Death's Temporary Home For Lost Souls

Chapter Twenty Six: A Matter of Life and Death

"First of all, you two meeting in the first place is thanks to me, so you're welcome." Mem grins, glowing with pride. "Second of all, you are glowing. Like, happiness is literally pouring out of you. So why did you say everything is a mess?"

"Because this won't last. It can't. He's only human for a few hours on a single night every year. It's not sustainable."

She screws up her face. "I mean, okay, maybe you guys can't..." She makes another vulgar gesture that causes my blood to race. "But you can still be together the rest of the year! You know, get to know each other. Build a life."

"Not with her around," I grumble, before I even realize what I'm saying. My stomach drops just as Mem's eyes narrow.

"Her?"

"Nothing. It's just..." You have to tell her now. "There's this woman that's staying at the house. I don't even know her real name, but the others call her the Auditor. She's there to basically stalk Death and make sure he's doing his job, and I really get the feeling that she hates me. She thinks I'm trying to distract him or something, I guess. We're barely allowed a moment to ourselves when she's around."

By the time I finish speaking, Mem's face is paler than a sheet of parchment. I've never seen her so serious, so frightened. "Cara, what does this woman look like?"

"Why does it matter?" I suddenly feel my pulse in my fingertips.

"Just tell me." So I do. Then the rest of the blood drains out of Mem's face. "Shit."

"What? You know her?" I ask, well on my way to a panic attack. "You're freaking me out, Mem."

"That woman is no auditor." Mem's voice trembles, and suddenly I realize that I've known all along who the mysterious visitor really is. I'd just hoped I wasn't right.

"Love," I gasp, repeating the name that Death spoke so many days ago.

"Love, God, frigid bitch, whatever you want to call her," Mem spits. Then she steps closer, whispering as if someone is listening in. "Cara, listen to me. If she finds any reason to do so, any reason at all, she will kill you. Erase you from existence completely with nothing but the snap of her fingers. Or, she'll do the same to Death. Except there's no afterlife for an Immortal."

"What? No." The room spins, and I brace myself against the wall. "I haven't done anything wrong!"

"That doesn't matter." Mem's eyes glow with pity. "If you really love Death, or care about him at all for that matter, you will leave him alone. Forget everything you two shared." I feel as though someone has taken a knife to my chest, split it open, and stolen the entrails. Forget?

"How could you ask me to do that?" I gasp. Anger rises in me like bile. "You Immortals and your stupid rules. None of you know what it's like to be human, what it's like to love something and have it taken away from you!" I advance on her, and though I know my words aren't fair they feel true. I think of my mother, the pair of ballet slippers still under my parents' bed. I think of Death, holding me in his arms as I drifted off to sleep; of Sarah and her misguided father, and the beautiful lie I led her to believe; of Gary and his shop, now empty and collecting dust. "You lured me into this town, made me fall in love, and now that's broken, too. Just like everything else in my life!"

The air rings with my scream, and I'm still so angry that I wouldn't choose to take back the words even if I had the choice. Mem stares at me, hurt painting an ugly mask over her features. She carefully brushes her apron flat and stares at the floor. "I never meant to hurt you, Cara. But it's for the best."

That's not what I wanted to hear. I turn on my heel and push open the door, ignoring the sea of curious faces peering at me from their booths. Mem speaks to my back. "Ask Death, ask Time, ask any Immortal in this town what it is like to love and lose. We understand more than you think."