Death's Obsession

Death's Obsession Avina St. Graves Death's Obsession by Avina St. Graves Published by Avina St. Graves Contact the author at [email protected] Copyright © 2023 Avina St. Graves All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to outside events, locales, or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Cover by Beholden CoverChapter Header/photo by Mitja JurajaSkull by Nika RybczynskaFormatting made with Atticus ISBN 978-0-473-68084-8First Edition Contents Blurb Triggers Author’s Note Playlist Dedication Fullpage Image Prologue 1. Lilith 2. Lilith 3. Lilith 4. Lilith 5. Letum 6. Lilith 7. Lilith 8. Lilith 9. Lilith 10. Letum 11. Lilith 12. Lilith 13. Lilith Acknowledgments About the Author Blurb He’s coming for you. Death is meant to come on a chariot of broken dreams or in the dark trenches of a storm, not in love letters and gifts. He did not take my soul when I was meant to die. He did not want it all the other times that I’ve offered it to him on a silver platter. Yet, time and time again, he reminds me that I am his: His night monster, his dark love, his perfect other. Death was the only thing keeping me alive. He watches me from his corner, taunts me with sweet messages, marks my body with his touch as I sleep. He took the people that I love away from me. Still, no one believed me when I said that I saw the faceless man on the night of the accident. No one can escape death. Me? I’m chasing it. Triggers This book is considered dark and mature. It is not suitable for people under the age of 18. Triggers include (but are not limited to): Stalking, death, dubcon, anal, double penetration, impact play, breath control, mental illness, emotionally and physically abusive romantic relationship (not with MMC), prescription drug use, alcohol and drug abuse, sibling death, parent death, cancer (off screen), PTSD, depression, anxiety, hallucinations, dissociation, traumatic events, suicidal ideation, attempted suicide (off screen), recording of sexual intercourse without consent, depiction of a violent car crash. Author’s Note If you by chance know Greek mythology and are well versed in Latin, I sincerely apologize for this book. It won’t be accurate. Playlist Death's Obsession on Spotify , as curated by my biggest fan, V: It's Called: Freefall – Rainbow Kitten Surprise Snow White Queen – Evanescence Find You – Ruelle Moondust (Stripped) – Jaymes Young Afterlife – Nothing But Thieves The Other Side – Ruelle Fear of the Water – SYML No Time To Die – Billie Eilish I Found – Amber Run Flawless – The Neighbourhood Heavenly – Cigarettes After Sex Mr. Sandman – SYML Terrible Thing – AG Paint It, Black – Ciara Gods & Monsters – Lana Del Rey Broken – Lund Spiracle – Flower Face After Dark – Mr.Kitty Dedication To the girls who think that the grim reaper will fuck like a god. Prologue B irth. Life. Death. Heaven. Hell. Purgatory. Good or bad, I will find you. You will not escape me. For I am he. For I am it. You will run. They all run. You run thinking I will never catch you. You run thinking if you hide well enough, I will never find you. You pray to your god I will never take you. You beg I never find the ones you love. Each plea falls on deaf ears, because I am coming. You may think I will chase you to the end of the earth on my chariot, press my lips to yours and let your body rest peacefully. Even when you come willingly, you scream and fight for life. Praying and pleading that it is not your time, that you have more to do, more to accomplish. You claim to need more years under the sun, but you will never be ready. For what is death, in the face of life? Chapter one LilithYou look beautiful when you sleep.I read the note again, over and over. I’m not crazy. The letter is real. The harsh glow of moonlight only just makes the words more visible. I have to hold the thick brown parchment with both hands to stop it from curling back together. Each swirl of black ink is another coil that winds tighter around my stomach. The letters taper at each end, as if it was written with a fountain pen. He was here again. He was watching me sleep.I wrote the note in my sleep, I tell myself, just like Dr. Mallory told me to. It doesn’t matter how many times I say it or scream it into my pillow or write it down, I don’t believe my own words. The letters are real. I know they are, even though no one else believes me.I told Dr. Mallory about the man who visited me on the day of the accident, face hidden under