Page 52 of The Rising Dark
It was too late.All of this had been for nothing.Michelle was dead, dead, and nothing made sense anymore.
A rage within her boiled, bathing her vision in red.She roared, a wordless scream tearing from her that could move mountains with their raw grief.Lavinia pulled her daggers from their holsters on her hips and barrelled at the demon, stabbing, tearing, rending whatever she could get within her grasp.The demon tried to resist her but was overpowered by the relentless assault, and when Lavinia planted a dagger directly into one of its infernal eyes, it disappeared.
Lavinia stood panting, her hands covered in the demon’s blood.There was nothing left to do.Her knees buckled, and she slumped to the ground, head bent with sorrow.
“Vinia?”a small, shaky voice said, almost masked underneath the ringing of the apartment’s alarm system.
Lavinia’s head whipped up.She turned to Michelle, saw the small movement of the lips, the rise of her chest.She’s still alive, thank the stars, she’s alive, she’s alive.She dragged herself to Michelle, not trusting her legs to carry her.
“You’re alive,” she whispered over and over.“You’re alive.”She cradled Michelle’s head in her arms, kissing her forehead, her cheeks.The sweet saltiness of Michelle’s blood coated her lips.
“Yes,” Michelle whispered.“You have to stop saving me.”
Lavinia leaned back and gently removed Michelle’s hair that had gotten stuck in the blood on her face.“Never.”And she kissed her on the lips, the sweetest meeting.It was a small touch, a merest brush: a promise.
“I meant to tell you,” Michelle said, wincing as Lavinia shifted her slightly in her arms.
“What’s that?”
“I love you,” she whispered, a small smile forming.
Lavinia felt as if she could burst with joy.Her body was suffused with pain, the battle taking its toll.But her soul, her soul sang with triumph and bliss until she felt like the stars themselves would shine out with her happiness.“I love you too.”Then more words tumbled from her lips, finally flowing free after having been dammed within her.“I think I may have loved you from that very first night, when you told me to keep still so you could take care of the scratch on my stomach.”She caressed Michelle’s cheek.“I would slay a thousand demons if that was what it took to keep you safe.I would face the most devious rogues or run around London like a woman possessed, all for you.I will do anything.”
Michelle smiled and leaned into the touch.She closed her eyes.“Please stay with me.”Pain distorted her features for a moment.
“I’m right here,” Lavinia said, kissing her forehead.“Right here.”
Chapter Thirty
Michelle woke up in her own bed.The familiar weight of her blankets covered her, the scent of her favourite brand of laundry detergent filling her nose.She breathed in deeply.Home.
She’d been away from home for a little under a month, but it had felt like years.So much had changed.Michelle nestled deeper into her blankets, revelling in the feeling of not having to get up just yet.
A whole new world had opened up to her, which had brought both unspeakable nightmares as well as wonderful delights.But it wasn’t just the supernatural stuff.Shehad changed.
She hadn’t realised just how much until she’d returned to her apartment.The sight of her things brought rushing back the thoughts and fears and concerns that had once plagued her every day.Suddenly, those worries seemed so insignificant after having nearly died—twice.It was wonderful to have access to all of her clothes again, and to drink tea from her favourite mug.To look at the familiar view, and to feel like the mistress of her own home instead of a guest.They were small pleasures that she luxuriated in.
But although her belongings were exactly as she left them, she was finding that sliding back into her old life wasn’t as easy as she’d expected.It was no longer an easy fit.It had taken six weeks for her to recover sufficiently from the demon’s attack to be able to go back to work.The demon’s talons had left deep gouges in the muscles of her left arm, and it would take months of physiotherapy to get her full strength back.Still, the litany of bruises had largely faded, and she’d started leaving the house, had worked a couple of shifts at the hospital again, had eased back into the life she’d always known.It was wonderful to be able to go wherever she wanted without needing a guard.Still, she found she struggled to walk home alone at night.She jumped at shadows, fear rising in the pit of her stomach.
On the surface, it was like everything was back to normal.
Well, noteverything.
Michelle turned, opening her eyes in the soft light of a wintery early afternoon.Lavinia’s emerald eyes greeted her, her smile creating tiny wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.God, she loved those eyes.Loved those wrinkles.Loved how they looked at her, ever steady, ever gentle.Waking up together was a decadent pleasure—one Michelle didn’t think she would ever tire of.
“Good morning,” Lavinia said.Her arm snaked around Michelle’s waist underneath the covers and pulled her close.Michelle nestled her head in the crook of Lavinia’s shoulder, nuzzling her neck.
“Good morning.”She kissed the soft skin she found there.
“Sleep well?”
Michelle hummed her assent and continued the trail of kisses down Lavinia’s shoulder.“You?”
“Wonderful,” Lavinia said, her voice breaking ever so slightly when Michelle found a particularly tender spot on her neck.Michelle smiled to herself and caught Lavinia’s lips in her own.She rolled onto Lavinia, and Lavinia’s arms wrapped themselves around her back tightly, drawing her close.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Michelle said, tracing the silvery scar bisecting Lavinia’s eyebrow.“Where did you get this one?”
Lavinia closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation of Michelle’s touch.“A rogue who’d been hiding in some basement for over a month had a rusty knife.Almost took my eye out.”
