A Shade of Vampire 77 A Fate of Time - Bella Forrest Page 0,53

going to make it."

"At least River, Lawrence, and the others are away from here," Ben replied. "If this is our end, they won't have to witness it. The Shade needs protection, now more than ever."

"I know," Grace replied, her eyes shimmering with tears that would never flow. Her body, however, was crying. "I hope they get another chance out there. I hope the Hermessi won't be able to destroy them the way they did us."

"Mom… Hold on, it's not over yet," Caia said, as she and Vita put their arms around her and hugged her tight. "Not yet. Please, don't lose hope."

"Honey, I'm just being realistic," Grace murmured, giving her daughters a gentle smile. "Whatever happens, I'm with you. We're together. We shouldn't be. You shouldn't be here, but… this is it, you know?"

My throat closed up. I wanted to scream and kick and cry, but I was as helpless as everyone else. Lucas, poor soul, was practically red with fury. He'd been brought back only to be whacked again.

"This isn't the first time we've hung by a thread," Kailyn reminded us.

"I wonder what it is they're talking about," Lucas muttered, scowling at the Reapers. Rudolph's gaze kept darting between the outside world and the sanctuary. A voice echoed in the distance, but with all our spirits here, murmuring to one another, and the structure's unnatural and constant hum, I couldn't make out much.

I tried to move away from my body, but I felt my movements grow sluggish, almost stiff. Maybe it had something to do with my life-chain dying. Maybe I'd be able to move more once the last link snapped.

"Rudolph, what is it?" I asked, raising my voice.

He stared at me for a moment, sweat glistening on his forehead. "I don't know what you mean," he replied from six crystal casings away.

"Get your ass down here and talk to me," I snapped. "Now!"

Hesitant at first, he made his way back to our cluster, his hands deep in his pockets, scythe tucked away. Still, I had a hard time getting any words out of him, until Lucas poked him in the ribs. He’d done it almost instinctively, then realized he could touch a Reaper—judging by the momentary flash of surprise on his face.

"Talk, pipsqueak. We're at Death's door!" he snarled at Rudolph.

The other Reapers stayed back, but they watched with renewed interest. Usually, spirits stayed away from agents of Death, but it did make sense that we could touch them. After all, we could touch each other. I’d even managed to give Zeriel a message in the plane of the living. And Reapers were in charge of us, so they had to be able to touch us, if they wanted—how else would they reap us, otherwise? In hindsight, I should’ve hugged Seeley before he’d left. Chances were I’d never see him again…

"Your fiancé is outside, shouting for you," Rudolph finally said.

My heart skipped. "Wha… What?"

"He didn't leave with the others," Rudolph replied. "He stayed here. I suppose he wants to spend whatever time he has left with you. Unfortunately, said time is rather short. We're in the last thirty fae now."

"He's outside?!" I yelped. "Why… Why the hell didn't he go to The Shade? He's going to… oh, God, he's going to die here, with us!"

My knees gave out, and Ben was quick to hold me, as dread washed over me in icy, biting waves.

"She needs to see him!" Grace said firmly. "If he's out there, you have to help her!"

Rudolph shook his head, but he didn't sound as sure of himself as before. "I can't. It's against the rules."

"Screw your rules!" Ben replied. "Screw your rules a thousand times! We're dying here! Can't you see that?"

"I'll never see my husband and our daughter again, if the Hermessi win," Vita cried out. "But Vesta… She still has a chance to say goodbye. Dammit, Rudolph, enough with the friggin' regulations. You've picked the worst time for that!"

Still, Rudolph didn't immediately oblige.

I felt compelled to touch his hand, demanding that his gaze meet mine. "Please, Rudolph," I whispered. "This might be it for us."

He glanced over his shoulder at Malleus and the others. To my surprise, they all gave him a brief nod—even Sidyan, the most reluctant among them. Rudolph touched my crystal casing and pushed it out into the main pathway of the sanctuary, almost effortlessly. The thing was twice his size, yet he had absolutely no trouble with it. Perhaps it was one of the perks of being a