Page 160 of Claimed In Darkness

Too focused on getting her back.

Now, she’s slipping away, and no one can stop it, even her.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" I ask with a shaky voice.

She’s dying in my arms, and she didn’t even tell me.

She closes her eyes.

"because I didn’t want you to stop me."

All I see is red.

"You thought I wouldn’t notice?"

She swallows hard, a flicker of something too close to regret flashing across her face.

"I hoped you wouldn’t."

My jaw locks. My fucking chest aches.

"So you planned on dying for this? For them?"

A small, broken laugh slips past her lips.

"No,"she whispers."I planned on dying for you.”

It’s a confession.

A death sentence.

I don’t want it. I won’t take it.

She is not dying for me.

She is not giving herself up for me.

She belongs to me.

She always has. And I will not lose her to this.

I cup her face, forcing her eyes on mine. Forcing her to see what she just said.

I want her to understand that I will not let this happen.

"You think I’d let you do this?"

Her lips press together.

"You think I’d let you fucking die for me?" I ask again, gazing into her eyes, trying to speak to what remains of her soul.

She flinches.

I will burn this world to keep her.

She knows I would rather die myself than let her pay this fucking price.

Even if it’s already too late, I will still fight for us.

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