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Uncaring of Merryl’s feelings, I press harder against the wound.
The sight of the red blood seeping between my fingers has ghosts rearing their ugly heads until my vision blurs and fades, the image of me pressing my hands to my own wounds taking over until I’m panting.
Anger and pain twirl inside me.
My head tips back with a pained scream, and I release it all.
Chapter
Forty-Three
KAI
My ragged scream echoes into the Dead Lands, pure pain and anger.
“Kai.” The voice drags me from my fury and agony. Dropping my head, I meet Kaito’s astonished, wide eyes. “You’re glowing.”
I follow his gaze, my eyes dropping to my body to see he’s right. I am glowing, but not from happiness or desire—from pain and worry. My powers feel it, and I glow from within like a lightning storm.
My men circle us, their backs to us to protect us while they keep their eyes on the forest as if the hunters would dare attack again, but my entire focus is on Kaito. He’s losing too much blood. “Why did you let him stab you?” I sob.
“Sorry.” He grins around a pained wince. “Next time, I’ll politely ask them not to.”
A cough racks his body as he groans, his blood soaking into the earth below.
He’s dying. It’s a death wound. I can tell it is. His organs practically spill from the gigantic injury.
Kaito is going to die.
The man who saved me, who looked after me and tended to me, who held me through my nightmares. The man who kissed me so sweetly despite his fears. The man who loves me with everything in him . . .
The man I am in love with is dying in my arms.
No, he can’t die. He was never supposed to. I was supposed to be the one who died. Doesn’t that mean something? He saved a life, and he deserves his own in return. No, I can’t let him die.
Iwillnot.
“You don’t get to leave me,” I whisper out loud, my voice cracking as the sky seems to darken with my pain. “You don’t. I just found you. It’s not fair. You hear me? It’s not fucking fair. I get to be happy. We get to be happy. We deserve it. You do not get to leave me.”
He covers my hand, smiling weakly. “Shh, my love. I’m not going anywhere. I wouldn’t dare.”
“Promise me. Promise me you won’t leave me,” I sob.
Tears fall from his eyes, flowing into the ground. “I promise, Kai, whatever happens, I will never leave you alone. I will always be with you, always in your heart, even if my body leaves this earth. My soul will stay here with you where you loved me.”
Shaking my head, I press harder against the wound. “No, not good enough. We’re staying here at our cabin and growing old together. We’ll forage and play and we’ll be happy.”
“It’s okay,” he whispers shakily, his strength failing him, but he still pushes through. “You won’t be alone, Kai, and that’s enough for me. It’s okay, my love. It’s okay to love them even when I’m gone. Be happy for me, okay? Please, just be happy. That’s all I want. I was so alone, so empty before you. You say I saved you, but the truth is, Kai, you saved me. You saved me, my love. I’m so thankful for the time we had together, no matter how short. Don’t be pained. Do not let it hurt you. Love and live.”
“No,” I sob, pressing my lips to his cooling ones. “I can’t live without you. I won’t. We have a full life before us. I demand it.” Lifting my eyes to the sky, I scream, “Do you hear me? I demand it! Have you not taken enough from me? Haven’t I given enough? You don’t get him; he’s mine! I’m keeping him.” I break into sobs. “Please, please don’t take him from me. Please, please, I’ll do anything. Don’t take him from me.”
Reaching up with a shaking hand, he cups the back of my head and pulls me down. “Kiss me, Kai. Kiss me so I go into the next world with your taste on my lips.”
Crying, I press my lips to his, doing as he asks despite my anger at the unfairness of it all.
“I love you,” I whisper. “I love you so much. I can’t let you go. I can’t.”
How much can one person endure?
