Death's kiss

Chapter 17

Amelia was having too much fun. After what felt like ages, she was truely, genuinely happy.
"Oh my God! He's such a scaredy-cat, and I always felt I was the one!"
"All this is funny to you?" howled the Reaper.
"Yes. You should laugh too. Why can't you laugh, like a hearty laugh?"
"Amelia, do you think of consequences? If they tell the world they saw ghosts, monsters-"
"The world will think they are mad. Simple. You see Mr. Reaper, we don't trust what we don't see!"
Amelia smiled.
Taking a deep breath, Reaper agreed, "What's next?"
"My dear aunty."
"You have become so brave recently."
"Life teaches you", Amelia shruged, trying to imitate a motivational speaker.
" Yeah Okay. We'll resume this little game of yours later. Now I need you to get back to my castle."
"Nope. I'm having way too much fun."
"Amelia!"
"No."
"Amelia, I'll carry you!"
"No. I'll walk myself. Why are you such a mood kill?" Amelia frowned.
"Incase you haven't realized no alive person can come near me. You are very much alive yet you stay in my castle. If you don't return to my castle timely, your energy will be drained out."
Amelia gasped.
"Why do you keep dropping new informations all of a sudden!"
"Are you coming?"
"Do I have a choice!"

*****************************
"John was really scared. I think your plan will work. He'll confess", commented Grace.
"I hope so", replied Amelia.
"Amelia!"
"Lord Lucas! Why are you here?" exclaimed Grace.
"Grace, I just wanted to talk to Amelia", looking back at Amelia he continued, "Please, Amelia."
"I've no intentions of talking to you. Now if you may leave me alone."
Amelia turned the other way.
"Amelia-"
"Lord Lucas, please leave! If Reaper gets to know that you are in his castle, in Amelia's chamber, he'll be infuriated."
"That's what he does! He kills people", exhaled Lucas as he spoke once again, "Amelia! I know what I did that day was absolutely wrong! Please forgive me. I'm genuinely sorry and that's why I want to help. I know you want to avenge your parents' death. I can help you. Please let me."
"I need nothing from you, Lucas!"
"Amelia-"
"Lucas, you are forgiven! Now leave!"
"Amelia, do you know anything about the Reaper? Amelia, you are Life. He is Death. He is the collector of souls, he reaps them. If you stay with him, throughout your remaining life you'll only see him taking souls. You'll only see the dead. Will you be able to do that?"
"Leave Lucas! Just Leave!" screamed Amelia.
"No! You should know about him. He's not only the darkness that human's fear, but he's also a miserable soul himself-"
"Lord Lucas, please refrain yourself from uttering any other word!" warned Grace, but he ignored her plea and continued.
"Amelia, he's heartless, insensitive. He doesn't care about the people that beg to him. All he cares about is taking souls! He didn't save your mother or your father! He'll even kill you when his need is over, Amelia!"
"Enough!! Leave! Or I'll make sure that you leave!!"
Amelia's intense scream silenced all voices.
"Who do you think you are? Listen! You don't tell me who is who! If Reaper is heartless then so are humans. My parents were murdered in cold blood by a human. The Reaper had nothing to do. He didn't write my destiny, but Destine did! He executes Destiny's plans. So who should I really be scared of? He may be death but he was the reason that I'm alive. He may be darkness, but you are fool to think that there will be light if there's no darkness! White will loose it's essence if there's no black! Reaper maybe feared by the world, but to me he is admired! You call him the collector, I call him the preserver of souls. Without death there will be no new life! Death is the only unbiased phenomenon, it comes for all, good or bad, rich or poor!"
"You really love him, don't you?" asked Lucas calmly.
Amelia was taken aback by this sudden question. "I don't know."
Lucas smiled. "I came here for an apology. Instead I only angered you even more."
"Glad you realized that!"
"Let's be friends- only friends. Just remember if you need a friend, I'll be there."
Amelia didn't reply, but Grace gasped, "Reaper!"
The Reaper was standing right behind them. He didn't say a word.
"How much did you hear?" enquired Amelia.
"Enough to know you were defending me."
Amelia smiled sheepishly.
"When are you planning to leave, Lucas?"
"Reaper!"
"I gave you your powers, I can take them back as well!"
"Reaper, I-"
"Leave!"
Amelia can never get used to people simply vanishing around here. They didn't use normal transportation, rather they travelled through air. Both Lucas and Grace just disappeared into thin air seconds earlier.
"Aren't you afraid of me?" asked Reaper.
"What?" replied Amelia.
"Are you afraid of me?"
"No."
"Hilarious! You were afraid of me before?"
"Yes but not anymore. If you would've showed yourself to me like now, then it wouldn't have been a nightmare to me!"
"Hmm."
"Okay, I have questions."
"Always a curious little beasty!"
Amelia continued with her questions nonetheless, "I've heard you reap souls with the help of your Sycth, do you? Why did I never see your weapon?"
As if to fulfil her wish, Reaper's iconic Sycth appeared in his hand. "That's Because I don't walk around with this."
"Can I touch it?"
"No!"
"Alright. Fine. Relax. Don't show your tantrums to me. Next question. Do you feel hungry or thirsty, for that matter do you feel anything?"
"To answer your question, no I don't have to eat or drink to survive. I'm immortal. However I do have senses. So, I can taste food or other stuffs, if I want to. About feelings, I think maybe I've but I show it rarely to any being."
"Like?"
"You", he stated calmly.
"Are you flirting with me?" asked Amelia, looking flustered.
"I don't have to. You are already my bride, remember?" stated the Reaper, causing Amelia to blush profusely.
"Next question. How old are you?"
"Like I said. I'm immortal. So I'm pretty much existing from the time when the universe was first created."
"Wha... What? Then how much younger am I to you?"
Reaper laughed, "Beyond calculation!"
"Reaper!!"
"Sorry."
"I still don't get why am I your bride? I'm just a mere earthling and you are the Grim Reaper."
"Oh! Amelia. Trust me. You are way more than that!"