Page 124 of Shaped By Darkness

Serena screams inside the cabin, and I almost feel bad for leaving Garrett to deal with her. Almost, but not quite, because right now he’s holding her. Despite how angry she might be at him at this moment, he’ll get the chance to hold her a million more times.

A loud crash from inside the cabin pulls me from my musing as Serena makes a break for it, Garrett’s shout of warning coming just a second before she flies out the front door.

She’s fast, but Blair’s faster. He snags her out of the air with ease, his arm banding around her waist. He pulls her back to his chest as she continues to fight and yell, her feet kick out as she claws at his arms, but he seems completely unfazed by all of it…or most of it. I don’t miss the way his lips pull down in a frown as she pants and gasps, choking on a sob as she continues to beg me.

“No,” Garrett says, having the decency to look ashamed as he moves into the doorway, his eyes meeting mine across the clearing.

“Whatever you’re doing, you better do it quick,” Blair says, looking over his shoulder at the trees behind us.

I don’t need him to tell me Lyle will be here any moment.

With no more time left to waste, I bring my hand up, pushing the vine into my mouth despite every instinct in my body telling me what a terrible idea this is.

Thankfully, that’s kind of the point.

“NO!”

Despite how drained I am from using so much of my magic, it finds a spark as I watch Ryker stand in front of me and try to kill himself. I don’t know if I forced my way from Blair’s grasp or if he let me go, but it doesn’t matter.

It’s too late now.

It’s his attempt to save Lyle, trying to give me what he thinks I need, but he doesn’t realize I need both of them. This is only trading one bad for another, not fixing the problem.

No, he’s making it so much worse because I can’t fix this.

His eyes meet mine, and I watch as they glow that beautiful purple color I love so much, his lips ticking up in the slightest hint of a smile. And for a moment, I dare let myself believe nothing happened.

That his stupid, poisonous pink vine was a dud.

Until his face twists up in pain and he falls to his knees.

“Why would you do that?” I sob as I drop to the ground next to him.

Tears blur my vision, but I swear his lips are still turned up in a smile, and I want to smack him and kiss him all at the same time.

But more than anything, I just want him to keep breathing.

“Please don’t die. Please don’t leave me, Ryker,” I beg as he slumps forward, his hands dropping into the dirt, shaking, and I know it’s only a matter of seconds before they give out completely.

“Ryker!?” I cry, unsure what else to say at this point, as I move to help lower him to the ground.

A roar I know belongs to Lyle sounds much closer this time, but I can’t bring myself to look. Not when I’m watching the life drain out of Ryker before my very eyes.

I manage to get his head in my lap. Looking down at him, I try to think of what to say, but nothing comes out, only tears.

“I love you too, Darling,” he says as he squeezes my hand. “Maybe in the next life I’ll be deserving of your love.” His breathing is labored, his whole body shaking as blood drips from his nose, and all I can do is cry as he offers me one last smile before his eyes go dark and my world explodes.

The world explodes, or at least it feels like it does, as I’m thrown through the air like a rag doll. A loud boom echoes through the woods like when lightning hits the earth, and my ears ring. My back slams into a tree, and the air leaves my lungs in a whoosh as I fall to the ground.

I know I need to get up, need to check on the others, and make sure we’re all okay, but my body isn’t responding like it should. I feel weaker, slower, numb.

I’ve taken harder hits than that before, so why does everything hurt?

Forcing my eyes open is a task all on its own, but I manage eventually.

I’m met with chaos as the guys run around, but despite their urgency, I can’t seem to find my own.

“He’s not breathing.”

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