by Janie Marie
Jane looked away from him and took the glass of blood. She brought it up to her lips and watched Death give her an encouraging smile. It was vile, and she gagged. She didn’t want this. It did not taste of David’s sweetness. She wanted to spit it out.
Death quickly steadied her hand to prevent her from stopping. “Keep going, you can do this. You have to get used to it.” She protested by shaking her head, but he was firm with her. “Drink.”
Finally, she reached the bottom of the glass and shoved it back to Tristan. He quickly took the glass as she gagged and shook her head back and forth.
Death chuckled and wiped his thumb across her lips. “Don’t be a baby—it can’t be that bad.”
Before Jane could think of responding, a loud bang sounded from the front of the house. She yelped and grabbed onto Death as they looked around for the source of the noise. The others had all been standing close to the kitchen, watching her, but now they all looked toward the entrance of the house.
Arthur grabbed Gawain’s shoulder to keep him from going to the door. “Let him go, Gawain. He needs time.”
That’s when Jane realized David was no longer there. Her eyes watered.
Death hugged her. “Shh...” He placed a soft kiss on her head. “Let’s go outside with Tristan. I have a surprise for you.”
She didn’t care anymore. She deserved to suffer in this pain for hurting David. However, once she looked up and saw Death’s hopeful expression, she nodded. It would be too much to hurt him as well.
Death helped her stand before leading her through the kitchen and out the back door. Tristan along with Gareth, Bors, Geraint, and Gawain followed them.
As Jane reached the middle of the yard, Death pulled her to a stop and cupped her cheek. She could tell the knights were watching them, but they remained quiet. She knew it must look strange to see the Grim Reaper touching her, but she could not see that image. He had removed it for her.
Death glanced at the men before turning his gaze back to her. A single tear rested at the corner of her eyes, and she used all her strength to hold it back. He gave her a tender smile and caught her tear with his finger. “That’s enough, Jane. I have someone special I want you to meet. He has been curious to meet you for quite some time. Do you want to meet him?” His deep voice was tender and powerful at the same time, as though energy was building inside him.
Nodding to him, she watched him smile, and he quickly pulled her back to his chest before wrapping his arms around her from behind. “Don’t worry. You will like him.”
Jane leaned against him. Whoever was coming was powerful. She noticed the others had all grown tense as they waited. Their eyes had paled in color, and their fangs were exposed.
She glanced up at Death. He showed no reaction to their agitation, and she watched his eyes light up brightly. He stared ahead and spoke in a more commanding tone. “Come, Sorrow.”
Jane’s heart pounded as the wind picked up and green flames erupted from the ground about twenty feet ahead of her. The sound of fire cracked and flashed, illuminating a huge silhouette.
It wasn’t a man. Standing tall on four legs, it stepped out of the green flames, snorting loudly. Jane jumped at the sound and tensed as it began approaching them, kicking up dirt with its hooves while shaking out its long mane. A deep nicker sounded as it got closer and lowered its massive head to her. Jane stared at the beast in awe. It was a magnificent pale-gray, almost white, horse. It was beautiful. She did not know much about horses, but she knew this one was larger than most she’d seen. Death was a giant at six foot seven, and his head barely reached the top of the horse’s shoulder.
Death rubbed his muzzle affectionately. “Good boy. Jane, say hello to Sorrow.”
Sorrow lifted his head and looked at her with intelligent eyes. They were the same bewitching emerald color as Death’s. When she continued to stand there dumbfounded, Death raised her hand.
She gasped in fright as the animal quickly nuzzled her hand.
“You’re fine,” Death murmured. “He’s saying hello.”
Jane found herself smiling brightly as Sorrow took another step toward her. He nuzzled her neck, and she let out a nervous giggle.
Death chuckled and hugged her. “He likes you.”
She reached up to pet Sorrow’s neck. Just like Death’s thick hair, his coat was soft as feathers beneath her fingers.
The pain in her chest eased, and for now, she felt peace with her angel. Her mind still haunted her with the terrible things she’d done to everyone, but she would keep going. She’d try to be the warrior they all expected her to be and fight for them all, even if her heart never had the happiness she somehow knew could only be achieved with the vampire who she’d finally pushed away.
She was hurting David now, but it was for the best. It was the only way to keep him safe. She would not let her monster attack him or her new friends without putting up her own fight. She may never see her family again, but she would do whatever it took to keep everyone safe.
Being immortal didn’t make her world all rainbows and sunshine. Having a handsome vampire knight save her did not allow her to live happily ever after with him. The fact a powerful angel had been holding her hand throughout her moments of grief and pain did not take away the horror that haunted her, or erase the sadness she’d lived with.
No, things were not fixed with her impressive abilities. Life wasn’t perfect. It was dark and painful. It was complicated. Every choice had some consequence that, in her case, led to loss and tragedy.
“Hello, Sorrow,” she said, feeling the exact emotion but accepting it as a part of herself she would never lose.
A FORCED SMILE SPREAD ACROSS DAVID’S LIPS as he listened to the giggles and childish chatter coming from the house across from him. It had only been twenty minutes since he stormed out of the base camp.
He could deal with a lot, but after all the new developments, and with Jane wanting and needing another man, it had been too much to process. He needed some time to clear his head. He had no intention of starting a fight with Jane right there on Death’s lap, but he feared he would snap if he had to watch that bastard touch her so easily.
When he had left, he had no plans on where to go—he just needed to get away before he did something that would hurt Jane. It surprised him that his feet had carried him to her home.
Now he sat atop the roof where he’d first guarded Jane’s home. He wasn’t doing anything, simply studying the outside structure along with the countless corpses his men had dispatched. Jane had been the cause of the more decayed bodies. He smiled softly. She truly amazed him. So much of her past shaped her into the woman he loved, but the different sides in her were at constant battle with each other. He wanted to be the one to help her—the one she cried to when things were tearing her apart. He wanted to be the one she smiled and laughed with—the one she looked at with complete and utter devotion. He wanted to be the only man she loved.
He sighed, irritated with himself for acting and thinking so weakly. This wasn’t him. He didn’t walk away from fights. He didn’t give up when a difficult opponent presented themselves. He came out of his battles victorious, and when obstacles blocked his way, he charged, crushing them until he achieved his goal. That’s why he didn’t understand this hesitation to fight Death.
Every part of him was ready to attack the arrogant angel. Every thought playing out in his mind ended with having the angel’s blood dripping from his hands. He could almost feel the warm spray of blood across his face as he imagined ripping the angel’s throat out.
But then her face appeared. She had the same fear in her hazel eyes when she begged him to save her from her demon. He heard the sorrow in her cries as she broke down for what she’d done and lost. Then he saw her look at Death, the angel who so effortlessly did the impossible for her.
David ruffled his hair and shut his eyes. He needed think rationally. He tried to imagine something soothing and in an instant, her face came to mind. Despite his i
nner turmoil over her, his body relaxed at the image of her. He even started to smile until dark eyes glared back at him.
He nearly growled as he remembered the threats that thing had issued, but he stopped himself from making any noise when laughter sounded again.
David opened his eyes and stared down at the house below him as Jane’s daughter whispered to her brother. From what David had heard already, he figured out she had been playing with her dolls and had been attempting to get Nathan to join her over the past several minutes.
Nathan had been fairly quiet, and David wondered if that was a result of his autism or if he was just a quiet child. Whatever the reason for his less talkative nature, Natalie never stopped encouraging him to speak with her. She would prompt Nathan on what to say and he would quickly repeat her words. They were complete opposites but a perfect match.
David sighed as footsteps approached him. He really didn’t want company right now, but he thought it might distract him.
“David,” Dagonet greeted and sat beside him.
David looked over and nodded before returning his watch over the house.
Dagonet stayed quiet for a few minutes but eventually spoke again. “Is everything all right, my prince?”
David shrugged. “Jane is well again. As is Gareth. His injury has healed, but he needs to rest a bit longer.”
“That’s good to hear, but I take it not everything is well.”
Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to talk to someone about it. Dagonet was a fairly close companion, one that David knew would not share their private talk.
David decided to discuss his thoughts. “Jane has some sort of entity inside her. I guess it has been a part of her all along, but something triggered it to come out. It took over, and Jane wasn’t able to fight it.” He stopped, sighing and letting his head drop. “I could not overpower it. I had no hope of beating it. I was going to give it what it wanted because I could do nothing else.” He looked back at the house. “But he could.”
“Who?”
“Death. The fucking Angel of Death.”
“But you said she was well,” said Dagonet. “How—”
David chuckled. “She is well—he didn’t kill her. He saved her from it because I could do nothing to help her. That thing inside her had me pinned like a fucking mouse under a cat’s paw. I could only watch as he drained her energy with a kiss. I suppose, in a way, I owe him for helping her. But I will not admit that to him.
“Apparently, they go way back. He was very cold, but his feelings for her were obvious—he adored her. And when she looked at him, you could see she reciprocated his feelings. She would not even look at me.”
Dagonet shook his head. “David, I know you—you are not going to simply sit here and give her up. I know you have waited for this woman most of your life. Yes, there have been, and still are, obstacles in the way of your happiness together, but that does not mean you forfeit at the first challenge. You are the bravest and most feared of our kind. This does not sound like you. He’s an opponent. Face him. Show her who her Other is. None of us may be able to defeat him, but you can prove to her that, even faced with Death, you are not afraid. Show her what every immortal knows: David is not one to be fucked with.”
David chuckled, surprised to hear Dagonet’s outburst. “Thank you. I suppose I needed someone to tell me to get over my self-pity.”
Dagonet gave him a warm smile. “I am always happy to assist you, my prince. Now go. Get your woman back and bring her to meet me soon. If her daughter is anything to go by, and Gawain claims that the little one is a miniature clone of your Jane, I know she must be a goddess.”
“She is. Amazing and beautiful. She’s perfect for me.” He smiled to himself, she really was perfect for him.
“And I am sure you are perfect for her, my prince. Now away. I have a home to guard.”
David pulled himself up and looked back over to Jane’s house. He hadn’t given too much thought about her children. Now he was even more hopeful to see them, and he knew that being separated from her family was breaking Jane. Perhaps Arthur was right, she simply needed someone to stay with her from her past.
It had not gone unnoticed by him how badly she was hurting over the loss of her family. She was very skilled at hiding her pain, but he saw more than she realized. Though he would never be able to read her mind or share whatever bond she and Death seemed to share, he could see through what others dismissed as weakness in her.
He understood now she had already felt that darkness inside her. That’s why she hardly ever spoke of her family—she was protecting them from herself. Maybe that’s what she’s doing to me, too.
“Do they cry for her?” David asked, not taking his eyes off the home.
“Yes, every day.”
David looked over at Dagonet and smiled. “Thank you for keeping them safe for her. I know it must be difficult for you, but I appreciate all that you have done.”
Dagonet shook his head. “It is an honor to watch over them, my prince. And receiving a hug from Nathan meant the world to me.” David smiled. He knew that would have a significant impact on the old vampire. It made him feel proud of Nathan for gifting the cursed man. “Go.” Dagonet shooed, waving toward the edge of the roof.
David grinned and dropped down. He was done feeling sorry for himself. Dealing with Jane’s marriage had been one thing, but Death wasn’t going to just waltz in and take her from him. She may need the angel, but she needed him, too, and David was going to make that clear to both of them. He wasn’t going anywhere.
Jane stopped combing her fingers through Sorrow’s mane, but he kept nuzzling her hand to prevent her from pulling it back. She smiled and resumed petting the giant horse.
“I know you miss your pets.” Death placed his hand on the small of her back. “He has wondered about you for years. I thought it was time for the two of you to meet.”
“He’s wondered about me?” she asked. “How?”
“He is very intelligent, and he can understand most of my thoughts, which you are often in.”
She smiled sadly as she thought about his absence from her life, as well as her family and pets.
“They are all fine, Jane,” he said, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. “All of them—your pets and family. Jason is still taking care of the animals and your knights never leave their posts around your home.”
Jane beamed up at him. “Thank you.”
He shook his head. “It’s not my doing. Thank your knights.”
Jane smiled, rubbing Sorrow’s nose. “Not about that, but I will thank them. I meant only that you always know what to say or do to make me feel better. I remember from before, too. I don’t need to explain myself to you. I don’t feel judged for who I am with you. I know you will accept my darkest secrets. Even if others say they will accept me, I’ll never believe them. But you—”
“You’re welcome.” He kissed the top of her head. “Let’s get to work on your training. Think back to any time you were using your abilities.”
Jane stopped petting Sorrow and turned to him. She wondered over the past events but quickly became frustrated. Looking over at her knights, she was saddened because David wasn’t among them. She didn’t blame him for leaving, but it hurt.
“Jane,” said Death, startling her. She looked back to him. “Do not worry over David right now, he will understand. Right now there are other matters you need to concentrate on. You need to get a grasp on your abilities if you want to protect him, the other knights, and your family. So focus. You’ve displayed the ability to manipulate matter and energy. I only want you to work on the basics: pushing and pulling. Once you master those, you can try more advanced attacks and defenses.”
She nodded. “Okay, but I don’t really know how to do anything. I wasn’t really aware.”
He smiled. “I know, but you were before she came out. Something you were doing or thinking triggered your power. So try to remember what you were thinking right before she put you
in the dark.”
Jane bit her lip as she thought back to how she had pulled David down on her after her nightmare. She had been afraid she’d lost him. It had been so real, and she didn’t believe he was really there. Once she accepted he was, she wanted him closer. On her. She felt her cheeks flush and dropped her gaze to the ground.
“Jane.” Death’s smooth voice slid over her skin like silk.
She didn’t look up. “Hm?”
“Have you thought of something?” She could tell he was smiling.
“Yeah.”
He chuckled. “Are you going to tell me?”
She knew Death wouldn’t let up, so she answered him. He probably saw the entire thing anyway. “I was thinking about David.”
Death lifted her chin with his finger and gave her a charming smile. “It’s okay. Now try to remember exactly what you were thinking when you were able to pull him or objects to you.”
She nodded and looked around. “What should I try it on?”
Death looked over at the group nearby. “Tristan, Jane needs your assistance.”
“Sure,” said Tristan as he stepped forward.
“Oh,” she said, jumping up excited. “Is it like how Tristan does his fire?”
Tristan chuckled while Death answered. “No, Jane. Tristan can generate and control fire. He speeds up an object’s atoms or the air particles until they ignite.”
Jane frowned but suddenly jumped up and down, smiling. “He’s like the Avatar!”
Tristan looked at her like she was crazy while Death laughed.
“Whatever you wish to believe, Jane,” he said, smiling as she bounced in place. “Though I feel the Avatar is more impressive than Tristan.”
“What the hell is the Avatar?” Tristan asked.
Death laughed again and waved his hand for Tristan to drop it. “It’s an anime she likes.”
Loud laughter filled the yard. When she turned her head, Jane saw Gawain and Gareth’s smiles, and she was so happy that they weren’t glaring at her or Death anymore that she grinned wider.