Deadly Silent | Book 2

S I X

S I X
King's Name

THERE WAS A time in which I proudly believed myself strong. That I feared nothing in the world and had everyone behind my back supporting my every decision. A lot had passed since that day, and I am not that person anymore. I learned to embrace fear because fear keeps you alive. Fear warns you of danger and harm, while reckless bravery often leads to the plummet towards death.

Right now at this very instant, I felt fear like I've never before. It was a foreign sensation, curdling my blood like bad milk as frost began to creep up from the tips of my fingers, slowly curling itself around my skin, kissing the area with a slight sting before moving on to devour more of my body warmth.

I could faintly register noises slowly seeping back into reality, but the whole time Death had me in his grip, my eyes were trained on him as if I've never met another guy more beautiful. Though that comparison was more literal than metaphoric, Death still had some sort of magic grip over me as leant slightly closer, face not even inches away from my own.

I could feel his breath fan out, mist gathering from the collision of the cold atmosphere and his own inner body heat. Somewhere from a distance away, I could hear the cries of men and women, battle cries, followed by maniac laughter as horses galloped from far beyond into the scene that laid a bloodbath. Death's arm was around me, my body completely still as he pressed his broad chest against my figure as if protecting me from harm's way when it could very easily be false.

"Death! Let go of her!" Lucius' angered yell was strained, anxious even.

Death did not reply, only offering him a mock salute before his free hand grasped the edge of his midnight cape, twisting it around us as the scenery of the forest began to fade away. Not even a second later, the night view was replaced by the interior design of a majestic marble palace.

The very second my feet touched the ground and the world stood a still, I regained control of my body once more. It was an act of pure impulse and recklessness, but the first thing I did was to raise my clenched fist as it made contact with Death's perfectly shaped nose, catching him off guard as my knuckles throbbed in pain from the violent contact.

"Jesus Christ, fuck." Immediately, his hands reached up to cup his nose as we both took a few steps away from each other, me hurrying to the other side of the massive table placed in the centre of the room. "When did you become so violent?"

"Step away from me!" Picking up a random candlestick as a weapon, I held it in front of me before realizing that I still had my 'magic' gun tucked away in the back pockets of my jeans. Though Death held the one Lucius had given me, he did not take away the trusty white pistol that saved my life the first time round.

Death gently rubbed his nose in pain, pearly white teeth gritted in annoyance as he eyed the gun in my hands as well as the fallen candlestick. "Easy with that thing, Addison. My decor is very expensive. And though I can easily afford it again, I do not want to kill another retailer for their disgusting low-quality goods."

"You're worried about your furniture when I can easily shoot you?" My jaw dropped in disbelief, hands never wavering as Death stood up a little straighter, a smirk playing on his lips as he shrugged playfully.

"I do get very expensive furniture. Only the best of the best for the kings, after all."

"What king?" My grip tightened around the handle of the pistol, my knuckles turning into white due to the sheer force I was using to grip the thing.

"King of Hell? Well, one of the kings of Hell. I need to give credit to my brothers, after all." And he stopped in his tracks, an innocent puppy-like smile gracing his features as he held his hands in front of him, clasped loosely.