Page 118 of The Mating Quest
“Stay here, I have to dothis!”
Breath wheezing out of her lungs, she staggered over to the Dark Fae. Cormac bled heavily from his stomach, now that he’d pulled the daggerfree.
“I can’t die. You love me,” he said, the words cajoling, a grotesque parody of the exchange she’d had withEthan.
Believe in yourself.Ethan believed in her.It was about damn time she did aswell.
“Fuckyou.”
Somehow she found the strength to lift her sword. Ilana swung Starsong with all her might. The sword sliced off her former lover’s head. It bounced, rolled against a tree trunk, the Fae’s expressionshocked.
Ilana pulled out the blade from her chest. Blood spurted. Oh damn, thatburned. Shecollapsed.
Ethan ran over to her. “Damnit Ilana, you will not die onme!”
“Ethan… g-et me away from Cormac. H-e stinks l-like wo-lfpoop.”
The joke failed to erase his frantic look. Ethan picked her up into his arms, carried her a short distance away, laying herdown.
“You can’t die,” he said hoarsely. “Remember? You’ll fall asleep for decades. Hang in there, Ilana, until I get help. Damnit, don’t die on me! I’m gonna be so pissed off atyou!”
Ilana struggled to breathe, her thoughts scattered. Gasping, she touched Ethan’s infuriated face as he tore his shirt and pressed it to her chest. But with each beat of her failing heart, more blood pumped out. So much blood. She wasdying.
He could not saveher.
So this was death. Not peaceful or dignified, but terrifying and painful, the void stretching beyond her, the unknown a dark swirling hole. Blood streamed out of her body and the pain grew lesser as it grew difficult to breathe. A tremendous chill seized her body, as if her veins turned toice.
“Don’t you dare die on me,Mage!”
She wanted to stay, oh, how she wanted to stay. Tears filled her eyes as she realized the end drew close. Never again to see Ethan, kiss him, tease him about being too serious, feel the warmth of his body next to hers. Never to make love and see him smiling at her as they tangled together, their bodies wrapped around eachother.
Never again to talk with him or watch the light in his eyes spark, know she wasn’t alone any more. To know she was alive, so fiercely alive because her heart beat forhim.
Dying islonely.
“Ethan, hold me,” she begged. “I’m s-so cold. I’mscared.”
“Ilana,” he said hoarsely. “Please. Don’t leave me. If you go, Igo.”
“P-pack. Needs.You.”
“You need me more. I love you more than them. You’re more to me, sweetheart. You are my world.” He gathered her into his arms, stroking her blood-soaked hair. “Ilana, I love you. I will never stop loving you. I’ll never let go of yourheart.”
“K-kiss me. One l-lasttime.”
His mouth covered hers, oh, so warm and firm and filled with life. She drew in a breath from him, her hand reaching up to tuck back a lock of that wavy, untamable hair her fingers enjoyedstroking.
Ilana drew in a breath and then exhaled herlast.
She was dead.Ethan felt her mouth grow cold beneath his, knowing he could not breathe life into her. Her eyes stared sightlessly into the sky, her mouth parted as he drew away. He held her tight, a hole inside his heart, knowing she was gone forgood.
His Ilana. His brave warrior wasgone.
He couldn’t move, didn’t dare release her, only hope this was a nightmare and he’d awaken to find her lying at his side, teasing him with the fire in her eyes and her sweet, gurgling laughter. Oh, he’d scold her for scaring him and then just for that, head into the kitchen and make her some crazy bacon concoction to hear her moan about the fat andcalories…
“Wake up, sweetheart,” he urged. “C’mon Ilana, time to getup.”
Ilana did notmove.
