Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“I have a promise for you, too,” I mumble. “You’ll never win the wall.”
“Arrgh!” Gabrio comes up behind him and stabs the vampire in the side.
The soldier turns, and I watch as he hits Gabrio in the chest. The two men drop to the dirt, but Gabrio rolls on top of the soldier and stabs him directly in the heart.
Gabrio falls next to me onto his back. “See. I told you, Lake. I was never afraid to…die…for…” His voice fades.
“Gabrio?”
His green eyes drift up to the sky, and then like a switch is flipped, they’re blank. No one’s home.
“Gabrio?” I cry. “No…no…no…” I slide my hand into his. It’s warm. It has to stay that way. “Bard! Where are you?”
I black out, knowing I’m right behind Gabrio. I wonder if there’s a heaven for giants. I hope I’m allowed to visit.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
I’m sitting at a café table next to a busy sidewalk in Paris, a lit cigarette in my hand. I glance at my watch. He’s late. Where the hell is he?
I flick my cigarette on the ground and flag down the server, pointing to my empty cup. “Another espresso. Please. Merci. Whateverthefuck.”
I push the tiny cup next to the other three empty ones while I watch happy fuckers stroll by, talking on their phones, carrying bags, or chatting with their friends.
Bastards. I hate them all. They don’t know how good they have it. They don’t know all the sacrifices we made so they can just carry on like nothing’s happened.
So many lives lost. So many dreams broken. So many families destroyed.
Entitled assholes. I peel my gaze from the blissfully ignorant masses to check my watch again as if it’ll somehow make him show up faster. Where is he?
I’m expecting Bard. Wait. No, it’s Alwar. I shake my head. I can’t remember, even if I’ve had this dream dozens of times.
“Lake?”
I look up to find a stunning set of emerald-green eyes beaming down on me.
“Gabrio? What are you doing here?”
He’s human size, clean shaven, and his golden haircut is short. He looks…beautiful, as always.
“The dress suits you,” he says.
I glance down at the white summer dress with tiny red rosebuds that I’m wearing. “Uh, thanks. But…”
“It’s going to be okay, Lake.” He produces one red rose and sets it on the table before me. “Alwar will show. He made a vow to protect you with his life.”
“What do you mean? And why are you here?” I can’t remember, but I think I always expect Bard to come, but it’s Alwar who shows up.
“Alwar won’t turn his back on you, Lake. Not if you trust him.”
“What’s going to happen?” I ask.
“Just remember what I said.” Gabrio disappears into the crowded sidewalk filled with young Parisians dressed like they’re on a runway. Hats, handbags, heels, and fine suits.
I gasp and take a deep breath, my eyelids flying open. I’m on a bed inside a room with a towering stone ceiling. A fire crackles to my right, partially masking the sound of two male voices several feet away.
I slowly turn my head to find Alwar and the white wispy form of Bard having a heated discussion.
“But how is this possible?” Alwar asks. “It is unheard of.”
“I do not know, Alwar. I can only tell you what is—even if I do not understand it.”
“Oh shit.” I cough. “Am I seriously still alive?” A fucking disappointment. “I was hoping to skip the whole apocalypse bullshit.”
Alwar and Bard’s ghostly form turn in my direction.
“I will return later.” Alwar leaves the room.
Bard’s haunting face locks on me. My heart pounds with excitement. A part of me still loves him, even if I don’t fully understand what he’s become.
He suddenly appears inches from my face, staring me down like the ghost of a wild animal. He leans in closer and sniffs.
“What are you doing?” I whisper.
“I am trying to remember.”
“What?”
“Why I cannot stay away from you.” He sniffs me again.
I close my eyes for a long moment. “Maybe for the same reason I can’t let you go.”
“I feel you even when you are not near,” he says, sounding angry about it. “I feel how much you need me. You make me weak. You are bad for me, Lake.”
My heart sobs. His words confirm what I’ve felt all along; we’re connected. But he sees this—us—me—as a shortcoming.
I start to chuckle.
“What is so amusing?” he says, his voice deep and low, haunting.
“That’s the thing, Bard; it doesn’t matter what we do, we can’t seem to get away from each other. We always end up clawing our way back, whatever the consequences.” I think of him returning to River Wall Manor after Grandma Rain died. He knew it would be a death sentence. I think of how I decided to forgo any life of my own after college to return to River Wall. I always told myself it was to help Grandma Rain, but that was partly a lie. I needed to be near him, too.