The soulless sleep was upon him.
"How much longer?" I could not control the quivering in my voice.
He grunted softly and his hand brushed my hair over my shoulders, baring all of me to his burning gaze. "We are out of time," he rasped.
"No," I whispered, my hands reaching up to cup his face, his bearded scruff scraping across my hands. "You cannot leave me yet." My tears fell and through them I could see the strain it took for him to stay upright, the slight shake in his powerful frame, the panting breaths that I knew had not been only desire—I was a fool. Dropping my hand to the center of his chest, his strong heart was irregular and slow beneath my fingertips. "No," I said again, looking back up into his mournful eyes.
His forehead fell into mine and he blew out a shortened breath. "It's just my body—," he panted. "I will still—still be with you," he rasped and gave me a lopsided grin. It reminded me of the smirk he sent me when we first met in the Wildwoods, as he was bleeding out chained to a tree. "Need to—" He caught himself, eyes fluttering closed, his body pitching to the side. "Lay down."
I trembled and complied with his wishes, slowly lowering him down to the ship's hull, my hair cascading around us in a cloud of darkness, tears falling freely on his face.
"There are—," he huffed, eyes trained on my swaying breasts, "worse ways to go."
I snorted through my tears.
He smiled softly, his golden gaze glittering with amusement before a frown puckered between his brows when he met my watchful regard. "This pain, I'm sorry—" He reached for me, too weak to close the distance between us.
Taking his hand, I hugged it to my heart. "This isn't your fault Emon."
He chuckled weakly. "Not that. I'm sorry—," he gasped, his body lurching but he fought it with a feeble growl. "Sorry I can't finish what we started—hate wasted opportunities." A small flare lighting up the dimming in his beautiful gold eyes.
I couldn't stop the bitter laugh from escaping my lips. "Something to look forward to when I deliver you from this darkness." I leaned over and kissed his lips chastely…sweetly…to calm the devastation wrought on my heart, pieces breaking that only he kept together.
Emon smiled faintly, his eyes falling closed before he gasped one final breath, his voice barely audible against my lips. "Love you, little umbra—see you soon."
"I love you too, shifter." I dropped my head to his chest with a sob, still holding his hand while I pressed my ear against his smooth bronze skin, listening to his slowing heart.
Bum…bum…bum——.
He gasped.
Bum…bum——.
His grip on my hand went limp and I kissed the elegant ink around his wrist, shaking. I had wanted to be at The Well before this happened, so that I knew his soul would be safe but he had ensured my safety instead.
Bum—bu——-.
A slow exhale.
Silence.
My body shook hard, my agonizing sobs so visceral they had no sound. I knew then, that this would be the worst sound I would ever know. Even if we survived for that happily ever after—the sound of his beating heart ending was going to haunt me for the rest of my days.
Emon was gone…the soulless sleep had taken my soulmate from me.
I glared through my pain at the metal door where the storms raged.
The territory of Wrath may have been roaring its violence outside but it would never compare to the brutality of a grieving heart. The Well of Souls would answer to me and then Deirdre would too.
Chapter 42
"Wakeup,littleumbra.Our daughter is rousing and as much as I love this view, I think it will lead to some questions we are not prepared to answer."
My eyes fluttered open to find my head still resting on the smooth plains of my soulmate's chest. I must have cried myself to sleep once his heart stopped. "Emon?"
"In the shadow so to speak," he chuckled, his voice behind me, no longer rumbling from his body.
My own protested as I pushed my still naked self into sitting, stiff from sleeping on the ship’s metal floor and Emon's body. Slowly, I blinked at the black ghostly silhouette of my soulmate and then back down at his grayed body, then back up to him.
