I cough and look to Ada who is just giving me a long face. Gray is smiling so wide and his eyes are turning… I can't actually tell what colour they’re becoming, and I don't want to find out.I’ve just made a complete fool of myself. I don't do this. This isn't me.
“It’s okay, my goddess. Go have a drink of water and change into different clothes. I do like to see you in rags and little night dresses, but that attire isn’t suitable for town. I can’t stand the thought of others looking at you the way I do.” I feel my cheeks redden more and I quickly turn back towards the cottage. This feels like it's going to be a long day.
I arrive in town on Ada, following Gray’s directions, after he promised to meet me here. It feels different going into town with no hat and mask on. It's…freeing. I can feel the cool breeze on my face and enjoy the warmth of the midday sun. I take Ada to a different stable than usual and with a final head stroke and a kiss to her nose, I turn to weave through the streets of London to find my Gray.
I turn a corner and immediately spot him, leaning against a wall, one foot propping him up, arms folded and a smile on his face upon seeing me. He pushes off the wall and walks forwards, slowly towering over me.
“What are we doing here?” I question him, hurrying to catch up as he starts to walk off into an alleyway.
“Just down here is an old beggar. Her time has come, my queen. You may help her.” Gray comes to a halt, and I stand next to him, wishing I could hold his hand to do this together.
A lady is sitting on the floor, rags over her head, tattered grey clothes and can barely hold her begging cup any longer. She drops it but tries to hold it up again when people walk near her. She is painfully thin—must be starvation, a feeling I remember well and would never wish upon anybody. People pass her by,not looking at her, and she drops her cup, crying softly to herself. She can’t survive any longer.
I walk past Gray and go up to the woman, getting onto my knees in front of her. No one else is around now, but Gray hovers nearby, close and observing. The woman looks up to me. She can’t even be that old, maybe the same age as me but her skeletal face could be deceiving me. She smiles when she sees me and is about to say something but her gaze catches Gray and she starts to panic.
“No, no! Please no. I can get money; I can get food and eat! Just give me some time!” she begs, grabbing my hands, her pleading eyes flitting between me and Gray. “Please…” she whispers.
I shake my head. “Not this time. I’m sorry.”
She sobs harder and I feel her hands tense up; she wants to fight and flee but she doesn’t have the energy, she needs to let go now. I give her a small smile, brushing some of her ratted hair behind her ear as she closes her eyes and sighs.
When I pull back my hand, I have her little blue light of soul in my hand. I guide the light close to my crow necklace, and it seems to almost jump into the pendant, just like before. I look to Gray who gives me a little nod and starts to walk down the alley.
“Wait!” I cry out for him, scrambling to my feet. He stops, turning to face me as I continue more quietly. “Tell me, what do these people see when they look at you? How do they know you are Death? How do they know you have come for them?”
“Ah, my little one, they see me as what they think death looks like. Some see me as a skeleton, others see me as an angel with wings, and a few see a dark shadow. The very guilty souls see me as the victims they hurt or murdered and that is why they try to flee—I enjoy those the most; I get to hunt them down and bring them the death they’re trying to escape from. No one can hide from me. No one will ever flee from their inevitable death date.I will find them and destroy them how I wish. Others, I don’t interfere with. I let nature take its course. You, my darling, see me as the man I created for myself. It gets a little complicated, but this is the form I created to walk amongst humans. If you don’t like how I look, I’m more than happy to change things for you?” He grins at me and holds his arms out and turns around so I can see him, bringing a smile and teasing slight giggle from me.
“Nothing needs changing, I like this look,” I say with a wink. Gray smiles and bows, looking very pleased with himself.
Muffled screams catch my attention, and my feet instantly take me to where they are coming from. I’d recognise those muffled noises anywhere. Gray walks slowly behind me as I pick up the pace, rushing into the alleyway, where I see a man forcing a woman against the wall. Her face scratches on the brick work as his hand force her head against the building. Her skirts have been raised where he’s stood behind her.
She doesn’t want this.
She doesn’t like this.
“Stop!” I can’t help but yell. The man looks at me, stabs the lady three or four times and flees. Her body drops to the floor and she gasps for air. I drop behind her, holding onto the back of her head and let her rest on my knees.
“He… He…” She tries to speak to me but blood bubbles and froths, staining her lips.
“I will find him for you, now, close your eyes and rest, sweet girl,” I whisper to her. She closes her eyes and the little ball of blue light floats out of her mouth. I grab it, lowering her to the floor and guiding the soul to my pendant. I feel stronger and more alert now. I’m mad as hell and need to catch this guy—no one kills an innocent woman in front of me.
“Where did he go?” I turn to Gray. He raises his eyebrows at me, and his eyes start to fade black along with a wicked grin, clearly having the same idea as me.
“Come, my sweet temptation, let's go get him.” Gray disappears before my eyes, leaving me alone. I turn and walk in the direction of where the man ran off to.
Go up the street, turn right and duck behind the baker's shop. I have him.
I walk as quickly as I can; if I run, I’ll draw attention to myself. Luckily, no one has been around for the past two people, but this is going to be moreintimatenow. I get to where Gray told me to go, stumbling as I see him. The Death God holds the man in his arms, back to his chest, hand on his mouth and has him locked so close to his body that the man can’t move a muscle or speak. Gray’s eyes are completely black now and he looks so sinister. The man is in a state of panic, his eyes wide and locked on mine, and Gray has such a tight hold that he’s struggling to breathe. I chuckle and slowly walk up to the man, taking my blade from its sheath on my thigh and starting to play with it.
“So, you wanna force women to take you? Fulfil a sexual desire? Enjoy a quick power thrill? Then stab them to death?” I say to him as I trace my blade's edge up and down this man's thighs. He whimpers as I cut his trousers at the band and they fall down to his feet, completely exposing him.
Disgusting.
I drop to my knees in front of him and I hear Gray groan.
“Darling, I can’t wait till you do that for me. I’ve watched you get on your knees twice for other men and I can’t take anymore of it.”
“Last one, my Gray, I won’t do it again.” I smile at him, before focusing back on my victim, whose eyes are darting all over the place in blind panic.
