Page 44 of A Waltz with Lord Death
Love.
The word rooted him to the spot. No one had ever directed that word at him unless in a platonic way. His heart overflowed with so much happiness that he didn’t know what to do with it. He felt as if he were in a boat with a hole in it, and despite the water sneaking in, he didn’t want to use the emergency bucket to throw the water back out. He wanted to drown in this feeling, this warmth that wrapped around him.
Warmth. Safety. Love.
After her words, the executioner ambled in the direction of the lever that would drop the trap door from beneath her feet.
Every instinct in him warned him to not interfere with her death. But passion flared brighter. She had given him a spark of hope for their future, and he would do his utmost to fan it into a flame rather than let it dwindle into a cold scorch mark left in the aftermath.
He revealed himself to everyone as his power burned hot within him. Smoldering. Scorching. Devouring. His shadows slithered out from hiding, rolling and bouncing across the ground. His hounds growled at the screaming and cowering townsfolk, creating a straight path to the scaffold. He knew his eyes were twin pairs of onyx, cinching together the terror he was.
He pointed to the executioner, and when he spoke, his voice came out deep and sinister. “If you pull that lever, you are a dead man.”
Wisely, the man stepped aside and raised his hands in the air as if he had an arrow trained on him.
“Death,” Meira sobbed. “I never thought I would see you again in this life.”
Slowly, he approached the scaffold, his hounds growling at his side in an unnecessary reminder for those in the audience to keep their distance. They certainly didn’t need the reminder, as most of them were cowering away from him. Others had fainted. But only a couple had fled.
His power ebbed little by little until he felt the shadows leave his eyes, and they slowly disappeared around him like rain clouds dispersing in the presence of a sunbeam. He climbed one stair, and then another, until he finally stood before Meira, the crowd forgotten as he gazed into her beautiful blue eyes. All he wanted to do was gather her into his arms. Yet, panic raced through his veins when he noticed her death date remained the same. Two minutes left. It did not stop counting down.
“Y-y-you must be so angry at me,” she said. “I intentionally hurt you. Forgive me. I was just so upset about Elise.”
“Elise is much happier where she is now.” He caressed her cheek with his finger, and she closed her eyes at his touch. “You gave me hope today where I thought there was none.” He lowered his voice to a whisper when she opened her eyes once more. “Marry me, Meira, and become Lady Life at my side.”
With tears trailing from her eyes and over his fingers still resting against her cheek, she replied, “I don’t deserve it after how I have treated you. I am not an angel. I am not a saint.”
“And I am not the devil. I am not a demon. No one is perfect. Not even Life. I want all of you. All the good parts and all the bad.” Her tears came faster and she still didn’t answer, so he continued. “I forgive you, Meira. I love you, and I want more than anything for you to stay by my side.”
Feeling ridiculous about spilling out his entire heart to her while she wore a noose, he touched the rope and it disintegrated beneath his power. He made quick work of the rope tying her hands behind her back as well. Gasps echoed from the audience. Several more people screamed. But no one moved as if transfixed.
He captured her face between his hands and gazed earnestly into her eyes. “Meira, will you become mine?”
This time, tears of happiness fell from her eyes as she nodded. “Yes. I will be yours, Death.”
His heart jumped with elation. His entire being radiated undulated happiness. He leaned close enough that her lips were only an inch away from his. “You, my love, may call me Dorian.”
“Dorian,” she laughed, and the beautiful sound melted his heart all over again. “That is far from the hideous names I had guessed. It suits you. Dorian.”
She beat him to it when her lips crashed against his with yearning need. But the need quickly became softer, gentler. He could have wept with happiness when his power didn’t steal the soul right from her body. Her lovely scent swept across him. Her soft lips enticed him to deepen the kiss with one hand on her back to pull her closer to him, the other against her cheek.
He breathed in her exhale, cradling the essence of her soul within him. And when she breathed in, he let loose his power upon her. Instead of Life’s power cowering within a corner of his own soul, it poured into Meira.
She gasped in shock, quickly breaking the kiss. Bright, magnificent light hugged every curve of her body. Her eyes flashed from blue to the purest of white. Change shifted within her, making room for the power now radiating from her soul.
He breathed out a sigh of relief at the balance restored within him. His power leveled out to normal. Control resumed ticking its clock. And as for Meira’s clock…
It disappeared altogether. Her death date washed away completely, no longer acting as a guillotine over her head. Or in this case, a noose around her neck.
Her clothing changed from mortal threads to immortal splendor, a white and gold dress with purple accents. The dirt and tears that once stained her face were washed away, leaving her brighter and more beautiful than ever. Her hair gathered itself in an updo full of brown curls, with small wildflowers threaded through the strands.
Her power ebbed, leaving the audience in awe, with adoration in their eyes. He only just managed to hold back his snort of amusement and self-deprecating comments. Whereas he’d been met by screams and cowering, her reception was met with awe and worship.
Nothing ever changed.
People would erect statues of Meira, claiming her as a goddess, a saint, and more. Death’s favorite version of himself the people concocted was named Hades. So far, it was the closest rendition of the truth.
He glanced out over the audience and met Betha’s gaze with a shared relieved smile. She wouldn’t let Barret go. Not just yet. Now Meira could help him. At least he hoped with all his heart.
