Chapter 83
CHAPTER 83
VALARIC
E ben shifts and sinks to his knees beside me, staring down at Juliet’s pale and trembling form. “There’s too much blood. I cannot see anything.”
Extending my claws, I slice away the fabric of her dress. Damar passes me his cape and my nostrils flare as I mop away the blood. Something about it smells off… cloyingly sweet.
Juliet’s face is an agonizing mask of pain as she grips my forearm, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths as tears stream down her cheeks.
Eben inhales sharply and my heart stops at the dark, angry black veins fingering out from her wound.
“It’s the Blood Reaver’s Curse,” Aerlyx murmurs, his face paling. Sadness mars his features. “There is nothing to be done.”
My heart squeezes painfully in my chest. I am going to lose her.
Raine growls out orders behind me, yelling for his guards to find a healer.
Sweat beads across Juliet’s forehead, her body trembling as the curse spreads through her. She’s fever warm to the touch as I stare down at her ashen face, her eyelids fluttering open and closed as she fights against the death that will claim her.
“I’m so cold, Valaric.”
Tears sting my eyes. I’ve never felt so terrified or helpless as I do now. Wrapping my arms and wings around her, I cradle her to my chest.
She reaches up to rest her delicate hand on my chest. “Is everyone else all right?” she barely manages.
Emotions lodge in my throat. I swallow hard to clear them, but the words will not come; all I can do is nod weakly in reply.
Damar leans over me. “We are alive because of you, Juliet.”
She sucks in a sharp breath, gritting her teeth in agony as a muffled whimper of pain escapes her lips.
Frantic, I look at Eben. “Help her!”
He looks down at Juliet and a tear rolls down his cheek. “There is nothing I can do.”
A Vampire healer in midnight blue robes drops to her knees beside me. Her red eyes widen as she looks at Juliet’s wound. “He’s right,” she murmurs. “The Blood Reaver’s Curse cannot be undone. Not without the help of another mage.”
“Find one!” I snap at Aerlyx.
“I cannot.” He gives me a helpless look. “The mage’s spell depleted my magic.”
Panic and fear consume me as Juliet breathes in short, clipped breaths, her heart beating erratically as the curse burns through her veins.
“Juliet, please. Please do not die. Please.”
“Give her to me.” The Vampire healer looks at me. “I can ease her passing.”
“No.” I refuse to let her go.
“Let me ease her passing,” the healer presses, her eyes shining with pity. “Can you not see she is suffering?”
“ Do not touch her ,” I growl, tightening my hold on Juliet.
Strangling tendrils of fear wrap around my chest as I stare down at her failing body. Through our bond, I can feel her slipping away.
She reaches a trembling hand to cup my face, and a flood of emotions rush through me.
Lowering my forehead gently to hers, a broken sob escapes my lips. “Please. Do not die. You cannot die, my Juliet.”
Emerald-green eyes stare up into mine as she whispers, “I love you, Valaric.”
My breath hitches as agonizing pain rips my soul in two. I draw in a shaking breath. “Juliet, I—”
My heart stutters and stops as her eyes close and her body goes still. Her delicate hand falls from my face, and I stare down at her in shock as I realize I cannot hear the sound of her breathing.
Raw pain and overwhelming emotion tear through me as I brush the hair back from her face. I open my mouth to speak, but the words die in my throat as she lies unnaturally still in my arms.
Lightly brushing my fingers over the petal-soft skin of her pale cheek, I curve my hand to cup the back of her head and her long golden hair spills through my fingers.
“Juliet,” I whisper, watching for her eyes to flutter and open.
But she remains still. Warm tears escape my lashes, running down my face as I realize that she is dead and will open her beautiful eyes no more.
Devastation consumes me. Cradling her limp form to my chest, a loud and mournful cry rips from my throat as I roar my anguish to the stars.
Damar rests a hand on my shoulder. “Valaric, she is gone. You must let her go.”
Staring at her lifeless form, I close my eyes, trying to burn away the memory of her pain. I want to remember her when she was happy.
Did she know I thought her smile was the most beautiful thing I had ever beheld?
Hugging her small form against my chest, I bury my face in her silken hair as silent sobs rack through me.
Did she know that I loved her beyond all logic and reason?
Gently taking her delicate hand in mine, I long to feel the connection flare between us. I reach for her through the bond. “Are you truly gone, my Juliet?”
The silence that echoes in reply is deafening.
Damar kneels beside me. “She is gone. Please. Let us help you.”
He reaches out to pull her from me. As the slight weight of her body starts to lift from my arms, something in me snaps, and I tighten my hold. “No!”
I know now what I must do.
Eben’s eyes are full of pain as they search mine in confusion. “Valaric, please—”
Cradling her to my chest, I wrap my wings around her, placing one hand over her mortal wound as I draw a sacred rune upon the ground.
“Stay back,” I whisper. “I don’t want to hurt you, Eben.”
“Valaric, what are you doing?” Damar’s voice rings overhead, full of concern when he sees the symbol that I’ve drawn. “You cannot do this! It’s too dangerous!”
“No.” I close my eyes in concentration. “I’m going to save her.”
Small tremors shake the ground as I seek the lifeforce that surrounds us. Raw and untamed energy, like a beating pulse beneath my palm. I call forth the ancient knowledge buried deep within my soul.
Long ago, King Drovyan harnessed the power of life and death to save the one he loved. Tightening my grip on Juliet, I know I cannot fail her.
“Valaric, no! You’ll die!” Damar’s panicked voice cries out above me, but I’ve already begun.
Cold determination steels me as I expand the arcane circle all around us. Violent swirling energy threatens to consume me as I wield the power of life and death, and bend it to my will.
The ground rumbles and quakes with terrible force and crumbling dust and debris rains down from overhead. Primal energy courses through my veins as blinding pain tears through me, drowning out the distant noise of Damar’s pleading voice.
Scorching through my body, all-devouring energy consumes me. Burning from the inside out, I grit my fangs, struggling to contain and channel it to her. I have lost everything before and I will not lose it again.
The arcane circle ripples as raw energy rushes through me like fire, leaving behind nothing but ash in its wake.
I will burn or I will save her. She is mine and I am hers. We live or die together. There is no other choice.
Reaching into the void, I demand that death release her, and my soul cries out to hers. “Juliet!”
She’s standing on a dark shoreline as a large wave rushes forward. Raw panic surges through me as I race across the sand, barely reaching her in time before it rips us from the shore.
I wrap her tightly in my arms as the dark tide pulls us from the light. The god of death will claim us both or he’ll have nothing, for I refuse to let her go.
A small gasp pulls me from the void and Juliet’s warm breath fans across my neck. “Valaric,” she whispers as her long lashes flutter and open.
Relief surges through my veins. “Juliet,” I barely manage.
I’m vaguely aware of everyone watching us. Our House has many enemies, and I struggle to remain conscious.
Damar touches my shoulder as he speaks softly from above. “Rest, Valaric. We have you both.”
Closing my eyes, I allow myself to fall away into oblivion.