A strangled cry escaped Jessica’s throat as she saw them approach. Maureen, however, just looked at the man running at the van with an eerily calm expression.
“I don’t think so.” The words barely escaped Maureen’s mouth before their opponent immediately stiffened.
Without warning, the human soldier dropped before her feet as if he was a felled tree. She held him there on the ground and kept him immobilized until one of the vampires could get on top of him. Maureen took her eyes off that soldier and immediately moved on to immobilizing another to give the vampires an advantage.
Jessica had never seen her grandmother like this. Her whole life, Maureen had only ever been a sweet, loving grandmother, a healer who tended to the ill and broken. But the old woman standing before her wasn’t just some kindly granny. There was a fierceness to her that shook Jessica to her core. She had an inner strength that boldened Jessica even as she watched her work.
Without saying anything, Jessica put her hand on Maureen’s arm. She focused all her energy on becoming her grandmother’s strength, just like she had done for Jessica earlier. As her glow flickered ever so slightly, her grandmother’s only shone brighter. Maureen shared a grateful look with Jessica. With a fierce stare, she glanced toward the assailants coming at them. In an instant, three or four more human soldiers dropped.
Suddenly, Jessica felt a blinding, stabbing pain ripple through her. She dropped Maureen’s arm and clutched her chest. Something is wrong. Maureen was calling her name but she didn’t respond. Instead, she scrambled out of the van, and despite the cries behind her, she broke into a run.
She couldn’t tell if Maureen or the Knights of Darkness were clearing a path for her and she didn’t care. All she knew was that she had to hurry.
She didn’t have to focus too hard to know this pain. She knew who it came from as sure as if it came from her own body. It was Roman, and he wasn’t just growing weaker. Roman was dying.
No, no, no, please, no!
CHAPTER 14
Everything was so noisy. If it was possible, it was making him feel even dizzier than he already felt. Roman blinked his eyes open, but everything was blurry. From what little he could make out, there was chaos in this makeshift prison. Maybe the Knights of Darkness had figured out where he was.
Too bad they’re too late. All Roman could feel now was the cold. Each breath came out more shaky and painful than the last. And yet, despite it all, he didn’t feel afraid. An eerie calm had settled over him. There was no getting out of this. He was dying, and there was nothing anyone could do.
I have lived for 300 years, and this is how I go out. If he could have, he would have laughed. Oh, his parents would have been so disappointed that their great son had died at the hands of a few feeble humans. Cut and bled like a pig at the butchers.
But he didn’t feel pathetic. The only thing he could think of was Jessica. He thought of her as he felt the blood pooling underneath him. Roman knew that everything that had happened the past few days was crazy. Hell, it was fucking outright insane.
Despite it all, if he could go back, he would do it all again. The only thing he regretted was that he had lost her in more ways than one. Even if it meant dying a thousand painful deaths over and over again. He wouldn’t trade a single second with Jessica for the last breath in his body.
Which, unfortunately, was probably soon. He blinked his eyes open one more time. Roman could see a blurry figure standing above him through the haze. In the back of his mind he recalled old stories of angels—mere existential bedtime stories from humans born of their fears of their incredibly short lifespans. And yet even back then, there was always a part of him that hoped that something so pure and magical as that existed.
He squinted, and for a brief moment, he was so sure that the angel looked exactly like Jessica. The same vibrant red hair added to the glowing halo effect around its face, and the jewel-like green eyes bore right into his very center.
Of course, the angel would look like Jessica. What cruel twist is this? Yet at the same time, a feeling of peace washed over him. Everything was going to be okay. He was ready.
“Oh, no you fucking don’t!” Jessica cried. She didn’t know by what miracle she had made it inside. All she knew was that whenever an enemy tried to swarm her, all she thought was that she wanted them to drop, not to move another inch. As soon as she thought it, they would simply fall over.
Roman had been laid across an X-shaped table. He was unconscious and barely breathing when she reached him. Blood had pooled underneath him and spilled out over the table’s edge. One of the vampires she didn’t see had paused their assault to help her get the restraints off and helped her get him to the floor. Before she could thank them, they had already rejoined the fight.
She clung tightly to the fabric of Roman’s shirt. The rest of the battle didn’t matter. His spirit was so faint and weak, but she could still feel a glimmer of it. And what she felt there scared her. It was bad enough that he was wounded, but no matter how hard she forced the magic into his body, he would not heal.
She felt for his spirit again to see what was causing this. With a shudder, she realized almost immediately what the problem was. Whatever was left of his soul was at peace, completely ready to let go. Roman was dying right there in her arms.
Her hands pressed harder against Roman’s chest as if the force of her touch would be enough alone. But no matter how hard she held her hands against him, the blood continued to pool out from underneath him.
Think, Jessica, think. Why does he keep slipping further and further away? She paid attention to how her powers felt. She let out a sharp gasp. This whole time she thought she was healing him, but her powers were just bringing enough relief to bring a sense of calm. As if she was reinforcing that he was dying and should let go.
Of course. Her powers responded to what the body wanted. When people were in pain, the body wanted to be healed. Roman’s body, however, was far past healing. Any fight he had left to cling to life was gone. Instead of healing him, her powers would push him closer and closer to the end. She had to convince him that he wanted–no needed—to hang on. That there was still something worth living for and that he had to fight for it.
“I’m right here, Roman. You aren’t dead yet, and I’m here. Your mate still needs you. So you have to stay alive, damn it!” she yelled.
Roman gave a shuddering gasp, and Jessica panicked, thinking he was taking his final breath. But, after a moment, she noticed that his face had regained some color and that his breathing was stronger than before. She looked down at the cut on his arm and saw that the edges of the wound were fusing back together ever so slowly. It was working.
Don’t stop! Focus. I have to focus on telling my powers what to do. She thought about everything she had felt since meeting Roman. The way he excited her in ways that nobody else ever did. How he just knew her so intimately without time or words on his side.
She knew what she wanted. All Jessica wanted or cared about was Roman. She wanted to be by his side forever. She wanted to get to know him better and share laughter and good food and feel like she was floating every waking moment with him.
Jessica drew every iota of strength from deep within herself and a final burst of light and energy poured from her into Roman. She filled it with all her love, all her desire for him to live.
Wake up. You need to wake up.
Every ounce of strength left in her body flowed into her hands. For a brief moment, nothing happened. Roman was eerily still. Jessica’s limbs were heavy, and she didn’t know if she had anything left to give. But then, after that brief moment, Roman finally opened his eyes.
He looked up at her, and God the expression on his face made her want to sob. His eyes locked with hers and he held her gaze as if she was the gravity holding him to the planet. Jessica opened her mouth to say something, but before she could get the words out, Roman caressed the back of her neck and pulled her to his lips.
Any lingering fear and panic were swept away. The only thing that existed to Jessica was Roman’s lips and his sweet taste. He was alive. He was alive and he was hers forever. She was never going to let him go again.
They stayed like that for what felt like hours. Just kissing, just knowing each other was alive and alright. They broke apart only to take a breath and Roman looked up at her in wonder.
“How?” he asked still breathless.
“Long story. I’m so sorry” she sobbed. In response, Roman pulled her in for another kiss.
“Ahem,” Maureen’s voice rang out. Jessica and Roman peeled away from each other sheepishly.
