Sweet Little Serena (Original)

Life And Death Situations Are Clearly The Right Time For A Proposal

"Why are we running?!"

"So we don't die!"

"I know that, but where are we running to?!" Alec asked as he and Serena sprinted. Their Nyx runes were the only reason they hadn't gone face-first into a cement post or a wall, or gone tumbling onto the tracks.

Serena's legs were aching as she felt the speed rune on her arm wane as she used its power. She knew she should've re-drawn it before going on this mission. Her brow was sticky with sweat as she and Alec pumped their legs faster. The few strands of her hair that had come free from her blonde braid, were stuck to her face as she risked a glance over her shoulder.

"Shax demons live in sewers. They hate light. We need to find the next subway entrance! We don't have a chance against so many," she huffed as she and Alec ran faster, the horde of Shax demons closing in.

"Lincoln Square should be just up ahead!"

"I don't know if I'll make it that far," Serena breathed, the fear beginning to build in her chest as a stabbing pain poked her lungs.

"Why?!" Alec belted frantically, his own fear beginning to build.

"Because - AH!"

The claws of the Shax demon clawed at her hair and back as she was forced onto her stomach, her chest hitting the wooden slats on the track. Her head was tugged in different directions as the Shax demon moved. One of its teeth sliced through the back of her shoulder.

"Serena!" Alec bellowed as he came to a screeching halt. He lashed out with his foot, kicking the demon away before he whipped out his stele and drew the heat rune on the wooden slats that burst into flame.

The demons shrieked as they shrunk back and Alec leapt for his girlfriend, safe for a moment behind the wall of flames. His hands hooked under her arms as he lifted her up and onto her feet.

"That fire's not gonna hold them long, can you run?" Alec worried as he assessed the wound on her shoulder.

"I can re-draw the rune, but Alec, we'll never make it all the way to Lincoln Station," she pointed out as he lifted the hem of her shirt to run his stele over her iratze.

"What are we going to do then? There's no cell service down here."

Her hands squeezed his forearms. "We're going to do what we've been trained to do our entire lives," she said, her blue eyes shining up at him, even in the darkness of the subway tunnel. "We're gonna fight."

"I thought you said we didn't stand a chance against so many?" he returned with a raised brow, his gorgeous face also covered in sweat and ichor.

She smirked at him. "Only if you really believe that a couple of Shax demons are going to be our downfall."

He grinned as he kissed her. "Let's do this," he proclaimed when he pulled away. His bow and quiver then appeared on his back and in his hands. He nocked three arrows.

"You going to be able to shoot in such close quarters?" she teased as she drew her gleaming twin swords.

"Don't you trust me?"

"Well..."

"Serena!"

She let out a melodic laugh as the fire wall began to die down and the rune began to lose its power. "To be continued then."

"We'll see."

"Alec?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

He turned his eyes to meet hers, both of them still in their defensive positions. "I love you, Serena," he returned and if they were going to die, they were definitely going to be his last words. The name of the woman he loved more than his own life, the woman he was lucky enough to call his own. And the woman he was not going to let die tonight.