A Storm of Flames and Deceit

46. Clear

Nephele

The sob shatters through my chest as I lean over where he lay in my lap. He wasn't moving, wasn't breathing, wasn't reacting.

Wasn't living.

Panic seizes me.

I can't do this without him. I can't... I can't-

Frantically, I reach for his wrist- which had taken the brunt of the shock from the sword. His palm was completely burned purple, and streaks slipped up his forearm, disappearing up his shirt.

I can't.

I can't.

I can't.

Ripping his shirt open, I find the ending to his lines of purple, drawing to his unbeating heart, center of his paled chest.

I can't.

I can't.

I can't.

I reach for his face, the briefest and quietest moment of peace. There are eternities in that moment. Eternities where I can hear him laugh, I can see him roll his eyes, I can feel his lips on mine.

I can't.

I can't.

I can't.

"I'm sorry," I whisper before rolling up my sleeves, settling my hands against the center of his chest.

Charging my palms, I push against his skin with a slight bout of electricity, too afraid for any further voltage. His chest jerks responsively into my hands before dropping back against the floor lifelessly.

I can't.

I can't.

Charging my palms again, another shock, more voltage, more power. He arches into my hands before dropping back again, his skin turning an angry shade of red beneath my palm.

I can't.

Shutting my eyes, I breathe in my resolve. In my head, I see the image of him, smiling at me in that gilded way he does, telling me he'd never let anything happen to me.

The spark charges through the air with a sharp and shrill zap, his skin drawing to mine before falling back to the floor with a thud. Tears seep past my closed lids, spilling onto my already wet cheeks as my head drops onto his chest.

My Eris.

Sobbing, I forget how to breathe in those moments, my throat collapsing on my lungs. I wrap my arms around him, aching in every cell in my body, aching in my very soul. He had never been so cold in his life, his infinite warmth quiet.

My Eris.

My everything.

A beat.

A beat so quiet I almost don't hear it over my wailing, but then, another.

I jerk back, eyes wide and wet as I look down on him.

He's as gilded as he has always been, but the gold around him burned fiercer, hotter. The air pickled warmer, crisper. The world stilled around him, blurring to a stop. I could feel my very body realign to his as his next heart beat thudded.

My mate.

Eris was my mate.

I knew it- I always had, but now, I could feel it. Now, I could feel it because he...

He was alive.

He groans, wincing as he grabs at his aching ribs, slowly blinking his eyes open. His brow furrows as he squints up at me. "What the hell are you crying about?" He asks, coughing.

He doesn't get an answer. He gets squeezed around his neck. He gets suffocated by my relief. My love.

He laughs softly, closing his weak arms around me. "You're alive?" I whisper, tearing up all again.

"I'm alive," he murmurs in return. "You can't get rid of me that easy."

I cry harder. "You died," I inform him dumbly, anchoring my hand in his soaking wet hair.

"I know," he whispers. "I'm alive now. I'm not leaving you."

I burrow into his neck, trying to calm myself. No part of me feels calm. I feel like my chest might rip open. I feel like my head might split.

Pulling back, I take his face in my hand. "You're my mate," I whisper.

He rolls his eyes. "I didn't forget."

"No," I find it hard to feel frustrated with him, even if he's being a complete idiot. I take his hand, settling over my heart as I had settled mine over his only moments ago. "You're my mate."

Realization burns through his eyes seconds later, his lips parting in a soft shock. I tip my head against his, smiling helplessly as he laughs, his lips meeting mine as he sits up. Our laughter blends in the kiss, his hands closing around the soaked fabric of my gown.

Pulling back, he smiles at me. "Took you long enough," he taunts, kissing my nose. I roll my eyes.

"I know you intend to mock me, but it's impossible for me to feel anything negative towards you right now," I remind him. "I'm so fucking glad you're alive."

He smirks. "Well, in that case..." He lowers his lips onto mine again, something deeper, deeper than anything I've ever felt with his lips on mine. I hadn't thought that possible.

He progresses, lowering me onto our back on the floor of our living room with a sizzling, burning passion. I feel so powerless in it. I want him all. I want him now. I want my everything.

A/N: I promise more stuff is coming considering a bomb of emotion was just dropped on our girl lol. Patience my dear readers. We're nearing the end, but there's still a whole lot of story left.