Never

Walking out of the ballroom, Gwyneth ignored the corpses strewn across the corridor. Bodies littered the area all the way down to the castle's exit, but she paid them no mind.

With each walk down the stairs, Imogen's weight increased by the second. Still, she continued to move, breathing hard in the midnight cold.

Her heart felt numb, her mind empty.

She had no idea where she was going or what she was supposed to do.

Her gaze strayed ahead, taking in the bodies of the coachmen.

What was happening? Why was this happening?

"She is dead, Sunshine." Came his voice behind her, gently filled with worry.

Gwyneth took her final step down the castle and stopped, feeling a sudden intense cold wave wash over her.

"Who do you think you are?" She asked with a strong voice. All the emotions she was attempting to repress were awakened by that chill.

She pivoted to gaze upon him. He was very close to her, so she took some steps back.

Sirius gave her a long look. His eyes unblinking. She was in a remarkable state of denial.

He cocked his head. "She is dead, Sunshine." He repeated.

Gwyneth moved away from him yet again. Her gaze delving deeply into those blood red eyes that were peering insanely into her soul.

"You... You murdered everyone." She broke out struggling to maintain her composure.

One moment, the ballroom was full of living beings muttering and expressing their emotions because of her actions, the next, they were all dead!

Sirius's face lit up with a crazed smile, startling her. "It was not my intention, Sunshine."

Gwyneth could not believe her ears. "What?"

Sirius descended the stairs and approached her, but she was moving away quickly despite carrying a heavy corpse on her back. And it was starting to bother him.

So he stopped. His smile fading.

Gwyneth stopped, breathing sharply. "That was not your intention?!"

So, he did indeed kill them! He covered her eyes as soon as she removed his blindfold, and everyone died save for the vampire prince!

Her mind returned instantly to Gerald's words.

'On the night of your birth, half of Descaera's population perished for no apparent reason. They just died.'

It could not be. It was impossible. It made absolutely no sense!

"Who are you?" Taking a step back, she asked with great reluctance.

Sirius's face darkened in thought. Just as they were bonding, Kieran decided to sever that bond by murdering her family! Not that their lives mattered to him... He truly did not want to be concerned any longer. All he wanted was her. All he wanted was his Sunshine.

He walked up to her with a long, carefree stride, saying, "The horror on your face proves that you already know, Sunshine."

Gwyneth hurried away, keeping Imogen close to her until they were far away from the ominous man.

"Who are you?!" This time, she screamed. Her angry red eyes spoke volumes. "Why have you come here to rob me of everything? Why? I was prepared to take my sister's place, to save her! It was going to be that simple! Why take her away from me!"

Sirius raised his brow, surprised. Her eyes were flooded with rage and tears. She was quivering. Clearly worn out from toting a heavy corpse around.

The anguish of losing a dear one...

Wait.

She desired to take her sister's place?

"I would not have needed orders to eliminate them all if you had said that. Not even my brother can touch what is mine, let alone claim it."

Gwyneth was taken aback by those words. "What?"

A sinister and menacing grin curved around Sirius's lips. "I'm sure your uncle must have told you. That you belong to me. You are aware of that, are you not? That explains why you have been shooing away the proposing insects, right?"

Gwyneth opened her mouth in disbelief. "You..."

'It was Death's way of declaring you as his to claim!' Gerald's voice rang through her mind.

"You are Death." She heaved, utterly baffled.

Deep in thought, Sirius chuckled. A sound that was out of sync with his lethal gaze.

Gwyneth had clear memories of her past life, including how her healthy husbands had suddenly passed away.

She died... She was murdered... She was blamed, despised...

Death was a being! He was a person like the rest of them! And he was...

Out of nowhere, Sirius was standing right in front of her, staring down at her with a fiery gaze. "Let that corpse go, Sunshine."

"You wrecked my previous existence, so now you want to wreck this one too? Are you no longer satisfied with taking the lives of the men in my life?!" Gwyneth screamed at him, shaking her head violently.

Shock spread across Sirius's eyes. "You remember?"

Gwyneth gritted her teeth. She felt like she should not have spoken those words. But the situation she was in now was terrifying her beyond belief. She was the only living person in the entire castle!

She stepped further away from him quickly while giving him a furious glare. "Stay away!"

Sirius titled his head at her outburst, his expression pressing into thoughtful contemplation. Not only did she not recall their meeting after her death, but she also could not recall his appearances in her previous life.

Even so, she was able to figure him out with ease.

She truly only had eyes for him!

His bright smile returned.

How intriguing!

"Do not run away from me, Sunshine." Again picking up his pace, he strode in her direction.

Gwyneth froze at his speed, shuddered at his smile, and lowered her head. "Stay away."

"Never." Sirius laughed, mirth dancing in his deep voice, amusement glinting in his deadly eyes.

Gwyneth raised her head to meet his, her tear-filled midnight blue eyes wide with incredulity. "What?"

Sirius merely grinned at her look. Despite the fact that they were talking about a horrible subject, he loved that they were communicating.

To tell the truth, he was grateful to his brother. This situation allowed his Sunshine to figure him out without scratching her head.

Suddenly, his ears were met with the sound of multiple horses neighing and booming galloping. The sound grew loud enough to catch Gwyneth's attention.

'Enough. It is time to leave.' Kieran spoke up out of nowhere.

Sirius laughed. "Your uncle managed to keep you from me for two decades by making sure you never mentioned that word."

"What?" Gwyneth returned her gaze to him, her eyes widening. "Death" was the word her uncle would never let her say. "Keep your mouth shut! You are a monster! Stop ruining my life!"

"We will see each other more often, Sunshine." Sirius mumbled pressing his thumb softly against her cheek, dabbing away the single tear that was falling.

Gwyneth shook her head, chasing his cold hand from his face. Was he joking about this?! "Stay away from me you murderer!" She screamed as loudly as she possibly could.

Sirius grinned menacingly with a sly gleam in his eyes. "Never." And he was gone, leaving a chilling shadow in his wake.

Gwyneth's legs failed her, and she collapsed to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably as Imogen's body dropped off her back.

"Gwyneth!" She heard a voice she recognised, alerting her to the horses' approach.

When officials and warriors on more than thirty horses arrived at the scene, they were horrified to see the bodies.

Prince Elias leapt from his horse and raced towards his siblings upon witnessing his sister sobbing. But as soon as he noticed how motionless and pale Imogen appeared, he froze, turning back to look at Gwyneth, who couldn't hold back the tears flowing from her eyes.