Page 69 of Guarded By Death

Pierce takes in my features as if it's the last time. His eyes roam my face, my body, my hands. "I love you more than I love myself,” he declares. My heart sinks, this seems like a goodbye and I can't handle it.

He doesn't put up a fight, he doesn't try to take Preta down... it would harm me.

"Don't try anything," Preta warns with a hiss.

Pierce looks to me, then back at the snarling demon. "I'm not, my soul is yours to take. I won't fight, not if you give the oath to leave her be for eternity."

Preta's long body looks back to me once, he nods. "I will obey," he agrees, bringing one of his razor-sharp nails to cut into his skin, blood draws and I wince. The two supernatural beings make their oaths while my heart shatters into pieces.

"Don't do this Pierce, fight back!" I scream at him.

"You're worth backing down for, Scar. I'm so sorry." He looks proudly ahead, raising his arms, his shirt shreds and floats around him. As the dust settles, I see his black and tattered wings in all their tragic glory. They take up a vast majority of the massive room as he submits to Preta.

A thick, black substance escapes Pierce’s body as Preta drinks in his soul. I try to run towards them but then I realize why his wings are out. He moves them and the gush of wind throws me back, one hundred-year-old dust invades my lungs making me choke.

The wind subsides and Pierce collapses to the dirty marble flooring with a thud.

There's no blood, no gore, no gruesome red showing his demise. I sit next to him, laying on his black feathered wings as I touch his cheeks gently. He is so still as he lays on the cold ground. I’m broken, and at a loss of what to do. Normally he would wake up, right? But his soul... it's gone. I lay my head onto his chest, praying for a miracle. Praying for a second chance for a man who deserves one.

My eyes trail along the cracked marble floors and up a tall pillar. A brilliant gleaming light that I hadn't noticed before trails from a broken stained window. My eyes follow across the golden stream of light to a platform raised high above. I gasp when I see a beautiful woman, dressed in pure white.

Her white hair cascades down her tiny frame. She looks down at us with a smile and with one quick movement she throws her arms up. Glorious, pearl-white feathered wings escape from behind her back. Her small frame with the massive wingspan makes me completely silent and still. I take in her angelic figure and when her eyes meet mine relief washes over me.

"Help us, please! He won't heal!" I scream through my dry throat. "He normally heals by now, but he took-" I cut myself off when she lifts from the platform, floating midair as she graciously descends to the dust-covered floor. The contrast of her pure beauty in such a dark and tattered place makes me shiver.

When she lands beside us her wings gracefully collapse until I can no longer see them. She kneels on the other side of Pierce, her small body resting on his other wing as she touches the center of his chest.

"He gave up his soul, yes?" she inquires with an angelic tone; it's laced with a faint accent that I have never heard before. I nod, trying to hide my shaking voice, unable to speak.

"For you?" she sings and her melodic voice is so tranquil I can't help that it calms me, but why isn't she helping him.

"Ye... yes. Please help him. I can't lose him," I stutter through my heavy sobs. My fingertip trails along his jawline, while my other hand strokes his tattered wings.

"You love him?" she questions, no judgment in her tone. It's like she's humming a melody as she talks.

I nod frantically. "I do! More than my own life. I will trade my soul if you let him stay. Take it, please take it! I don't want it without him." I cry and she brings her small hand to my shoulder.

"I can't give him his soul back, darling," she frowns but the notion looks odd on her face. I look at her with tear-filled eyes. She looks around, a small smile taking over her perfect features. "But you are connected to him, yes?"

I nod. He broke the bond but since he arrived at this horrific scene it means we were tethered once more.

"That changes things. If you are okay with it may I try something?"

When I nod, she places her small hands onto Pierce's broad chest and closes her eyes. The heavy dust begins to rise from the ground and swirl in circular motions. Each tiny particle doesn't falter from the other as it dances in twisted circles around the three of us. I watch in wonder as she brings her hand to the same spot on my chest. Bright light takes over the room, and my chest warms.

The light fades slowly, and Pierce gasps for air. His body jolting forward.

Thirty-seven

Tethered

Ithrow myself on to him. "You're okay!" I sob into his chest as he rubs my hair.

I lift my head to see his face, and confusion takes over him. He looks over at the angel. "Why do I feel like this?" he asks with a curious tone.

He reaches for his wings, touching them with wonder.

She grabs both of our hands and places them on top of Pierce's chest. She covers hers atop of ours. His heavy breathing makes them move up and down slowly. "Why did you give the demon your soul?" she asks.

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