The Bride of Thanatos

Zoe climbed upon her platform and shifted into her Lupine form. She watched as each of her brothers took their own unique positions upon their stands before closing her eyes and relinquishing her consciousness to whatever Noir Kaermode had planned for them.

Eerie strains of music gently woke her from her slumber. She stood in the doorway of an ornate Victorian ballroom that mirrored what she had only seen in books. Men in black formal attire spun women in ivory gowns around the room in perfect synchronization with the never-changing music.

As Zoe stepped into the room, her reflection in a thickly framed mirror caught her eye. Her filthy blood-stained blouse, pants, and boots had been replaced by a blood red ball gown, which featured a square neck line, long black sleeves, and a hoop skirt with a diameter spanning at least five feet. The face that looked back at her bore no scars or evidence of sun damage. Instead it featured pale powder-white skin and bright red lips. She turned her head to see her wild brown tresses braided and wrapped into a neat bun on the back of head. The orphan girl had never experienced such a level of physical beauty.

The image of a gentleman no more than five years her senior appeared behind her in the mirror. She turned quickly to gaze into his unnaturally blue eyes set within a perfectly chiseled visage, which was crowned with long, dark hair cascading onto his shoulders. His musky scent filled her mind with feelings of euphoria and passion. He bowed deeply to her before reaching out a hand to offer her a dance. She placed her slight hand into his and he escorted her to the center of the room.

The two floated across the floor in cadence with the lilting waltz that filled the air. The other couples faded from her view as she focused on the man who led her in such a carefree dance. Gone were the worries of Akna or the Red Talons. She had no concern for the wellbeing of her pack or of the poison that ravaged Perdido. She was enraptured by the raven-haired man who held her tightly and gazed at her with those penetrating blue eyes. He made no attempt to hide the longing he felt for her, and she found herself drowning in his desire.

“I have been waiting for you, Zoe.”

The words dripped from his red lips with a mixture of desire and hatred. He ceased their dancing, though the music played on. He placed his hand gently on her cheek and she instinctively leaned into it.

“You were to be mine many years ago, my darling. I have called to you throughout the years, but you have resisted me.”

She closed her eyes as her lips formed into a smile.

“I am here now.”

“Yes. Yes, you are.”

His lips twisted into a smirk as he escorted her to the front of the room. He turned again to her, allowing his eyes to reach into the depths of her soul. He grabbed both of her hands with his own, holding them a bit tighter than was comfortable to her, but she did not care.

“You have evaded my embrace for so many years, my flower. You have gone so far as to snatch others from my hands as well. Your very name – Zoe – seeks to defy me. Why, my darling, do you resist me?”

Zoe’s lips parted but no words could be formed. Her eyes narrowed quizzically as she tried to recall his face.

“Death,” she breathed out in barely a whisper. Chills ran down her arms as his lips became a twisted grin. “I resist your calling because I wish to live and fulfill my purpose to serve Gaia.”

Death turned her to face the crowd of dancers once more.

“Look at them, my darling. They are not in pain. They have no fear. They are beautiful. They have no scars or any memory of their terrible pasts. They have no one to answer to but themselves.”

As she looked out she recognized Claws of Silk in a regal ivory gown being twirled about by a handsome All Friend. She smiled as she watched them carrying on in laughter, enjoying every moment of their freedom. She craned her neck to look farther out into the throng, seeing other faces of friends lost, but not the one she desired to see.

“You seek your father, Tycheros. Stay here with me and I will bring him to you, but a short visit will not elicit any favors of that nature from me, my dear.”

Zoe turned to face the blue-eyed man, her powdered face confused and torn.

“I wish to stay, but I must return.”

His eyebrows raised in a questioning expression.

“Oh, must you? Are you quite certain, my dear?”

Zoe struggled to recall why she had to leave this peaceful place of unending beauty and delight. Her father was here. Her mother could be here, too.

“I – I am not certain.”

He reached out a soft hand to her as he pierced her once again with his longing eyes.

“Then stay here. Be my queen. Renounce the pain-filled ways of life and reign with me here in the beauty of death. Put off the name Zoe and become the Eirene, the bride of Thanatos.”

Zoe slowly reached to take his hand, all too willing to join him here and become his bride of peace.

It is not your time, Zoe Kostas.

The voice of Noir Kaermode exploded in her mind as she was instantly reminded of why she had come. Her hand jerked back instinctively and she shook her head violently.

“No, I cannot. I cannot stay with you. I must return to my pack. We must destroy the Wyrm wherever it lies and I cannot do that here. I simply need you to resist bringing myself or any of my brothers here before we destroy the beast called Akna.”

His eyes grew cold as he placed his hand upon her cheek one last time.

“In due time, you will come to me, my darling. In the meantime, I will allow this protection for your pack, but you must promise not to use your gift of the Mother’s Touch to prevent any others from coming to me during this battle. Do we have a deal?”

Zoe swallowed once and nodded slowly.

“Yes, we have a deal.”

Thanatos pulled her in and kissed her with all of the longing she had seen in his eyes. She had never felt such desire before. Her resolve to leave would have left her at that moment, but when she opened her eyes to declare that fact, she found herself in her lupine form atop a wooden platform outside of the scorched town of Perdido.
She shifted into homid form and placed her hands beside her to sit up. Something sharp pricked her hand, resulting in a small trickle of blood. She pulled her hand back to find a single black rose lying beside her. She picked up the rose, careful to avoid the thorns, and inhaled its scent deeply. It smelled of candle smoke, facial powder, and the musk of Thanatos.

She closed her eyes as her lips twisted into a dark smile.

“I will return to you, my love.”