“Amy, what’s wrong?”
“Don’t fuss, just need to rest a bit. She gave me a lot of drugs. She got the grimoire.” I leaned my head on his shoulder.
“Who?”
“Sarah, she had it in her hands when she left.”
“You sure?”
I nodded.
“Huh,” he breathed out, shook his head. “The Bookkeeper, hidden in plain sight . . . clever.”
I gave an air-filled chortle, which urged a cough. Spit sprayed from my mouth and hung on my lips. I wiped it with the back of my hand, it was smeared with red. I was covered in blood and it was illogical, but I felt terrible for bleeding again, especially this close to him.
“Oh, shit. Sorry.” I tried to sit up. The effort forced another deep cough, glass shards ripped through my chest.
“Amy, it’s okay, just keep still.” He sounded panicked. “Karson.”
“Amelia, what’s wrong, are you alright?” Karson loomed above, his image waved in and out like ocean tides. I blinked to try to clear my vision.
I drew a deep breath, it wheezed in my chest. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just really tired.” Suddenly, I remembered the bikers. “Did you get all of them? The bikers?”
“Yes.” He crouched down.
I looked at Ethan, my lungs felt as if I’d run a ten-mile race, like they might burst. As fast as I drew air in, I needed more. I spoke on a staggered breath. “Did you leave the business card?”
He frowned so deep the lines between his eyes would take a mini truck full of putty to fill in. “Sure did, I stuffed it in one’s mouth.”
“Nice, I like the touch.” I smiled weakly. Blood filled my mouth. I swallowed it back down, more replaced it. I felt warm liquid slide over the edge of my lips. I wanted to sleep, worn out by drugs, fear, and pain. I felt my body slip low. I laid my head on Ethan’s side and closed my eyes. His arm cradled my back.
“Karson?” Ethan said, his voice sounded muffled and panicked.
“She’s coming. Amelia, stay awake for us.”
I nodded. I laid there for a long moment resting. I began to feel like I was drowning, only able to take a little breath each time my head hit the surface, then I’d go under again, staying down longer each time I sunk. Devoid of breath and lightheaded, I knew it was not drugs. Something was very wrong. I began to panic.
“Ethan, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe. I can’t . . .” I tried to sit up straight, but I couldn’t.
“Amy, it’s okay, it’s okay, just relax. It’s going to be okay, relax.” He ran a hand over the side of my face.
I stared up at him, his eyes reflected and glowed like the lake’s surface on a summer’s day. They were beautiful, captivating, comforting, and an odd sense of déjà vu floated over me. The panic faded. The world around me grayed and dimmed. I was left in a surreal state as if I were dreaming and looking down on myself. My eyes fluttered shut.
“Amelia, wake up,” Karson’s sweet voice seemed distant, like he was across the room speaking quietly, I felt him tap the side of my face gently.
I forced eyelids, made of lead, open.
“Yes,” I said, like I answered a question.
He looked confused.
“The answer to your question is yes,” I hesitated to draw a few breaths, they curdled in my chest. “That day you asked me, did I think we would end up living happily ever after? The answer is yes, that’s exactly how I thought we would end up.” Robbed of air, I took a few heaping breaths. I closed my tired eyes. Drawing strength, I unglued them one last time and sought his. “Because I love you, Karson. I will always love you, darkness and all,” I whispered. The words depleted the last of my energy. Exhaustion shut my eyes.
“Amelia, wake up. Wake up!No!” Karson’s voice was breaking with emotion. “Hold on, hold on, please hold on . . . I love you,” he whispered, the warmth of his breath floating on my ear. He took me in his arms, held me against his chest.
I’d waited so long to hear those words spoken. The light shone brightly in my heart. I felt a peace I hadn’t known for some time. He loved me—me—the unlovable girl who everyone else shunted to the side. He loved me even though he knew what I was. Even though he was a vampire and I was a witch. The darkness that churned inside, he loved me in spite of it.
“I love you,” he murmured again, his voice cracked. “God, how I love you. Just stay with me, Amelia. Stay with me.”
