Page 30 of Blue Embers
I waited, closing my eyes and feeling for her heartbeat in the air. When I’d isolated it, I listened, reading everything I could from its rhythm. It took a while. I was unpracticed when it came to the real, deep emotions, but when her breath faltered even a little bit, I knew. I could feel it. She was crying.
“Persephone,” I whispered, lifting my head.
She didn’t answer, but as soon as I heard that first, tiny sob, I rolled over onto my side, draping my arm around her body. Persephone raised her hands to her face, covering it as I slipped under the covers and pressed my body to her back. Her breath fell from her lungs in a quiver as she wept. I couldn’t help myself. I needed to lessen her pain however I could. I reached up and brushed her hair back from her face, feeling the wetness of her tears against my fingers. She didn’t want to speak and I didn’t want to make her. All I could do and all I wanted to do was hug her close and tight.
Persephone cried for a while longer, the whole time trying to stay as quiet as possible. I found myself rubbing her arm to comfort her. Kissing her shoulder like she was my mate. I found myself doing everything an emotionally invested man would do for his woman...only she wasn’t my woman.
By the time morning had started creeping over the horizon, I was awake before the sun was up and watched the light grow brighter in the partially clouded sky outside. Persephone had finally fallen asleep and I didn’t have the heart to wake her. I held her gently, her body facing mine with her head nuzzled under my chin. I could smell the rain in her hair and turned my head down to take it in, listening to the calm of her heartbeat.
Finally, as the room brightened with dawn’s light, she stirred, her body moving with a slow intake of breath while she woke. I could feel her long legs rub against mine and it made me think of far more selfish things for a small second. Her head turned against my chest as she released a soft, feminine moan and gradually opened her eyes toward me. Her gaze lingered for a moment as if she wasn’t sure whether or not I was real. When she realized where she was, her eyes fluttered and I could feel her muscles tense throughout her body.
“Shit,” she muttered with a dry throat, sitting up and straightening her hair. “Sorry.”
I rose out of bed, rolling over to stand with a shake of my head.
“Don’t be,” I said.
“I had to have crossed a lot of lines last night,” Persephone spoke in her familiar, self-assured tone, like the breakdown just hours ago had restarted her system.
I turned to see her standing, her slender body draped adorably in my loose-fitting clothes. She cleared her throat, looking up at me with eyes that had barely woken.
“Do you have mouthwash or something?” she inquired, pressing her lips together like morning breath was her biggest problem.
I nodded, gesturing for her to follow me to the restroom. It was too large for one person. It was nearly the size of the bedroom and if I were being honest, I didn’t even use all of its luxuries that much. A large tub that could fit five people. Glass sinks and countertops lining two walls. A shower with a sizeable round spout that could rain down on three bodies at once. It was overkill, but I loved overkill.
Persephone stepped into the room and faltered at the door, taking in the elaborate design like she’d just seen a magic trick. She whistled at the sight, raising her brows as she followed me to the counter where I had already taken a swig of mint mouthwash. Handing the bottle to Persephone, I spit out my mouthful and splashed my face with a bit of cool water to wake myself up. Persephone mimicked my actions, swishing some mouthwash before splashing her face with water and dabbing it on a white hand towel hanging by the sink.
Once we’d freshened up a bit, I slipped on a clean shirt and prepared to give my questions for Persephone another shot. Just as she was walking to the door, I spun to say something. As if she was doing the same thing, she pivoted, her mouth open like she was just about to speak. Realizing our position, she smiled politely and waited for me to go first. Suddenly I felt like mentioning her sister might ruin her mood again and I had no desire to do that, so I refrained.
“Thank you,” she said once my own words didn’t quite clear the silence. “For putting up with me last night.”
“My pleasure,” I said, slipping a bit of charm behind my expression. “Although, I was hoping there would be an explanation once you calmed down a bit.”
As expected, I watched her face flatten with repeated realization, but that morning it was much more controlled than the previous night. I was a bit on edge, wondering if she was actually going to grace me with an answer. She was hesitant. Hesitant enough to make me regret bringing it up. I stepped in, shaking my head to take back my query.
“If you would rather--”
“It’s my sister,” Persephone said, cutting me off as if she’d just forced the words out.
“I figured as much,” I said gently. “So something else happened.”
“After I asked her all those questions, she had some kind of seizure and…” she took a breath, focusing. “And now she’s in a coma. She’ll be in a coma until she dies.” She frowned, uncomfortable with the subject. “Or until I decide to take her off life support.”
My heart sank for Persephone. I’d known loss in my past, more times than I could count. Seeing and feeling her pain as the concept rooted in her mind was wrenching. She was trying her best to stay upright, but it seemed that every support beam she erected was starting to splinter under the weight of it all.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly.
“I just…” her eyes wandered as if she was watching a million thoughts fly past her. “I knew I’d lose her someday, but some part of me always thought she’d be in that bed forever. I’d just go visit her all the time. Another part of me thought he’d come back and he’d fix her. Now…” she shook her head.
Persephone took a few breaths, letting them out slowly.
“It’s real. It’s more real than it’s ever been,” she continued. I could see her eyes turning red. She bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears. “Her heart’s still beating, but she’s gone and either I let her whither away in that hospital bed or...or I make the hardest decision of my life and I let her go.” The tears glistened beneath her eyes and still she attempted to conceal them. “She’s all I have,” she smiled, her lips quivering.
As soon as the first tear fell down her cheek, she reached up to slap it a way as if she was angered by its presence. At the same time, I walked forward, a need to relieve her pain pulling my body toward her. Reaching out to touch her cheek, I wiped another tear with my thumb, sliding it gently across her cheekbone. Persephone turned her head away from me, wiping one cheek with her wrist and then the other, sniveling.
“I don’t want you to feel sorry for me,” she said. “I didn’t come here for that.”
“Why did you come here?” I asked, brushing her chin with the backs of my knuckles.
