
I pressed my forehead to the steering wheel and tried to breathe. This was ridiculous. Maybe it was one big prank and even stiff Raymond was in on it. No, he wasn’t the kind to care for humor.

  This wasn’t a prank.

  Which could only mean one thing.

  I knew it was there before I looked.

  I slowly turned to the passenger seat. The death suit was there hanging neatly. I reached out for the book and grabbed it. Suddenly I was back in the apartment. Wearing the suit. Manual in hand. The elderly woman glanced up and started. She pressed a hand to her chest. “How did you…?” Finally she relaxed. “I was hoping you would come back.”

  She smiled. There I was a stranger clad all in black in her apartment. And she smiled at me. “I- I’m not sure what to do.”

  They say honesty was the best policy. They, whoever they were, were full of shit.

  “You’re my first.” That was dumb.

  Her eyebrows shot up and she laughed, “Well aren’t you a cad.”

  I felt my face go red. I lifted the book. “I have a manual. Would you give me a moment?”

  She gave a slight nod and watched me flip through the pages. I was sure the sound of my breathing filled the whole apartment.

  The death suit comes with a number of tools. The gloves have two uses. The first to ease pain and suffering, the second to take a life.

  Gloves? I glanced down and felt the pockets of the suit. I found a pair of gloves. They were a material I couldn’t quite identify. Soft as silk yet fashionable for a man. I put them on and glanced back up at her.

  Her face was contorted with pain.

  “Are you alright?” I asked as I knelt down and touched her shoulder. Almost immediately the look of pain began to fade.

  The first to ease pain and suffering.

  I stared at the glove and then glanced back up.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “The pain has gotten worse of late.”

  Pain. I gazed into her eyes. It wasn’t just that she was going blind. Her eyes had become cloudy because of pain. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered. I really was sorry. Here was a woman struggling to keep her dignity in the face of pain and a family that had tired of her. I raised the other gloved hand and pressed it to her heart.