Page 56 of Facet

“Fuck,” he muttered as he assessed the damage. I was afraid of what he saw.

“D-D-Dam-ien,” I stuttered, terror for what she’d done to him overshadowing my own damage.

“He’s fine. Angel is on his way to the clubhouse and so are the others. I just need you to hold on. Focus on me and he’ll be here before you know it,” he promised.

But I was stuck in a moment of déja vù. Reliving the last trauma and this one, I started to shake. Numbness was overtaking me, and I was so fucking cold.

“W-Watch,” I choked as I saw Maeve rise up behind him. But before she could make contact, he disappeared in a barely noticeable puff of black smoke. He reappeared behind her, but she immediately spun and hit him. He fell back and groaned.

She went after him again, but suddenly a blur of movement happened and her head landed on the ground in front of me with a dull thud. Her open eyes stared at me in disbelief.

Startled, I lay in a crumpled heap as I stared at Damien. He stood there, panting, with the metal part of the shovel dripping with blood. I realized Maeve’s body had fallen over next to Squirrel, who was on his knees with his head to the grass trying to suck in air.

Then Damien dropped next to me. His hands hovered over me, unsure of where to touch. Tears poured free as I tried not to pass out from the hell I was currently existing in.

“Fuck, baby, I don’t know what to do for you,” he croaked, the horror in his gaze mirroring how I was sure I looked. “Why is this happening to you again?”

I literally couldn’t speak—it hurt too much. With a featherlight touch, he brushed my hair from my face. Tears streaked down his dirty cheeks.

Tired beyond belief, my lids dropped.

“Gods, I can’t lose you,” he whispered.

Unable to bear the torment in his voice, I forced my eyes open again to show him I was still fighting.

Then from behind Damien, I watched as Séamus rolled over to his hands and knees. He grabbed his pants and dragged them on. When he got to his feet, he bent over with his hands on his knees. Finally, he lifted his head and our gazes locked before his widened.

With a wince, he stood upright. He stretched and arched his back, then he staggered toward me and Damien. “Oh shit, Willow.”

“Séamus!” Damien cried out in surprise. Then he begged, “Please, you have to help her!”

Séamus looked devastated. “I don’t think I can. I’m too weak. Between that spell we did and the dark magic Maeve used to be able to steal my life force from me, I’m simply not strong enough.”

Damien’s breaths went choppy and labored as he repeatedly whispered, “No, no, no, no, no.”

In that moment, I knew this was the end. While I had loved Damien deeply and truly, my purpose wasn’t to be with him for long. Though I’d been lucky once, it was only because I was meant to save him and Séamus. There would be no happy endings for me. I tried to make peace with it, but my heart was breaking.

Everything around me started to spin and rock as if I was on a boat in the ocean.

Suddenly, I was scooped up, and though the movement had me thrashing to my very soul, I was weightless. Darkness swirled around me as strong arms cradled me close.

In a blinding flash, I found myself in the common area of the clubhouse. Squirrel held me like a fragile baby as he stormed toward the rooms.

“Angel!” he roared. Except we didn’t go to Damien’s room, we turned toward the chapel and then into the infirmary. He gently set me down on the bed there. Still, I whimpered.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured.

Angel burst into the room, and he tossed a pair of scissors to Squirrel as he dug through the drawers. Squirrel made quick work of slicing my clothes off me.

“Jesus,” Angel mumbled as he took in all the damage. His apologetic gaze hit mine. “Willow, I’m sorry, but I have to set your arm before I can fix it. I would give you a shot of morphine, but it wouldn’t last because as I heal you, it will basically eliminate it. If I try to heal you before I set your arm, it will heal wrong.”

“O-Okay,” I whispered. The way I was feeling, I honestly didn’t think he was going to be able to save me in time. I was fading fast, and I knew it.

When he set my arm, I lost my shit and promptly passed out.

When I started to wake up, I was so warm and weighted down. Then I woke fully and jumped up, throwing Damien off of me.

“Willow!” He scrambled to grasp me before I could fall off the bed.

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