45. Draven

" O h, Petit Mouton. " I release a breath through my nose.

The anger in her eyes is slowly melting as the realization is beginning to set in. My thumb brushes against the top of her hand, and I pull her to stand right in front of me. I am careful, knowing how injured she is, but I still pull us close.

"Listen to me." I'm not one for tears of sadness, I haven't cried since losing Alyson and I don't plan my last time to be over my death. However, seeing Max's eyes become glass, I do feel the heat building behind mine. Not because I'll be dying here, but because it will be the last time I'll ever see her scowl up at me.

The last time I'll hear her scream at me. Damn, the last time I'll ever hear Big Guy.

How I had hoped to hear that for many years. The tragedy is not my death, but that I won't get to have more time with my Petit Mouton .

"No! No!" Her tone is beginning to escalate. "There has to be… I can't let you…" I wrap both hands around her neck, and she grits her teeth. Fear and panic are written all over her perfect face.

Don't cry for me, Max.

"Stop, baby." I draw my hand up to the side of her neck and rub my thumb along her jaw. Tears stream down her cheeks as she shakes her head. "It's going to be okay."

"Why did you come in here?!" She balls her hand into a fist and slams it against my chest. "You… You…" The tremble of it vibrating my rapidly beating heart. I'll admit, knowing she'll actually miss me does warm me; but it also makes saying bye much harder.

I wish she wouldn't care, and she'd say something stupid like " Well now at least I won't have you chasing me, Big Guy. See ya. "

No, that's a lie… I don't wish that.

This is nice. I gave her what she needed, and knowing that does ease the ache—even if just a little.

"Damn it, Draven, why!?" Her forehead hits the middle of my chest as she lets out a scream of fury and pain.

I huff, "Blaming me, how typical." Tilting her head back, I force her to meet my gaze. "Look at me, Max, don't hide. Not right now. I want to see your magnificent eyes as long as I can. "

Those gems round, and she shakes her head. "Fuck you…" she says through a broken sob. "Damn you Draven, damn you—"

"They remind me of the forest… Sort of fitting since we met in one." My fingers brush back the loose strands of her hair that had fallen from her pony, tucking them securely behind her ear. Never do I pull my gaze from hers, and she doesn't either.

"It wasn't enough time…" I whisper, and shake my head. "I told you to stay with me. Even at the end you never listened."

I could stand here just looking down at her until the clock is ready to strike midnight. Seems like a fucked-up version of Cinderella's story, but instead of her returning to her housekeeper attire, I'll be losing my head.

"I'm staying." I knew she would say those words, and I shake my head. My lips aren't even parted to speak before she interrupts me. "If you go, I go. That's the end of it. I'm NOT leaving you, Draven. I can't… I won't."

A breathy laugh comes in a single puff. "You can, and you will." I shift my other hand up to cradle the back of her neck, pulling her closer. Her head is tilted all the way back, and the tears spilling are drawing lines across her temples to her ears. "You came here in the hopes of finding a way to live. To take back what they took from you. Guess what? You got it. It's out that door, not in here with me."

Her teeth bare as she chokes on a breath, "I don't want to—"

"You do, Petit Mouton , you do. You didn't come here to find me."

"I feel alive with you." She said that before, and I believed her then, but I believe it even more now. "Please don't do this to me. I can finally be happy... I don't want this. I don't want this freedom if I can't share it with you. Don't leave me alone!"

I press my forehead to hers. "You have Sasha, Deck, and now Troy and Shade." Tilting my head up, I press a kiss between her brows. "He still isn't allowed to touch you, or I'll haunt him." I do my best to interject that as a joke, but as I return to look into her eyes, no humor is there.

My hands move, and I snake my arms around her shoulders, pulling her tightly into an embrace. I can feel her tremble as she buries her face into my chest and screams once more. The cry catching after a few seconds, her arms encircling my torso tightly.

"There has to be a way!"

A shaky breath escapes me, my gaze drifting upward as I see Gabe. He has the same bored expression on his face, a slight tilt of his head that seems permanent as he eyes me with an unknown emotion. His shift in focus from me to the wall prompts me to look as well, and I see the clock.

11:55

"There is a way, and it is you leaving this maze. Troy will keep you safe, so will Shade—"

She abruptly stops me as I'm attempting to tell her what is coming. "I'm not leaving, I don't give a fuck Draven. I'll die with you. I know it's so stupid because I've only known you for two days, but I don't see myself surviving outside of here without you."

"Max— "

"No! You are so overbearing, such a brute—let me choose! Let me choose you!"

"It's the wrong choice. Always choose yourself over everything."

"You chose me! Why do you get the choice but not me!?" She screams, and I release a breath as I look up at the clock.

11:56

"You chose to die for me, let me choose—"

I take a step back, bend down, and swiftly lift her over my shoulder in one smooth motion. "DRAVEN! PUT ME DOWN!" She punches my back and even my head, as if she could stop me with that. Her powerful strikes aren't gentle, but I can't allow her the means to choose wrong.

To choose me after everything she fought so hard for would be stupid.

I also didn't come in here to die beside her; I did so to save her.

"Please don't do this, PLEASE DRAVEN. I AM BEGGING YOU!" In just a few strides, I reach the door and tighten my grip on her. My eyes drag upward to the clock.

11:57

" Petit Mouton, " my voice gentle, "don't make me throw you out before kissing you goodbye."

Her scream is piercing, anger and hate filling between the tendrils of its intensity. "NO!"

I drag her across my shoulder, holding her to my body and gripping at the back of her head .

"Live, because you deserve to." I demand, her lips parting and I take them against mine. Her taste of darkness is mixed with the saltiness of her tears.

What I wouldn't give to hold onto her like this for a few more minutes.

"Choose to run, baby."

"Please don't leave me!"

"Grim," Gabe whispers.

"I'm so sorry, Max."

Tearing away from her, I place one last kiss on her forehead and use my foot to kick open the door.

"NO, NO DRAVEN, DON'T!!"

"I'll be seeing you, mon amour. "

Even through her tight grip, I pull her away and shove her through the open door. She tumbles back, and I don't focus on anything other than her. With a wink, I close the barrier between freedom, and my death.

I am not willing to have her watch me die.

Too bad I won't be seeing you, Alyson. I'll definitely be going the opposite way you flew.