“Amelia, come on, baby, come on now… don't you dare do this… don't you dare fucking leave me again… no, no… I do not allow this… I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!” I bellowed in pain wanting to bring her back to me, my hands curling into her dress, her body. I eased knowing that I could hurt her, bruise her. I needed to calm… for she would come back. Her smile, she would show it to me soon. Open those eyes for me and say some witty remark making me laugh… Fuck! But I would never laugh again!
“Come on! Wake up, damn you! Wake up… wake up… please wake up!” This desperate plea ended up as a whisper said against her skin, as I cradled her head to my lips, whispering now on her forehead, one that was feeling cold now.
Then I don’t know when it happened, but one thing did finally penetrate my brain and it was the sound of Carn’reau as he stepped up closer to me and began to tell me the fucking awful truth,
“I'm so sorry, my Lord.” But I lashed out, shouting how it wasn’t true! It couldn’t fucking be true!
“What the fuck do you mean, she will be fine… she just needs my blood, that’s all… we just need to find a way for her to take my blood,” I said ending this softly down at her, now pushing back her hair from her face. Gods, but she looked so pale, she just needed my blood.
“I'm afraid what my brother says is true,” he tried again.
“What the fuck did he say!?” I snapped only hearing half of what was happening around me for I could concentrate on little else, still talking to her, trying to get her to come around.
“She just needs time, just a little time as she's tired… yes, that’s it, she is just tired is all, she just needs my blood and rest, don’t you, sweetheart?” I kept saying like some fucking fool, so deluded that not even my demon was listening. No, he was fucking roaring at me for letting this happen!
But I wasn’t listening to him either, not until I finally looked up at the King, and his pained eyes looked back at me. That’s when I realised that my face was wet, and I raised a hand to my own cheek wondering what it was before seeing for myself that it was my tears.
And they wouldn't stop falling.
Because I knew. The horrific part of me inside knew.
“I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do.”
“I'm so sorry.”
“Her heart, it has given way to the darkness. The darkness that poisoned her.” These words they kept on being said over and over again but I was no longer listening.
No, I was back to listening to the sound of my girl’s heart as it started to slow down even further, and then eventually that soft thud inside her chest started to mark the beginning of my own heart breaking.
It marked the beginning of my real Hell.
It marked the beginning of the end.
Of when…
My Chosen One died in my arms. And my…
My heart turned to darkness.
To be Continued
in
Wraith of Fire
Transfusion Saga #11
releasing March 21st
About the Author
Stephanie Hudson has dreamed of being a writer ever since her obsession with reading books at an early age. What first became a quest to overcome the boundaries set against her in the form of dyslexia has turned into a life's dream. She first started writing in the form of poetry and soon found a taste for horror and romance. Afterlife is her first book in the series of twelve, with the story of Keira and Draven becoming ever more complicated in a world that sets them miles apart.
When not writing, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her loving family and friends, chatting for hours with her biggest fan, her sister Cathy who is utterly obsessed with one gorgeous Dominic Draven. And of course, spending as much time with her supportive partner and personal muse, Blake who is there for her no matter what.
Author’s words.
My love and devotion is to all my wonderful fans that keep me going into the wee hours of the night but foremost to my wonderful daughter Ava...who yes, is named after a cool, kick-ass, Demonic bird and my sons, Jack, who is a little hero and Baby Halen, who yes, keeps me up at night but it’s okay because he is named after a Guitar legend!