Chapter One
Death studied the figure lying sprawled across the bed. Sheets tangled around his ankles, shocking white against fine bronze skin. The steady rise and fall of his chest filled the room with the pleasant hum of gentle sleep. Almost musical. He wondered why he hadn't noticed the pleasant note in others.
A memory rose from the depths of his mind, from a time long past. Like a dream that faded too quickly leaving only vague images and half remembered thoughts. He frowned and moved through the dark room to study the figure in more detail. Short brown hair accented the angles of his jaw, giving life to rather average features on a young, fresh face.
He stepped away, suddenly feeling like a voyeur watching something forbidden.
The young man stirred, stretching in his sleep. Muscles rippled with a grace Death hadn't expected from a man. A cat-like beauty. Hard abs and skin so smooth, like fine clay.
He pulled his eyes away and shook his head. What was wrong with him? He shouldn't even be standing here. Not yet. Not today.
Sighing heavily, he slipped from the dark bedroom, through the tiny apartment, and back out into the night air. The crisp scent of spring clung to the city and a light drizzle washed away the scent of cars and exhaust. Glowing streetlights reflected off the wet street leaving the night glittered with light.
How long had he been doing this? He couldn't remember. Since before cars and streetlamps decorated such massive cities, during a time of horses and wagons, and far from this place. The dream-like memories he had long ago decided to forget.
His mind drifted to the sleeping man and he stopped to look behind him. The lights in the apartment flicked on to cast a yellow glow through plain curtains. Curiosity made him pause. What did the man do at this hour?
He shook his head and continued on his path to the bus stop. He had work to do. No time for wondering. A light drizzle coated his jacket as he stepped under the pavilion to wait for the bus. The pitter-patter of rain gave an uneven beat to the night.
He took a seat on the bench and waited. A bus roared past, oblivious to his presence, and he sighed. Some days he got lucky enough for the bus to stop when it let off passengers. Tonight wasn't one of those nights.
The sound of footsteps caught his attention, and he turned to see the man from earlier racing from the apartment a few buildings down.
He moved with a steady grace, and every step glided over the wet sidewalk toward him. The light bouncing off the damp street made vivid blue eyes stand out. A bright smile filled his face, a nice contrast to the relaxed sleep Death had seen him in just a short time ago.
"Hi,” the man greeted and glanced around the bus stop.
Death looked behind him to be certain the man was speaking to him.
Surprised, he turned and studied the empty pavilion and still street again. No other person appeared to be in the area.
Death stared at the young man. His heart throbbed, torn between excitement and concern. Few ever saw him. The occasional mad-man or soothsayer, but never someone who seemed so... common. Death tried to avoid staring at him too much, but the task proved difficult. The man was talking to him, looking at him. The realization sent an excited thrill through his stomach.
"I'm Robert. I don't remember seeing you at this stop before."
"This is my first time at this particular stop. I'm usually much too busy to enjoy the scenery."
Tall buildings stretched out along the dark street, spotted with the glow of streetlamps. Sturdy brick walls, glossy under the sheen of spring rains, and the light scent of washed pavement gave a clean feeling to the air.
Robert barked a laugh. “Scenery? You're in the wrong city."
"No, I'm in the right one. I'm never wrong about these things."
"All right then.” Robert grinned.
The sound of the rain grew from a drizzle to a steady downfall as silence filled the space between them. Death wasn't sure how to keep the
Death studied the figure lying sprawled across the bed. Sheets tangled around his ankles, shocking white against fine bronze skin. The steady rise and fall of his chest filled the room with the pleasant hum of gentle sleep. Almost musical. He wondered why he hadn't noticed the pleasant note in others.
A memory rose from the depths of his mind, from a time long past. Like a dream that faded too quickly leaving only vague images and half remembered thoughts. He frowned and moved through the dark room to study the figure in more detail. Short brown hair accented the angles of his jaw, giving life to rather average features on a young, fresh face.
He stepped away, suddenly feeling like a voyeur watching something forbidden.
The young man stirred, stretching in his sleep. Muscles rippled with a grace Death hadn't expected from a man. A cat-like beauty. Hard abs and skin so smooth, like fine clay.
He pulled his eyes away and shook his head. What was wrong with him? He shouldn't even be standing here. Not yet. Not today.
Sighing heavily, he slipped from the dark bedroom, through the tiny apartment, and back out into the night air. The crisp scent of spring clung to the city and a light drizzle washed away the scent of cars and exhaust. Glowing streetlights reflected off the wet street leaving the night glittered with light.
How long had he been doing this? He couldn't remember. Since before cars and streetlamps decorated such massive cities, during a time of horses and wagons, and far from this place. The dream-like memories he had long ago decided to forget.
His mind drifted to the sleeping man and he stopped to look behind him. The lights in the apartment flicked on to cast a yellow glow through plain curtains. Curiosity made him pause. What did the man do at this hour?
He shook his head and continued on his path to the bus stop. He had work to do. No time for wondering. A light drizzle coated his jacket as he stepped under the pavilion to wait for the bus. The pitter-patter of rain gave an uneven beat to the night.
He took a seat on the bench and waited. A bus roared past, oblivious to his presence, and he sighed. Some days he got lucky enough for the bus to stop when it let off passengers. Tonight wasn't one of those nights.
The sound of footsteps caught his attention, and he turned to see the man from earlier racing from the apartment a few buildings down.
He moved with a steady grace, and every step glided over the wet sidewalk toward him. The light bouncing off the damp street made vivid blue eyes stand out. A bright smile filled his face, a nice contrast to the relaxed sleep Death had seen him in just a short time ago.
"Hi,” the man greeted and glanced around the bus stop.
Death looked behind him to be certain the man was speaking to him.
Surprised, he turned and studied the empty pavilion and still street again. No other person appeared to be in the area.
Death stared at the young man. His heart throbbed, torn between excitement and concern. Few ever saw him. The occasional mad-man or soothsayer, but never someone who seemed so... common. Death tried to avoid staring at him too much, but the task proved difficult. The man was talking to him, looking at him. The realization sent an excited thrill through his stomach.
"I'm Robert. I don't remember seeing you at this stop before."
"This is my first time at this particular stop. I'm usually much too busy to enjoy the scenery."
Tall buildings stretched out along the dark street, spotted with the glow of streetlamps. Sturdy brick walls, glossy under the sheen of spring rains, and the light scent of washed pavement gave a clean feeling to the air.
Robert barked a laugh. “Scenery? You're in the wrong city."
"No, I'm in the right one. I'm never wrong about these things."
"All right then.” Robert grinned.
The sound of the rain grew from a drizzle to a steady downfall as silence filled the space between them. Death wasn't sure how to keep the
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