Page 40 of Within Shadows
“Get your filthy hands off of her, Oliver. I’m giving one fucking warning. That’s more than your friends got.” I hold the knife tighter, gripping the handle until my hand aches.
“That’s funny, because your hands are covered in blood. Do you see what a monster he is, Maeve?” Oliver tsk’s, his arm tightening around her throat as she claws at his sleeve. “I’m taking her home, where she belongs. Right, Maeve?” he asks. Asingle tear tracks down her cheek as she holds my gaze, nodding once in agreement.
I shake my head, putting a hand to my heart and forcing my feet to stay locked in place.
“Her home is with me. Where she chooses to be.” I spit the words at him but never take my eyes off of her. I need her to know that I won’t let him hurt her. Rage contorts his face and he jerks her as he points the gun at me, staggering a step closer.
“You only wanted to play with the weak, broken little bitch because she was desperate and easy! You are nobody to her and everyone else! Maeve belongs to me.” He grins, and I snort a laugh. His rage is directed at me, along with the gun, and that’s exactly how I want it.
“There is nothing broken about Thalia. You really think that you mattered enough to break her? To tear her down? A goddess doesn’t bow to a pathetic man.” I take a step closer, and the hand holding the gun trembles with his rage. “She begs for my touch, for my embrace, and Thalia only kneels for me. Because I drop to my knees and worship her as she deserves. When she screams for God, she is screaming for me.” I hold my hands wide and wink at Maeve. Her eyes are round as she shakes her head, clearly thinking I’ve lost it if I’m egging on the guy with a gun. But I mean every word of what I’ve said.
“Knox, behind you!” Maeve screams, sinking her teeth into Oliver’s arm as she frantically claws at his other hand that holds the gun. A gunshot registers a split second before agony rips through my back and ribs. My knees buckle as I fall forward, struggling to suck in a breath through the blinding pain. I drag my eyes upwards even as my body begs to collapse. Oliver has lost his gun as Maeve fights like hell, ripping her nails over his right eye. The look on her face is nothing short of animalistic as she screeches. Biting, clawing, and slamming her fist into his throat until he shoves her away. Oliver is choking, gasping for airas Maeve grabs the gun and whirls on me. She raises it, pointing over my head with a crazed look in her eyes.
Warmth spreads through my body at the sight of her, disheveled with my oversized shirt hanging on her small frame, hair like fire is licking at the ends, and hands steady. I am truly kneeling before a goddess, just as I said, and if this is the last breath I take, then I will die with a smile.
She pulls the trigger with a scream. Over and over bullets whiz above my head, and I turn to look past my shoulder. It’s hard to move, like the air around me is hardening to concrete. My pulse thrums softly in my ears, muffling all sounds as I watch a man fall to the ground. I was shot from behind, so focused on Maeve that I didn’t realize somebody else had slunk up the driveway.
Cold hands cup my jaw and the smell of gunpowder tinges past my dulling senses. Maeve turns my head until I meet her tear-filled gaze.
“Beautiful.” The word slips from my lips, a soft whisper as I wrap my arms around her. Her body shakes as she collapses against me, her sobs cutting through the haze. I brush a hand over her head, softly humming as I hold her to me. She snaps her head up and stands, holding her arm out to block my body with hers. Oliver is pointing my gun at us, and he’s snapped, losing all control.
“You’ll die for this, you stupid bitch!” he roars. Maeve pulls the trigger first, the soft click of an empty chamber is the only response.
“No,” she whispers, but doesn’t move from in front of me. Oliver smirks and I force my body to move, snagging an arm around her waist as I twist, fighting through the agony in my back as I slam her to the ground and brace my body over hers.
He fires, the bullet sinking deep into my shoulder as a new wave of pain riddles my mind and body. Maeve screams and I want to move, I want to kill the man taking leisure steps towardsus. I want to rip his heart out, but my eyes won’t stay open, my body heavier with each breath.
“S’okay, muse,” I manage to grit out. The sound of a car engine rumbles as it speeds right towards us, and my eyes burn. Tears drip onto her face as I force myself to look at her one last time. Headlights glide over us and I can no longer keep my weight from crushing her, but I will protect her with my last breath.
My sweet, beautiful muse. She will live on to see hundreds of sunsets, and with each one she will think of me. With less pain in her heart than the last. My dying wish, as everything goes dark, is that she finds peace.
Chapter 26
Maeve
My father finally gives up on getting me to speak and leaves the steaming mug of coffee next to me. His retreat gives me more room to breathe as I pick at the hoodie sleeve I’m wearing. My hands finally stop trembling, but they’re still cold. The entire room is freezing and stinks of antiseptic, the way all hospitals do. I burrow my nose into the collar of my hoodie and take a deep breath, my eyes closing as I sink intohissmell. Convincing myself that his arms are wrapped around me is easier like this, which is why I’ve been living in his clothes for the last week.
A familiar hand gently rubs my shoulder and Jess leans into view, holding a hairbrush and gives me a kind smile.
“I’m going to do a braid today. Those pill-happy doctors are looking for any reason to force you back into your old room. Think your parents agree with them,” she huffs, and I grunt in disagreement.
“Oh sweetie, don’t you worry. Al is out there setting them straight as we speak. Taking care of both of you is basically a full-time job now, you know? I don’t mind, obviously. I love the both of you with my whole heart. But my patience only goes so far. You still haven’t touched your food, and I am ready to strap you to a chair and force feed you.” Jess keeps chattering, and the corner of my lip twitches, the ghost of a smile on my face as I stare at the machines on the wall.
Jess has been my rock through this hell I woke up to. Images of Knox flash through my mind, the blood pooling around us as I frantically sought out his heartbeat. I reach up and press my knuckles over my heart, rubbing the ache that hasn’t stopped since that night. Al drops into the chair next to mine and still won’t look at me. Jess told me a few days ago that he doesn’t blame me but blames himself for not being there sooner.
Guilt is something we both have sat with, in the silence that stretches on too long. It’s somehow become a comfortable habit of ours.
“Doc says if you don’t eat, then it’s back to your room to get an I.V., and they’ll strap you down to keep you from rippin’ this one out,” he grumbles, crossing his arms as he stretches out his legs. He kicks the bed in front of us, jostling it as he growls. I whip my head to look at him, shooting to my feet and causing Jess to lose her grip on my hair.
“Don’t.” The word is raspy, my throat still sore from screaming until I fell into silence. It’s not that I don’t want to talk, I just have nothing to say anymore. Al raises his brow and holds a tray of food out to me.
“Then fucking eat, for our sake and his. When he wakes up and finds out you’re starving yourself, it’s my ass,” he snaps. I swat the tray, letting it clatter to the floor between us. Al launches to his feet and pokes a finger into my chest.
“Get a grip, girl. He needs you to keep it together. I’m getting another tray. You’re gonna eat and then shower because you fuckin’ stink.” Al towers over me, his tone lethal, but I can see how red his eyes are. He’s not sleeping either as we stay at Knox’s bedside, day after day. Al is hurting as much as I am, but only one of us is shutting down.
Soft sniffles break the staredown and we both look over to see Jess, hand over her mouth as tears track down her face. Al brushes past me as he takes her into his arms, and my anger deflates. My father stands in the doorway with his arms crossed, uncertainty in his eyes as he watches me.
“Jess, here’s some cash. Why don’t you two go have lunch and bring her back a chocolate muffin and a lemonade.” My dad places money in Jess's hand, patting Al on the shoulder as he leads her from the room. He walks to me with purpose and grabs my arm to gently push me back into my chair. His hands fumble as he struggles to finish the braid that came undone in my fit. I stare at the tubes snaking around Knox and his bed, most obvious is the breathing tube that sticks out of his mouth. Howmany times have I imagined them pulling that tube out so that I can hear his voice once again?
