Page 68 of Take

“I can’t,” I said. Because the second my eyes hit his chin, I had to close them. I couldn’t look at what I knew I’d see.

“Yeah, you can. Because it’s all I have left.”

Oh, God, the pain crushing my chest was so debilitating I had to grab hold of him to stay upright.

“Look at me so I can see the stars in your eyes. Going to take them with me, angel.”

I collapsed at his feet, my hands on the floor, my curtain of hair hiding the anguish in my face as reality hit me. There was no escape for him and I was helpless to save him.

“You going to give me your eyes, sunshine? Because fuck, I don’t want to die without seeing them again.”

I crawled back up him, my legs vibrating so badly I needed to use him to keep myself standing. I raised my chin and then my blurred, tear-filled eyes slid up his body, past his chin, his nose and then . . .

We locked. And it stole my breath and stilled my heart.

This was what it was about. This was why anyone would go through suffering because on the other side was this . . . the encompassing brilliance of what Jasper and I shared. It was us merging, with that one look and becoming one.

“That’s it, baby. Fuck, you’re beautiful. I’m so proud of you.” He cocked a half-smile and from the wince after, I knew it was painful for him to give me that. I traced his lips with my fingers as the tears continued to stream down my cheeks. “Max. I need you to get out of here. Take Drake’s shirt and put it over your head, stay low and run. Use your telepathy to try and reach the others. You have to go before it’s too late.”

But I was too weak to use my telepathy and I wouldn’t leave Jasper. Never. I wasn’t scared to die; I was scared to walk away.

“No. I won’t leave you.” I stood on my tiptoes and curled my hands around his neck and then kissed him. His groan vibrated beneath my mouth and I deepened the kiss, my tongue tasting, my need so intense it was like I was unable to breathe without him.

“Max. Go,” Jasper mumbled when I refused to let him go. “Fuck,” he grunted and tore his head to the side to break us apart. “Get out of here. Give me that. Let me die knowing you’re safe.”

“I’m not safe. I’ll never be safe without you. You’re my safe, Jasper. Don’t you see that?” I flinched as his eyes hardened. No. No. I gagged on the tears, the sobs, the clenching pain that had my heart in its hand and squeezed until I felt as if it burst and I was drowning inside from my own blood.

“Do this for me. Jesus. I can’t watch you die. Don’t make me. You’re free, Max. You’re finally free of him.”

But I couldn’t give him that. I wouldn’t. I’d lived my whole life locked away doing what I had to in order to protect everyone. Now, I was doing what I wanted and I’d never leave him. Never.

I pulled away from him and this time when I met his eyes, I raised my chin and refused to falter under his determined harsh expression that he was using to try to get me to do what he wanted.

“I’m not leaving you.”

We stared at one another for a few seconds, both unwavering. It was Jasper that broke first and it was him sighing. Then every muscle relaxed as he hung, accepting what he couldn’t fight. “Come here, baby,” he whispered.

I buckled into him and it was at that moment I felt as if I took his heart and he took mine. Because every day I suffered in Drake’s hands, every day I hid away, it was all worth it for this moment, knowing that Jasper was mine. That he was giving the pieces of him that had scattered into the wind so many years ago.

I’d caught each one and brought them back and now they were mine. He was mine and I was his.

“Fuck, you’re stubborn.” His voice was a ragged whisper and I heard the tinge of fear. “But I love you, Max. I fuckin’ love you.”

I pressed my forehead against his chest, his heart still thumping strong and steady despite the walls that crumbled around us. It was getting closer. The heat burning my back and the smoke leaking beneath the door to make a light fog in the room.

“I love you. I love you. I love you,” I said as there was a sudden crash of what sounded like parts of the roof.

“Jesus, Max.” I knew he must have heard the fear in my voice. But it wasn’t fear of dying; I’d always accepted that. What I was scared of was us not dying at the same time. Of holding him dead in my arms or him seeing me being burned alive.

Jasper kissed my forehead. “Don’t look, okay. Kiss me, baby. Just kiss me and we’ll go together.”

I jerked as the door burst open and the inferno of smoke and heat filled the room. I slammed my mouth down on his and kissed him with all I had left. Because this was all either of us had.

I kept my eyes closed, ignoring the agony of the heat burning my back, the smoke filling my lungs with each breath that was Jasper’s and mine together.

But my kiss ended too fast as I struggled to breathe and my hands slipped from his neck as I coughed violently. No. No.

Suddenly I was yanked away and a cry escaped my lungs, not knowing what happened until a wet cloth came over my nose and mouth and I saw the cold ice-blue eyes of Waleron.

Then Xamien came up beside us and something else. An Ink. A brilliant light linked the black shadow of a massive beast to Xamien. It was transparent except for the mouth, eyes and claws that glowed bright turquoise. It had to be over seven-feet tall with faded grey markings all over the black shadowed form. Xamien took me from Waleron then spoke to his Ink.

“The chains, Grief.” The Ink moved like the wind and shifted past us. It snarled and razor sharp fangs emerged. It lowered its head and clamped down on the chains around Jasper. Within seconds, they fell to the ground.

Waleron grabbed the now unconscious Jasper around the waist as he collapsed and threw him over his shoulder. I reached out to Xamien’s Ink, no longer hiding what I’d been forced to for ten years. “Thank you, Grief,” I whispered to the Ink in my mind.

His glowing eyes darted in my direction and then he tilted his head to the side as if he was trying to ascertain whether he heard me or not. After a few seconds, Grief bowed his head to me then swept across the floor and merged back with Xamien.

We made it out of the basement just as the ceiling gave way.