“You do realize that killing Kairhyse will damn you, correct?”Mister hisses.
“I don’t think he cares.” My words coming out with toxic rage. “He is a puppet to his master, not capableof thinking on his own.”
Jay then laughs before pointing at me. “I understand the consequences of killing you. It’s why I’m the one that is going to do it.”
I’m unsure if I truly understand why he is so eager to be damned, but at this point, I don’t care.
“Tali took my lifeforce, and someone returned it to me. It gave me eternal life, and that is all I know.” He takes a step to me, slowly closing the distance between us. “I don’t want to have to chase after your other friends and threaten their life over yours. That’s so much work.”
My foot pivots and I’m right before him, my hand around his throat. A snarl slipping from my lips as I spit, “Just a smart-mouthed zombie.” As I squeeze, I can feel the lack of a pulse under my grip. How had I not noticed even his heart wasn’t beating before?
All he does is smile, and as I tighten my grip a sharp pain bursts through my chest.
“No!”
My free hand grabs his wrist, just as he pushes further through in an attempt to grab my heart.
It’ll grow back, but I won’t be able to function, and he’ll easily take my head.
His strength is beyond what should be possible for someone that once was so easily breakable. The moment his other hand is coming up for my neck, I release his and grab it before it can wrap his fingers around what will be the death of me.
“On your knees,” he whispers, as I strain to keep my knees from buckling. I’m focused on his hand nearly wrist deep in my torso, which makes the pressure downward too much.
The moment my knee hits the soil below, a loud hiss below tears Jay’s gaze away from me. “I love cats, but I need you to not bite me.” When I look, his foot makes contact with Mister’s side, sending him several feet back.
My eyes round and I grit through my teeth, “I’ll kill you for that.” I’m grateful I know that the feline can’t die—but still.
“I’m already dead,” he jests.
He pulls his hand from my torso and drives his heel into the space between my pecs. I barely grunt as I crash against the side of the cabin, splintered logs digging into my back, and before I can react, he’s standing over me.
“Don’t feel defeated.” His hand finds my throat, the other gripping my chin and tilting my head up. “I’m as old as Tali herself… nearly. I’m ready for my soul to be released. The afterlife will be more peaceful, I promise.”
I can feel my skin tearing as my head begins to separate from myshoulder. The moment my hands grab around his wrists, my foot lands into his stomach.
He doesn’t budge.
“Sleep well,” he drones.
No…
My fight isn’t enough, and as the first bone in my spine snaps, I take a deep breath.
Warm liquid splatters across my face and torso.
Truth be told, I’m surprised I can even feel it. My body isn’t numb, and I don’t understand how that’s possible. Phantom pains? Is that a thing when you die?
My eyes, which had instinctively closed, shoot open.
It isn’t me that has lost their head, instead, it’s Jay’s that is slowly slipping from on top of his shoulders. His grip on me releases and I shrug up the wall, coming to stand quickly.
My gaze locks on silvern eyes, and in them, is fear that’s consuming her, leaking out like black ink spilling over a canvas. Her entire body shakes, every part of her succumbing to it as I watch her Amoro trickle down, inch by beautiful inch of her.
“Xera…” My voice is a mere whisper.
She outstretches her hand to my throat, her thumb drawing a line across my Adam’s apple. The sting of her warm hand against where the skin began to tear goes ignored. I can audibly hear her swallow, and the fear that had encompassed her turns to fury.
The way she shakes is terror-inducing. Even now, with her eyes veiled in twilight—like they do when her Demon takes over—these are deeper, far more lost to the abyss. It’s as if I can see through her, into a void where nothing exists beyond what she’s experiencing. No other thoughts. Just pure, untamable rage.
