Lost in Darkness

Chapter 32-Safe But Not Sound

Chapter 32

Raven's POV

"We did it," I heard Cole whisper from beside me. "We fucking did it." I wanted to look at him, rejoice with him, but I couldn't seem to tear my eyes away from Lucius' still form.

Slowly, a victorious smile crept upon my features, growing and growing until I was laughing and laughing and laughing. I knew I sounded crazy, hysterical even, but I couldn't seem to stop. He was dead! He was really, truly dead! 

I felt a snapping sensation in my mind, like the sting of a rubber band coming together after being stretched too far. I jerked in surprise. What the hell? My weary body began to tense as a weak jolt of adrenaline bolted through me.

But then I heard Cole's reassuring voice in my head.  
'Relax Rave, it's just me returning to base,' he joked. I could practically see the satisfied smirk on his gorgeous lips.

I went to reply to him, but a wave of dizziness rushed over me. I swayed on the spot, blinking back the spots that appeared in my vision. What was going on? 
'Raven, what's wrong?' Cole asked frantically, but his voice sounded so far away.

My body fell to the floor, the muscles holding it up turning to jelly. My stomach rolled threateningly, and I took a deep breath through my nose, trying to ignore the stench of blood that was not helping the sickness that bubbled up inside me.

I lay on my side in a fetal position, coughing and spluttering in an attempt to ward off the sudden sickness. Cole was shouting in my head, and I knew that he was scared for me, but I forced myself ignored him; I needed all my focus for keeping the vomit firmly inside my body. My eyes flashed around wildly, searching for a distraction. 

It came in the form of Cole's body, appearing for all the world like he had just fallen asleep. What would happen to Cole if I passed out, or even if he remained in my body for too long? Would he ever be able to get back to his own body, where he belonged? Or would he be stuck inside my mind, trapped like a prisoner?

Drawing from a reserve of strength that I didn't know I had, I managed to weakly crawl over to his body. My whole body trembled from the effort, my heart pounding in my chest like it had when Lucius had its grubby hand there. I could still feel its hand, burning a hole through me, forcing my heart to beat faster, faster still...

I slipped by dirty fingers into Cole's warm, soft hands, closing my eyes at the warmth that met me. Feeling that reassuring heat made me feel warm, safe, like I was curled up by the fireplace with my family, contentment settling over me like a blanket. It took me to a place where nothing could hurt me. A faint smile stole across my face.

Squeezing Cole's hand, I willed him with all my strength back into his own body. I imagined everything that made Cole Cole flowing from my head and down into my heart, where I savoured him there for a couple of moments. Then I forced myself to let him go, out through my arms and fingertips, allowing him to seep back into his rightful place.

'What are you doing Raven?' I heard Cole's alarmed voice. At first, his voice was loud, clear, but it slowly got fainter and fainter until all I heard was an echo that vibrated through my skull. Until even that was gone, and I was once more alone in my head.

I managed to stay awake long enough to see Cole's eyes flicker open.  

'He's safe,' I thought, smiling slightly.

Now that I knew that Cole was okay, I could finally let go. I happily let the darkness take me. Cole was safe. He was alive. I was alive. Against all the odds, we'd made it. And Lucius was dead. I could now rest in peace.