Page 96 of Crown of Death
“Logan,” Cyrus’ face suddenly appears in my vision. He’s panic stricken, his face bone white, a stark contrast to his glowing red eyes and the blood sprayed across it. “Logan, why…why did you dothat?”
I feel his arms slide under me and he lifts. A scream of pain rips from my chest, which causes more pain. I scream somemore.
Gently, Cyrus lays me on his bed. His hands fuss around, hovering over thestake.
Other faces swim into the corners of my vision, but it’s darker where theyare.
I keep looking at Cyrus, trying not to think about how I can’tbreathe.
“She must have a collapsed lung,” a voice says. I think it’sMina.
“How did he get in?” Cyrus growls, looking up at theothers.
“The day we found the house in shambles,” she says. “I think…I think perhaps they never actually left thehouse.”
“Your Majesty,” another voice says, one I do not recognize. “They had been waiting for you. That stake in her chest was meant for yourheart.”
Cyrus eyes drop back down to mine. He takes my hand, holding it up to his mouth. “Why?” he breathes. “Why would you do this,Logan?”
Tears well in my eyes. My lip trembles. “You know why,” I whisper. One tear breaks free from my eyes and rolls down myface.
He leans forward, pressing his forehead to mine. And I realize that he isshaking.
“At least you get what you want now,” I breathe. My chest hurts. My brain is screaming for moreoxygen.
“No,” Cyrus says, shaking his head. “Not like this. It should never have ended in terror andfear.”
With my left hand, I reach up, lacing my fingers through his hair. “Better me than you. Had he gotten you, it would have been the end, and I…” The breath runs out of my lungs and I can’t pull any morewords.
Cyrus shakes his head, and it makes me think that perhaps he doesn’t think ittrue.
“Logan, I…” his voice trembles. He falters, and my heart hurts even more for him when I see the confusion in his eyes. “Thank you. I am grateful to have the time finally arrive,” he whispers. He looks into my eyes. “So I can finally stop feelingguilty.”
“Guilty?” I manage just one moreword.
He stares at me, and finally I see something different in his eyes. Me. Justme.
“The guilt of feeling as if I am betraying my wife,” he whispers. His words sound far away. The world grows a little darker. “Because when I look at you,Logan….”
Peace. It settles into my chest, overriding the pain. Taking over the fear and panic riding throughme.
A small smile pulls on mylips.
Even as the strength seeps out of me. My hand falls away from his face, flopping to the bed,useless.
“I understand if I’m not her and you need to keep searching,” I say. I finally accept what I’ve been so terrified of. “I pray you findher.”
Tears well into Cyrus’ eyes and one breaks free, landing on myjawline.
“You deserve to find peace, Cyrus,” I whisper, knowing my words are running out. I let my eyes slide closed. “I’mready.”
He hesitates. For a few moments. And in that hesitation, the pain and the suffocation come roaring back. Like a black, inky monster. It spreads from the stake, stretching out to every corner of mybody.
But then there’s anotherpain.
A sharp bite. Fangs latching onto my neck, just over my carotidartery.
And then pulls. Long, strong pulls as Cyrus sucks my blood from mybody.