Page 12 of Come Fill Me

All her life, Liz had craved that look from a man. Whoever he had loved, she understood how lucky that woman had been.

“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, both for his loss and what she was about to do.

“What are you saying?” Carreon snapped. “What have you told him?”

“To heal,” she lied and said no more. Angling her head, Liz pressed her mouth to Zeke’s.

A whimper caught at the base of her throat. His lips were delightfully warm and soft, a sharp contradiction to the bite of his coming beard.

Heal,her mind begged,if only for a little while. Then you can return to the one you love.

On her silent promise, Liz separated his lips with her tongue, tasting the cleanliness of his mouth, a hint of minty toothpaste.

She poured her breath into him.

As before, nothing happened. His heart didn’t beat more strongly beneath hers. His muscles didn’t tense. He didn’t stir.

Her mind froze then raced. Had she gone too quickly as she’d warned Carreon? Was Zeke too damaged for her to heal? Was the blood and physiology of the Others incapable of full restoration?

Or had she been correct that Zeke simply refused to come back?

“What’s happening?” Carreon demanded.

Inhaling as deeply as she could, Liz again released her breath into Zeke’s mouth and waited.

Outside, the wind howled, stirring up dust, driving it against the windows, where it tapped like thousands of fingernails trying to claw their way inside. In the wall, something rattled.

“What?” Carreon insisted.

Anxiety tightened Liz’s belly. Her pulse refused to slow. She knew it was over. Because she’d failed to heal Zeke, Carreon would murder her father to prove his authority, to show her that she would never again defy—

Her thoughts paused at Zeke’s chest moving, his mouth opening.

He gasped like someone who’d almost drowned, laboring to pull in enough air, telling her the truth.

She’d succeeded. He was healing and on his way back.

No.

He tried to stop breathing, but his body fought him, his lungs struggling for air.

Gabrielle’s voice, calm yet saddened, whispered inside hismind,I have to go now.

You’re being called back.

No! Zeke’s jaw clenched. He wouldn’t allow Gabrielle to leave him, no matter his other obligations. Not again. Never again.

His hand, so much larger than hers, tightened around her fingers. With strength that surprised him, she broke his grip and drifted back, mouthing her words,You have to go back.

Zeke’s lips parted on an inconsolable cry that ended in a gasp. Pain ripped through his chest as his heart started beating normally again, driving blood through his arteries and veins, searing them with its agonizing heat.

Breathless with hurt, he battled the sensations, forcing himself toward Gabrielle.

Swaths of white mist cloaked her and curled around him, restricting his movements. A soft, heavy weight pressed down his full length. The mist? How was that possible?

In the distance, he heard low rumbles resembling thunder, except the sounds lifted and fell…the same as voices. Men’s voices?

Zeke listened, unable to make sense of the sounds or to detect any words.

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