Page 62 of Hopeless Sacrifice
For some selfish reason I can’t find comfort in knowing this beautiful man is no longer mine to hold.
A sob shakes through my chest and Darrio’s big hand slowly brushes up and down my spine.
My fingertips tremble as I push over Daxdyn’s chest, feeling the silence of his heart against my palm. My wet tears kiss his cheek as I lean closer. The first real memory I have of Daxdyn threatens to break the last little ounce of strength I have left.
He gave me life when I thought mine was already gone. When I thought I was dying, he held me. He pressed his gentle lips to my forehead and he held me like he’d never let me go.
An unsteady breath fills my lungs and I lean into him. My lips brush against his temple slowly. My eyes clench tightly closed, and for an instant, I pretend he’s still mine to keep. I pretend his playful laughter still fills my aching heart. I pretend his strong arms still surround me. I pretend he’ll grow old with me. With Darrio and Ryder. And with all the beautiful children he’ll never get to see.
For just a moment, I pretend his heart still beats for me.
Fury like I’ve never felt burns through my veins at the injustice of it all. Anger starts to overtake the sorrow flooding my chest.
This was my sacrifice?
It isn’t fair. There’s too much terribleness in the world for me to live without his calming energy filling my chest.
The gods blessed me more than any other.
But I don’t want it.
I want him.
Reckless power shakes my hands and my fingers fist his shirt. The smooth dragons leather wrinkles beneath my touch, until I can’t control the magic any more.
Bright, white light slams through my palms, forcing its way out from the depths of my pain. It trembles from me and into him. It makes the earth beneath us quiver, altering it just slightly. The blinding color surrounds him and me, haloing us until the rest of the world dissolves away. The nix disappear from our lands. The fires disperse. The dark skies fade away into warming colors of gold and white and bright blue skies.
I don’t know what the magic is, but it feels right. It’s pure and calming.
Just like Daxdyn Riles.
So, I usher it out in waves, helping it along until I’m weak and using his body to support my own. My wings expand of their own accord as if the magic demands them to release themselves. I feel it start to tear away at me. First at my beautiful feathers; pulling at them. Ebony colors swirl around us, inking through the white magic as my feathers twirl in the breeze. A weight falls from my body. The moment my wings fall away, I feel it. Not just in my shoulders but deep within me.
The magic strips me until I’m nothing more than a broken woman clinging to a broken man.
Nearly every ounce of the powerful energy pours from me until I’m lying over him like a worthless shield. I give him everything I have.
Peaceful sounds of the ocean return, lapping in and attempting to coax my exhausted emotions into a dull and empty feeling.
Warm fingertips skim up my side, threatening the numbness.
“Kara, you’re crushing me.”
Dax’s voice comes out in a rasping whisper. The small sound of it thunders right through my heart, I swear it.
My arms cling to him tighter as my eyes fling open and the most beautiful starry-gray gaze meets mine. Humor and life and love shines within them.
A trembling breath shakes through me just before I slam my lips against his.
His strong arms hold me to his hard body, but my fingertips refuse to pull away from the steady pounding of his heart.
A quietness fills my veins where a hum of energy once burned.
Quiet magic tingles within me. My all-powerful magic is gone.
But he’s still here; right where he should be.
Daxdyn wasn’t the sacrifice the gods anticipated.
I was.
