Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
“You’d choose a life without us? We asked him to stay with us before and he couldn't. He hated it here. He was gone before he even unpacked a bag.” My mom takes a step towards me as she tries to get me to understand her reasoning.
My uncle Kane’s oldest son Nick steps forward. He and I have always been the closest out of all my cousins since we were born days apart. “Ariella, you would never leave this family. I know you. Leaving here would break your heart even if it’s for someone you think is your mate.”
I look down at the ground and wonder if he’s right, because a day ago I would have agreed with him. When I moved out, it wasn't but half a mile away and still on my parents’ land. I wanted to be near everyone and still spent more time here than at home most days. I shrug at him and he falls silent again.
I heard my dad say Grim wanted my mom at one point and that he had the ability to choose a wife. He said that Grim wasn't like our kind who had a fated mate, but I told them I wanted him. My family knows how important mates are to our kind. Why would they do this to me?
Then understanding hits me—because I’m not like them either. I’ve always been treated differently, but I’ve been met with love and kindness. We can’t choose the way we’re born, and I can’t imagine that Grim was surrounded by people who care for him like I’ve been. Who would choose to comfort Death? No one looks forward to seeing the Reaper. He’s all alone in this world, but not anymore. I’m here now and I’m going to change that.
Could my dad have been right about him wanting my mom? Jealousy lights inside me and I hate not knowing. I glance around the room and see all my aunts and uncles with their mates along with their children here. None of them see they are trying to take from me the one thing they’d all fight to the death for.
“He’s not your mate,” my dad says, and anger rises inside me again, but I make myself shove it down.
“I don’t want to fight with you guys,” I say with a heavy heart. “I need him.”
“You don’t know what you need. We’re still not even sure—”
“What I am?” I finish for him, and I see the frustration in his eyes. The only thing I need to know is that I’m Grim’s mate. That’s all that matters. “It’s the truth and there’s nothing wrong with it. I’m different.” I hold my hand up to silence my dad before he can say something against it. “He is different, too, and it scares you. Maybe you welcomed him at one time, but if he’s like me, then he still felt it. I mean, look at how you’re acting when I tell you he’s my mate. You’d think I’d been sentenced to—”
“Death,” my mom finishes, and I feel her pain as my dad nods in agreement.
“He was always coming for me,” I say before I move past my dad and walk out of the room.
I don’t leave the house, but instead go to my old bedroom knowing this is as alone as they’ll let me be right now. I close my eyes and pray that the sun rises soon. I put my hand over my chest to feel my heartbeat as I focus on him. I search for the connection that mates can have to see if we are different in that way, too. I’ll try anything at this point.
Treasure. I hear his voice inside my head and my cheeks warm.
They’re all wrong. He isn’t darkness, and if that’s what it feels like, I’d let it eat my light alive. I’d give up the sun for him if that’s what it took for us to be together. I want to go to him and to have him hold me, but I need to control my need for him. I think of his mouth brushing against me and how soft his lips might be. I sit up in bed when I swear I can almost really feel him. He’s close—my whole body starts to buzz and all my senses wake up.
I move quietly to the window and watch the sun rising in the distance. Glancing back at my bedroom door, I debate what I should do. Maybe they know what I’m planning, or maybe they don’t think I’m capable of sneaking out. I’ve never gone against anything my parents ever said and I can’t recall having a fight with them before today.
I make my choice because I’m unable to wait another moment. Facing death has made me bold as I open the window and feel the cool air hit my face. I jump without thinking and land easily on the ground. When my feet touch the grass I begin to sprint. I don’t go in the direction I think he is and instead I choose the thick trees in the woods to hide.