Page 55 of Norah

It’s all-encompassing, a fire-breathing monster, tearing me from the inside out. Every single part of my body blazes in agony; it’s impossible to distinguish one terrible hurt from the rest. It feels like something inside me is tearing and biting, a carnivorous beast intent on devouring everything in its path.How can I be in so much pain and still be alive?

As the inferno of pain continues to burn, another sensation sneaks in. An icy chill invades my fingers and toes, gradually spreading. It’s almost soothing, a relief from the ongoing heat. Where the cold has touched, the pain is gone, replaced by a welcome numbness.

Everything else is still in agony, so intense it makes my mind feel muddled, confused.What happened? Why am I in so much pain?Nothing makes sense. Then a flash of clarity.Am I dying?

The question hits me with a jolt of awareness.Is this what it’s like? Am I dying right now?Do Iwantto, if it means escaping this pain? The scared, exhausted part of me saysyes, anything to escape this terrible agony. But yet… giving up still feels wrong.

I need to focus, distance myself from the physical pain, so I can make sense of things. To force my scrambled brain to work again, for whatever time I have left.Come on, focus. I concentrate, drawing energy from deep within, and force myself into consciousness.

A cool hand on my cheek. Wet drops splattering across my face like rain. I concentrate on the new sensations, pushing the pain back behind quickly constructed walls. “Norah, baby, can you hear me?” The voice is low and strained; tense with fear.

Ethan. As the realization hits me-he’s here- I feel a tremendous wave of gratitude. No matter what happens,I’m not alone. Everything that’s led up to this point rushes back to me. Simon. Jumping out the window. Fighting in the alleyway. Wanting to keep Ethan safe. Thinking I’d never see Ethan again. And now… Sudden fear grips me. Is Simon still a threat? Where is he? Is Ethan safe? I need to know what happened next.

My eyelids feel heavy, but I force them open. And I’m greeted by the most wonderful sight. Ethan blinks down at me, surprise and relief filling his deep green eyes. Tears stream down his cheeks, and I realize those were the drops that I’d felt on my face. I can’t speak, too overwhelmed at seeing him again. He’s bruised, bloody, but alive. His hand is stroking my cheek with the lightest of touches, trembling.

“Ethan.” My voice is barely recognizable, like it’s being scraped over sandpaper.

“Oh God, Norah.” His eyes close for a second, overcome with emotion. His expression is relieved and fearful at the same time. “I wasn’t sure… I didn’t know…” Ethan pauses and swallows a few times. “I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see you open your eyes again, baby.”

I want to ask Ethan everything, but a niggling fear makes me worry that time is running out. Maybe it’s a result of the spreading chill now encompassing my hands and feet. While the absence of pain is welcome, the numbness that accompanies it is frightening. But I don’t want to think about that now. I need to know everything that happened with Simon.

“What happened?” Each word is a struggle, but I force them out. “With Simon?”

Ethan’s brows raise in confusion, then lower to an angry frown. “Was that his name? The vampire who attacked you?” His voice is a growl, rage simmering beneath the even tone.

“Yes.” A wave of pain crests, making my body shiver in reaction. I have to catch my breath before continuing. The concern on Ethan’s face deepens, and his palm stills on my cheek. “Simon. He wanted to kill me. I ran… jumped…” Another shiver catches hold, stealing my words.

“Baby, maybe you shouldn’t talk. I need to get you help.”

I try to shake my head, but it won’t move. “No. Need to know. Where’s Simon?”

A grim satisfaction crosses his features. “He’s dead.”

Oh, thank God. Tears spring to my eyes in relief. No matter what happens next, at least I know Ethan is safe.The fear that’s settled in my chest releases. But with the lifting of one weight, another one falls.

The numbness is spreading from my hands and feet, expanding into my lower arms and legs. The reprieve from pain that was so welcome before now fills me with dread.Something is horribly wrong.

I know that I’m seriously hurt, though I’m not sure of the full extent. Shouldn’t I be healing at least a little? When I fell into that ravine, there was a tingling as my body repaired itself. Then the aching hunger afterwards. This is different.

There’s no tingling, no sensation of skin knitting together or bones merging from two pieces to one. There are only two extremes- agony and its complete absence. Neither seems positive. As my mind shifts through tangled thoughts, a realization emerges, dark and frightening.Something is very wrong with me.

“Norah. I need to get you some blood, fast.” He leans over and slides his arm under my back, lifting me. The slight movement sends blades of pain shooting through my chest, and a loud moan bursts from my lips. More tears fall uncontrollably, and my whole body shudders. Ethan lowers me down gently, his expression tortured as he looks at me. “I’m so sorry, baby. I just…fuck. I don’t want to leave you alone. But there’s no other choice. I have to find someone and bring them here so you can feed.”

“Ethan…” It’s increasingly hard to make the words take shape. “How bad is it?”

His features twist miserably. “It’s… not great.” His voice cracks. “Which is why I need to find blood right now.”

He can’t go. The thought of Ethan leaving freezes my heart in pure terror. With sure certainty, I know that if he walks away, I won’t see him again.

Numbness has continued its slow march, capturing my arms and legs entirely. But I now recognize the sensation for what it really is.Death.I’m dying, and nothing can stop it. Not anymore. I want to scream, wail, beg for it not to be so.I’m not ready. I don’t want to go.

When I leapt from the window, I thought I had accepted my fate. But looking at Ethan’s face- his beautiful eyes always filled with such love- I realize the acceptance was a lie. I don’t want to leave him. Not now.Not ever. Unfortunately, my path has already been determined. Perfect clarity shows me the inevitable end, and I refuse to face it without Ethan by my side.

“No.” My voice is a whisper, and it hurts to talk. But I need to get this out. “It’s too late. I can feel it. I’m dying.” More tears stream down my face. “There’s not much time left. Stay with me.Please. Just stay.”

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ETHAN

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