The Grim Attraction

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

"So why don't you like me? And don't give me the 'Humans are beneath me' speech, because there's a lot of negative energy coming from you that is hitting me pretty hard. So I'm assuming this is personal rather than general."

"You cannot sense energy."

"Yeah I can't. But I can sense hostility. Plus your face says it all."

"Impossible."

"Hey, come on now." She pointed at herself and smiled smugly. "I'm a photographer. I focus and pick up on things that others can't and capture them on print for a living. There's no need to be sly." She hesitated and added after a moment, "I won't tell if you do."

Lupin looked at her incredulously. "I have nothing to be sly about. If your conclusion is that I dislike you, I will not dissuade you of the idea."

"Oh I didn't say that I wanted you to convince me otherwise. I wanted the reason for your dislike." She rushed up forward a bit so that she could walk at his side. It didn't go unnoticed to her how he moved away slightly so as that they would not touch.

"My opinion does not matter, Ms. Stanton." He told her firmly. "You only need to worry of Lord Death's opinion towards you."

"And what would that be?"

Lupin did not reply.

By the time they had finished the tour of the gardens, night had fallen and Mia was exhausted. Besides, the awkward moments with Lupin, she could not help but admit that she had had a nice time. The gardens had been like none she had ever seen before. Her hands had itched the whole time to take pictures, especially when she caught sight of rare creatures she had never seen or heard of. Lupin didn't bother telling her what they were. He had merely warned her that they would eat her if she approached. Apparently her human blood was enticing and new to the creatures.

Mia dragged her feet to a stone bench near the entrance of Death's manor and fell onto it. She winced when her tailbone hit the stone a bit harder than necessary.

"I will have dinner prepared for you shortly." Lupin told her as he strode past her and headed into the manor. "I advise you to refresh yourself before taking your meal."

She only nodded as she crossed her legs and rubbed her calf. The stiff muscle barely loosened as she massaged it, and she groaned when she added pressure.

"Are you hurt?" Death asked in a nonchalant manner.

Mia twitched but didn't turn to look at him. When he walked past her, she swept her gaze over his attire and begrudgingly admired how he looked. He wore dark denim jeans and a nearly black navy blue shirt that fit his solid torso nicely. His hair was wet and sleeked back, and his jaw was clean shaven. He set himself on the bench next to her.

"I see no wound." He said. The way he inspected her made it seem as though he were a doctor studying his patient. There was no expression on his face, as always, giving her no clue as to what he was thinking.

"I'm sore from walking all day." She clarified, releasing her limb. As she made to set her foot down, he reached forward and tugged her leg onto his lap. She hissed when his fingers began to knead the muscle. "What are you doing?" she snapped.