Death sighed as he made his way to the next person on his list. A young woman, barely a woman. From his records, it was her eighteenth birthday today. He always hated taking the souls of humans who had not yet had a chance to truly live and to make it worse, this time it was on the woman’s birthday but it was his job and no exceptions could be made. The balance had to be kept.

​

Every soul had a string that only he could see, it would always lead him straight to the person he was searching for. Confusion however lit up his face as this string which was a beautiful and yet unusual blue-green color led him deeper and deeper into the woods that was covered thickly in snow from the latest storm.

 

What would this woman be doing so deep in the Canadian forests during a snowstorm?

 

Though it was rare that a storm hit here this early in the year, perhaps she had just been a victim of an unusual circumstance. Had she frozen to death?

 

He sighed again wondering why he was so curious anyways and continued to trek through the snow. Thankfully since he was Death, his steps were light so his feet didn’t sink into the ground as he walked. He still hated having to walk through a storm though, even if the snow didn’t cling to him. It was hard to see, he was lucky the string attached to this woman was so bright. It stood out vibrantly against the snow with an almost turquoise glow. The glow meant she was fighting to stay alive, something he was glad to see however it was useless he knew. Once your name showed on his list, that was the end. No amount of fighting would stop it from happening.

 

It was still several more minutes before he came across a trail of footprints, spots of blood in the snow.

 

“This isn’t a simple freeze to death…”

 

Not only did the blood throw out his earlier theory but the footprints lead away from where the string was leading him.

 

Dread filled him and he growled under his breath.

“Damn it.”

 

Finding the woman was his goal though, not solving the mystery.

 

He spews out a few more profanities as he turned right and continued to follow the string.

 

Off in the distance through the falling snow, he could see what appeared to be a cave.

 

Entering into the darkness he was greeted by a gruesome picture. The woman he was looking for laid against the stone wall caked thickly in dirt and blood. Both dried and fresh. A metal collar around her neck like a damn animal. The sight made him grip his cane tightly in anger.

 

He kneeled down and waved his hand in front of her face using his powers to unlock the collar from her. It dropped to the ground with a loud thump.

 

Using the end of his cane he moved some of her hair from her face to get a better look at her. She was beautiful, very beautiful. Death found it a tragedy that the world would lose such a lovely thing. Her face had remained untouched but her body had clearly been through much.

 

His mouth pulled into a thin line with a frown, bite marks littered her entire body. He knew well what left those kinds of marks.

 

The only thing he could offer her now was peace. He sighed and placed the palm of his hand flat against her cheek, wiping away some of the dirt. All it took was a touch of his hand and their suffering ended.

 

“Time to die my dear. I’m sorry.”

 

A hand darted out and gripped his wrist tightly, the woman’s head whipping around and foggy unclear eyes glared into his own.

Her voice was cracked and hoarse, “I will NOT die like this.” She growled before her eyes rolled back in her head. Her body going limp. Breaths coming out in quick pants.

 

Death’s eyes were wide as saucers. “Impossible.” He whispered.

 

No one was immune to his touch. When her hand let go of him and fell to her side, Death slid his fingers lightly down to her neck and felt for a pulse.

 

He gasped when he felt it. This had never happened. Since the dawn of time when he came into being, there had never been anyone immune to his touch.

 

Death couldn’t leave her but he also needed to know what was going on. Not only that but if she stayed alive in this place her torturer would come back for more. He may be the grim reaper but not even he was cruel enough to allow the woman to suffer more.

 

With that conclusion in his mind, Death slide his arms under her knees and shoulders, lifting her gently into his arms and carried her out of the cave.

 

“Where should I take you?” He asked himself. The girl was determined to live and without his touch working to end her pain immediately then she would only continue to suffer until she either gave up or her organs did.

 

He needed to tend to her someplace safe and warm.

 

Death hummed in thought, perhaps her home would still work.

 

Only one way to find out he thought.

 

Gray mist wrapped around his feet and moved upwards covering both him and the woman, when it dispersed he stood inside a home.

 

Listening closely, he found no sounds or signs of life. Perhaps this would work.

 

Death placed her gently on the couch then moved about looking for anything useful.

 

Returning with several blankets to cover her in and a medical kit, he began to examine her more closely in the light of the home.

 

She was extremely malnourished. Whoever had harmed her was very careful in their torture obviously wanting it to last as long as possible. Most of her wounds had healed. It seemed they would bring the girl close to death than heal her so they could do it all over again.

 

Luckily this meant he could probably save her. The largest problem contributing to demise was in fact the cold. Still, she had a few fresh wounds that were shallow thankfully. He tended to them and bandaged her. A small fireplace sat not far from them which he ignited for further warmth. Already she was slowly growing warmer. The bleeding had stopped.

 

She would need something warm and easy to eat when she awoke if she was going to keep fighting. Death moved to the kitchen digging through the cabinets but everything was expired or empty.

 

He went through the drawers next, finding some take-out menus, and pleased to see the phone in the house still worked he called and ordered them both food.

 

Death leaned against the wall staring at the woman. She never moved but he could clearly see the rise and fall of her chest. Her breathing was a little stronger.

 

Questions swirled in his mind about what any of this meant. The only thing stopping him from drowning in questions was a knock on the front door.

 

Death strode to the door and opened it to find a young man carrying a bag of food.

 

Death grabbed the bag and placed it on the floor.

 

“Uhh, are you Bella’s uncle or something? Is she okay? Nobody has seen her in a while.”

 

“Mm.” Death ignored the questions, pulling out money he dropped it in the man’s hand.

 

“Yea thanks. If you see her tell her Mike misses her.” The stranger smiled awkwardly turning to leave.

 

A thought came to his mind suddenly and he called out the man.

 

“Wait. Mike.” Death smiled

 

Mike turned back around and stopped in front of the door. “Yea?”

 

Death quickly extended her arm and brushed the man’s neck. Tilting his head and watching as Mike shook than fell to the ground dead.

 

“Huh.” Death looked at his hands. “Still works.” His eyes darting down to the body. “Just checking.” He shrugged before waving his hands and making the body disappear.

 

He grabbed the food, closed the door and walked back inside the house.

 

                                            CHAPTER 2

​

Death sat in a recliner; his feet propped up on the coffee table while he ate his sandwich until a groan from the couch caught his attention. Brown eyes fluttering open slowly.

 

“There’s soup on the table.” He said before taking another bite of his food.

 

Bella startled by the voice sat up so quickly it made her dizzy and her head pound. She grabbed her skull and groaned.

 

“You should move slower.” Death said between bites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“No shit.” She grumbled than looked at the man in her father’s recliner. Surprised to see a rather thin man in an all-black suit with a cane leaning up against his seat. He smirked at her sarcasm as he continued eating and Bella couldn’t help but think there was something oddly attractive about the older man. She couldn’t decide if it was the dangerous aura he seemed to exude or the fact that he just pulled off a suit really well.

 

Her eyes than spotted the soup he had mentioned and her stomach growled. Bella couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten anything so she grabbed the container happy to feel that it was still warm and a spoon was also there for her to use.

 

She took a couple slow bites savoring the flavor and warmth on her cold empty stomach before speaking. “Who are you?”

 

“Death.” He answered before slurping his drink.

 

Bella snorted, “Suuuuree…” She went to lift the spoon to her lips only to have it slip from her hand and land into the bowl with a small splash when his face flashed to that of a skeleton before returning to normal as he took another bite of his meal.

 

He shrugged nonchalantly and continued to watch her face flick through emotions. First shock followed by recognition of the truth before landing on understanding.

 

“I’m dead… “

 

“Actually you are not.”

 

“What? Than why are you here? I thought Victoria killed me.”

 

“Victoria? Is she the one that had you chained like an animal?” He sneered in anger his eyes flashing white for a moment.

​

She was flattered that he was angry on her behalf and nodded. “Yes. She’s been torturing me for a while so I figured she must have finally gone too far and that’s why you’re here.”

 

“It was actually the cold that had gotten to you the most. I did in fact come for you because it was your time. Imagine my surprise when my touch did not kill you. That’s the first time that has happened since I came into existence. Care to wager why?”

 

Bella shook her head confused before gasping. “Does it have anything to do with the weird gift I seem to have?”

 

“Gift?”

 

“My ex…. He could read minds but not mine.”

 

Death narrowed his eyes. “Was he human?”

 

“Vampire.”

 

He hummed. “Cold one I’m guessing.”

 

“Yea why?”

 

“They are the breed of vampire that have ‘gifts. Though I’ve never met a gifted that’s ability could stop my touch from killing them. It works on all humans and supernatural’s.”

 

“Wait are you saying there’s more than one kind of vampire.”

 

“Mm mm.” He hummed crumpling up the wrapper from his sandwich and placing it in the empty bag.

 

“Are you sure your touch just doesn’t work anymore?”

 

Placing his drink down on the table, he sat back tapping his finger on the arm rest. “Yes, I killed the delivery boy who brought our food.”

 

“What?! Why?”

 

“Firstly do not act surprised. It is my job to take lives. Secondly to make sure my touch still worked because if it didn’t that would be a huge problem at keeping the balance in the world and lastly to keep the balance.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well my dear it was your time but not only did my touch not work on you but you also refused to die. Said so yourself in a daze. Someone had to die so you could stay alive to keep the balance.”

 

Bella paled. “Someone is dead because of me?”

 

“Had to be done.”

 

“Will….. someone else have to die? I mean for me to stay alive?”

 

“No. A life for a life.”

 

Bella leaned back into the couch; her shoulders slumped. “I don’t want anyone to have to die for me… “

 

Death was shocked by the girl’s compassion. It was a feeling he was unused to.

 

Sighing. “If it’s any consolation, he was going to die within the next year anyways. I only sped it up a little.”

 

Bella know that shouldn’t make a difference but she found herself releasing a deep breath and relaxing. “Actually that really does. Thank you. Can I ask who it was?”

 

“Mike Newton.”

 

Bella scrunched her nose. “It’s probably horrible of me but now I feel even better about it than before.”

 

Death was surprised by her statement but the words and her facial expression was too much for him and he found himself laughing loudly for the first time… ever.

 

His laugh was deep it that it felt as though it vibrated through her. Bella smiled at the sound and ended up joining him herself. Giggles burst out as she tried to cover her mouth to stifle them but it only caused Death to laugh more.

 

After several minutes the laughing died down but Death still chuckled as he leaned back further in his seat. His entire body relaxing more than he could ever remember before.

 

His eyes softened in her direction. “Please finish eating my dear. If you’re going to stay alive you need to recover.”

 

Bella sent him a grateful smile and continued to sip at her soup slowly.

 

Death watched her as she ate and found himself both intrigued and amazed by the young woman. Perhaps they could travel together as companions. Yes. He was responsible for her life now. Death chuckled quietly to himself. Guess he was adopting a human.