Page 70 of Touch of Death
Opening my eyes, I don’t bother looking for my own reflection. Instead, I find his, and I swear I feel our souls crash together through the shimmering water. I hold onto this, letting the power of my emotions build with each beat of my heart …
Until my desire for him is all-consuming, all-powerful in its intensity.
I turn toward him, my breath catching in my throat as I meet his gaze face to face, and I’m thrown off-balance by what I find within it.
Withinhim.
Without thinking, I take a step back, my stomach dropping out beneath me. Time slows as I fall backward over the edge of the pool. Inky tendrils reaching for me as Death’s eyes widen in panic.
“Haz—”
But then his voice is lost to me as I squeeze my eyes shut and sink below the surface.
At first, I find the water to be warm and welcoming as it wraps around me, dragging me deeper and deeper. Only, as I struggle to open my eyes, I realize it isn’t water but something much thicker. It weighs me down, and I find myself panicking as I try and fail to get my bearings.
I cry out, but the viscous liquid fills my mouth instead. I can’t pull myself free from the pool’s hold on me. No matter how hard I try, I cannot reach the surface, and my lungs burn with need.
I can’t help but wonder if this is what Death meant about his touch. That I’m not limited to just one death after all.
What would it mean for me, for my body and soul, if I were to die here again?
My body stills, my heartbeat slowing to a dull thrum …
I’m going to drown.
I’m going to die again without having told Death that I love him.
Just as I think it’s all over, strong arms wrap around my waist, and I feel myself being dragged up, up, up, until the water releases its hold on me, and I finally break the surface.
I cough, the thick liquid pouring out of me as a hand cups my cheek, brushing a thumb across my eyes to free them of the water’s weight.
Slowly, I open them as the last drops fall from my lashes, and I’m able to see again.
At least, I think I can.
I can’t make sense of the being standing before me, dripping gold and glittering like diamonds in the light as it stands waist-deep with me in the pool.
Still keeping one arm around me, the figure reaches up to pull off a mask of molten gold and tosses it aside.
Death.
His beauty somehow more striking as it drips with golden light.
Our eyes meet, and my heart thuds in my chest.
“You saved me,” I gasp.
“I would rather die a thousand deaths than see you parted from me again, little one.”
I frown in confusion, his words making my mouth go dry. I must have misheard or still have some of this strange water in my ears.
“That can’t be right,” I breathe as I stare up at him in bewilderment.
“Why not?” he asks, making me realize that I spoke my thought aloud.
“Because … because of what you told Eros yesterday. About your feelings for me.”
His brow furrows as he searches my face as if he’s already forgotten what he said. Unable to stop myself, I softly repeat the words that shattered my heart yesterday, dropping my eyes as I say them.
