Chapter Fourty-One

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"Adira! Just hang on, just hang in there. You're gonna be okay.", Lance said over and over to the dying woman in his arms.
The wind howled and trees bent violently as the two huddled in the forest.
Lance held on to Adira tightly, not wanting to let go of her in more ways then one.
"Lance, I need you to go.", Adira said weakly.
"I'm not leaving, I'm staying with you till the end Adira!", Lance said stubbornly and passionately.
"Don't be ridiculous, you need to go stop Cassandra and help the others.", Adira scolded before coughing harshly.
Lance looked at her, his eyes shining as the leaves and debris flew through the air.
"The others can handle it, I'll stay.", Lance said again, "Meanwhile you're not in any shape to do much of anything, so stop arguing with me.", he ordered feeling her forehead tenderly.
Adira looked at him sadly, "Lance, please. Just, just leave me already."
Lance stared back at Adira, "Why? How can I leave the person I love? In their most dire moment?"
Suddenly Adira's eyes filled with tears as her face flushed red from Lance's words.
"Adira? Adira, is everything alright?", Lance asked worriedly.
"Would you stay with me and love me if you knew the truth?", Adira whispered tears streaming down her cheeks.
Lance's eyes widened as his grip loosened on her hand a little.
"Wha... what are you talking about?", he questioned.
Adira turned away, "Leave Lance."
Lance's eyes hardened, "No!! I'm not leaving you Adira! I don't care if it's the end of the world, I'm not going anywhere!"
He then gripped both of her hands in his, his strong warm hands wrapping around her cold weak ones.
"I love you, have loved you, the moment I met you Adira. You're strong, brave, smart, beautiful, fearless and a superb warrior lady of awesomeness! I care about you more then I ever knew I could care about someone. So please, stop trying to push me away!", Lance confessed.
Silence filled the air as Adira looked at him, her eyes betraying everything she felt.
Hurt, fear, love and regret all shone clearly through her brown eyes, filling Lance with more passion for her.
"I'm not going anywhere okay?", Lance comforted, "Listen, I don't know who hurt you in the past, but I won't leave your side. Ever. Please give me a chance."
"It's not you.", Adira said in a hushed voice looking at the ground.
Inhaling, she looked up, "It's me."
Lance stared at Adira as tears ran down her cheeks in smooth rivers and wondered what could make Adira break down like this. It scared him and saddened him seeing the strong woman in front of him reduced to tears.
"Lance, I don't deserve your love, I don't deserve anyone's love.", Adira said quietly, "I'm not worthy."
Poor Lance just sat there not quite sure what to say or think.
"Uhm, what do you mean?", he asked carefully in almost a whisper.
Adira looked at him, "Lance, let me tell you a story. A story about my past."
She looked to the side and took a deep breath, "I once fell in love with a wonderful brilliant young man named Seoul. He was kind, quirky, serious and always fighting to help others.
"I was very close to him and we were good friends, best friends in fact, and he and I told each other everything. My secrets, his secrets, my hopes, his hopes, my dreams, his dreams and everything in between.
"He even knew my most closely guarded secret and as horrible as it was, he still loved me. And I loved him even more for that.
"Hector suspected my secret, which Seoul and I made sure he would never find out. But even our cautious approach still didn't throw Hector off my back.
"One night, Seoul took me out on a date, and who was to show up none other than Hector himself?
"That night... that night Seoul was killed.
"And it was all my fault. He was dead because of me and Hector knew my secret.
"I haven't been able to live peacefully since that day and now, since I'm dying, I guess the world has finally decided to pay back what I had sown.", Adira said brokenly.
Lance gripped her hand tighter and shook his head, "Adira, it wasn't your fault! Hector murdered him, not you!"
"If only you knew...", Adira whispered.
Adira spoke clearly her voice regretful, "Lance, I killed Seoul."
Lance gasped and let go of Adira, tears immediately filling his eyes.
Thunder boomed as more lightning flashed overhead, reflecting Lance's emotions.
"Why?!? Why did you... if you loved him??? Why?!", Lance cried out falling to his knees burying his head in his hands.
"He tried killing me."
Lance looked up, his face sodden with tears, "What?"
"Seoul tried to kill me.", Adira answered her face hard, "I was just trying to defend myself, but my blade slipped and ended his life.
"I never wanted to kill him, yet somehow, I did."
"So he was plotting to kill you the whole time?", Lance asked nervously.
Adira laughed harshly, "I honestly don't know Lance and I'll never know. I do know that maybe he was right about trying to destroy me. I don't belong in this world."
Standing up, Lance stood over Adira and bent down beside her, "Adira?"
"Lance?", Adira took his hand, "I love you more then you could possibly imagine."
Lance stared at her with wide eyes and immediately gripped both her hands again, kneeling next to two-faced woman of secrets and sorrow.
Adira turned away, "But, I'm not human."
"Not human?", Lance repeated blinking.
"Lance,", Adira took a deep breath before staring straight into his eyes, "I'm a demon."

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