Page 116 of Wicked Designs
Flames consumed him, enveloped him.
He set Emily down and stood at the bottom of the stairs to face Blankenship, then slowly walked up step by step.
“All of this work and I never even bedded her!” Blankenship hissed as he backed away. “You were a fool to take what was mine. She’s dead because you abducted her.” Blankenship moved back down the hall to a small side table. He tugged frantically at handle of the top drawer.
“She was never yours.” Blankenship would die. It was as simple as that. His grief outweighed reason and numbed him to all except revenge.
The glint of silver caught his eye. A knife lay near the edge of the top stair, the blade gleaming red with blood. Godric grabbed it, only to hear the sound of a pistol cocked in front of him.
Godric found himself staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, and those beetle black eyes behind it reflected a heavy fear.
Blankenship had managed to retrieve a gun from the side table. “Don’t even think about it.”
Godric snarled and charged as the pistol shot wide. Their bodies collided against the railing. Blankenship flailed as the pistol fell onto the carpet between them. Godric wound one fist around the other man’s neck while Blankenship clawed at his chest.
The man’s heavy weight unbalanced their tangled bodies, and Godric fought to break free as they both started to fall, but it was too late.
They crashed down the stairs, grappling at each other until Godric landed on top of Blankenship at thebottom of the stairs, his knife stuck in his enemy’s chest.
Panting for breath, both men locked gazes, hatred meeting hatred for one brief moment before the glint in Blankenship’s eyes faded, giving way to darkness. Godric released his hold on the knife and rolled off the dead body.
Lucien and Ashton were at the door, their faces ashen.
“My God,” Lucien breathed.
“She’s gone,” Godric’s tone was hollow.
Ashton’s hand flew to his heart. Lucien looked away.
Emily lay stretched out across the marble, pale blue slippers streaked with blood, and one limp, graceful hand caressed the floor by Godric.
Ashton leaned down to touch Godric’s shoulder when Emily’s index finger twitched against the marble floor. It had to be a death spasm. But…her fingers began to curl further, into a ball. “Godric, look!”
Godric, unable to see past the tears that clouded his eyes, tried to look up at his love. Emily’s long lashes fluttered against her cheeks.
“She’s alive!” Godric choked out in a mixture of terror and relief. She was still alive. “Quick, check her wound.” Lucien knelt down near Emily’s head and helped him. Lucien examined the wound carefully and sighed in relief.
“It’s a muscle wound. There are no vital organs here.” Lucien ripped off one of the sleeves of his shirt. With Godric’s help, they bound the wound as tight as they could. “If we get her to a doctor she may yet live.”
“Is it safe to move her?” Godric asked Lucien.
“I believe so.”
Godric carefully picked Emily up in his arms, and the three men walked out into the street. Jonathan arrived at that moment, with the constable and several Bow Street runners. Ashton remained behind to explain, while Lucien and Godric took Emily back to Cedric’s house, to meet the doctor and pray that she survived.
Heaven.It was warm and light, the soft murmur of a low masculine voice spoke to her… No, read to her.The Iliadin Greek. She tried to open her mouth but nothing moved.
I want to see you, whoever you are.
Did she have a body?
She managed a small strangled whimper. The voice halted, then spoke, more eagerly.
“Emily.” The voice sounded like Godric, but that made sense. Heaven was wherever he was. She tried to speak again, but only yielded another pathetic whimper.
“Shh. Rest, my darling. You’ve been through so much.” A large hand clasped hers, its grip warm, strong, and perfect.
Lips brushed over her forehead, leaving a trail of tender fire in their wake. She forced her eyes open. Even though Godric’s face was pale and his hair hung limp around it, he was still everything she’d wanted, craved. Loved. The sight of him. That was Heaven.
