Page 177 of This Blood that Bonds Us

She’d been aiming for my heart, but Her body was finally weak. My vision blurred. A sticky wetness drenched my shirt. Ididn’t know how I willed myself past the darkness taking over my vision, but whatever I did, I was taking Her with me one way or another.

Her hands wrapped around my throat, and I smiled despite the crushing pressure.

She couldn’t get away from me.

I let my body fall dead weight into Her. She wasn’t strong enough to keep me up.

“No!” Ezra exclaimed, and I glanced up in just enough time to see Zach shove his arm through Ezra’s chest and seize his heart in his hand.

I wrapped my arms around Her in a hug and pushed the dagger through the center of Her back through Her heart.

“How’s this for nothing?”

I twisted the dagger, forfeiting a bit of myself as it tore through flesh, and Her skin poured black ink.

My ears were ringing, and She was thrashing, but I had Her pinned with the last of my strength. I wouldn’t let Her get up. When She weaseled from my grasp, I dove forward, taking Her to the ground, then shoved the dagger into Her chest.

I was finishing this. Then death could take me.

It sliced through Her rib cage with ease.

It should have disgusted me, but I was high on the fire engulfing me from head to toe. I didn’t feel a damn thing. She’d killed him. She’d killed them all, and now She had to die for everything She took from me.

“Don’t—” Her final word as I pulled open Her ribcage with both hands and grabbed Her beating heart from Her chest.

I watched it stop moving in my hands. It was finally done. I sliced the heart through for good measure and smiled.

We did it. We won. And now Cecily was free. I kept my promises too.

On Her hand laid my ring, and I struggled to pull it off and slip it back onto my finger.

Once the rage was gone, I had nothing left.

I tried to make my way down the stairs, but I lost my footing and tumbled to the floor.

No physical pain could touch my grief. I landed next to Aaron. My hand stretched to him. His golden hair gleamed in the candlelight, and I hoped wherever he was I’d soon be following. I imagined it to be warm and sunny, a place to pry the cold out of my bones.

When I looked to the ceiling, I realized there was no more movement. Zach was down too. It was over, and there was no one left fighting, even me.

I admired Aaron’s face. It was serene despite the usual blush in his cheeks being a far memory. My fingers twitched, longing to inch closer. His hand was so close.If only I could reach a little more.

A fear like I’d never known ripped through me. I was dying. My body screamed at me to get up and to fight, but everything I had to fight for was dead on the floor around me. Carnal terror sent my heartbeat up a few paces and pumped what remaining blood I had onto the cold floor. What if this was the last time I saw Aaron? I knew where I’d hoped I’d be when I died, but I’d never know for sure until I was there.

Black blood stained my fingers and fell to the floor in slow, oozing droplets. Drip. Drip. Drip.

A black puddle formed around me. Whether it was mine or Aaron’s blood, I didn’t know. My vision was going, and my body felt light as a feather. I thought one last time on the Calem boys and the love that they shared. That love wasn’t gone, it was somewhere floating in the air of the cathedral waiting for me to follow it, and I wanted to. Tears stung my eyes as I took in thelast sight of him. Internally, I prayed that when I finally closed my eyes, I’d open them and see him.

I replayed it all. All the best parts. Hiking. Meeting Aaron. My birthday. The feeling of his lips on mine. The laughter our family shared.

I willed my eyelids open. A few more minutes with him was all I needed. To memorize every soft detail, to remember every laugh and celebration. Just in case it was truly the last time I would. In case wherever I was going I would be alone.

Thump . . . thump . . . thump . . .th—

Seventy-Nine

Aaron

Find her again.