“Are you okay?” He asks as I rise, trying to keep my legs from giving up under me. In the moment, when I delivered those brutal killing blows, I felt so very confident, but my body seems to be catching up onto the danger we both were in moments ago.
The beast’s fur is rapidly losing its golden sheen, as if Sunlight is seeping out of it, no longer powered by its heart, and I know we need to act fast.
“I’m all right. You?” I ask, kneeling next to the stag and going right in with my blade. I don’t have much experience with butchering animals, but none of this is about artistry, so I peel away the skin and cut into still-warm flesh, in a hurry to reach the heart before it loses its power. The creature’s dark blood shines in the moonlight when I hack through cartilage and meat. Once I get to hold the heart in my hand, it’s as exciting as my first kiss.
My heart flutters, my stomach feels light, and my cheeks flush.
The darkness inside the organ calls to me, whispering promises of unforeseen powers, which might just make me mightier than all my forebearers.
Luke stands next to me, watching it all with wide eyes. “The blood is almost like tar,”he says.
The golden Sunlight radiated by the stag was a protective shell for all the shadow powers hidden in its black heart, and the mystery it hides can be all mine.
The temptation is sweet as honey cakes, and it makes my mouth itch for a sip, but then my eyes settle on Luke, and I remember what I’ve been fighting for all along.
“It’s yours,” I say, even though my chest cramps in protest, as if my body can’t bear giving up on the promise of this hunt.
Luke stares between me and the heart. “Wh… what?”
The dark power pulses in my sticky hand, but I’ve already made my decision. I wasn’t lying when I promised Luke I would take care of him. I want him to haveeverything. “You said you wanted to be special. That you wish you had power like mine. This is the only way,” I say, offering him my hand.
Understanding pools in his eyes, making it obvious that I’m making the right choice. He’s hungry for this power. “You’d… give this to me?” he asks, sliding his fingers onto the warm organ.
Somewhere in the background, I hear the pounding of hoofs and yelling, but whichever hunting party that is, they’re too late.
I slide my arm around his shoulders and pull him close. His eyes shine in the moonlight, as if they’re made of silver, and I give his lips the gentlest kiss before moving the dripping heart to his mouth and giving it a squeeze.
Blood trails down Luke’s fingers, but he doesn’t pull away and hums, touching my hand with both of his, as if he’s afraid I might take the prize from him at the last moment. But I would never do that. He is my joy, my crown, my beloved, and what is this sacrifice in the face of his happiness?
My greedy little monster bites into the heart just like he latched onto mine. He shivers under my arm, so I stroke his back, watching his Adam’s apple bob with every gulp he takes.
“Until it stops beating,” I instruct, but the pulsing in my hand is already so faint, it won’t take long.
Our eyes meet over the heart, and in that moment I know I couldn’t love him more. He wants to embrace everything I give him, and stay with me as my Dark Companion. He’s perfect. With his flush, his hair in a tangle and lips smeared with black blood, Luke is the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.
When the heart makes its last beat, Luke’s pupils expand as if he’s breathed in too much fairy dust. He looks around, lifting his bloodstained mouth off the heart, but the blackness doesn’t stop with swallowing his irises, and expands to the whites too as shadowcraft awakens within him.
I ignore the thumping of hooves, enthralled by my lover, who shivers as his world alters forever. Shadows stir around him and crawl out like drops of syrup falling up rather than down, and he captures a few with his fingers as amazement flickers in his eyes.
Luke reaches into the shadow on his arm and pulls out a single black thread. “I c-can see it. My shadow tied to yours. I can sense you.” There’s so much amazement in his voice I want to kiss him to share his joy.
His mouth still holds the tang of blood, but it’s no longer potent, so I hug him and bring our foreheads together. “I will show you so much more.”
When his black eyes gloss over with tears, a sense of dread rises deep inside. Is he scared? Confused? Regretful?
“I… I love you,” he utters, fighting a sob.
It’s like being granted an audience with the moon itself after a lifetime of waiting. My chest swells with warmth. My skin is licked by fire. And with so many emotions taking hold of me at once, I can't find the right words to describe what I’m feeling.
Horses stop right next to us, and I swear it’s Tristan’s voice I hear behind me, but he remains transparent in the face of Luke’s declaration. He will be mine forever, and I shall cherish and protect him for the rest of my days. Our lips meet, and he presses into my arms, needy like a vampire after his first taste of blood.
I'm so spellbound by him I initially push away the hand trying to grab my arm.
“Not now.”
“I understand, Sire,” Tristan says, breathing hard from the exertion of his ride. “I just want to confirm no one was hurt?” His voice drifts off when he takes in Luke’s bloodstained mouth, hands, and his void-black eyes.
Several more riders are approaching, most likely to confirm that the hunt is over. I straighten up with pride.
