EVE

|52|

Rose x

I watched as a flood of emotions merged together on Zac's face until eventually pure hatred won, his features sharpening, his thick eyebrows furrowing, eyes darkening until they were just two onyx coloured orbs.

His eyes stayed on me, watching my face carefully as if he was scared to look away in fear that I would just disappear.

I felt like disappearing. I wished the ground would open up and devour me whole so that I didn't feel the constant pain in my soul.

But it didn't.

And Demelza was still coming with her army of rogues and hunters, to finally finish what she had started.

She could have killed me when she had ripped my baby away from me, but she didn't, because to her all of this was a game. She was taking her time,

taking everything that meant the most to me, one by one, like pieces on a chess board.

And what for?

Power?

Glory?

I scoffed at the thought. Ripping an unborn child from her mother is not power. Killing a defenseless woman does not give you glory.

Demelza wanted power and glory- fine, I'll give her exactly what she wanted.

"I have a plan," I look up at my mate, his eyes watching my face with interest. "One that will end Demelza without fail."

Zac seems wary, but he lets me continue. I step forward, drained and exhausted and broken, but I wasn't willing to give up just yet. The embers of my inner fire that Demelza had extinguished relighted, desperate to burn one last time.

Demelza thought her actions would be enough to end me and she was right. I was no longer the same Eve who absurdly thought that I could go up against the most powerful witch and win.

No- I was the Eve who knew for a fact that I could go up against the most powerful witch and win.

I just regretted not being able to save the people who suffered from her wrath.

"But in order for the plan to work, there's an unavoidable risk." His eyebrow raises, but I can see in his eyes that Zac already had an idea what the risk would be.

"We have to make a sacrifice." I say with a heavy heart and as expected Zac only nods.

"Anything to finish Demelza." He agrees and I take a second to explain my plan to him and by the time I finished, that determined glare in his eyes had faltered, but he didn't try to persuade me otherwise.

"Are you sure about this?" His arms reach for me and pull me up against his chest and we just hold each other, making this moment count.

"As sure as the fact that your sister and our baby are dead and buried outside." I clench my eyes close, determined not to cry.

Over the past few days I had cried enough for me to drown in a sea of my own tears but that didn't mean my eyes still burned when I thought about my child and what Demelza had done.

This is for you baby, I think as I pull away from Zac's warm embrace.

"How long do you think we have before she gets here?" I ask and Zac mindlinks Jayden who was standing guard at the border of the pack.

"A little less than fourty five minutes." Zac replies and his words make my chest tighten painfully.

Fourty-five minutes? That was nothing. The whole pack had been reeling from the recent blood spill, still in anguish over the death of Kate and the baby and now war was coming and we were far from prepared.

"What do we do?" I ask, not bothering to hide my fear from my voice. There was no point, Zac knew exactly how I was feeling and under his hard facade, I knew he felt the same way.

He sighed almost defeated, his sad eyes piercing my heart, "There's not a lot we can do," he admits sourly, "it would be too late by the time we call the other nearby packs for help and by estimated numbers of rogues and hunters working with Demelza, I don't think our pack is much of a threat for them."

"We have around 400 warriors, right?" I ask and Zac nods his head to confirm. That means Demelza has double our number of warriors.

"500 if we include the members who are fit enough to fight but are not trained warriors." Zac adds.

"That means we still have around 200 members including women and children that need to be protected," I conclude, my heart racing.

"I'll ask them to gather in the Great Hall," I say, "It will probably be the only and safest place for them."

Zac nods, "The warriors are already preparing" he says, as he quickly mind- links Jayden, his eyes turning blank.

I do the same, linking with one of the Elders, warning them of what is about to happen and asking him to arrange for those who can't fight be gathered in the Great Hall.

I reach over and wrap my fingers around his hand when finally we both just stop to stare at each other. Our eyes meet and we hold each others gaze for a while, everything else around us a blur as we only focus on each other.

"I love you." I say and my heart aches bitterly as I realise how I should have said those three words more when I had the chance.

Zac seems to feel the same way as he reaches over, his hand tucking a stubborn strand of my hair behind my ears. He pulls my head closer to his and presses his warm lips against my forehead, his familiar scent wrapping around me.

"And I love you," he states, his breath fanning over me, "more than you will ever know."

★★

Grudgingly we separate after a while, knowing well that there was still much to prepare and not enough time.

We promise to meet on the grounds later as Zac leaves to meet the warriors and I leave for Zac's office.

There was something I had to do before I went to the Great Hall and with time running out, now was the only chance for me to do it.

I beeline straight to his large mahogany table and reach of the phone, dialling a number that was engraved into my heart and mind.

The line rings and on the second ring someone picks up.

"Hello." The voice shoots through me like an arrow and I take a second to catch my breath, my eyes misting.

"Hey Dad."

I can almost picture his face, his dark eyes widening and eyebrows furrowing at my voice. The last time I saw my parents was the day after I had woken up from my surgery, still partially sedated and out of my mind, the only words leaving my mouth: "Where's my baby?"

If it wasn't already painful enough, seeing their crumbled, desperate expressions on my parents face only pushed me further into depression and I remember asking them to leave, because for the first time in my life, I didn't want to see them.

But now I couldn't help but regret pushing them away.

"Princess? Eve, are you alright?" The unadulterated worry in his voice pulls at my heart and I cover the speaker and hold it away from me as a sob wrecks my body.

Clenching my fingers into a fist, I hold the phone back to my ears, forcing myself to keep my voice controlled.

"Hey, I just wanted to call and check up on you." Don't cry Eve. Don't cry.

"Honey, I'm so sorry we weren't there for you. We-"

I interrupt him, knowing well that if he keeps apologising I was going to cave in.

"Dad stop!" My chest heaves as I silently wipe away the tears streaking my cheeks. "I'm not okay" I admit, " and every waking second I feel like dying, but that's not why I called."

"Do you want us to come over? We can leave right now and be there early tomor-"

I don't tell him that even coming early tomorrow would be too late.

"No, I just wanted to speak to you over the phone. Is mum there?"

I hear a muffled sound over the phone and then my mother's voice sounds. Her voice echoes and I guessed that my father had put the phone on speaker.

Good. They can both hear what i needed to say next.

"Ok-" I start, taking in a big, very much needed breath to try and calm myself.

"I needed to tell you something important and I don't want you to interrupt." The word 'interrupt' had barely even passed my lips and my mum was already trying to stop me from saying anymore.

"MUM!" I raise my voice, angry at myself, angry at the world and Demelza but mostly angry because I don't have enough time to say everything I wanted.

"Please just listen to me."

A muffled noise sounds but then silence.

I started again, my throat now impossibly dry that my voice sounds croaky when I speak, my hands trembling at my side.

"I wanted to say thank you for everything. For finding me when I was abandoned, for saving me when I was dying and for loving me as yours when I had no one." My voice breaks but I continue, not bothering to wipe the tears falling.

"You mean more to me that anyone in this world. To me you aren't my parents- you are my saviours, my gods. You loved me so unconditionally that even if I died and came back to life another hundred times, I would never be able to reciprocate even a little of what you have given me."

I hear my mothers cry from the other side of the line and my legs buck from underneath me and I crumble to the floor, the phone still held tightly against my ears.

A heartbreakingly painful cry emits from within me as tears drown my face.

My fingers tighten achingly around the phone, "I just hope that in the next life I get the honour of being born as your biological child."

My words continue to get stuck in my throat and I know the more I keep talking the less time we have before Demelza gets here so with my heart shattering to pieces I get ready to end the call.

"Mum, Dad, I love you and this isn't goodbye, this is just my way of saying until we get to meet again."

I slam the phone back down, as tears fall from my eyes. I scream and slam my hand against the wooden table, the pain that numbs my hand nothing compared to the way my heart feels right now.

The phone rings immediately and I know that it's my parents calling so I pull the extension cord and rip it out of the socket, the line instantly silenced.

I can only imagine their anguish at my words, their minds filled with worry and dread, but I pull myself up from the floor with the last of my energy and leave the room.

My heart was breaking, but if i didn't leave now then there would be more casualties than just my broken heart.

I make my way quickly to the Great Hall, not surprised that Elder Harik had done as I had asked, the room now filled with people, the sound of their

anxious voices like rolling thunder.

I get up onto the raised platform and immediately the noise dims and the room becomes so silent you could hear a pin drop.

"A war is coming." I don't bother to sugar coat or waste time with greetings. Everyone in the room were aware that something menacing was just around the corner, they just didn't know what.

I take a second to clock all the petrified faces staring back and me and again my shoulders fall at the pressure amounting on them. Everyone gathered in the hall shared the same pitiful expression as their eyes locked with me, or more specifically the lack of bump that was once there. I try not to let their woeful eyes trigger me, but I fail and all the pent up feelings begin to stir below my surface like a tornado.

"Demelza is heading in the direction of the pack with around 900 rogues and hunters at her heel."

Gasp of shock and hushed voices spread out through the room at my words and wide eyes watch me carefully, wondering what the plan of action is.

"We have about 500 members fighting frontline, but it's not enough," My eyes roam the room, taking in the women and the children, "It's difficult for me to ask this but those who are willing to fight with the knowledge that they might not survive are asked to join me outside with the rest of the warriors."

Again the voices start up but this time they are more panicked and I notice the children looking up at their mothers in fear.

I speak up, "But there is no judgement or shame from me or your Alpha, if you choose not to fight. This Hall is a place of safety for you and no one will be forced to exchange their life if they don't want to." My voice is determined I try to make my sincerity show through my eyes.

This fight was between me and Demelza and it should have ended twenty years ago. I don't want to force anyone to fight, there has already been

enough innocent blood spilt.

The Elders are the first to raise their hands in tribute, their eyes solemn but accepting to sacrifice their life for the pack.

I gave them a grateful smile and when no one else stepped forward I believed that would be it and began to step down when a woman at the front stepped forward and raised her hand too.

At first it caught me off guard but then when more and more women started to raise their hands I felt like all the air in my body had been squeezed out, my eyes turning hot as another 100 people volunteered to fight against Demelza.

I smiled a watery grateful smile and realised that most of these women were young and unmated and their sacrifice meant that they were aware of the fact they would most likely die and never get the opportunity to have a family of their own but they were still willing to fight beside me.

My heart ached but I nodded and led them proudly out of the Great Hall, leaving those who were too old to fight, pregnant or those with children behind in the safety of the walls. Stepping outside I direct the women in the direction to where I knew the rest of the warriors were waiting and watch as they leave before turning back to the Great Hall.

The Hall was large and well built with several grand, strong door to keep those inside safe, but I knew there was no real promise of safety in war and so I hold out my arms and cast protection spell, the blue energy that leaves my hands wrapping around the huge building until an invisible dome covers it.

It was all I could do, my body already too exhausted and with one final apprehensive look back at the Hall, I walk away, heading in the direction I had instructed to the women.

I see Zac before he notices me and as I walk towards him I take my time to observe every single detail about him- the way his eyes darken when he's serious or the way his hair is always so perfectly tousled or how his smile

could brighten even the darkest of nights or the way his muscles flex as he walks or the way his eyes pierce my soul, like he could see every single thing about me.

The way he was doing now.

He finally notices me when I'm still a few feet away from him and his eyes hone in on me, those grey orbs swirling around with so many conflicting emotions that it suffocating.

Fear. Apprehension. Guilt.

Love.

I want to look away, but I can't, those eyes anchoring me down with the amount of love and adoration that practically spills from them. No one else has ever looked at me the way he does.

And no one ever will.

I gulp, the weight of his eyes on me making my mouth dry. Slowly I make my to him, until there is no space between us and yet still his eyes haven't swayed.

"Do you still want to go ahead with the plan?" He asked, his voice rough but his hand gentle as they link with mine and despite my earlier boldness I find my resolution splintering.

Did I?

If my plan worked then I would never be able to have this moment again. Never have the chance to see these soul piercing eyes again. Never feel these hands on my skin again.

But if I didn't then Kate's death would be in vain. Just as all the warriors who had died in the first fight against Demelza.

There would be no justice for the cruelty that had been shown to my child.

Did I want to ruin Demelza? Did I want to rip her apart the same way she did to me without mercy? Did I want her to scream in pain as I take away the one thing she ever wanted?

Yes.

I nod my head back in reply to Zac and his grim face nods back. We both know there is no other end to this story.

Zac does one last confidence building speech and offers the chance for those who have changed their mind to fight, but I watch with unwavering admiration as none accept the offer, all of them standing together, united with a promise to fight till the end.

The moment is broken however when Jayden sprints through the forest line, his eyes cold.

A part of me watches with bittersweet amusement as I think, he really does have a knack for interrupting at the worst of times.

But as quick as the smile appeared on my face it disappeared when Jayden comes to stop in front of Zac and I, his cheeks flushed from exertion, his eyes burning intensely.

"They are here." Is all he says and the chills that crawl up my body makes me freeze.

It's time.

I feel a hand squeeze my shoulder and in surprise I turn around to notice Demarcus and Taliya together.

My uncle tries to hide his dread for what is to come behind his glowing silver speckled eyes but I can tell from the way his hands grip around Taliya, as if he's afraid to let her go, that it's all just disguise.

I pull them to the side, my eyes flicking between the couple.

"Demarcus," I say, knowing that I have to be quick, "leave now and take Taliya with you. If you leave out of the southern border I'm sure you will be safe."

Demarcus has suffered enough, his whole life has been plagued by his sister and now that he was happy again, I didn't want him to lose it.

He deserved to be happy.

They both share a glance and when they still hadn't moved from the spot, I shove my hand against him, pushing him and Taliya towards the opposite direction.

"Go!" I shout but they don't budge.

Dermarcus turns back to me and smiles, though it's half hearted and more forced than sincere.

"I can't," he says, "I think it's time I stopped running."

Taliyas eyes brim with unshed tears but it's obvious they had both concluded on this decision to stay together.

"Please Demarcus.." I plead, the thought of him dying for a second time at the hands of Demelza too painful to even consider, but my uncle had already made up his mind.

Instead he just wraps his arms around me, holding me close to his chest. He was a head taller than me, so his chin rests on the top of my head and he sighs heavily.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, just quiet enough for me alone to hear, "you deserved better than this life."

I feel my tears moisten his shirt but I don't think he minded because he just tightened his hold around me.

"And I'm sorry too," I reply, my arms dripping him tight, "you deserved better as well."

Demarcus pulls away, his finger tucking under my chin so I had to look up at him. His eyes are glazed with tears and his face pale with uncertainty.

"Remember Eve, you might share Demelza's blood but you are not her daughter." His eyes grip my tightly, "but that doesn't mean you are not my niece."

I smile despite my tears and snot, sniffling as I nod.

"You are my family." He adds kindly, "And I'm going to fight till the end with you."

"Thank you." I whisper, looking between both Demeracus and Taliya, knowing well the sacrifice they were making. Both of them had already done so much for the pack... and for me. I knew all the trouble they had gone to, to save me on several occasions and that would have been enough for them to run for safety without guilt, but they didn't.

"I can feel her," my uncle states, the silver in his eyes glowing as his attention turns towards the forest, "she's getting close."

And like the devil herself, she came, her eyes glowing pitch black, her long flowing dresses now replaced by a leather jacket and jeans, her raven hair flowing behind her like some superhero's cape.

But we all knew she was no superhero.

Behind her emerged the hundred of rogues and hunters, death gleaming in their eyes as they honed their predatory glares at us.

I held myself back when I caught Demelza's eye, she smirked, her eye mocking me as her evil gaze dropped to my stomach.

I knew what she was trying to do. I knew she was trying to rile me up, get me emotional and angry but unfortunately for her, my plan revolved around me remaining in control.

I needed to be in control when I watch Demelza fall from her self proclaimed power. I needed to be in control when she begged for mercy.

When I ruin her like she ruined me.

Demelza made the first move. A flick of her hand was all that was needed for her followers to pounce, the rogues with their canines showing and the hunters with their weapons loaded.

One second there was nothing and the next-Chaos.

Zac pushed me aside when I raised my hands to bring forth my magic.

"Conserve your magic," he warned, "you're going to need it later."

I do as he says, stepping back when the rest of our warriors propel forwards,shifting into their wolves, teeth meeting fur, claws ripping at skin.

Blood and gore.

Screams and roars.

I watched with pained eyes as our wolves fought hard, giving it their all. Determination shone bright in their eyes and despite the obvious difference in numbers, they persevered, their jaws clamping around the rogues, their claws ripping down the hunters.

My eyes searched the anarchy, finding relief when I find Zac's large black wolf tearing down the enemies, showing no compassion or mercy to any who stood in his way.

And I knew with every body he knocked to the ground, he was fighting for his pack and with every neck he snapped he was fighting for Kate.

I noticed Demarcus as well and his arms with folded, his eyes closed as he brought forward his spell and when his eyes finally opened he expelled the magic, the invisible force throwing almost a hundred hunters to the ground. He continued to do the spell over and over again, each time with more power, pushing back the hunters and giving more space for our warriors to fight.

I watched with overwhelming respect as my uncle continued to cast his magic and it was only when I cast my eyes to the side that I noticed Demelza's eyes burned with vengeance as she watched her brother continue to push back her warriors.

I don't she ever expected our warriors to fight back with such courage and she definitely wasn't expecting the power behind my uncles magic.

Like I said, Demelza had always underestimated her twin and that was her mistake.

Her fury boiled over and she raised her hand aiming her magic at her brother but I was faster. Noticing her lifting her arms I cast my magic, the energy barreling into her body with so much force she flew through the air, landing a certain distance away.

Her eyes widened in shock at the unexpected force and immediately her eyes locked on me. I stood by on edge, watch as she scrambled back to her feet with an assured composure only Demelza could carry.

I was still weak from surgery and the past few days, so when she bolted a burst of energy in my direction I simply stepped aside to dodge it, unwilling to use all my magic just yet.

Again my action grinded on her and her eyes flashed dangerously as she walked towards me, completely oblivious to the fighting happening around her.

She stopped right in the middle and with her eyes still trained on me, she lifted her hands and flattened them out to the side, sending invisible shock waves across the air.

At first nothing happened.

And then around a hundred of our warriors collapsed to the floor, their necks snapped and blood spilling out from their noses and mouth.

Oh. My. God.

I tried to hide my shock. I mean I had thought there would be nothing she did that would ever shock me again, but god how I was wrong.

Any irrational thought that had me dreaming that we would win this war was put out instantly at the sight of all the dead bodies on the ground, their lifeless faces seemingly staring straight at me.

As Demelza resumed her leisurely stroll towards me, the fighting continued but even I could tell that Demelza's most recent use of magic had terrified our pack warriors and now while they still fought admirably with all their might, they couldn't hide the defeated look in their eyes, when yet another of their pack members lost their life beside them.

I caught Zac's eyes as his wolf tore into a hunter, blood and flesh splattering his fur and I could see the words in his eyes.

Do it.

It was evident this was a losing battle and as I looked around I could see Demarcus falter in his magic, his eyes tired and body weary. The rest of our wolves perished one by one and in the distance I caught sight of more hunters making their way towards the battle.

I turned back to Demelza as she stepped over the fallen bodies of my pack with not even a flash of sympathy.

"What are you going to do now?" Demelza mouthed, her lips twisted into an insulting smirk, her words traveling through the air, until I could hear them crystal clear in my head.

The sky rumbled, the clouds darkening until sheets of rain poured down, the ground turning wet and muddy, the blood of the dead mixing with the downpour forming bloody rivers in the wet soil.

I found myself looking back into the distance at the oncoming enemies and then back at the rain falling so powerfully and without mercy and in my head some ancient words stirred, my tongue moving before I could even control it.

Demelza watched with caution as I raised my hands up into the air and when my eyes finally opened they were focused on the rain, the ancient spells swirling on my tongue as I breathed.

It was as if I was seeing in slow motion, I could see every single droplet of rain and as they fell I turned them to fire.

I set fire to the rain and watched with victory as these droplets of fire rained hell down onto the hunters that were emerging from the forest. Their screams echoing as they fell to the ground rolling around in agonising pain as they tried to extinguish the fire that took hold.

There must have been at least two hundred hunters, but not a single one made it past the border of the forest. They all perished into ashes as the falling flames annihilated them.

And when the last one burned to the ground I stopped my chanting and the flames dissolved back to rain, which fell just as expected, washing away the remaining embers and burnt bodies.

I cast my eyes back to Demelza who almost, almost, watched the whole situation with a shell-shocked expression. Her eyes remained on the havoc I created but then slowly turned back to me, her eyes flashing with fury but also pure fascination.

"That was impressive!" she commends as she continues to approach me.

That was nothing compared to what I have for you, I think as all the anger in my body begins to build up once more and with every step she takes, I bring more of my magic to the top.

Emeli, the seer was right.

Pain as undesirable as it is, can make you lose control and sometimes losing control is the only way to win the war.

Demelza stops a few feet away from me, her eyes hooked on me, but my eyes are on Zac, who was watching me from afar.

I love you

He nods his head, I'll be with you soon.

My heart breaks.

I'll be waiting.

And with one last look in his direction I turn back to face my demons.

"Why don't you just give up?" Demelza prods, her evil smile making my stomach flip.

I watch her silently as the rain continues to pour down on us, my hair and clothes drenched, sticking to my body like a second skin.

And then I smile.

"Ok," I say, "I give up. You win."

The perplexed expression painted on her face is priceless, her eyes wide, eyebrows scrunched.

"What?" she questions, unsure if she had misheard what I had just said.

"I give up. You wanted my magic, right? Well you can have it."

She looks at me in bewilderment, still not sure what I was talking about.

So I show her, my arms outstretched in her direction, my eyes closed.

I start to chant and I can feel the magic rising through my body, passing through all my blood vessels until finally it stops in the palm of my hand.

Demelza's eyes fix on the orbs of gold hovering on my palms and her eyes go wide. She watched me cautiously.

"You are giving me your magic?" she asks bemused, but her eyes were distracted by the power resting in my hands.

This was what it had all been about.

Power and magic and right now I was practically throwing it to her.

"Yes," I answer, "I don't want it- I have never wanted it, so since you are so desperate for it, you can have it."

Like an addict, her eyes glow in greed as she reaches out in an almost daze, her fingers hesitating for a moment as her eyes met mine, scouring for anything to indicate that this was a trap.

Finding nothing, her eyes train back on my magic and she lurches forward and thrusts her hand into the orbs of gold and instantly I can feel the magic leave me, my energy draining fast as Demelza takes it all.

It was painful, but I've been through worse, so despite the pain, when Demelza gets high of my magic I watch with triumph in my eyes as my magic continuously flows from my body into hers.

She throws her head back in contentment as finally the thing she had been desperately fighting for becomes hers.

Her whole body begins to float when her eyelids shoot open and those dark eyes are now glowing golden. Her body trembles with her new found power as my magic carries on to drain from my body.

It continues for a short while and I can feel my body weaken, my soul fading and for a minute I wonder if my plan had failed, if I really had lost everything for nothing, but then I hear her shout.

"Enough!" Demelza screams as her euphoric features now twist into agony, her body jerking from the power it was struggling to contain.

"STOP IT!!" She shouts even louder, her arms flailing towards me, trying to cut out the link between us through which the magic was flowing.

But hearing her cry, I keep going, digging deep inside me for all the last remnants of my magic and forcing it through the link and into Demelza's body.

"What wrong Demelza?!" I cry out, "I thought this is what you wanted. Power, magic- glory! Isn't this what you want?"

She screams as her body twists in excruciating torment, but I just keep going, forcing any lingering magic through the link.

I could feel my life source dwindling, but it just pushed me further. I had made up my mind, dying would be worth it to destroy Demelza.

As the power within Demelza threatened to burst, I reached over and carried out the last of my plan.

I pulled out her heart.

Like the click of a finger, it was over. Demelza crumbled to the floor and her lifeless eyes stared into mine, her beating heart thumped in my bloodied hand for a few more seconds before even that became still.

I felt the last of my energy fade as I fell to the ground, her heart rolling from my hands.

It was over now.

I did as I promised, ruining Demelza in the same way she destroyed me.

I gave her everything she wanted and then in the final second I took it all away.

"EVE!!!"

Zac appeared at my side, naked and covered in blood. His eyes held mine and I could see the pain in his eyes as the bond that was tied between mine and his soul tightened.

If one of us dies, so does the other.

"It worked," I say with a small smile, fighting the persiting urge for my eyes to close, "she's dead."

Zac cradles me in his arms and I can feel his soul fading too.

It was coming to an end now, but at least we were together. The vision had come true, there was death, destruction and chaos but this time Demelza wasn't still lurking around in the shadows and Zac wasn't dying alone.

We were together.

"You know I love you, right?" Zac murmurs, his lips soft against the crook of my neck as he told me tight.

I cough and splutter blood as my eyes flutter. I just needed to hang on for a little bit longer.

"I think you might have mentioned it once or twice." Despite the pain and the fact I had no energy left, I smile.

Zac grins, the same heart stopping one that reminds me of why I love him so much.

"I love you, Eve." He grinds out, still smiling even though he is as pale and pained as I am, the bright light in his eyes diminishing. I can see the tears in his eyes as his lips brushed against mine.

"Please don't leave me." I say, tears dripping down my cheeks, my hands holding tight to his as the darkness takes over.

"Never." He replies, his forehead against mine.

"Never, Eve."

And his eyes close too.

THE END