Word Count: 1800

¬Luella

Death is exactly how I imagined her to be.

She has similar features to Thought, with long, straight dark hair that hangs down to her hips. With each time of her head, her hair seems to glimmer with a silver sheen. Her eyes are silver, like Thought's although a more muted grey. They seem to be alive, like dark tendrils of fog swirl endlessly around her irises.

And just to make her more like her namesake, she is dressed to head to toe with skin tight clothing, which is as black as obsidian. She is gorgeous, but undeniably intimidating. I can feel the power radiating off her, as if she is about to grab me, and drag me to the deepest depths below the earth. t

"So you're the one everyone is making such a fuss over," he muses, looking me up and down brazeningly, not appearing all that impressed by what she sees.

To her, I doubt I look like the type to hack into her brain and control her.

"I didn't exactly ask for this," I mutter, shoving my hands awkwardly into my pockets. I match her gaze, as hot and pressing as it may be. I'm not going to let her get to me, as much as I want to look away and cower. I've spent enough time around immortals now that I don't need to be so scared that they are going to waste their time using their powers against me.

"You should be grateful. Many would kill for Thought's abilities. Now you've just been given them," she comments. I can't decide if she blatantly doesn't like me, or is trying to figure me out.

"You know that's not what happened, Death," Thought cuts in uneasily, trying to relieve the tension between us. "This is a curse, There is only one way to get those abilities, and that is to be naturally mated to me."

Naturally. Not some forced matebond.

"I'm not saying I want your abilities, Thought," Death says tiredly, rolling her eyes. Even as she does that, she looks graceful and refined. She doesn't seem concerned with speaking out of term with Thought, their relationship far more complex than I could ever begin to imagine. "Thankfully, I'm powerful enough on my own."

"Why are you here?" I find myself saying.

"I was curious. Can you blame me?" she questions, a dangerous smile growing on her face with every passing second. The way she looks at me suggests she is more than curious. "You've been quite the fuss with all these pure-bloods recently."

"You've seen me, now you can go," I say lowly. I don't know why she is really here, and why Thought allowed her to see me. I don't trust any other immortals right now.

Death falters, looking at me like I just offended her entire lineage. I wait anxiously for her to blow up at me, to threaten me for everything I'm good for, but instead, calmness smoothes over her features, and she smiles at me, but there's a lethal poison lingering under the surface. One that I should be scared of, but refuse to be.

"Feisty. I think we will get along, won't be Thought?" Death breathes, eyes twinkling as she admires my mate. My stomach turns. Do they have a history, or am I reading this wrong? Death looks at Thought like she might eat him alive, but she could just be doing that do get to me.

"What's going on?" I ask, questioning the way she is looking at him, like there is a secret being shared without me knowing. Thought confirms it in the way he shifts uncomfortably on his feet.

He rubs the back of his neck. "You're going to go stay with Death for a little bit."

"What, why?"

"She can protect you. No immortal cares about obtaining my abilities enough to cross into Death's realm," Thought explains calmly, holding his hands out to me as if he can stop me from exploding in anger. I don't feel any, though. I'm just confused, that he would be willing to hand me over to Death when he has been trying to keep me from Immortals.

"I've been there before, I'm not going back," I shudder, remembering those years I was stuck there, living a life I don't want to think back on.

"You're not going there," Death mutters, as if I'm ridiculously foolish with no education. Personally, I didn't know there was 'realm of death' as a mortal anyway. "You'll be going to my private residence. And it's not just some scary dark hole."

I frown, like she is reading my mind. By the looks of her, there's only so much I can predict from her character, let alone her housing choices.

"What about you? Are you coming?" I question, glancing at my mate.

"Later. I need to deal with things back here first, but I promise I'll be with you whenever you need me," he assures me. The surety of his tone has panic bubbling up within me, daring to burst out. He can't possibly think it's a good idea to leave me alone with Death. I'll admit, no immortal would cross her, but the last thing I'll feel near her is safe.

"No, this can't be happening right now. I don't want to go anywhere, I can look after myself," I growl, pointing to my temple, trying to remind him of my abilities regarding immortals.

I look glaringly toward Death, focusing all my attention, all my emotions on her.

This time, I don't gain access to her mind like with Thought. Instead, I'm struck by the feeling that I have her mind in my hands, such a fragile, susceptible thing. I've never been an angry person, overrun by my emotions, yet I want to prove to her how powerful I am, that I can look after myself from these Immortals.

"Ow! What the hell!" Death yelps, hands flying up to her temples.

The tie is immediately severed, Thought stepping in between us. He's used his own powers to interfere, but his expression suggests how shaken he is. It's another demonstration of my unknown power no one expected.

"It's okay, Luella, calm down, he breathes.

"I don't want this," I exclaim, looking toward Death who stands up straight, recovering quickly. But it takes its toll on me. My head begins to protest, pain leaking throughout my entire head, threatening to consume me in darkness. It already shrouds the edges of my vision, unconsciousness looming.

"Everything will be okay. We are trying to help you," Thought says, before I surrender to the darkness, Thought's arms around me the last thing I feel.

***

I wake slowly, painfully.

I'm in a room, hardly furnished, but with a large window beside the bed that allows me to catch my bearings. Outside, a sky swirling with patterns of soft pink and violet suggests we are no longer in Thought's territory. It takes a moment for everything to come back, but the moment it does, my eyes narrow, and anger rears up before me.

"I'm going to kill him," I growl to myself, clutching the sheets tightly within my fists.

Swinging my legs from the bed, I consider my next move. There's no way I'm getting out of here without Death allowing me too. Thought isn't going to come here yet, so I need to be smart about this. I'm strong, and can defend myself against any immortal. I know their one weakness, and I'm it.

It's only a matter of time before Death herself wants to exploit me. I need to get into her head, to decide what her plans are for me, and whether she is honest.

I eye the door, and once I blink, a figure appears right before it, arms folded over their chest, eyebrows raised.

"Opps, I wouldn't do that."

I grit my teeth, narrowing my eyes upon my mate. "You're in my head, aren't you."

Thought shrugs, stepping away from the door. It didn't take him long to infiltrate my mind and appear before me, as if he is really here. Relief consumes he at the sight of him, but I also want to be mad that he put me in this situation without hearing out my opinion.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay when you woke up. Didn't want you to run out and accuse Death of anything, when she has been trying to help you," Thought says pointedly, already assuming he knows what I'm about to do. He made a promise to me a long while ago not to rifle through my thoughts, so I'm hoping he keeps that.

"You left me here. You're meant to help protect me," I remind him. I'm hoping Time has been livid with Thought for not consulting him first.

I go for the door again, but he steps in the way again.

"Uh ah, where do you think you're going?" he questions tauntingly, making me roll my eyes.

"You're not here right now, you're not real," I remind him, even if it feels eerily real. I've had enough of Thought telling me what to do. "I can just walk through you."

"But you won't," he breathes, smiling down at me. My heart skips at the way he looks at me, and despite the fact that I want to run out that door and face down Death, I bide my time. No use having Thought convince me out of what I plan to do. "Sit down."

"I comply, but reluctantly. I hate you, I hope you know that."

Thought grins, knowing I'm only saying that out of frustration. "I'm trying to protect you. And whenever you need me, just call, and I will be there."

I touch the soft linen of the bed beneath me, knowing this may be my bed for quite some time. If I don't get into Death's head to decipher her motive, I may be thrown into a prison by tomorrow. I want to trust Thought, but he is so desperate to keep me safe, he would trust anyone.

"Right now I think I need sleep," I mutter, looking out the window to the darkness that has no set in. In other words, I want Thought to vanish back to his place and time.

"Perfect," he murmurs.

"Goodnight Thought," I say dismissively, gliding under the sheets. But Thought doesn't go anywhere, sitting on the edge of the bed, until I fall asleep.

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