Lips Red As Blood

48 |

Cora wakes up to the sound of hushed whispers. 

She releases a muffled groan, body aching all over. Her fingers brush over soft bed sheets and she rolls to the side, her memories flooding in like an overflowing water dam. Hell. Rocks smashing everywhere. Running. Then she stiffens, heart throbbing as if it's being clawed by millions of sharp nails. Yuna. Pushed. Dead. 

Flashes of blood spill across her mind and Cora winces. In the end, Yuna met the same fate as her brother. For that reason alone, a blank emptiness threatens to swallow her whole. 

Cora slowly sits up, eyes roaming around. Beside her, Harper sleeps peacefully, unaware of the raging clashing conflict inside Cora's body. Thin curtains breeze prettily, as the tiniest sliver of the sun pours through. The furniture is modern and there's a television humming in the background. The reporter lady is talking about connections between mysterious earthquakes and people roaming around big cities in a zombie-like trance, and while that information would have normally intrigued Cora, her attention is fixated on something. 

Two people, in particular. 

They're out on the balcony, emerald-green leaves casting soft shadows on their faces. Cora crawls out of the bed, careful not to wake her sister, before cautiously stepping towards the balcony. She hears the low rumble of Asher's voice and stops short, her movements hesitant. 

"We'll kill Dalton," Asher vows, each syllable dripping with vengeance. "We'll kill him in the worst way until he's begging for his life." 

"I suppose the people he indirectly killed are the ones you cared about," Leticia replies wryly. "So you want payback, is that it?" 

"That, and some more." A ghost of a smirk. "He still has a lot to pay for. Killing your father, getting me banned from Hell, toying around with everyone—" 

"And that girl, right?" Leticia interrupts, coiling a strand of hair around her finger. There's some sort of calculatedness in her words and actions. "You're scared of Dalton hurting or killing that human girl, so that's why you want to ditch her in this hotel while going to battle, am I right?" 

It's quiet for a few seconds. "Still, an explanation to her would do the trick." The queen frowns. "There's no need to ghost her because you're scared—" 

Then he sees Cora. Asher's lips part wordlessly as Cora fights for breath. Without a word, Cora tears out of the room, not bothering to shut the door properly. Her white slippers slap against the carpeted floor and she runs down the hall, randomly darting through corridors and doors until she reaches outside. 

Taking in tearful gulps, Cora slows to a jog. She leans against a tree, nectar-gold leaves and wine-purple flowers bristling from the wind. It only takes a minute for the backdoor to explode, Asher bursting into view. 

"Angel," says Asher, and the way he says the nicknames make Cora's skin burst into flames. She inches behind the tree, hoping that the thick tree would be able to hide her. "I can see you." 

Damn it. Cora clears her throat, stepping out. She keeps her gaze averted, too many emotions raging through her. "Why are you hiding?" Asher asks softly, carefully inching towards her. 

"I'm not." The words sound more defensive than expected. Asher's eyebrow raises skeptically and he's regarding Cora as someone would regard a rabid-infected wild animal. The thought makes Cora grit her teeth, outrage making her mouth open without permission. "Leticia was talking about me, wasn't she?" 

Asher goes mum, though she can see the guilt on his face. "You were planning on leaving without even telling me!" Cora snaps, advancing forward. "You were going to leave me in this hotel and then go kill that guy and then—" 

She fights back tears. "If you were gone, what would I have thought?" she demands. "You're really selfish, you know. You're a coward and you probably chose to ghost me because you hate me and don't care how I feel—" 

Asher's expression goes stony. "That's not it, and you know so." The air seems to shift, heavier now, as he moves towards her. They are only a few inches away when Asher admits, "You're someone I care about a lot. I wouldn't forgive myself if you get even more hurt." 

It's like he's in a trance, green eyes darkening with the slight tinge of craving, pupils growing wider. He slowly lifts his arm, carefully tucking a rebellious strand of Cora's hair away. Then he releases a humorless laugh. 

"Look." At his feverish command, Cora looks, glancing directly at his trembling hand. Asher smiles, though it's not a genuine one. It's more of a defeated smile as if he's had an inner battle for so long and finally decided to surrender. "I'm shaking." 

Cora sneaks a questioning look at him, unsure where he's trying to take this. "You're right about a lot of things, Angel. I am selfish and I am a coward. But here's where you're wrong." His voice drops to a low murmur, one that sends heat slicing through Cora's insides. "I'm a coward because I care about you too much." 

The silence that threads through the air is too stiffening. Too much tension and strain, and Cora is breathless. "I can't lose another person," Asher declares. "So please don't take my decision another way." 

Cora feels as though she's been tossed on a tightrope, anxiously trying to not fall off the thin rope. It takes all her courage to spit out the words. "I won't go with you, then." 

The words feel like a defeat, though Cora knows it's the logical decision. She's in no form to fight, nor is she able to properly defeat creatures of Hell. 

Asher smiles, relieved, but she doesn't return his boyish grin. Rather, her gaze probes every inch of him, like he's going to disappear at a moment's notice. In a second, filled with overflowing bubbling emotions, Cora launches herself at Asher and wraps her arms around his body. 

"Don't worry, Angel, we'll be back soon," Asher says comfortingly, as she quietly sobs into him. The air is thick with tears and the promise of blood. Asher murmurs more comforting words, yet Cora doesn't even comprehend them. 

This feels like a goodbye, she thinks numbly, as they pull away. When Leticia and Asher gather their belongings, moving out of the hotel room, Cora can't bear to look at them. 

Because if she were to, she would beg them not to go. To not leave her alone. To stay safe, sheltered from the bloodshed that would happen soon. 

Author Note: 

has anyone read socery of thorns by margaret rogerson? it's really good and i highly recommend it! (also i need someone to fangirl with a;slkdfjsal). anyways, thank you for reading!