Page 40 of Worse Fates (Soulmates Suck #1)

“What’s happening?!”

Kai screams.

Gently I lay Golden’s body on the ground. The burning warehouse crashes and creaks, crumbling in on itself. Water spitting from the overhanging clouds doing nothing to put the fire out.

“Apollo, I finally found you—”

Behind me, Rurik’s voice is full of desperate hunger.

“Listen, I don’t know who the hell you are, so piss off. We’ve got bigger issues right now,”

Apollo snaps, impatient.

“Oh my god, oh my god, Golden’s not moving! Is he dead?”

“Kai, calm down.”

Ramy gently soothes him.

“He’s turning into a vampire. It takes time.”

“How long?”

Kai demands.

“How fucking long!”

“Soon,”

Ramy says, though he sounds unsure himself.

“Summer, why don’t you get the car so we can move once Golden’s awake.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Summer’s footfalls pound away.

I ignore the rest of it, Ramy trying to calm Kai. Rurik’s naked need and Apollo’s disinterest. All of it fades into the background, unimportant. All that matters is Golden.

His skin is ashen under all the red. His curls tangled. His hands marred with cuts, the hole in his chest pushing out oozing blood.

My breath is locked away as I wait for my soulmate to return to me.

I wait as I gently cup his pale cheeks, tears in my lashes.

I wait.

I wait.

“Come back, beautiful.”

My voice quivers, so small and broken, on a tight-rope of hope.

Strangely, as I watch Golden’s unmoving chest, calmness settles over me. It’s a calmness before a dropped glass shatters.

Either Golden lives or dies, and didn’t I promise to always come for him? I press my lips against his forehead, sealing my fate in the shape of a kiss.

Even if I could wait for his soul to be reborn after his death, I wouldn’t trade Golden for anyone. Not that I would even be given the option. If Golden dies during his turning, his soul will never be reborn.

Finally—the glass shatters.

Golden sucks in a pained breath—his chest swelling like a balloon filled too quickly. Gasping in relief, I drag him into my arms, my heart beating painfully against my ribcage.

“Golden!”

Kai rushes over, skidding to a halt as he drops to his knees.

“You’re okay—”

But Golden’s re-birth into a vampire isn’t done yet, next…is the pain.

It rips out of him on a back breaking scream, mouth so wide the corners tear and bleed. Kai falls back from the intensity of Golden’s agony, from his flailing limbs and nails that find purchase in my arm and rip open bleeding lines.

Vampirism heals his wounds, just as it burns his blood to boiling point, Golden only able to howl one word: “HURTS!”

“What’s happening?”

Kai begs, eyes wide and wet.

“Fix it! Stop it, Lucero! He’s in pain!”

If only I could.

The car drives up and without a word, I collect my thrashing mate as tenderly as possible and collapse into the back seat.

“Shit,”

Summer says as she looks Golden over.

“Is he okay?”

“Home, now!”

I bite out.

Kai and Ramy join us in the car, leaving Rurik and Apollo behind as Summer drives like a bat out of hell. The blazing warehouse collapses in on itself and buries Jace as we leave that hell behind.

I don’t know how Summer gets us home in record time, but I’m grateful for it. Golden’s howling only intensifies with his pain as I get out of the car. The mansion’s front door has been kicked in, and when I enter, I can see how ransacked the place is.

The others can deal with it.

My only thought is getting Golden as comfortable as possible as he rides out his transformation. I hope that it’s quick like my own was.

I speed into our bedroom, heading directly into the bathroom, leaving the lights off, and jump into the bath, cradling Golden’s head as his small body is wracked with sobbing extreme hurts that burns him from within.

“Make the pain stop, Lucero. Please. Please. Make it stop!”

“I’m so sorry, Golden. So sorry.”

I’d take it gladly. Let it be doubled, tripled to save Golden from this suffering. I’ve never felt this helpless, the cool darkness is the only comfort I can give him.

“Kai, stop. Let Lucero handle this!”

I hear Ramy’s approaching voice and clutch Golden closer, his tears creating a puddle on my chest.

“He needs my help!”

Kai snaps, voice trembling.

“It’ll be over soon,”

Ramy promises.

I whisper the same to Golden as he writhes, gagging on his shrieking, and I have to clutch his hands to my chest to prevent his fingers from breaking as he claws at me.

Kai begins to sob.

“He’s my best friend, Ramy, my best friend…”

“It’ll be over soon,”

Ramy repeats.

But it didn’t end. In fact, it was only the beginning.

***

One hour passes.

Then two…then three.

I count each one, holding Golden through his re-birth like if I hold on tight enough, I could transfer his pain to me.

After twelve hours, his throat was torn and he chokes on foaming blood as he thrashes back and forth, begging me to make it end.

“I love you, baby, I love you so much,”

I beg, wishing for this nightmare to be over.

Then, I do the only thing I can to help, and my fist connects with the back of his skull, knocking him out.

My forehead drops into his sweated through curls, my heart opens and I cry into him for all this agony I’ve caused my sweet Golden. He doesn’t deserve this, not after all Jace put him through.

I try to make him comfortable, fill the tub with warm water and tenderly wash away the blood and dirt. Pour conditioner into his hair, and bring his curls back to life with my fingers. When cleaned, I wrap him in cotton and silks, lay him in a bed of the softest blankets and pillows I can find.

And for five, agonising days, I relive witnessing my brother writhe in fevered torment through Golden. Cristóbal shrieks from my nightmares, and Golden’s from my waking world, meld into one horrific melody that haunts me no matter where I go.

My soulmate’s only relief is when he passes out, or my fist against his head.

Cristóbal lasted seven days. Is that how long Golden will last? Are these our final moments? Him, out of his mind. Me, so burdened with regret and guilt I can barely move.

A part of me thinks I should just end his pain now, then rip this pathetic heart from my hollowed chest.

But hope…it digs a razor into my neck, a hair’s breadth from my jugular, and tells me to wait.

On the sixth day, I wake from a fitful sleep to find Golden sitting on the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped with exhaustion, his head tilted up, bathing in the sunlight pouring from the open curtains, the slightest curve to his mouth. Heartbeat no longer the weak bird fluttering broken wings, it’s slow, as all vampires are, and so very strong.

And the prettiest fangs to ever grace a vampire poking between his cracked lips.

“Hello, Lucero Toledo.”

He rasps, and it’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.

My feet move without thought towards him. Only to drop to my knees when I stand before the living embodiment of my heart, my head falling into his lap.

I weep when his fingers card through my hair.

“Hello, Golden Ramnarine.”