52. Soren
Chapter fifty-two
Soren
The pool of energy in my stomach drains quickly, spiraling out of my mouth as I pull more, more, anything that might save her.
The healer’s hand is firm on my shoulder. She says something, a warning maybe, but I cannot hear her.
Enna’s little pinky curls tightly around mine, a lifeline in the dark. Her teeth snap together repeatedly, those fangs long and wicked. She shakes her head, body twitching. Her tail kicks, and water sloshes over. The room erupts into chaos. Still, I stay rooted by her side, that little pinky finger holding me in place.
She shrieks and then goes deathly still. Her tail flops back into the tank, hanging limply. “ENNA!” I scream. No, no, no. She can’t leave me now. Not like this. Not after a fight like that. I will not let her.
I launch off the floor, diving into the tank to join her. The water hits me with a crack as my legs snap together, knitting into my tailfin. My gills sting from the concentration of blood in the water, but I do not care. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her into my chest. As I hum fervently, magic surrounds her, caresses her with green light, and I will her to respond. My own energy reserve hangs by a thread. With one last push, I sever my spell. I clutch her face, willing her awake with all that’s left of my soul.
“Soren?” Her voice is soft, barely a whisper. The slippery scales of her tailfin shift, brushing against mine in the water.
My eyes snap open, greeted by her piercing purple gaze.
I brush her cheeks with my thumbs, marveling at the sight of her.
“You’re here,” I breathe, a scatter of bubbles kissing her face.
“Almost wasn’t.” She studies me earnestly, reaching with a shaking hand to cup my cheek. “But then I heard your voice. You told me to fight. So I did.”
“Looks like you won.” I push past the stone of dread sinking in my gut. Where she was or what she was fighting, I have no idea, but I hate knowing she’d been on the brink of death, and I’d been helpless.
“Thanks to you.” Her eyes lock on my lips, hunger burning now in her gaze. The tips of her claws curl into my cheek, pricking and pulling me close.
Our lips collide in a heated kiss. She devours me like a savage beast starving for my mouth. I capture her tongue with my lips and suck on it hard. Her responding moan hums through me, sending a zing of pleasure along my spine. She tastes of raw meat and iron.
“I heard you, Soren,” she moans into my mouth. “I was all alone and ready to die, and then you called my name.”
A shiver vibrates her body, and I break our kiss to stare into her eyes. Her eyes sparkle with emotion, a wild chaos of color I’ve never seen before.
“I never left your side, Wicked,” I whisper. “And I never intend to again. You’re mine.”
Her cheeks tint pink. She averts her eyes, taking in her surroundings for a moment, and then frowns. “Why the fuck are we swimming in blood?”