Please note that this story is adult in nature.
© Copyright Mari Byrne, 2002.
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave, Inc.
Prologue
The choice is yours. If you wish to step into
the role of Death, you may...
The Ascendant’s voice drifted through his conscience
as it explained that the decision was his, and his alone. If
for any reason the laws were violated, he would suffer the consequences.
It was more than could be expected, and much less than he could
ever want.
Originally it was the blow of an ancient weapon that ended
his reality and sent him to his demise. There had been pain,
then nothing but peace. When the peace began to bore him, and
thoughts of bargaining for the role of Death and its small privileges
were presented, he made the decision to take it.
“I accept.”
Waiting for what felt like an eternity, the answer came to
him as a mind-blowing shock. The pain was unbearable. Foolishly,
he had thought that after death, nothing could ever hurt again.
It hadn’t taken long before he discovered just how wrong
he was.
That had been his first experience as Death, and he’d
never regretted taking up the mantle, until now.
The only thing he wanted at this moment was to give it all
up. Break his contract with the Ascendant, and claim the woman
he’d waited to claim these last twenty years.
And now he had a plan, a plan for a real life. Remembering
it now, Death had to wonder at the calm he‘d felt as he
and the Ascendant spoke of this bargain.
If she accepts you for who you are, your contract with
me shall be broken. The Ascendant’s voice boomed
around him as he calmly nodded his head. The only thing required
of Death to seal the bargain had been his willingness to forsake
what he couldn’t remember having.
His soul.
His thoughts flew about him as he anticipated seeing her once
again, this time as a Man. Knowing it was too much to hope that
she would instantly recognize the reason for this particular
visit, he nonetheless went about working out the details for
their upcoming reunion.
His thoughts were interrupted as he suddenly felt a little
one’s soul ready to depart.
Face and mind blanked, he went about escorting the innocent
home...
