It sounded like a goodbye and I shook my head rapidly, letting out a choked sob.
“We—we don’t have to talk about this now,” I said, kissing him once more. He turned his head away from me, his eyes looking down into the darkness.
“No, I have to. I have to tell you... I have to tell you the truth. I wanted to be the good guy. I wanted to be the hero,” he said as he looked at me once more. “I wanted to be good for you.”
“You are, Col. You are!” I sobbed as I moved my hands down, applying more pressure to his wound. He crushed his lips to mine once more, groaning in pain.
“Angel, I’m sorry, I have to…”
He started sliding down the wall, and I guided him gently. This couldn’t happen. No. Not now. Not after we finally found each other.
I stood back up to get help—from someone who would accept us.Deacon couldn’t have gone far, and the shouting had stopped. My hands were trembling as I rubbed his blood on my jeans.
“Karina, don’t leave me.”
His plea had me looking down at him, and my soul cried out in fear, reaching out to hold onto his dark one. “Collin, I need to get you help."
He smiled weakly at me.
“I'm dying, my love,” he said, holding his hand out to me. “I don’t want to be alone when I go. Stay with me.”
My love.
He loved me.
A lump formed in my throat as a life without him flashed before my eyes, me shutting down again and losing myself. A gray, mundane, cold and lonely life. I shook my head, my hair hitting my face, pieces of it sticking to my cheeks because of his blood.
No!I fell to my knees in front of him, letting out a strangled cry. “No, please, Col! Stay with me!
Using whatever strength he had left, he leaned forward with a grunt and helped me onto his lap. The fading warmth of his body served as a reminder that I would never get to make love to him again, never get to feel him over me again as he brought us to our peaks, nearly touching the heavens, never get to feel his arms wrap around me.
Never get to cook my mama’s recipes for him like I planned to.
Never get to kiss him when he came home.
Never get to see if my family would finally accept him.
“My sweet, sweet Karina. You were a blessing I never deserved,” he sighed, his body settling. The color was draining from his cheeks, and I pressed my hands against his wound, praying silently to God.
I know he is just a demon, but there is good in him. Let me show you. Give us a chance. Don’t take him from me.
I laid my head on his shoulder, counting the seconds between each precious breath he gave me. Each one was a gift I would treasure forever. His heart was beating against mine, weak but still fighting.
Minutes passed as he stroked my hair, and when his hand fell from my back, I sat up. Cupping his face, I shook him gently. His eyes were closed, his face turned slightly.
“Col? Collin! Don’t leave me.”
I heard a faint click, and I turned around to find the last person I wanted to see.
Dean Connors, with his nostrils flared, his hazel eyes dilated with rage, loading his pistol. “Move, Kay,” he instructed, his voice dripping with hatred.
I held my shaky palm out to him. “Dean, please,” I whimpered.
Dean came around me and pointed the barrel of his gun against Collin’s temple.
“Dean! Please! No, Dean!” I screamed, grabbing his wrist. He growled and turned his attention to me. In a flash, Dean gripped me and yanked me off Collin's lap. He held me back with one strong arm as I screamed and pleaded for mercy while pushing against him.
Then.
