Page 178 of This Blood that Bonds Us

I was at peace in the In-Between. Not quite gone but not solid anymore.

You have to find her.I kept thinking it. Over and over again.

Thump, thump.

Find her. You promised.

Thump, thump . . . thump.

I want to stay. Let me stay with her.

Thump, thump . . . thump, thump . . . thump, thump.

“Fucker. Wake up.” Will’s voice pulled me out of the void and . . . toward the sound of sobbing.

As I got closer to the sound, I felt pain. Sweet pain searing and aching in my chest. It was hot and cold at the same time. My stomach was sick, and my limbs felt like they weren’t attached to my body anymore. I tried to move my fingers but had no luck.

“Will, what are you doing?” Thane spoke. His voice was an echo.

Someone squeezed my hand, and I tried to move it again.

“He needs more.”

“But—”

“Not up for arguing right now. Just focus. Keep packing that wound. Dom still needs a tourniquet over there.”

“I can do it!” Another voice. The name wasn’t coming easily. “I don’t really know how though.”

“Switch with me,” Thane said.

“Yes, sir.”

The sobbing was getting louder and louder and was making me feel more than the pain in my body. It made me sad. Somehow, I knew that crying was for me.

“Alright. Alright. You two, try talking to him. Maybe that will make him move his ass,” Will said. “His heart restarted.”

Something hot and wet traveled down my throat. Once he mentioned another, I felt the tight grip of someone on my other arm.

“Please . . . w-wake up. Y-you to get up.” It was Kimberly. She was crying so hard I could barely understand her. “It’s over. All of it is over.”

“Yeah, dude, Zach and Luke aren’t up yet. Me and Kim really,reallyneed you.”

Their words grounded me. I fought the invisible cloud keeping me down, and forced my eyelids to open. They needed me. That’s all I required to fight past the disorientation.

“Fucking finally.” Will leaned over me. He looked tired. Sick. Dying. He was paler than usual. His eyes sunken and hollow. He pat the side of my face with a relieved chuckle. “Good boy.”

A strong set of arms tackled me. Kimberly kissed my forehead, and my little brother had a death grip on my arm. I still felt light. Far away. I was back but on the edge.

“Keep pressure here. It’s already starting to close, but he can’t lose more.”

“What are you doing?” I mumbled, fighting to keep my eyes open.

“Saving you.”

I could barely move my arms to embrace Presley and Kimberly, who were both weeping in a collective howling echo. One was on my stomach and the other on my chest. I used the only strength in my arms to rub their heads to get them to stop.

“It’s okay now. Don’t cry.”