—GET OUT OF ME—
Fuck.
An indescribable rush of sensation travels through my body, and at the last second, I fling my arms around Cosmo, letting him be on the tail end of the blast.
In that millisecond, it’s as though we become one person.
Snatches of his life fill my brain, settling into my hippocampus, never to be forgotten.
I see a disdainful mother, concerned only for her looks and status.
I see a beautiful, blue-eyed little girl hiding behind young Cosmo while his father roars.
I see the matching slim figures of pre-pubescent Wes and Donovan trying to clean bloody slashes that criss-cross Cosmo’s young skin.
I see Cosmo in the Elite apartment, watching Wes and Donovan walk out the door with their hand luggage.
Tears track down my cheeks. Cosmo Drakeward wasn’t born a monster; he was made one.
And now?
Pressing a hand to my chest, I feel the Lumina shift inside me. I expect it to be less, but I don’t think it is. The energy has instead expanded to fill the gaps left by the outpouring.
“Theodora,” Cosmo croaks, as I step back out of reach. “I’m sorry.”
No.
It’s not enough.
I may have saved him from that dark essence, but that doesn’t change anything between us.
My mouth settles in a hard line then…
Blink.
We’re back in the apartment.
My legs give out, but Ludo catches me before I hit the parquet flooring.
—Are you hurt?—
My head rests against Ludo’s chest, and some of the tension leaks out of me. “I’m not hurt. Not hurt, but completely drained, like I’d just run a marathon. A thousand marathons.”
Donovan has Cosmo’s slumped body in his arms. “I’ve got you, brother. I’ve got you.” He looks around at me, frantically. “Is he going to hurt you? Should I tie him up?
“I’m OK,” Cosmo slurs, leaning his head against Donovan’s shoulder and not opening his eyes. “The energy, the dark energy is… gone.”
Alexis pushes past the others, and offers Cosmo a bottle of water and a nod. Almost like one soldier acknowledging another. Max clutches at his cousin’s arm. “Fuck, Lexi. That smoke, that essence…I could taste the evil. I could taste the temptation.”
“We all could, Max.”
—Yes, we all could—
The haunted look in Ludo’s eyes makes me want to weep. He blinks it away, then carries me to one of the plush recliners and covers me with a blanket.
—Sleep, Nymph. I’ll watch over you—
???
