T H R E E

                                    

                                          
T H R E E
Paradise
                          
WHEN I FINALLY awoke, there was a rapid pounding hammering to the sides of my head as a bright light greeted me. Shimmering rays were cast from every odd angle, illuminating the place in which I was in. As I whipped my head around to get a better view of the place, all while rubbing my temples and cursing the existence of Death, I was only greeted by the beautiful scenic view of an endless meadow. It was free from shadow, every inch glowing a bright ethereal bright as birds chirped melodiously in a distance.   
                          
"What... what is this?" Questioning myself softly, I pressed my palms against the soil and luscious grass below me, pushing myself up to my feet before twisting my body back and forth. Above me, there was only a vast endless sky of baby blue, decorated with white cotton candy clouds and golden rays of sun though that particular star was no where to be seen. There was no sign of where I could've fallen from, and anything before that was just a distant blur of a memory. 
                          
"You're awake," a voice said, making me turn around violently, eyes wide with shock as I took a step back. When a familiar figure greeted me, a fearful loathing scowl found its way onto my features, making my dig my hand into the back pockets of my jeans to hold the handle of the gun hidden there. 
                          
"Lucius," I spitted out, venom clear in my tone as the handsome young man remained impassive. "What are you doing here? How dare you even show your face here again?"
                          
Blond hair messed up, Lucius raised both his hands, palms facing me in a surrender motion as he shook his head lightly. "I mean no harm," he said. 
                          
"Liar," I spat out, pulling the gun and poising it at him ready to shoot. "You betrayed us back at the boathouse. Bella could've died!"
                          
"That was a necessary precaution." Calmly, Lucius placed his hands down back to his sides, strolling across the long green grass easily as if he was taking a walk in the world's most beautiful park. He stopped, bending down to pick out a vibrant pink daisy before continuing his way, examining the flower with great interest which I know isn't true. "War was going to have her killed. They cornered us, Addison, and if I hadn't stabbed Bella, and in a not so lethal way, he could've killed us both. Instead, he thought that Bella was dead, and came after me."
                          
Stopping mere inches right in front of me, Lucius held out the flower for me before I promptly slapped it out of his hand. "Stop with your games, Lucius. I know what you are."
                          
"And what would make you think that I'm playing games?" His eyebrows scrunched in hurt, forehead creasing as his hand drooped sadly. "I would never hurt you, Addison. Not directly, not intentionally."
                          
"Yes," taking a step back, I folded my arms across my chest, fingers still gripped tightly around the gun. "That's because you were supposed to protect me."
                          
"You know," he said simply. 
                          
"I know many things, things people don't even know about themselves." 
                          
It was never my intention to break down, but Lucius had always been a friend that had seen me at my most vulnerable. And now, it felt as though we were back in the good old days, simple fighting over which movie to watch on Friday nights. 
                          
A single traitorous tear leaked from the corner of my eye, racing down my cheek before I hurriedly brushed it away. "You were my guardian angel. You aren't even human! And you couldn't do your job properly, now, can you? Going around breaking my heart like nothing ever mattered."
                          
A wave of his usual cologne, Hugo Boss, overcame my senses, his face mere inches from mine. Lucius placed a hand on my cheek, brushing more stray tears away from looking at me dead in the eye. His bright eyes, the shade of a warm hazelnut brown, was so homely, so familiar. 
                          
"I know it's totally cliche, but I only did it to protect you. There are people, creatures, beasts after my own life and if I were near you, you could've died. I didn't want that for you, Addison."
                          
And once more, I was spun into the web of lies. I didn't know if I could trust Lucius, or truly anyone at all at this point of time, but I soon found myself melting into my ex-boyfriend's hold. His arms were welcoming, and wrapped around them only felt as though everything was right once more. All the anger I had felt for him dissipated, for now there was a could-be-plausible reason for him to have harmed Bella this way. It was fortunate and true that she did not die, and if Lucius had really done it to save both their lives, I could find myself forgiving him if Bella did. 
                          
No, I didn't love him, not anymore. I don't even like him romantically. But to be able to be in the arms of a good friend, someone I had practically grown up with, I felt ever so comforted and at home. In a strange world like this, that's all I ever wanted. 
                          
"I hate you," I said, cheek pressed against his chest as Lucius' arms tightened around my waist. 
                          
"I know."
                          
"And I still don't trust you."
                          
"I know that too."
                          
"But it's good to see you again."
                          
Gently, Lucius pressed a feather-light kiss to the top of my head, and I could feel his heart rate increasing with my ear pressed against his broad chest. It was all I remembered, a heavenly bliss of comfort and strength as the floral scent of lavender and daisies surrounded us. 
                          
-----
                          
"Lucius?"
                          
"Hmm?"
                          
"Where are we exactly?" 
                          
For hours we had been walking, treading through the meadow like needles treading through an endless silk cloth. The field seemed to go on forever and ever, nothing else but a large patch of grass and flowers till what the eye could see. 
                          
Lucius kept a firm distance ahead of me, about perhaps a few inches as he kept his eyes peeled for danger. Though the entire place was nothing short of an endless void-like area, the blond man seemed to know exactly where he was headed to. He stepped with caution, with precision as his eyes darted back and forth. 
                          
"Paradise," he whispered under his breath, voice dimmed low as his grip on my hand tightened. "A place believed to be even better than heaven. Somewhere with eternal peace and prosperity. Or at least that was until Death ruined it."
                          
"Who exactly is he?" Curiosity brimming, I couldn't help but ask, voice toned down to match Lucius'. "Death, I mean."
                          
"All I know about that wretched being is that he brought damnation to everywhere he went. He is the grim reaper, harvester of souls, ferrymen of the dead and some say the most filial disciple of Lucifer himself. But then again, who is to say he isn't the Devil already?" Lucius spat the words out with much venom and ferocity, anger clear in his tones. "His own myth variates from religion to religion, culture to culture. In Greek myth, he is nothing short of a god. But he is mainly known as one of the four horsemen."
                          
A hint of warning came into Lucius' eyes as he stared down at me, worry etched clear into his handsome features as he spoke. 
                          
"Whatever you do, Addison, do not trust Death. There will never be anything more to him than killing games and torment. That's what he was made for."
                          
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