Page 124 of Live Like Legends

Nick let out steady breaths as he remained asleep. If you took out the random shaking and jolts he did, he looked serene in his comatose state. Reese had his feet kicked up on one of the tables as he leaned back in his chair, sleeping and Mr. Cassial was in the other chair, staring down at the floor.

Maurice looked up at me, giving me a wilted smile. “How are you feeling?”

I moved my head from side to side. “I’ve been better, but okay.”

He hummed, looking over at his son. “No changes. His skin is still on fire and his eyes are roaming away underneath his lids. I wish I knew what was happening in that head of his.”

“Nothing good, but he’ll pull through. He always does.” I sounded optimistic and I hoped he believed me.

He squeezed my hand. “Yes he does.”

I licked my lips, giving Nick my full attention when I said, “can I have a minute with him?”

Maurice chuckled softly. “Of course you can.” He walked over to Reese, jostling his shoulder. The blonde angel jumped, kicking the table.

“What, what’s happening?” Reese looked around the room. “Did he wake up?!”

Maurice sighed. “No. We are going to give them a moment alone.” He nodded his head towards the door.

I held onto the side of Nick’s bed as I watched them leave. Reese spun around before he exited. “I’ve tried everything I could. You are probably the only person that can wake him up. Do what you can…please.”

I cocked my head to the side, watching as he gave me a tight lipped smile before walking out of the room. I let out a heavy sigh, not really knowing where to begin. I ran my knuckles over his cheek, feeling the heat wafting off of him. “I don’t think I need to ask you what’s going on in that head of yours.”

I leaned forward, grabbing his hand and placing it to my lips. “You worked so hard to keep those thoughts in check and now he’s placed you with them without a way out.” I didn’t know if he could hear me, but I just didn’t care.

I placed his hand at my cheek. “Was this what it was like when I was dying in your arms? Was there a sharp pain in your chest? That’s what I feel right now and I don’t like it, Nick. I can’t stand it. So Ireallyneed you to wake up.”

I kissed his knuckles, over and over again. “I told you I would fight your demons if I could and right now, Ireallyfucking want to, baby. They are all clouded in your head, but I can’t get to them. Fuck, Nick, you spent all that time making sure Dimitri didn’t take me away from you, so donotlet him take you away fromme.”

I dropped his hand and moved further up his body, placing my hand along his jaw. I leaned down and kissed his forehead. He jolted a bit and I could see his face contort for a short moment in pain. “I don’t know how to fix this, Nick. You’re my fixer. You’re the one with well thought out ideas. You’re the hero.You’re the one who tells me when something is probably not a good idea, but I do it anyway and you tag along because you love me so fucking much. God, why do you love me sofuckingmuch.”

I didn’t know why I was talking so much. Maybe if I spoke enough he would wake up just to shut me up. If I had to go to Hell to figure out how to fix this I would. Nick would never approve, but that was a risk I was willing to take. Too much had happened for me to go the easy route when it came to getting him back.

I placed my hand at his cheek, pressing my palm against it. I kissed his other cheek, my tears making his skin wet. “Leah said that when Garrett died it was like half of her heart was gone. You are right here and I feel like half of my heart is fumbling. I know what it’s like to be lost in the dark, Nick, and I wouldn’t put that kind of emptiness on my worst enemy.”

I didn’t have necromancer powers like Nick, but he wasn’t even dead. I didn’t have the kind of magic that could remove the net and kill all the demons in his mind. I wasn’t this heroic figure he thought I was—if I was, I would be able tofixhim. Despite everything, all the self loathing in that Hell prison, all the torturefrom Lilith and everyone else—I had never felt weaker than I did right in this moment.

I moved my head down so that I could rest my cheek at his chest. His heartbeat thrummed against my ear and it was nice. “You promised me you would stand beside me or behind me. Whichever I prefer. You can’t do that if you’re like this, so just wake up. We can’t exist together if you don’t wake up.”

I sighed, sniffing against his chest. I would go to Hell. That was it. My mind was made up and I was going to fight for him, for my own happiness. Ideservedto be happy and not have to destroy an entire realm to achieve it.

I pulled away from him, starting to make my way out of the room and alert the others of my plan when Leah’s words halted me.

Sometimes healing medicine and wishful thinking isn’t enough. Sometimes all they need is you and you alone to bring them back.

That was what I was doing. Me, myself and I were going to bring him back. I took another step and then stopped again. Maybe, that’s not what she meant. I brought my hands out, palms up and stared at them. I slowly turned around and made my way back over to him. I leaned over, placing my hand to his chest and ran my nose over his.

“I love you Nicholas Cassial. Please come home to me,” I whispered against his lip before I kissed him. The kiss was soft and I just held my lips against his. I pushed my light out against his chest, trying to dig it in as deep as I could. I tried to keep my shadows at bay, assuming that they weren’t needed but I felt them caress his body and move in alongside the light.

I told Nick I would fight the demons in his mind, if I could.

I had totry.

Iwas sweating buckets and I could barely feel my arms with how they were tied up. I hung from a ceiling I couldn’t even see, continuously poked and prodded at by shadow demons that changed into my worst nightmares. One minute it was Jonah punching into my stomach and the next it was Ariel whipping my back. Anytime I closed my eyes it was a fucking mess.

I saw blood everywhere and then it would be right in front of me, pooling at my feet as if it was my own. I saw Dimitri and the way he taunted and cackled in my face, somehow making me believe he won. The figures before me morphed into Dani or my father spewing out words of hate and discouragement in my face. I tried to block it out but this wasn’t like the times where I could breath and make it all go away.

This was my reality and I wasn’t waking up. I blinked and it got worse. I took a breath and my lungs constricted. The darkness in my mind was having a field day and all the progress Ihad made was pointless in a place like this. It was a prison of my own doing, even if I hadn’t forced myself to be here.

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