Page 21 of Guarded By the Reaper

Grim didn’t reply, but I could feel his gaze on me, curious, maybe a little amused.

“It’s like… I know what’s going to happen next, you know? Every line, every beat. It’s comforting, in a weird way. Like a security blanket. Safe.”

Safe. God, I craved safe. Like a drowning woman craved air.

“Wouldn’t mind being stuck like that myself,” I continued, my voice barely a whisper. “Going through the same day over and over again. Maybe right here, right now. With you.”

The words tumbled out before I could stop them. Heat crept up my neck. What was I doing? What was wrong with me?

Grim was silent, his form still in the flickering light from the television screen. I held my breath, waiting for him to say something, anything. I risked a glance in his direction, but it was too dark to make out his expression.

I needed to fix this.

I scooted closer to him, my heart pounding. I rested my head on his shoulder. I felt his hand, skeletal and cold, restingon top of mine. His touch sent a jolt through me. Our fingers intertwined, and I took it as a sign that he wasn’t mad at me.

Chapter Eleven

Grim

The movie played on, but I couldn’t focus. Millie was pressed against my side, her warmth seeping into my cold, dead bones. Her hand in mine felt like a lifeline, anchoring me to this moment, this impossible reality. My body tingled with a strange sensation, almost like pins and needles. It was as if her touch was breathing life back into me, awakening parts of myself I thought were long gone. I once again felt the phantom beat of a heart in my chest, the ghost of butterflies in my stomach.

I wanted to ask her what this meant, what we were doing… But fear held my tongue. What if I broke the spell? Better to stay quiet, to let this moment stretch on forever.

When the credits rolled, Millie untangled herself from me and headed to the kitchen. I followed, drawn to her like a moth to a flame. She moved around the kitchen with ease, her bare feet padding softly on the tile floor. Her hair cascaded down her back in dark waves, catching the light as she bent to retrieve a casserole from the fridge.

I leaned against the doorframe, watching her. It was such a simple scene – a woman making dinner – but it stirred something deep within me. A longing for normalcy, for domesticity. Things I’d given up on long ago. For a moment, I let myself imagine a different life. One where I wasn’t a century-old reaper, where she wasn’t bound by a deadly bargain. Just us, in this kitchen, night after night. The routine of it, the simplicity – it was intoxicating.

But I knew better than to hope. Hope was a luxury I couldn’t afford. Not in my line of work. Not with what was coming for Millie. Still, as I watched her hum softly to herself while she worked, I couldn’t help but feel a warmth spread through me. This feeling was dangerous, but I was powerless to stop it.

“Elysia, dinner’s ready!” Millie called out, her voice echoing through the house.

I heard the patter of small feet on the stairs before Elysia burst into the kitchen, her eyes bright with excitement.

“Can I help set the table?” she asked.

“Of course, sweetie,” Millie replied, handing her a stack of plates.

As they bustled around, setting the table in the dining room, Millie glanced over at me.

“Grim, why don’t you join us? Even if you don’t eat...”

I shook my head. “I appreciate the offer, but I should patrol outside for a bit.”

Elysia’s forehead creased in confusion. “Why is Grim here anyway? And why does he need to patrol?”

Millie’s smile faltered for a moment. “Don’t worry about it, honey. It’s just grown-up stuff.”

“That’s not fair!” Elysia protested, her voice rising. “Adults always keep things from kids. We’re not stupid, you know.”

“I know you’re not stupid,” Millie sighed. “Just... eat your food, okay?”

I slipped out the door, leaving them to their meal. The night air was cool against my bones as I began my patrol around the estate. It didn’t take long to spot the Poppets. They lurked in every shadow, their clay bodies barely visible in the darkness. They saw me, too. As I approached, they retreated, melting back into the night. This was going to be a long night. But strangely, I found myself looking forward to it. Not because I enjoyed playing cat and mouse with soulless clay dolls, but because of what came after.

When the patrol was done, I’d return to Millie. I’d wrap my cloak around her, shielding her from the nightmares that plagued her, keeping the Poppets from invading her mind. Andin those quiet hours before dawn, I’d hold her close, feeling more alive than I had in a century.

It was a dangerous game I was playing. Getting attached to a human never ended well, especially not one marked for death. But as I circled the estate, my thoughts kept drifting back to her. To the warmth of her hand in mine, the weight of her head on my shoulder.

I rounded a corner and came face to face with a Poppet. It stood there, unmoving, its lifeless eyes fixed on me. For a moment, we stared at each other, a standoff between death and something that had never truly been alive. Then the Poppet backed away, one step at a time, until it disappeared behind a tall rose bush. I considered following it, but what was the point? Millie needed me by her side.

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