Shadows like mine

36

"Aurora," said Azriel careful and looked at her. Her black hair was being whipped from her face by the ice cold wind of the sea.
The darkness started to leave as in the distance, the sun was about to rise.
Truth Teller was slowly spinning in her fingers, she looked at every angle and every bit of sharpness.
She barely turned her head when she answered him. "Why did you come?" Her voice was soft and he could swear he heard regret.
"I'm your mate," he said and stepped a bit closer. "Why did you leave?"
"Azriel, I..."
Aurora stopped in her sentence and her body made a weird, convulsive movement.
"Shadowsinger," said a crackling, deep voice. The hairs in his neck stood up and cold fear started to clench his heart.
Death looked over Aurora's shoulder and locked eyes with him.
"You have played long enough with her." Death spun the dagger around quick, so quick that Azriel couldn't see it.
"Please." It was the only thing Azriel could say. "Please."
Death stared at him for a long moment. "You have nothing to offer, son of darkness."
"Release her from this curse," he pleaded. A life without her, would be unbearable. Now he had found her, his mate, life would be grey and meaningless if she would be gone.
"She is the best connection I could ask for." Death sighed and spun a lock of hair around Aurora's finger. "She's strong and smart. The perfect window."
"She's my mate," tried Azriel and his shadows tried to make contact with Aurora's. They held back so far that Azriel couldn't reach them.
"And that is the exact problem." Death turned around to face Azriel completely. "Illyrians should bow for me. You should serve me."
Death grinned at Azriel. "And it's time that she will be mine forever now."
It felt like the Earth slipped away from Azriel's feet. It was hard to breathe, to think.
"You can't take her." The anger in Azriel's voice was so loud, so violent, that Death raised a brow.
The fear started to boil in his chest, turned it into a rage. A rage that would not let Aurora go.
"She has been mine since the moment her father threw her away." Death shaped his teeth once more. "No one wanted her."
"I have always wanted her!" screamed Azriel. "And you're wrong."
Death laughed. "Am I?"
"She has been mine since the moment she was born." Azriel stepped closer once more. "Mates are made for each other. She was made for me, like I was made for her."
"Your purpose in this world is to kill and obey. Hers was to serve me," said Death and shook his head. "Seems like you two are more alike than you could've thought."
Azriel looked at Truth Teller in Aurora's hands.
"I will break this curse," Azriel said. He had said it to Aurora a countless times.
Now he said it in Deaths own face.
"I will set her free."
"You can't break a curse that can only be broken by Death, by me."
Azriel looked Death in the face and the anger in his body was terrible, so fierce, that it affected the mating bond. It set it on fire, burning light as bright as the sun.
Just as bright as the sun that was rising in the East at this very moment.
Death grabbed Aurora's head with a hand and screamed, turned and twisted his head. The shadows looked like they were fighting itself and Azriel stepped back, looking at the light and darkness fighting.
And then, a familiar voice spoke.
"Then I will break it," said Aurora.
Azriel screamed when Aurora smashed Truth Teller in her chest.
His body exploded, the anger and fear were mixed together in a dangerous poison running through his veins as he saw the blood gushing out of the wound.
"NO!" he rushed over towards Aurora, caught her before she hit the pebbles. For the first time in decades he felt tears rolling down his face as he looked at Truth Teller in Aurora's chest, her pale face and... bright, golden eyes.
"I'm breaking the curse," she said and coughed up blood.
Azriel's heart broke and would always be broken.
"You're not," he said and tried to stop the bleeding. It was useless. "You're killing yourself."
Aurora shook her head, her eyes shining and full of life, even though she was dying. "I'm breaking the curse."
Azriel swiped away the blood from her lips and his hands were red and slippery.
"Don't..." He had to catch his breath. "Don't do this to me."
With a cold, trembling hand she touched his cheek, leaving a bloody mark on it. Azriel felt like his body was breaking, his soul was melting and disappearing.
The world started to lose its colours.
"But I did this for you." Her breathing was heavy and hoarse. Her hand fell down to her chest. "I did this because I love you."
Azriel desperately tried to stop the bleeding, tried to reach out to her, keep her with him, through the bond.
But it disappeared, just like Aurora.
And Azriel's calmness cracked open, showing his emotions to the world. He screamed at the sky as he tried to stay alive, because the need to take the dagger and stab himself was immensely big.
He screamed and tried to breathe, but stopped when a voice whispered in his ear.
"Do you know why you were the only dangerous thing to me?" asked Death whispering. He was around them, looking at Aurora. Was she with him right now?
Azriel didn't answer.
"Do you know why you could touch her? Why I couldn't stop you?"
Azriel was shaking and kept his eyes on Aurora.
"Because what mates share, is everlasting, and I am just a blink of an eye."
Death left with the wind. And when the sunlight reached them, caressed Azriel's broken body and Aurora's bleeding chest, it also reached their bond.
Truth Teller was pushed out of Aurora's chest by the light of the Dawn, gave her lips and face colour.
Opened her eyes, so they could light up Azriel's world and their bond.
"I did it for you," she said. "I broke the curse for you."