Page 59 of Heir to a Curse

“So take it.” I wrapped my arms around him tight, focusing on him, and willing to give him everything just to stop the idea of pain that losing him was bringing.

He sighed. “Tiny bit more time for me, less time for you.”

“I don’t care. Xiang…” I pressed my lips to his again, wishing I could force him to take whatever he needed, wanting to feel his warmth again instead of the ice against me. “I keep failing you. I don’t know what else to do. How to stop the curse. But I can offer you more time. Even if it’s only a small amount.”

“Only a small bit,” he whispered against my mouth, and our kiss turned from sweet caresses to sparks of fiery energy. I felt the tug, something dragging strength from me, and almost shouted in joy. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, him draining whatever, more like a growing ache deep inside. All my joints pulsed with pain and a headache gave a warning throb, but his lips turned from ice to a gentle warmth. I breathed a long sigh of relief, and felt a resounding snap of something I couldn’t quite define, as the wards on the door activated all at once, and the intensity of the energy created more than just a door, but an entire barrier. The monster screamed, but it sounded far away.

He pulled his lips from mine, our shared space warm for the first time in hours. I hadn’t realized the cold had been coming from him, not until that moment.

I trembled; Xiang wrapped up in my arms like I could hold him there forever. The headache descended, throbbing hard, and making me wince at just being upright. My stomach churned, nausea rolling through me. At least I hadn’t eaten anything.

“Too much,” he whispered, his voice sounding shattered. Xiang helped me lie down beside him, pulling the blankets up around us and snuggling into my chest. “I am sorry.”

The light from the high windows seemed to reflect the strength of a full moon as it filtered through the space. I stared at his beautiful face and watched tears streak down his cheeks, but didn’t have the strength to wipe them away. It was hard to breathe, and that was an uncomfortable thought, but with the wards back in place, I felt safe. And being in his arms was worth it.

“It’s okay,” I promised him. Whatever he needed to do to survive was all that mattered. The headache would pass, sleep would help, it always did. We were safe for now. I could feel power wrapping the building like a physical barrier. A small renewal. A bit more time for him, meanwhile I would have to go home. And that fact hurt more than I thought anything ever could. “Let me just rest a little while…” And sleep took me.