Page 65 of In Darkness and Dank

It just fucking couldn’t—

Something grabbed his leg.

Kittisak took on more water, but then suddenly strong arms were around him and pushing him up into the air.

It was Bal!

She rose up out of the water with Kittisak braced on her shoulder. “Where Shu? What happen?”

“Please, we have to go!” Kittisak shouted between gurgling gasps as he tried to retch up the water he’d inhaled. “He’s been shot! It’s the same bastard that shot me, and he’s trying to kill Shu! I got the mud, but, but, but—!”

“We go!” Bal turned her head, opening her mouth as if to scream, but there was no sound.

It clearly did something because within seconds they were no longer alone in the water.

More of the Rife, at least ten more stunning creatures of varying heights and colors, rose from the dark depths, and they moved as a unified swarm toward the shore. Kittisak only saw them as a colorful blur as his entire focus was reaching Shu.

It couldn’t end. It just fucking couldn’t.

Kittisak was there beside Shu so fast that he’d swear Bal threw him over here. He dropped to his knees with the sopping foul sack and then quickly grabbed big handfuls to slap over Shu’s chest before Browning even had a chance to move.

“Kitty,” Shu purred weakly. “Meh almae… Meh maur… need to tell Kitty…”

“I’m here!” Kittisak cried. “I’m here! Hey! Got the mud, just hold on!”

Behind him, Bal and the other Rife seized Denninger and a very terrified Bissell and Zimm. They snapped the guns into pieces, Zimm moaned in what was probably terror, and then Bal politely but very quickly picked up Browning to move him out of her way.

“Brother,” Bal whispered worriedly, kneeling beside Kittisak at Shu’s side.

Shu’s eyes fluttered open when he heard her voice. “Sister.” He smiled, coughed, and then his eyes closed again.

“Shu? Baby?” Kittisak tried.

Shu didn’t respond, and Kittisak couldn’t tell if he was breathing.

“Hey! Hey! Shu! Can you hear me?” Kittisak panicked. “What’s wrong?”

“Your soulmate is trying to cross,” Bal replied. “He go to moon now.”

“Wait.” Kittisak’s chest tightened. “Soul what?”

“Your almae.” Bal’s eyes filled with tears. “Your special. It’s our word for our special. Our soulmate.”

“Oh fuck.” Kittisak dumped the remaining mud from the shirt on top of Shu’s chest, begging, “Hey! Shu, please listen to me. I’m your almae, right? Bal told me what it meant. Soulmate. That means forever, dammit. So, you have to wake up because you definitely haven’t given me forever yet. I want more, okay? Kisses, hugs, dancing… all of it. With you.”

Shu managed a weak smile. “Oh, meh almae… I…”

“Shu?”

Shu’s eyes closed…

For the final time.

10

Well, the final time for that day anyway.

Shu didn’t wake for three days, and Kittisak never left his side for a moment. Bal and Shu’s other sisters plus their mates brought fresh mud, and they made sure Kittisak ate and drank. They didn’t dare move Shu from where he’d fallen because of the severity of his wound, and they built a tall canopy out of branches and leaves over top of him.

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