Fifteen minutes to midnight, 2019.

Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.

Time was ticking by faster than the pace Aleks and Morgan kept. Neither could care less if they reached the roof in time for the New Year. 

Aleks was still holding onto her hand. It was all Morgan thought of at that moment.

Gold and ivory decor adorned the hotel foyer. Their bare feet tracked sand all over the smooth polished marble floors that shone under the crystal chandeliers dripping from the high ceilings. The receptionist smiled warmly despite the glare the poor janitor shot them with his broom in hand.

Aleks gave her hand a small squeeze. "I just need to get something from my room, but you can go ahead to the roof—"

"Oh, your room is not on the way up?" Morgan asked.

He pulled one corner of his lips up into a smile, tilting his head. "It is," he said letting go of her hand to push the elevator button.

"Then I don't mind." Morgan smiled seductively. I don't mind at all going to your room. She bit her bottom lip.

Aleks's eyes flashed to her mouth before the elevator pinged open. Inside, he crossed his arms over his chest, the fabric stretched against his broad shoulders. Morgan instantly noticed. Of course, she averted her eyes to look at the floor instead. Incubus? She didn't mind.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked.

Morgan shrugged and moved to stand in the opposite corner. Her eyes trailed him up and down. Her cheeks flushed red when he caught her in the act.

"Well?" he prompted again.

She sighed. She hoped to get away with that one. "I was just thinking about the moment. It's exciting."

He let out a dark chuckle, openly allowing his eyes to admire her in return. "What are you some adrenaline junkie?"

She frowned. "What?"

"You're flirting with danger. Chatting up a stranger and blindly going to his room," he said darkly.

His words should unsettle her, but she recognized the playfulness in them. Besides, Keepers had little to fear.

She feigned shock and placed her hands on her hips. "I did not chat you up! That was your mistake."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's the part that bothers you?" he asked incredulously.

"It's the only part that's not true." She gave him a cheeky wink.

A musical laugh escaped his lips.

It took her by surprise. In a good way.

"I see, and for the record chatting you up was not a mistake," Aleks said walking out of the elevator.

She silently followed him, feeling smug.

Aleks unlocked the door to his room and pushed it open for her to enter. The room was immaculate. Not what she expected any man's room to look like while on vacation. Pristine, all the way from the small kitchenette right up to the massive king-size bed. An inviting focal point.

Cool and calming tones of blue mixed with seashells gave the space a tranquil vibe. The room opened onto a big balcony. He moved to open the glass doors. The warm night breeze blew in with the smell of the ocean, billowing the sheer curtains. The room was lit with the moonlight streaming in. It washed the room in a silver hue, and it made the atmosphere more intimate.

Morgan rested her hip against the kitchen counter—watching—waiting on Aleks.

Aleks rummaged through a suitcase on the ottoman at the foot of the gigantic bed. He hesitated for a second then looked toward her.

She bit her lower lip. She was unsure of what was on his mind. She just stared back at him.

The lack of light cast shadows on his face. It accentuated his strong jawline.

The loud bass from the party above and the yells from the beach below streamed in from the outside. Yet, it seemed muted compared to the drumming of her pulse.

He slowly pulled his shirt off. She held her breath. She did not expect him to do that.

He smiled. Not oblivious to her reaction. He returned his attention to the contents of the suitcase and pulled out a clean shirt.

Morgan felt disappointed at the sight of the new shirt. Why am I so attracted to this supernatural? She didn't even know his last name.

"It's Ryder. I'm Aleks Ryder," he said. He still had the shirt in his hands when he walked closer.

What the hell? Was he reading her mind? Silent alarms went off in her head. She stared at him walking ever closer. She felt a conflicting mixture of awe and caution.

Her eye caught the curtains whipping around the glass doors. The wind suddenly picked up, howling through the open gap.

He momentarily turned to stare at the bizarre actions of the wind before he looked back. "I just reckoned you should know who I am, but now you just look freaked out?" he said with a slight frown.

He seemed to have forgotten about his shirt. She hadn't.

She was paranoid. "No, I am just..."

She trailed off. He was so close. A devilish smile on his face.

Morgan spotted a small scar on his chest, hovering right over his heart. Without thinking she reached out and touched the small scar.

Goosebumps rose on his skin under her touch. He stepped closer into her hand, and she placed her palm flat on his chest—over his heart.

Nothing. She felt no heartbeat.

A breath escaped her lips. She lifted her eyes slowly to find him already staring at her. His jaw was taught. He looked like he was struggling with some inner conflict.

Aleks stood frozen. Staring at her with confusion in his eyes.

She trailed her hand across his chest. The movement on his skin brought him to action.

She yelped when he grabbed her by the waist and placed her on top of the kitchen counter. They were at eye level now. The juxtaposition of the cold marble and his warm body against the exposed skin on her thighs sent chills up her spine.

"Who gave you that scar?" Morgan asked out of breath.

His eyes darkened. His grip on her hips tightened. "I can't remember, only that it broke my heart," he said in a somber tone.

She couldn't tell whether he was joking or being serious.

He pulled her closer to him.

Her heart raced in anticipation. Déjà vu filled in the gaps of what was about to happen next—like it happened a thousand times before. She felt like she knew him—all of him.

Her hand was still on his silent chest—her heartbeat the only one present in the room.

Aleks swallowed. "Morgan," he whispered her name. He seemed hesitant.

She reached to cup his face. "Aleksandr," she whispered. She gently placed her forehead against his. Begging him not to pull away from her—voicing a name she thought she knew from once upon a dream.

She watched the blood drain from his face. "Why would you call me that?"

She ignored his question and leaned in to kiss him. Melting her body to his.

He took a second to respond. He relaxed and wrapped an arm around her waist while cupping the back of her neck to seize control of their kiss.

Fireworks erupted with loud bangs echoing through the room. The bright colors bathed the room in bursts of magenta, reds, and greens. Cheers carried into the New Year with drunken joy. The wind howling through the doors intensified. It whirled around them with encouragement.

Their kiss continued past midnight.

Morgan broke the kiss, gasping for breath.

His eyes were wild with want. "Whoa, you might just be the death of me."

Something snapped into place. The dull ache seemed to vanish, and her heart swelled with some strange desire. The wind whipped at her long black hair lashing it around her head like Medusa's main. The temperature dropped several degrees sending shivers through her.

Tremors shook the hotel. Aleks glanced around startled then back to her. "Morigann," he whispered.

He immediately backed away from her.

Morgan's vision blurred and memories flashed in her mind. It was overwhelming. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Amidst the chaos, Aleks's cries sounded over the blood pulsing in her ears. He was clutching at the scar on his chest as if it was an ember on his skin.

Something was wrong. She winched as painful images of his face flashed in her mind.

Aleks fell silent. When he looked up his eyes had changed. They were completely blacked out. It was sinister and unnatural. He blinked and they were back to blue, nothing out of the ordinary.

Morgan racked her brain for any reference. She had no idea what type of supernatural he was and that unnerved her.

"I think you should leave," he spoke in Russian.

She understood him. She looked at him with recognition.

This was the forbidden secret the reigning powers ripped from her mind.

Morgan stumbled backward and fell.

**********

Aleks watched the woman he died for fall to the floor.

Her love destroyed him once. He will not allow her to break him again.

A dark shimmer emanated from her back. He heard her cry out when the dark shimmer burst into two magnificent wings.

He stared in awe. Her wings were not solid but a dark opaque and gold shimmering energy.

She looked up at him with glowing golden eyes.

Aleks knew he was looking into the eyes of Death.

No man had ever escaped Death. Yet, Death was forced to let him go and he was left in limbo because of it.