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“Get off me!” She yelled as I pinned her to the dirt a few feet away.
But I ignored her pleas. Barely felt her tiny fists as she slapped at me. She was nothing compared to my years of training.
I closed my fingers around her throat and squeezed. I saw red flashes of the things she’d taken from me as she struggled to breathe. I’d killed a lot of people, and I’d enjoyed a job well done. But never once was it personal. Until now.
I took pleasure in the way her eyes widened in fear. Savored the soft taps before her arms went limp. This was the first kill I wanted to live in. Wanted to remember forever.
As I watched her eyes flutter, a shot rang out. Blood and brain matter splattered my skin as half her face disappeared. Immediately, my head whipped around.
Ariella stood, cradling one hand to her chest as the other held a gun limp at her side. It slid from her fingers, making a dull thud as it fell in the dirt. I shoved off Britney, closing the inches between us.
“Ariella?” I grasped her bruised face gently. Her blood was sticky under my fingers as I tried to swipe it away to assess her injuries. From what I could tell, she’d taken a beating.
A smile twitched on my lips. I was right; she’d fought. Hard.
“She was mine to kill.” She whispered, her eyes staring vacantly at the dead body of her best friend.
I gathered her in my arms, turning her away. She might have been born in this life. Trained to use a gun, but this was her first kill. It wasn’t going to be as easy for her as it would’ve been for me.
I’d wanted Britney dead from the moment I’d found out what she’d done. But Ariella wanted to save her. Wanted answers.
She stayed completely still and silent as I examined her injuries. She didn’t even flinch as I probed at her broken nose and ribs. I cupped her cheeks. “Nightling, look at me.”
She blinked like the sound of my voice had finally brought her back to reality. “Adam?”
“I’m right here.” Emotion made my throat tight as the tears finally slid from her honey eyes.
“I knew you’d come.” She gasped as she leaned against me. It was like her body knew she was safe. She could stop fighting because I was here to care for her. Forever.
I brushed the tears and blood away as I pressed a soft kiss to her swollen lips. Every bruise on her face made me wish I could bring Britney back from the dead and kill her again. Inflict the same amount of pain.
“I knew you’d never leave me.”
“Never.” She choked as I crushed her against my chest. I needed her closer. Needed to feel her heartbeat. The anxiety inside me finally started to calm as I felt her warm skin on mine.
“I guess we trust each other again.” Her silky hair brushed through my fingers as she tilted her head to look at me. She smiled. And even through the blood and bruises, she was beautiful. She was everything.
But for the second time that night, my world shattered.
Her face went pale. Her eyes fluttered closed as she collapsed.
My heart stopped beating as I caught her. Cradling her to my chest, I brushed the hair from her face. “Ariella?” But she didn’t even flinch as I screamed her name. “Nightling!”
She didn’t respond. I pressed my fingers into her neck, feeling for a pulse as I gently shook her. But she was limp in my hold.
“Hey, what did I tell you? You’re not allowed to close your eyes.” Fear slid through my veins as I realized I didn’t feel it. There was nothing. If I saw those honey colored eyes everything would be okay. “Give me those eyes.”
I didn’t wait another second. I raced back through the woods, knowing her only chance was to get to a doctor. There could be a million things wrong. A thousand injuries she could sustain from a beating. None of which I could fix in the middle of the woods.
“Nightling. Open your eyes.” I demanded as I kept her tucked into my chest. I stumbled over tree roots as I stared down at her. Her injuries stuck out against her pale skin. She looked so small and fragile still wearing my shirt she’d thrown on earlier. Back when everything had been right. When my world was still whole. “Please don’t leave me.”
I couldn’t lose her. Not like this. Not ever. I wasn’t strong enough to do this without her. She was my moon. My stars. My night. My everything.
“I love you.”
40
Adam
