Page 134 of Conjure

I step closer, but pause. I want to believe that she found a way out of the dream so badly.

“If you remove the salt, I can be with you, Dom.”

I frown. “Remove the salt?”

“I’m stuck… Help me out of this ring so that we can defeat it together. We’ll kill it, Dominic. I know how now.”

The axe is heavy in my hands. I look down at it. “You asked me to get this. You knew the only way to defeat the demon is to trap it and destroy it with its own magic.”

“We don’t need the axe. Come here, Dom. Take my hand.”

I look up, but don’t move. Her palm is streaked with blood, mud, and small cuts. There are more bruises on her wrist. With hesitation, I step closer.

“I love you,” she says in the softest voice, and my eyes close.

Those three words hurt.

“Don’t you love me?”

I open my eyes. She is at the edge of the ring, balancing her weight on one leg.

“More than you’ll ever know, and that’s why I know you’re lying to me.”

Her eyebrows draw together. Before the demon can try to manipulate me more, I swing the axe in a downward movement, striking her in the leg, and slick blood splatters across my jeans and stomach. “Did you think I’d fall for your trick? That I would let you out of the ring. Camryn trapped you in there for a reason. Nebri’hak can only be destroyed with their own magic.”

I release the axe and step back when Camryn collapses to the floor. Her black eyes find mine, and then her back arches, shadows and embers streaming from her mouth before dispersing and disappearing like a morning mist.

Dashing forward, I fall to my knees, pulling her to me. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. Wake up.” I rock her, clutching her like she’ll disappear. The axe is still buried in her leg, and when I try to remove it, she moans and flutters her eyes open.

“Oh, thank God,” I choke out, stroking her hair away from her face, smearing her cheeks with blood in the process. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Her face contorts in pain. “You did the right thing. It was the only way.”

I kiss her forehead while rocking us on the floor. There’s so much blood everywhere. It’s on me, her, the walls, the floor.

It’s everywhere.

“Dominic,” she croaks weakly. “I love you.”

Laughter bubbles up inside me, and I stroke my fingers through her hair. “I’m gonna find us help.”

Her head shakes. “Stay with me.”

“Baby…”

“Please…” She clutches me.

“Okay…” I nod, swallowing down the thick lump in my throat and hauling her closer so that she’s cradled against my chest. “I’ll stay here with you, baby.”

“I’m not scared anymore.”

I’m squeezing her to my bleeding chest as she peers up at me through her damp lashes. Her cheek is bruised, and her lips have a blue tint.

“Me neither.”

Claws patter on the floor, and I see Bruno entering the room, his paws wading closer through the blood.

“Where have you been?” I ruffle his fur, fighting dizziness as he whines and licks Camryn’s face.