Page 28

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

Erin

M y heart feels like a boulder in my chest, threatening to drag me to the ground, and the blood has frozen in my veins. All the hours of waiting, counting down the minutes, watching the blue dot slowly reach its apex in the sky has led to his moment, and now I can’t breathe.

Syros watches expectantly as I settle next to the radio again, my hands shaking with anticipation.

What if it doesn’t work?

What if it does?

My eyes shift to the silent Grim nearby, still wishing there was something I could say—anything to help alleviate the tightness constricting my chest—but I’ve already tried and failed.

The time has come for me to go, and we both know what comes next.

I flip on the radio, static exploding through the clearing around us. A quick twist of the dial has the sound dissolving, and the air in front of me trembles.

I suck in a sharp breath.

“Tyler?” I call out, my voice sounding much calmer than I feel. My eyes are glued to the shifting air above the radio, rippling like heat rising off scorching pavement.

“Erin?” This time, when Tyler’s voice comes through, the movement in front of me trembles harder, shimmering with a pale light that seems to grow brighter with every second that passes.

Oh. My. God.

It’s working. It’s working!

I can barely breathe as the air glows brighter, shimmering and splitting like a hole has been sliced through it with a hot knife. It’s small, about a foot from top to bottom, but it’s growing—slowly. Too slowly. If it doesn’t go faster and widen enough for me to pass through before the signal weakens again, I’ll miss my chance.

“Come on, come on,” I mutter.

Nearby, Syros shifts, but my eyes are glued to the portal opening before me.

“Holy shit, I see it!” Tyler calls through the radio. “Can you see it? What’s happening?”

“I can.” I force out the reply, my heart suddenly galloping in my chest. “It’s… glowing.”

He can see it. It’s happening. It’s working. I repeat the words silently to myself over and over, clinging to them like a prayer. Like the more I think them, the stronger the signal will grow, even though that’s not how any of this works.

Every muscle in my body is wound tight, ready to spring forward and dive through the portal at the first possible second. Is it the safest thing to do? No, there are probably a million things that could go wrong. The connection might not be strong enough for an object—or me—to pass through at all. The rift could splice me in half and spit the two parts out on the other side. I could blink out of reality and land in a different unknown world.

So many things could go wrong…

I swallow down my doubts, focused on the task at hand as the rip stretches and grows into a circle, reminiscent of the portal I saw on the solstice, only much smaller. The air inside the ring of light ripples, like a pebble dropped into a pond, and an image appears. It’s dark on the other side, illuminated by a nearby streetlight, and I can see a few trees and blades of grass swaying in the breeze.

After being completely transfixed on the growing portal for a full minute, I’m finally able to tear my eyes away to find Syros. I expect him to be on pins and needles as well, ready to lunge through the portal to rip Tyler in half as promised, but he’s staring at me, watching me like a hunter watches its prey.

“I don’t like this,” he growls, his voice a low rumble in his throat. “Something is off. Erin, I don’t think it’s safe.”

I’m only halfway listening when a crackle nearly snatches my attention away. I look back at the portal, now the size of a dinner tray. It’s nearly broad enough for me to dive through if I get a running start. The only problem is that it’s three feet off the ground, and I’m not graceful enough to leap through it like a gymnast.

Maybe Syros can throw me…

Movement through the portal catches my eye, and Tyler’s wide-eyed face comes into view. He’s wearing a beige denim jacket and jeans, with a backwards ballcap. I’m so relieved to see him that I forget I’m only wearing a tank top and the tattered remains of my leggings. I haven’t even looked in a mirror since before the Solstice—I probably look like hell warmed over.

“Holy shit, Erin!” He gasps, stepping closer to the portal as it continues to stretch open. He grips something just out of view—probably his cell phone—and stares at me like I’m a ghost. “You did it! You opened the portal!”

“I did it.” My words are barely audible to my own ears, but a swell of pride fills me. I’m so overwhelmed with emotions that the magnitude of what we’ve achieved is nearly lost on me; we created a bridge between worlds, which has likely never been done before outside of the Solstice.

I take a shaky breath.

Tyler’s gaze flicks to the edge of the portal right as it crackles with electricity. “This thing doesn’t seem very stable; I don’t know how long it’ll stay open.” His eyes shift back to mine. “Can you make it through?”

I step forward slowly, cautiously, afraid that something will blow up at any second and this will all backfire. Even as the thought crosses my mind, a spark of electricity cracks, and Syros growls in protest.

Tyler’s eyes widen even further. “Erin, what was that? Is it the Grim?” His face pales suddenly, terror clear in his expression. “Hurry, I’m right here. I’ll catch you.”

My stomach drops. The logical side of my brain is fighting to be heard, drowning out the undercurrent of adrenaline pumping through me. It’s just a jump. I can dive right through and be back home, if I could just get my feet to move.

I take a step forward.

“Erin,” Syros roars, sending goosebumps skittering up my arms. “Wait. You shouldn’t—”

White hot energy crackles through the portal, blinking out my view of Tyler for a moment. My heart skips a painful beat, and it seems the portal has stopped growing. It’s still not as tall as I am, even with my short frame, but it’s enough for me to fit through. Especially if I get a running start.

With a deep breath, I brace myself and run toward the opening. I only have one shot, and I have to make this count.

I grit my teeth, picking up the pace, prepared to leap. I’m nearly there, just a step from the split.

So close. I’m almost home.

My feet leave the ground as I dive forward, tempted to close my eyes as the blinding white light gets closer.

Then, something slams into me, snatching me out of the air. The breath is ripped from my lungs as I get my bearings, and I realize Syros has me in his hold.

“What the—” My words are cut off by a dangerous sounding snap as the portal blinks out white again. It cracks and sizzles, the circle completely white and glowing, and then Tyler is there.

His eyes settle on Syros, whose massive paws are still around me, and he screams.

“Erin, run!”

“You have to close it,” Syros demands, his growly voice drowning out Tyler’s protests. “Now.”

He lets me go and pushes me out of the way, going for the radio.

“No!” I cry, moving after him, but not nearly fast enough. “Stop! I can make it through. I can—”

“Let her go, you monster!” Tyler yells through the portal, though I can’t see him past Syros’ giant form. “You… you beast!”

Syros stands to his full height and roars, his rage directed at Tyler. I guess I should be glad the portal didn’t open wider—my Grim probably would have launched himself through it to rip out the poor guy’s throat.

The Grim then kneels, reaching for the radio, and I catch a glimpse of the portal once again. Tyler is there, watching with pure horror painted over his expression as he fumbles with something in his hands. He steps back, positioning himself, and raises a shotgun, pointed directly at Syros.

The scream doesn’t leave my throat before the gun goes off, the blast echoing through the clearing and making my ears ring. Syros roars again as he slumps to the ground, and my blood turns to ice.

My world slams to a stop.

No.

An invisible fist wraps around my chest and squeezes as I watch him crumple.

No, no, no.

He rolls onto his back, his mouth tipped up toward the sky, and I rush forward, nearly tripping over my own feet to get to him. I fall to my knees, shock making my limbs numb and my blood cold, and quickly scan him for a gunshot wound. When I find the bullet hole, my heart sinks.

It’s just under his ribs, gushing a steady stream of dark blood. Nausea churns in my stomach.

“Syros,” I say, immediately pressing my hand to the wound to staunch the blood flow. It doesn’t help much, the thick crimson liquid seeping out between my fingers and drenching my hand in seconds. My stomach turns, and I frantically look around for anything I can use to pack the wound.

The closest fabric is back at the cabin, but he’s losing blood with every second that passes.

“Fuck, Syros, please don’t die.” I rip my tank top off over my head, leaving me in just a bra, and press the material to the bullet wound. My eyes bounce between his dim eye sockets and the wound, panic lancing through me.

Shit. He’s losing a lot of blood, more than I’d expect.

Did the bullet hit something vital?

“Leave him, we’ve got to go,” Tyler demands, but I ignore him. I can’t focus on anything but the Grim in front of me, and his rasping breaths.

“Erin,” he says, and the word is a knife to my heart. His eyes slowly find mine, and I position his head on my lap to cradle his skull. “He’s right. You have to go.”

Tears burn the corners of my eyes, and I shake my head in refusal. “No. I’m not leaving you like this.” My gaze tracks down to the bullet wound again, noting how blood has soaked into the thin tank top. I don’t know what to do, he’s losing too much blood too quickly, but I can’t leave him like this. Not when he’s injured because of me.

If he dies, it’ll be my fault.

The portal crackles, and I look up to see it shrinking once again. The edges are getting closer together, my view of Earth diminishing right before my eyes. Tyler is watching, his mouth hanging open, his gaze bouncing between Syros and me.

“The portal is closing,” he snaps. “Come on before you miss your chance. We’ve got to go.”

Syros raises his hand and strokes my cheek with one of his claws. “Go, little human. Please …” He chokes on the word, and my heart shreds into pieces. “I’m sorry I tried to stop you. I… I was being selfish.”

Everything fades away as I stare down at him. The portal, Tyler, the radio, my need to return home. Nothing matters in this moment aside from Syros, each and every one of his breaths that are becoming more erratic.

“No,” I mutter, pulling his skull closer to me. “I… Syros, I’m so sorry. This wasn’t… I didn’t want you to get hurt. You can’t die. Please, don’t leave me.”

“Little human, you have shown me that there is light yet in this dark world,” he says slowly, gasping for air between words. “If I die, I can think of no better way to spend my last moments.”

“You’re not going to die. You can’t.” I shake my head firmly. “Syros, you can’t leave me.”

Tears stream down my cheeks as my emotions cartwheel. I don’t want him to die. I don’t want to leave him.

“Let me run and get your healing salve,” I urge, squeezing his hand in mine. “It’ll help. I’ll be quick.”

“It will not work.” He shakes his head. “The wound is too deep.”

“Please,” I cry, pressing my cheek into his palm, desperate for his warmth to melt the icy fear gripping my insides. “Let me try. I… I don’t want to lose you.”

Reality slams into me like a brick wall. I’ll do anything if it means saving him. I’ll get the salve, I’ll tend to his wounds, I’ll stay here with him. Anything, if it means he’ll be okay.

I need him to be okay.

Whatever has blossomed between us is more than attraction, more than mere fascination. I care about him, more than I care about anyone else in the world. I need him to be okay, not just because he doesn’t deserve to die, but because I can’t imagine a world where he doesn’t exist.

“Syros,” I say when he’s gone too still, fear shooting through my system. “Syros, I need you to hang on. I’ll stay here, I’ll be with you, but you have to pull through. You have to live. I… I… I love you.”

“Love?” he repeats, his growly voice softer now. “Is that what I feel? Like you are the piece I have always been missing? Like my world is a little less dark when you’re near? Like I need you more than I need to breathe, more than I need to eat?”

A smile crosses my face right as a sob wracks my chest. “Yes.” I nod. “That’s what it means.”

He takes a deep breath, groans, and lets it out slowly. “Then, I love you, little human. And you must leave before the portal closes.”

I shake my head again. “I’m not leaving you. We’re in this together. If I have to choose between you and Earth, I choose you, Syros. Do you hear me? You can’t die, because I still need you to protect me. I need you to live.”

I lean down and press my lips against the side of his skull, my stomach sinking further as the red glow in his eyes dims.

“Erin, come on, we’ve got to go,” Tyler snaps, his voice frantic. “Much longer and the portal will be too small for you to pass through. Forget him.”

Forget him. The words bite through my fear, and anger sparks in my gut.

I could never forget Syros, even if I wanted to. He’s branded himself on my soul forever, taken things and given things to me that I never imagined were possible.

He is mine , no matter if I’m here with him or in my own world.

I belong to him, body, soul, and mind no matter the distance between us.

“Hold on, Syros,” I say gently, and slip out from beneath him. I approach the glowing portal, my eyes locked with Tyler’s. If I wasn’t so upset and confused and afraid, I’d cuss him out ten ways to Sunday for hurting the Grim—possibly killing him—but I can’t think about any of that right now.

The portal flashes white, and Tyler disappears for a second before he returns. I can tell the portal is getting more unstable as it closes, probably too unstable for me to pass through even if I wanted to leave.

“Tyler, I’m… I’m staying here.”

His eyebrows shoot toward his hairline. “You can’t be serious right now. After all this work? After trying so hard to get back, you’re staying there with him? ” His eyes fall to the downed monster. “He’s going to eat you, Erin. He’ll kill you when you let your guard down.”

“He won’t hurt me. I’m his mate,” I say proudly, a warmth spinning through my chest that quickly flits through my entire body. “It might not make sense—hell, it definitely doesn’t make sense—but this is what I’m choosing.”

A beat of silence passes, interrupted only by the crackling of the portal.

“Do you have my camera?” I ask suddenly, an idea occurring to me.

“Um, yeah. Why?” He holds it up, and I extend my hand.

“Toss it,” I demand, and he does.

It shoots through the portal, causing the rip between our worlds to flare and spark, and I catch it by the strap before it hits the ground. It isn’t much, but if it’s the only piece of my world I get to keep, so be it.

“Tell my story,” I say, meeting Tyler’s gaze a final time as the portal shrinks to the size of a basketball. “Tell the world that there are creatures out there that we don’t understand, but they aren’t the monsters we make them out to be.”

Before he can respond, the portal fizzles out, and darkness engulfs the clearing once more.

I rush back to Syros’ side, falling to my knees and grabbing the sides of his skull between my hands. His breathing is shallow, the glowing orbs of his eyes dimmer than ever.

“You… stayed,” he mutters, forcing out the syllables.

“Of course.” I stroke my fingers gently along his jaw bone. “I’m not leaving you—not now, not ever—and you’re not leaving me. You kidnapped me and brought me here, now you’re stuck with me. Understand?”

He forces a chuckle, followed by a raspy wheeze, and I grab onto his shoulder and squeeze.

“Just hold on a little longer,” I say. “I’m going to make it all better.”