Page 395 of Eternal
“I kicked your door down,Azra.”
I stared at him. Hollowed out. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“Yeah, you did.”
He didn’t look away. Not even once. “Then I choose you.”
Silence.Uglysilence.
Then I said it. All of it.
“I drank because I wanted to kill the hope. It hurt too much. Wanting a life I’ll never have. Wanting you. Wanting to be someone you could stay for.”
He leaned his forehead against mine.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
I shook my head. “You say that now.”
“I’ll say it tomorrow. And the day after.” He assured me. So sure. So serious. It almost scared me.
I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted it so bad it hurt, but I was still that girl, in every way that counted, and I wasn’t sure love could reach that deep.
He took me back to bed and stayed with me the whole night cuddling me, whispering sweet things to me. I almost forgot tomorrow night was the night. And he didn't mention it, like tonight was about me. And tomorrow will be about my revenge.
Tonight I was under his care.
Voroncan be back tomorrow.
109
AZRA
“Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence
Present
He reassured me. Like it was that simple. That he wasn’t going anywhere. That he’d stay, through every ugly, broken part of this.
But does he really know what that means?
He’s seen me shattered. Saw me cry when I thought no one could. Saw the darkness I try to bury, the scars I wear beneath my skin. He’s seen me at my worst… and still, he’s here.
Right now, he’s on the bike behind me. We’re heading toward that so-called church and my heart is racing.
We’re dressed in white, just like the others. The kind of people who smile at cameras by day and auction kids by night.
Security’s tight. The invitation only lets in those who belong to the Veil.
I’m scared. But Damir’s here. And somehow, that makes me steady enough to keep going.
He takes off his helmet first, then helps me with mine. His hands catch my face gently. “I’m here. Remember?”
“I know,” I whisper. “I’m going to need you to let me do this alone,” I say, voice trembling.
He nods, voice soft but sure: “I’ll watch you.”
