Midnight Cove

Chapter Twelve: Kiss of Death

I thought back to our encounter with Phoenix in the woods. My curiosity was burning me up inside and I summed up my courage to ask the question that had been plaguing me. "So, why did Phoenix say I looked scrumptious?" Cove's face immediately fell but I had to know the answer. "Then...you don't eat people or drink blood, or anything?"

Cove voice became void of all playfulness. "Yes. Some faeries drink blood," he paused before adding in a defeated whisper, "and some things that are even worse."

My eyes grew huge. I didn't know what to say. "What could be worse than drinking someone's blood?" I mumbled aloud. It was more of a question to myself but Cove answered me anyhow.

"When we take a life, we must destroy the human's heart. It isn't enough to alert humans to our presence but enough to kill them. It is often misdiagnosed by your doctors as some sort of vascular disease." He sounded so mechanical, like it was a line he had memorized.

"I see." I didn't really, but what else was I supposed to say? I sighed deep before asking my next question. "Have you killed people, Cove?" I couldn't even look at him while I asked it, I was too afraid of looking into his beautiful face and seeing nothing but a killer. I stared down at my fingers, picking at a few split ends as I waited in angst for him to answer.

Cove was patient, he waited a moment allowing me time to brace myself. I could sense his eyes on me, studying me, but I was too cowardly to meet his gaze. The silence stretched and I knew then I deeply regretted asking my question. My fingers stopped fiddling, and I dropped the hair I had been playing with. I paused, afraid he wasn't going to answer me at all, but then the dreaded words came.

"Yes, Coral," he said the words slowly, almost sternly. I couldn't help it, I raised my head so I could look into his eyes while he spoke. I was surprised by how melancholy they looked. "I am a fatum, Fate. I am not just Destiny in one sense. Yes, I can bring men fortune, or love." He gave me a slight gentle smile at the word love. His eyes lingered on my face a moment longer before looking away, out towards the window and carrying on with his explanation. "I can change the cards of your life. I can give luck, or take it away, but I am also Destiny in another sense. I bring men to their ultimate destiny," he paused and I waited anxiously for him to continue. "I am Fate because I bring humans to their demise, the same fate all living creatures have," he waited letting the weight of the truth sink in. "I am Death."

The air in my lungs rushed from me, stolen by the blunt, morbid honesty of his words. His magic, his ability to travel between realms, the fact that he could fly and read my heart, all of it. It all made perfect sense now. It was perfectly clear. I was standing in my kitchen staring Death in the face. I shook my head trying desperately to shake the words away. I tried to dislodge the reality of it from my brain. I didn't want to believe him, I couldn't. Death had always been on the perimeter of my life taking away my loved ones, my happiness. Death was the reason why I was all alone, it was the cause of all my heartache and loneliness. There was no way I could fall in love with such a terrible entity.

"No," I said, still shaking my head like a mad woman, my eyelids clenched tight. Cove reached an upward facing palm toward me. I could sense him, his worry, his body reaching out, but I wanted no part of it. I didn't want him to placate me. "No!" I shrieked, recoiling from his touch. I opened my eyes and glared at Cove in accusation, all the pent up hatred one could possibly have for a life lived alone burning through me. "You!" I spat the words at him. "It's your fault I'm alone. I have no one." I began to sob, my body shuddered caught in a torrent of rage and grief.

Moving so fast he was nothing but a blur, Cove was around the counter and clutching me to him. I couldn't push him away although I had wanted to. I needed him, I needed his love. Death had always been a part of my life and now, I fell into his comforting embrace.