"Have you thought of using a witch, maybe?" asks Sophie in between mouthfuls of chicken fried rice. She scribbles something furiously into her notebook like she does every time she gets a new idea.

"Witches are like lawnmowers," I reply, "Takes one rough patch and suddenly they can't cut it."

I bring my eyes back to my book; Paranormal Investigation for Dummies.

"Surely you can find one to perform a simple identification spell or something. Once you know who's behind these attacks, you can, you know... take care of them."

Mr. Herbert briefly enters my mind. If such a spell existed, I would already be dead. His coven would have found me.

"Soph, those things don't actually exist, ok?" I snap.

"Look, I get that you're upset and stressed out because of what's happening, but you don't need to take it out on me," she retorts.

I know that I have been a bitch all day and I immediately feel guilty. Sophie is the last person I should be taking this out on.

"You're right, I'm sorry. It's just... I dunno."

"I know you well enough to know something else is troubling you," she says softly, "You've been sulking all day and quite frankly, taking no proactive measures toward dealing with this problem."

I shut the book and get up. I pour myself another cup of coffee for the fourth time today. Do I really want to get into the details with her? What if she juges me?

Ah, screw it. I can tell Sophie anything.

"I made out with Death."

She does not gasp in shock or ask me what the hell is wrong with me like I pictured she would. No, instead she crosses her arms and leans back in one of my dining room chairs, cool as a cucumber.

"Ok."

"Ok?" I ask, incredulous.

"Yeah, it's ok to like him."

"First, I don't like him," I grimace at the thought. I may feel a certain physical connection with him, but I certainly do not like him. "It was just a kiss, not a marriage proposal." Everyone just needs to calm down.

"You can like someone without proposing to them, you know?" she starts eating her rice again.

"Well, that's a moot point because I don't like him."

"Ok." She takes a few more bites while I stare daggers at her. After a moment's silence, "Did he kiss well?"

I gape at her.

"Well, did he?" she says a little impatiently now.

"I'm not talking about this with you."

"You brought it up, though."

"Only because you asked what else was bothering me!"

"Yeah, why is it bothering you? I'm just wondering if it was because it was a bad kiss."

"No, the kiss was amazing, actually. That's the problem." I cross my arms and lean on the kitchen counter, "A little too amazing, if you know what I mean."

"Are you going to sleep with him?" she blurts and I spit my coffee.

I would be lying if I said the thought has not crossed my mind. To my horror, it has many, many times. Most of them last night.

I am already flustered enough because I let myself kiss him so completely. What happened last night was a mistake. One which I will not be repeating again. Death has helped me, saved me many times, but it does not change the fact that he has tried to kill me and that I could never, ever bring myself to trust him.

Then, there is also the fact that the last thing I need, or want, is to be around more deaths than I need to.

"No. It was definitely a one time thing," I cough a little.

She brings her empty bowl to the sink and starts rinsing it out, "Why is it a one thing? If it was that amazing, I don't really see the issue."

"Must I spell it out to you?" That sounded a little harsher than I intended, so I force myself to continue in a softer tone, "Have you forgotten who we are talking about it here? He is Death. The Death." Which means he is also an angel or deity or whatever. It is just weird.

"If he doesn't have a problem with it and your only reservation is that he is a supernatural, I'd say go for it."

"My only reservation is not that he is a supernatural. He tried to kill me."

"Ok, but that was one time," she remarks, "He saved you many more times."

Does she even hear herself?

"Are you taking his side?" I scoff.

"I'm not taking sides, Em." She rolls her eyes at me, something she never does. "All I'm saying is that maybe you need to move on. Should I remind you tried to kill him too? And even after that, he's saved you what? Three times now?"

"Ok, but my time doesn't count. The guy is immortal." I defend, feeling a little childish.

"It's the intention that counts," she narrows her eyes at me.

When I do not answer, she comes closer and leans on the counter beside me, "Look, you have other more important things to worry about right now. I know you have no interest in being serious with anyone, but he could be a welcomed distraction. You know, just for fun. To let off steam and all."

"You mean like a 'cuddle buddy'?" I shake my head, "I can't believe you of all people are suggesting that."

As soon as I say this, I notice her cheeks redenning to the tips of ears. I cock my head at her and she averts my gaze, suddenly become quite enthralled with my umbrella holder.

"Out with it, Sophie Kavannaugh!"

"What?" she says defensively.

"Why are you blushing?"

"I met someone," she mumbles.

"Pardon me?"

"I met someone!" she says, louder.

"Oh, Sophie, you dog," I say playfully, "You didn't!"

"I did. Don't make a big deal out of this, please."

She grabs her agenda from her bag and flips through it mindlessly until she gets to whatever page she was looking for. "Ok, I gotta go now. Bye!" she starts running to the door.

"When am I meeting this guy? Or girl?" Now that I think of it, I have no idea what sexual orientation Sophie is. I always pictured her as a sort of non-sexual unicorn. This is a revelation if I have ever gotten one.

Before I can get my answer, I hear the front door shut and a car start.

***

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say your spying on your friend," Death's smooth, low voice makes me jump ten feet in the air, though not literally.

I spin around to see him leaning on the dark alley's brick wall, observing me with his arms crossed. Despite the low-lighting, I can make out a smirk on his generous lips. I fail to see what is amusing in all of this. My curiosity may have gotten the better of me, as usual. I need to see who this mysterious person Sophie is into is. My intentions are noble though. I just want to make sure she is safe with him or her.

"What are you doing here, Emma? Alone, at night, in some shady alley after everything that's happened. Must I remind that someone is actively trying to murder you right now?"

"We're all gonna die somehow," I mumble, returning my gaze to the little cafe window where Sophie is currently sitting by herself.

I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing I can do to stop these people, so I will do what I do best. I will ignore the problem as long as possible.

"Funny you should say that to me of all people."

"Did you come here to scold me on my choice of hangout or did you actually have something to say to me?"

"I have a lead."

I turn to face him, noting how his arm muscles flex under his cloak as he watches me closely.

"A lead on what?" His eyes roam over my body slowly and I see a glint passing through them.

"A lead on your pesky little problem, of course."

"Ok, thank's." I turn my back to him again, scanning the street of any sign that Sophie has a date coming.

"So, don't you want to hear it?" he says impatiently.

"Nope." I keep my eyes focused on Sophie who is currently engrossed in her cellphone. She is obviously texting someone from the way her fingers quickly tap the screen.

I feel Death grip my shoulders and spin me around to face him again, "Why are you so nonchalant about this?" he asks, eyes staring deeply into mine in that sexy way he does. His jaw ticks, making the manly, square shape of his face more prominent somehow. He narrows his eyes and I can not help but admire him. I let my eyes fall on his scar, a crescent shaped white line that goes from his eyebrow to the top of his ear.

While I am busy staring at him, I barely feel his hand unzip my jacket. He reaches inside and when I finally realize what he is doing, he pulls out my Beretta, followed by the Sig Sauer and Ruger SP101 I have tucked in there. All of which he drops on the floor one by one.

"What are you-" He reaches deeper into one of my pockets and pulls out the few ammo boxes and fully-loaded clips I brought with me.

His hands roam lower to where Janice is holstered at my waist, along with a wooden stake and a grenade. Yes, I actually brought a grenade. He smirks.

"Well maybe you aren't so nonchalant after all," he says, looking down at my lips for a fleeting moment before leaning back against the wall. "I thought we talked about facing your problems head on instead of pretending they don't exist."

"I'm not pretending they don't exist. I'm choosing to accept my faith."

"Doesn't look like it to me," he gestures at the all of the weapons now laying on the ground, "but I'll humor you. What's this faith you're talking about?"

"If they kill me, it means it was my time," I state matter-of-factly.

His lips morph into a smile, revealing perfectly straight white teeth. I stare at him as he approaches me, looking much like a predator stalker its prey.

"Oh, Emma," he murmurs, "I don't think you understand how this works," he gets closer and closer until my back hits the wall. This position is starting to get a little too familiar, "If I can't mark you, that means you can't die, sweetheart." He brushes a loose strand of her behind my ear. "Technically, only I get to decide when your time is."

I struggle to wrap my head around what he just said, feeling too self-conscious under his scrutinizing gaze. My entire being is tingling at his proximity. All I can think of is kiss me.

I despise the effect he has on me. I know his revelation should evoke a reaction in me, but my body is entirely to aware of his. He knows this, because he trails a long finger along my jaw, getting dangerously close to my neck.

"Do you want to finish what we started last night?" he says in a husky voice.

Sophie's words come to my mind. What if he could be a welcomed distraction? Just for fun and to let off steam, right? Nothing more. It was so good last time, how bad can it be if I do it again?

I become aware of his large hands on each side of my waist under my coat, holding me to the wall. His warmth is seeping into my skin and some sort of yearning starts bubbling in my core. My heart starts beating wildly in my chest. His gaze holds me in place and I do not dare move.

I bite my lip and watch his eyes stare at it hungrily. He licks his lips and brings his black eyes back to mine. When I meet his stare, I see something pass through his eyes that I have seen before. Affection, tenderness and something else. It scares the shit out of me, how such a cold, powerful being can look at me with such longing.

I know he is waiting for a sign from me to continue, but I can not give it to him.

"I have to go." The spell is broken and I dart out of his arms towards the cafe where Sophie is still sitting.

As I am leaving, for once, he does not follow.

His words ring in my head and I finally believe what he said to be true.

It wouldn't be 'just a kiss'.