Page 24 of Her Immortal Protector

I try to respond, but my voice catches in my throat. Instead, a sound emerges that's part growl, part whimper. My new vocal cords vibrate in unfamiliar ways.

The pain intensifies, reaching a crescendo that threatens to tear me apart. I feel myself slipping away, darkness creeping in at the edges of my consciousness. Death hovers close, waiting to claim me if I falter.

But I won't give in. I've never backed down from a challenge, and I won't start now. I focus on Christos, on the future we might have together. On the new world waiting for us.

With a final, agonizing push, I feel something fundamental shift within me. My heart stutters, then starts again with a new, powerful rhythm. I gasp, drawing in air with lungs that feel too big for my chest.

I'm changing, dying, being reborn. And through it all, I cling to life with every ounce of my being, uncertain if I'll survive to see what I'm becoming.

I gasp, my eyes flying open as consciousness rushes back. The world around me explodes into vivid detail, overwhelming my senses. Every surface, every texture, every scent hits me with startling clarity. The rough weave of the bed sheets beneath me feels like sandpaper against my hypersensitive skin. The dim light filtering through the curtains is almost painfully bright.

"Aria?" Christos's voice is a symphony of subtle tones I've never noticed before. I turn to look at him, and my breath catches in my throat. He's beautiful in a way I couldn't fully appreciate before, his pale skin seeming to glow with an inner light.

I try to speak, but my voice comes out as a raspy croak. My throat feels dry, parched. And there's a gnawing hunger in the pit of my stomach that I've never experienced before.

"How do you feel?" Christos asks, his eyes searching mine with concern.

I take a moment to assess. The pain is gone, replaced by a strange mixture of power and vulnerability. I flex my fingers, marveling at the strength I feel coursing through them. Then, with a jolt, I remember the wings.

Cautiously, I try to move them. The sensation is bizarre - like wiggling extra limbs I never knew I had. They unfurl behind me, and I hear Christos's sharp intake of breath.

"They're beautiful," he whispers.

I crane my neck, trying to see them. They're large, bat-like, with a delicate membrane stretched between the bones. The color matches my hair, a deep, rich brown.

Slowly, I sit up, marveling at how different my body feels. I'm stronger, more agile. Every movement is fluid and graceful in a way I've never experienced before.

"I'm…I feel good," I rasp out.

But I'm no longer human.

The realization hits me with full force. I'm a vrakken now, and I am going to a new world. All of it is a bit much…But it's also so exciting.

Whatever comes next, I'm ready for it.

15

CHRISTOS

Ihold my breath as Aria's eyes flutter open. Relief crashes over me like a tidal wave, and I realize I've never been so terrified—not even during my own Change. Her survival means more to me than I ever thought possible.

"Aria?" I whisper, my voice hoarse with emotion.

She blinks, those familiar hazel eyes now flecked with gold. Her gaze focuses on me, confusion evident in her furrowed brow. I reach out, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her skin is cool to the touch, pale as moonlight. "How do you feel?"

Aria shifts, wincing slightly. And then her head whips back as she looks at the wings behind her. "They're beautiful."

I continue to watch her as she slowly sits up, testing everything. "I'm…I feel good."

A smile tugs at my lips. "Good." My eyes run over her, taking in her changes. "It can be hard going through all that."

Our eyes meet, and suddenly I'm overwhelmed by the depth of my feelings for her. The fear of losing her, the joy of her survival, the awe at her transformation—it all coalesces into a single, undeniable truth.

I love her.

The realization hits me like a physical force. I've never felt this way about anyone, human or vrakken. Aria has become my whole world, and I can't imagine existence without her.

"Christos?" Her voice pulls me from my thoughts. "You okay?"

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