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    Defying Death: Dutiful Gods Series, #4
    Defying Death: Dutiful Gods Series, #4
    Defying Death: Dutiful Gods Series, #4
    Ebook137 pages1 hour

    Defying Death: Dutiful Gods Series, #4

    By Melissa Bell

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    About this ebook

    Vanessa is the one female that Death will never take against her own free will. Can she avoid his capture and does she really want to?

    Death is the Reaper of Souls, he collects the essence of the dead. To keep his compassion he must live a human life for up to a week, to know what it is like to experience death first hand. Everyone will meet him one day, nobody can outrun their own mortality.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMelissa Bell & Jordin Thiele Inc.
    Release dateJan 31, 2015
    ISBN9781386578055
    Defying Death: Dutiful Gods Series, #4

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      Book preview

      Defying Death - Melissa Bell

      PROLOGUE

      Cosmo came to her son, it was that time again. Death must live among the humans for a week. It was the only way she could think of to ensure he didn't lose his compassion for the souls he collected.

      Death understood this was his cross to bear, but that didn't mean he had to like it. He often wondered about his mother's reasons behind the various charades. The significance of her teachings had not been lost on him, he valued life. He didn't however, value those who abused it. They were the one's Death was never gentle with.

      The worst part of this deal was that he never knew what he was walking into. He’d found himself in various situations in the past, that made him wonder if he was a sick game set up to amuse his mother.

      He'd been a gladiator. After fighting for a week-long life, he had been poisoned by a guard that had money riding on his opponent. His opponent had proceeded to run him through like a succulent roast, cooked to perfection after being tenderized and beaten like a piñata. He’d collected the guard and the opponent's souls the following week after they had been put to death for match-fixing. He may or may not have influenced the way they died, but he would admit he had enjoyed the show. He would also be the first to admit, he had a vindictive nature.

      In one life, he'd been a farmer who was put to the death by a greedy king, for failing to pay taxes and surrender his entire crop to the palace. Shortly after, the king was taken ill by a mysterious ailment that took his life. His kingdom was returned to the people as the king hadn't been able to sire an heir. His widowed queen went on to remarry. She lived long enough to see her son become a king of the people.

      He'd also been a knight killed in battle over the borders of neighboring kingdoms, which were ruled by two cousins that always wanted what the other had. So, as a result, he gave them both syphilis, from the same women. Who could say if it was the disease that killed them or the concoctions their physicians kept feeding them trying to heal them?

      He never knew where he was going, or how he would die. He only knew that some of the people he met along the way could have been his friends in another lifetime.

      CHAPTER 1

      1340

      The first time Vanessa saw Death, she was only sixteen years old. Her mother had summoned her to the neighbors keep to help her with a difficult birth. Abigail was barely eighteen when she was betrothed to a landowner. He was significantly older than her by around twelve years, but the bargain was struck in a dark corner of a tavern near the docks. A few gold coins and a number of rounds of bootleg whiskey, a handshake, and the deal was done. The poor girl was delivered to her new husband kicking and screaming.

      At least he’d been a gentleman with her and was patient enough to wait for her cycle to begin. After she'd bled, he took her to his bed and claimed her virginity. He'd been smitten with her from the day she had arrived, and even though it was an arranged marriage, she fell in love with him in a matter of months. She'd become pregnant quickly, and they were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first child. The breech birth was overdue according to the calculations, and she'd been in labor for a day and a half when her mother sent word that she needed help in birthing the babe.

      Vanessa raced to the garden and collected all the herbs her mother had asked for, then she climbed on the back of a horse and sped to her mother’s aid.

      She slid down from her ride before the horse had even halted and rushed to the opening door. The sounds from the master bedroom were making her stomach roll. She heard her mother yelling over the noise Abigail was making, Push child, you have to push.

      I can't, Abigail whimpered, exhausted from the many hours of pain.

      Vanessa brought the bag of herbs to her mother’s side and touched her shoulder to let her know she'd arrived. Her mother Elanora shuffled through the satchel’s contents and withdrew a small portion of bark. Get her to bite down on this, it will help with the pain.

      Vanessa moved to the head of the bed and scooped the pillows aside, then lifted Abigail under the arms to slide in behind her. Her head thrashed from side to side as she rested back against Vanessa's shoulder. Vanessa placed a firm hand on her neighbor’s forehead anchoring it in place as she stuffed the bark into her mouth. Abigail, mother says to bite it. It will help with pain.

      Abigail nodded her head to show she understood.

      What next mother?

      Elanora instructed her daughter to help the woman bear down. We need to birth this babe now!

      Vanessa placed her open hands against Abigail's swollen belly drawing large circles. With the next muscle contractions, she added extra pressure to the push. Several more and the infant was finally free of the birth canal. Abigail had stopped screaming and slumped motionless against Vanessa. The amount of blood loss was too much to save her. She passed away in Vanessa's arms. The infant, also unable to survive the process, never took a first breath or a last.

      Elanora cleaned the baby and wrapped it in a blanket. Vanessa, help me to make things presentable. I have to let Gilbert know of his loss.

      Vanessa repositioned the pillows, straightened Abigail's gown and pulled the cloth over her lower body to hide the mess. She lifted the baby and placed him next to his mother and touched his cheek. A tear slid free, and she vowed she would rather die than fall in love.

      * * *

      Death had no idea of the year, the time, or where he was. He could hear the soft melodic voice and could feel the warmth on his bottom. He was scrunched up in a space that was too small to move. He'd kicked and tried to stretch, but it only left him tired. A constant thump, thump, thump, hypnotized him to settle down and sleep. He’d been sent to Middle Earth for his usual Live a life, walk in their shoes, in accordance with his Mother’s laws. Yet again, he was sent in blind, never knowing what to expect when he reached the human realm.

      He was surrounded by warm, viscous fluid, and his hand kept getting caught in a cord attached to his belly. He felt unusually cramped, the space shrinking around him. Each time the restriction grew tighter and tighter. He panicked and knew the situation wasn't a good one. He tried to move but couldn't. Everything just seemed to fade away into nothingness.

      He could hear loud noises as he lost consciousness. After many hours of restriction and confusion, he heard his Mother’s voice. Take my hand son. It's time to go home.

      But I haven't lived, he said, in his mind. Unable to breathe he began to struggle.

      Don't fight it Death. This was your lesson to learn. Not everything that lives has a life to live, Cosmo said sadly.

      She took his hand and lifted him into her arms, carrying him home to his realm. She laid him on his king-size bed, covering him with a blanket, and as his body turned away from her shivering, she reached out to touch his hair. Don't, he hissed at her. Cosmo pulled her hand back and vanished with her eyes full of unshed tears.

      The events of his latest lesson left a bitterness inside him. Sometimes he really hated his existence. He never got to create life, and he himself never really got to live one. He was trapped, with nothing to look forward to. Exhaustion, coupled with the depression associated with his duties, pulled him into a deep sleep where he wished he could sleep like the dead forever.

      * * *

      Elanora brushed her daughters long auburn hair with the bone comb. She braided it, joining the two sides into one long plait down her back and tied it off with a leather strip.

      Don't weep child, it is the way of the Gods. You will discover one day, they do not discriminate. They don't care if you’re of rich noble blood or a pauper. Coin cannot buy your life. The only thing you can do is live true to yourself. Live every day to the fullest, and love with all your heart when you find it. I will speak to your father when he returns from the sea. I will implore him to allow you to choose your own suitor when you find him, or he you. Now sleep child, the moon is high, it is late.

      Vanessa moved from the stool she'd been sitting on, kissed her Mother’s cheek and climbed into her bed. Her last thoughts were of a mysterious man with no face coming to claim her, 'I'd rather die than be a slave to love.'

      * * *

      Vanessa spent the following months learning about the herbs her Mother grew in the garden, in the hope that one day she would be as wise as her Mother. She knew it was her calling to try to heal the ailing and to make the journey into the afterlife less painful for those who had lived a long and full life.

      The years passed by and her body became that of a beautiful ripe woman. She had many suitors come calling to ask for her hand. But each time she shook her head and said, Nay, he naught be the one.

      The following Winter, her Mother took ill with consumption. Vanessa damned the knowledge her mother had passed on,

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