August
The limp body in my hands dropped to the floor next to me with a heavy thud. He had smelled like a human at first, but his eyes told an entirely different story as well as his actions. Yet, he had no fangs. Id never seen a Shadow Breed such as this one.
I was about to call for Magne, but when I turned back towards Ashe, I nearly crashed to my knees.
I ran over to her, kneeling down and pulling her limp body close to me. Tears flooded my eyes. Anger and brokenness swirled within my chest, but I could still feel faint life within her. I looked around for her heart once I noticed the bleeding hole in her chest, panic filled me as I realized I could not see it anywhere.
Based on the smears of blood, I know it had rolled close to her but, it was no where to be seen and the trail of blood stopped by where her hip laid. "Fuck me! Why am I so stupid?" I yelled at no one in particular, feeling completely hope-less. Magne, its an emergency, I called through our mental bond. I was hoping she could use it locate me as well, I didnt have the mental or emotional energy to say much else to anyone.
I held Asheland to me as the tears carelessly poured down like a storm after a hurricane. I didnt know what else to do in the moment, I was stuck in shock. The sobs vibrated my body as the pain of loss and brokenness struck me to the core like a dagger. She was all Id ever wanted, all I ever needed. I had spent my whole life in search of her, just to have her ripped away from me again. I couldnt breathe.
This couldnt be the end for her, for us, it just couldnt be. I couldnt let it be. Magnes nose had to be able to sniff out her heart, why I couldnt sense it was beyond me and only worsened my panic when I thought about it. The shadows shouldve revealed it, but they didnt.
I need her.
When a hand gently took hold of my shoulder, I nearly ripped it from its owner until I realized that it was just Magne. We stared at each other in silence for a moment before another harsh sob shredded itself out of me and racked my body. I turned away from Magne and curled back into her cooling body. My girl, my soulmate, my other half.
"Please come back to me," I whispered between labored breaths.
"You have to find it Magne, you have to find her heart," I choked out the words, each one more painful than the last.
I heard the sounds of Magne shifting behind me, quickly beginning to sniff the area and prowl around in search of the one thing that would keep me from completely snapping. With every agonizingly slow second that passed, I could feel myself breaking more and more from the inside out.
I was barely able to contain the screams of pain that clawed up my throat with each cry or whimper that escaped my mouth. I caressed Ashes soft cheek, another sharp pain shooting throughout my body upon noticing how much paler she had gotten. I thought losing my sister was brutal, but this, brutal wasnt even close.
"WHY!?" I screamed, "why couldnt you just listen to me? God dammit," I was squeezing her to me harder now, Id probably leave bruises, but it felt like all I could do to keep from losing her completely. "You cant leave me, not yet. Theres too much I have to show you, too much you havent experienced. Dammit Asheland, wake up. Please!" I begged and pleaded to no avail. I knew it was pointless, but I couldnt give up. I wouldnt.
Another scream belted from the core of my chest, ripping through light and shadow alike. I stared up towards the heavens, tears pooling and pouring non-stop. "Please, give her back to me, I cant go without her. Not again," I begged the demi-god and anyone else who might hear my pleas.
A gentle touch on my shoulder sent the three of us back to the cabin. I reluctantly looked up to meet Magnes sad gaze. "Well?" I asked slowly, already reading the answer on her face but hoping something else was the cause of the pain-filled expression. One small shake of her head was all it took to send me spiraling.
It felt as if my own heart had stopped and been ripped from its cavity. This was it, there was nothing left that we could do, she was gone. The small bit of life I could sense in her earlier was depreciating by the minute, my sanity was going along with it. There had to be something I could do, one last shot.
I ran for the books of knowledge on our kind, the creatures of shadow. I tossed them all next to Ashe so that I wouldnt have to leave her side for even a second.
"I'll tell the girls," I heard Magne lightly speak before turning into the kitchen.
Her friends, our friends, our family. Id almost forgotten, another jolt of earth shattering pain banged through my chest at the realization that shed been ripped from more than just her lover, me, but her family and friends too. Oh gods, I thought to myself, her parents. My hand slapped over my mouth, holding back another round of uncontrollable sobs. Shed been fighting so hard for them, and them for her.
"You're lying!" I heard a cry from the kitchen. Immediately recognizing it as Oakleys voice. I heard her rushed stomps into the living room with Ashe and I, coming to an abrupt stop upon seeing what was in front of her.
"No no, no, NO!" She cried out, sending more pain through my heart as reality only sank in deeper. She slid down onto her knees next to me, taking Ashes hand in hers and bringing it to her quivering lips. As she squeezed her eyes shut, tears fell fast. Seeing her pain only added to mine. They may not have been related by blood, but Oakley was Ashes sister at heart. That made her mine as well.
A sob broke through me again, bringing Oakley back to reality for a moment and looking as if shed only just noticed that I was there. "Oh August, what are we going to do?" She busted into a heavy sob, I wasnt sure what to do so I pulled her into a tight hug.
We cried together like that for a while, I almost forgot she wasnt my actual sister. Realizing just how much like Celest Oakley was made me sob even harder. Celest wouldve loved Ashe and Oakley and they would have loved her.
I could sense Clovella standing behind us, the occasional sniffles wouldve given her away anyways. My heart wrenched further, they never got the chance to become closer, better friends. The ground shook slightly, stealing a shocked gasp from Oakley. I looked to Magne, she gave me a soft smile and nodded towards the door as it opened softly.
Another sob almost choked its way out of me as Chip took calculated, slow steps into the cabin. Hed grown and developed so much since he was a toddler. Another thing my sweet angel was missing out on, he made her transition into this world lighter through the short period they had met. Their connection was near instant and I knew that it could have grown too, given the chance. Pops, something in me finally snapped as I remembered the old man that raised Ashe. He had no idea. I was certain the news would break Pops heart to the point of a heart attack if he found out.
It seemed as if things only got worse by the minute, until something clicked. "She doesnt need her heart," I whispered as the realization and idea bloomed within me. Magne shook her head, "yes she does August, Im sorry honey but if we cant get it back in the next fourteen hours shes-."
She didnt finish but, we all knew what she meant. We already had a couple close soldiers searching, but I knew we didnt have time.
"August, I know what youre thinking. Dont do it, she wouldnt want that," I heard Clovella softly scold from behind me. "I have to," was all I said before standing and watching as confused gazes turned to expressions of horror as I used a blade to carve into my own chest.
Oakley and Clovella both tried to stop me, Magne was screaming and begging for me to quit. The others stood with their mouths agape in shock, horror, or both, I couldnt tell. The girls struggles had no effect on me, eventually they accepted it and let go of me as I reached into my chest and pulled out my heart enough to see it and cut where it was necessary.
I could feel myself becoming lightheaded as I freed my heart of my chest finally. Oakley had turned into Clovellas chest, unable to watch. Clovellas face held a neutral expressions but, I could read the fear and hurt in her eyes clear as day. Magne held a hand over her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks. I had to hurry if I wanted this to work, so I sat back down next to Ashe. With my heart in one hand, I brushed strands of wild hair behind her ears with the other.
I leaned down, tears beginning to pool in my eyes once again, and kissed her forehead, then her nose and then her lips. "Ill be with you always, in every life my darling. I cant live without you, so live for me instead," I whispered, one more tear falling from my cheek and landing on hers as I delicately placed my heart within the opening of her chest.
Upon my heart making contact with her raw flesh, my lightheadedness became twice as strong. I used the last of my energy to cement my heart to her with a spell, so that even I couldnt take it back, not that I would want to anyways. I grabbed her hand and held it in mine, admiring her beautiful face while I could.
I knew it wouldnt take effect immediately, but I also knew I wouldnt last much longer. I just wanted to hear her tell me she loves me one last time before I go. If they do happen to find her heart in the next twenty-four hours, I might be okay, but if not...
The hushed cries of everyone behind me were drowned out when I felt her fingers twitch against mine. My breath caught in my throat. I felt dizzier by the second, but I fought it off. I needed to see her wake up, I couldnt go until I knew she was okay.
Her brows scrunched ever so slightly, taking a deep and sharp inhale as she shot up with wide eyes. Everyone behind me gasped at the sight, I heard Oakley whisper a small oh my gods. When Ashes eyes found mine, she yanked me into a tight embraced, sobs quickly taking over her. I couldnt hold on much longer, I had to use my last conscious minutes wisely.
"Asheland?" I whispered, she pulled back enough for me to see the concern in her eyes. Before she could notice my chest and realize whats happened, I ran my hands through the hair on the back of her head and pulled her into a deeply passionate kiss. She returned it with just as much passion, a tear crawled down my cheek as I pulled away. I cupped her face in my hands, gazing deep into her eyes, "I love you, Ill always find you. Never forget that."
Concerned flashed in her eyes. "I love you too Aug-," she cut off when her eyes made their way to my chest finally. They widened and filled with panicked tears upon realization.
"No, no August why? I dont want this!" She cried out, gripping my shoulders painfully hard but I ignored it, embracing her touch instead. "I cant live without you, not again. Live for me, please," was all I managed to get out before my surroundings slowly faded to black and the sounds around me became muffled.
"Please dont leave me! Come back, I still need you!" That was the last thing I heard before falling totally unconscious.
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