Page 82 of Come Fill Me

He spoke with such finality, Zeke had to stop himself from striking the man. He didn’t want to hear the truth that he’d tried to protect Liz and failed. He’d put his clan and brother at risk to see to her safety, and it still had come to this. Losing someone else he loved, just as he had Gabrielle. Being left alone again with nothing to live for.

“Please,” her father begged.

Too weary to fight any longer, Zeke lowered Liz to the floor then took her hand, holding it between his.

Munez cradled her face in his palms. “My dear sweet daughter, I’m so sorry. I never wanted to have to do this. It’s not fair leaving you with this burden.”

Zeke stopped squeezing her fingers. What burden?

Munez continued, “I warned you about our gift. I told you there were things about it that you didn’t understand. Now, I have to show you.”

He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs.

Zeke frowned. Had some of the awful redness drained fromher face? No. It wasn’t possible. The lights in here must have gotten brighter.

“Come back,” Munez whispered.

What in the fuck was he talking about? “What are you doing?” Zeke asked then stared at her hand. Had her fingers moved?

“What’s happening?” he shouted at her father. “She’s gone. There was no pulse. She can’t be healed. Why are you doing this?”

“Because I love her too,” Munez said. “I have to bring her back.”

On the other side, Liz hugged her mother. The woman was no more substantial than smoke and yet Liz felt her warmth. She caught the sweet scent of bath powder her mother had always used. It reminded her of warm spring days spent at the park, sitting at the kitchen table, coloring Easter eggs with her parents. Laughing. Feeling safe enough to act with the recklessness of youth.

“Papa wants me to return,” she said, his power coaxing her, sending a flash of pain through her body, followed by ribbons of exquisite heat and comfort.

Her mother smoothed down Liz’s hair. “I know.”

“I died, Mama.” Carreon had killed her. It was over, and yet Liz felt Zeke holding her hand, her fingers curling over his. A sensation more powerful than her father’s gift rushed through her.

“Papa’s bringing you back,” her mother said.

Liz didn’t understand, and then she did, everything falling into place. Not only could her father heal, he could reanimate, which meant, she could too. A secret he’d kept all these years, simply warning her to be careful with her gift, that she didn’tunderstand everything about it.

“Why didn’t he tell me?” Liz cried.

“Because he loves you.” Her mother eased back and cupped Liz’s chin in her hand. “If Carreon or his father had known the true extent of the power, their attacks would have been even more vicious. They wouldn’t have feared anything, not with Papa and you available to reanimate them. They would have lost all control.” She sighed. “Many times your father lied to keep from healing the fallen, telling Carreon they were too far gone to help or that he could only bring them so far, which left them in a vegetative state. He also lied to protect you. You need to remember that when you’re back.”

Liz clung to her mother, not wanting to leave just yet. “Papa could have at least saved you. Why didn’t he?”

“Oh, baby, they were watching him all the time. If he’d brought me back, Carreon would have understood just how great his power and yours is. He would have imprisoned both of you in order to control it. Your father couldn’t chance that happening. I wouldn’t have wanted him to.”

She buried her face in her mother’s shoulder. “I miss you so much.”

“I’ll always be here. Now go. Your father needs you.”

“Mama, no, not yet!” Just a few more minutes, please.

“Liz?”

She started at her father’s voice, gaping at his mussed hair, the abrasions on his cheeks, his torn clothing. “What happened?” she cried, touching him. “Did Carreon do that to you?”

“I’m all right,” he said. “Zeke saved me.”

What? Liz turned, seeing the wonder on his rugged face, the tears glistening in his eyes.

She hadn’t been hallucinating about him holding her hand. “You’re really here.”

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