Darkly and Eternally Yours

Chapter 10

"Who the hell are you?" I asked, walking closer to him.

He finally turned to look at me, his eyes bleak and reserved.

"What do you mean?" He asked, in a voice as vacant as his eyes.

"You know exactly what I mean, I SAW you." I said, firmly. I did not come all this way to hear him call me delusional too.

"I haven't stepped out of this house in days." He said, swishing the scotch in his glass around, concentrating on it, like it was his freaking Math test. It angered me more, the way he was acting, it made me feel like I was a three-year-old throwing a temper tantrum because he wouldn't buy me my favorite toy.

"Oh, bullshit. You saw me too, you were in Mrs. Maury's funeral, you were on the road too, when the crash happened, I'm not freaking crazy, I KNOW I saw you." I yelled at him in exasperation, I was so tired of no one believing me. And his cool facade was just pissing me off to no extent.

"By the way you are acting; anyone would call you crazy, sit down, and cool that anger off." He said, still talking to me like a doctor talks to a mental patient.

"You want me to cool that anger off? I'm not sitting down or doing anything until you tell me what the hell you did to Mrs. Maury."I exclaimed, my blood boiling in rage. I didn't know where all this anger was coming from but I was fuming and I wasn't calming down anytime soon.

"I didn't do anything okay? Just calm down, you're shaking." He stood up and made me sit down on the chair opposite him.

"Look, you've had a tough week, you're stressed, you're grieving, you are bound to feel like this." He said, sitting back on his chair, trying to calm me down, but I was having none of that.

"Why can't you just be honest with me? First you left me for no goddamn reason at all, then you appear in the car crash, looking like you belong in a satanic cult or something, looking like death, then you even appear at the funeral and disappear in thin air and now on top of that, you're making me look like I'm crazy?! It's clear as the air, that you're hiding something." I yelled, all pent up anger and stress exploding out of me like I was a volcano.

"Kiara-"

"No! Let me finish, you tell me all those stuff about how different I am and how drawn you are to me, but you're actions show that it's all GODDAMN BULLSHIT! You walked out on me, just like everyone else. And now this death happened, Dianna's a freaking mess, and it's breaking me up, to see her depressed like that, I keep seeing strange things and everyone keeps denying it, making me look crazy, you won't tell me what the hell you're hiding and I JUST CAN'T!" I broke off, slumping against the plush chair, out of breath. An uninvited tear, descending down my cheek. I hated crying, I always cried when I was really mad. I just kept my eyes closed, willing the tears to go away.

I heard some movement and felt a swish of current run over me, letting me know that Adrian was close to me. I felt his hand on my face, erasing a tear away, a tear that managed to escape from my grasp. His hands were delicate, I didn't know what expression was on his face, but his touch was apologetic and soothing. But, I still kept my eyes closed; I didn't want to look at anyone. I just wanted to disappear in a hole forever. I felt the anger inside starting to cool down, thanks to my emotional outburst.

And then, he started to speak, "Kiara, I'm really sorry, I really am, I should've never brought you into this mess, I never wanted to hurt you, I swear. I was selfish for bringing you closer to me. I really wish I could explain tell you everything. But I can't, I'm restrained by heavy weights that has the ability to crush us both. Everything that I've told you, about how special you are to me, is true. I never lied to you about my feelings towards you. I'm sorry that you are hurting, your friend's hurting-"

"That's the thing though," I interrupted him, my voice as calm as the Dead Sea, I opened my eyes and stared at the white ceiling.

"You act like you're guilty for these things." I said, finally looking at him kneeling down in front of me. He was silent, his gaze dropping down from my eyes.

"About my Dad, about Mrs. Maury. I just can't shake off the feeling that you had something to do with these." I said. And it was true that horrible feeling in my gut had been there since he left my house. It was impossible but I felt like there was more to it.

He gulped, and kept his face neutral, nervousness in his demeanor.

"Adrian," I leaned closer to him, our foreheads touching, "Why?" I asked my voice soft, I looked at him in the eye and his eyes bored into me too. He looked vulnerable, frightened, that look in his eyes dissolved any anger in me. He looked so powerless, I wanted to wrap my arms around him, shield him from the world. He looked like a child, a boy, he was just a boy and he looked so lost.

He leaned even closer to take my lips on his, softly, gently, it was so tender, it felt like feathers brushing against each other, his lips soft but persistent on mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, craning my neck sideways, and we deepened it, the fragile kiss. The world fell silent, time ceased to go by. I only felt him, his lips, his scent, his touch; it was only me and him in this world.

Our kisses got more demanding, hands started to roam everywhere, wanting more, begging more. He slid me down the chair, swiftly onto his lap. We couldn't stay away from each other's lips for long; it was a drug, a guilty pleasure, an addiction.

We rolled over on the soft carpet beneath us, him on top of me. We gradually undressed each other; he placed a soft kiss on my collarbone and whispered, "I'm sorry." He planted another on my left breast, right over my heart, and whispered "I'm so sorry." I pulled his face back to mine, his eyes were sad, I hated it, I wanted him to give me all his sadness, I wanted to endure it for him. I kissed him again, trying to convey him that whatever was hurting him hurt me too.

This wasn't the Adrian I knew, this wasn't who I had met in the bar, or gone on a date with. This was a different man, more vulnerable, more real; it wasn't just lust this time. I would dare to say, there was love, affection in every touch, every kiss. He was giving me what I didn't know I was craving.

He was giving me love, in his truest form, there was nothing fake, nothing hidden, and I couldn't have asked for more.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was really hot, I felt sweat on my skin, but I didn't dare move. Despite the heat, I was in my happy place. I ran my fingers through his hair again, stroking them lightly, softly massaging his scalp. His hair was so soft in my hands. He lay on top of me, face buried in my neck. He had been frozen on this spot, since we both stumbled over to his bedroom, exhausted. And here, he had been laying in this exact same position, for the past few minutes, or hour, I didn't know, and I didn't care.

I was giddy when I thought about what we just shared, but as happy as I was, I was still confused and afraid. I still didn't know where we were, or what we were. I didn't really know who he was. My mind burned with unanswered questions.

Theories, ran around my mind, scattered everywhere, chasing around each other like cats and mice. His actions, confirmed he had done something and that he felt guilty about it. Then the theory that I had disposed at the back of my mind, came to life again. Was he responsible of these deaths? Was he a murderer? I shook my head, trying to disentangle myself from these thoughts. It was impossible how could he make a car crash?

But, then why would he feel so guilty? My mind reasoned. Maybe he was forced to do it, something or someone made him do it, maybe he's a member of a mob, or some kind of illegal gang. I shook my head again, and squeezed my eyes shut. I looked down at Adrian, I didn't know if he was asleep, but his posture was peaceful. I thought about him again, the moment that I saw unmistakable vulnerability in his eyes, how broken he looked, how scared he looked, how could a man like that do something as horrible as that? I felt ashamed of accusing him like that.

"Why did your heart beat just get ten times faster?" Adrian looked up, his face hovering over mine.

"I was just thinking." I replied, biting my lip nervously. He brushed a stray hair from my eyes.

"About?"

"You." I replied, feeling myself drift away in his grey eyes. He pressed his lips to mine, placing a rough kiss that surprisingly got me aroused again. But I willed my mind to not get carried away this time.

"Adrian, tell me who you are, why I saw you yesterday and what are you really here for." I said firmly, collecting my thoughts up in a stack, making sure that one look from Adrian, didn't make them collapse and scatter everywhere.

He gave me a long look, before sighing and sitting up. He started wearing his clothes, confused, I sat up. "I asked you something."

"And you deserve an answer. An honest one at that." He replied, tossing me my clothes to wear. I quickly put them on and he led us outside to the kitchen. Everything was dusty here too; it didn't look like anyone used anything in this house at all. I sat on the counter, and he handed me a refreshing glass of water, which I graciously took, and then he stared at me again, contemplating.

"Kiara, what I'm about to tell you will shock you, not in a good way. You might not believe me, but I'm being honest with you. I will give you a choice, because once you know it, you can't un-know it." He said, his eyes very serious, with a hint of fear.

"I choose to hear it." I said, confidently. I didn't know what I was agreeing to but I was ready for an honest answer.

"What I do, what I'm destined to do, is not my choice. I have to do it, whether I like it or not and no one can stop it." He said, his eyes drifting down. What was making him THAT insecure?

"Okay." I said, taking his hand in mine, offering some comfort, since he looked so utterly uncomfortable. But I don't think anything could prepare me for what I heard come from his mouth next.

"Kiara, I kill people, my job is taking all mankind's soul, existing in this world to the hereafter. I am what everyone fears, I am death. I am what you human's call, the Grim Reaper."