40. Erik

In the past few hours, my body had been battered, broken, bruised, but no physical pain would ever come close to this.

A thousand gods couldn’t have held me back from Montana right now. Callie may have been allowing this, but I would never have let her sister die when I had the ability to save her. It had come down to an agreement or a fight and thankfully this time, it was the former.

I pulled Montana from her sister’s arms, laying her gently on the ground, knowing that just hours ago I had sworn never to turn her. But I hadn’t realised what it would do to me to see her on the cusp of death, I hadn’t known the dangers lurking in her future. I’d thought I could protect her from this, fragile as she was. I’d thought myself strong enough to keep her alive no matter what. Yet here I was with her broken body in my arms, and as furious as I was at the gods for forcing me to make this choice, I found there was no other I could claim. Montana had to live, even if her heart no longer beat, even if it meant laying this curse on her. Because losing her was not an option, no matter how selfish that made me, or how much she would despise me for making this choice for her.

But if I couldn’t bring her back, my life was already over. I was a ghost about to depart this world. I wouldn’t cling to it a fraction longer than I needed to. Wherever she went, I was going too.

Fuck, why had she jumped? Or had she been forced? Had Andvari done this to her as another cruel punishment for me?

I knelt at her side, her body twisted by her shattered bones as blood spread out beneath her. Pain scorched through me at the sight of her and guilt formed a solid lump in my throat. She was here because of me. Because of a fight she should never have been caught up in. It all seemed so pointless now. What was hate when compared to love?

Montana’s lips were rose red, flecked with blood, her face too still and eyes shuttered. My heart became charred and blackened, consumed in the fire I’d known our love would cause. This was the reason we never should have been together. Because mortals die when they keep the company of beasts.

I slit my arm open with my fangs, resting the wound against her soft mouth.

“Drink, rebel.” She needed enough life to remain in her body for this to work. If she could swallow my blood, it would start the process. But if she was already gone...

I took hold of her wrist, running my thumb across the place a pulse should have thrummed.

Nothing.

Panic threatened to overwhelm me but I held it at bay, forcing myself to focus. I had to finish this. I couldn’t give up.

I dipped my head, squeezing my eyes shut as the scent of her blood called to me from her veins.

“Forgive me,” I breathed as I shattered all of my promises to her, knowing I was betraying all she had ever asked of me. Then I slid my fangs into her velvet skin as gently as I could manage, releasing the venom into her bloodstream, desperate for it to be enough. I let the curse pour into her more and more, despising myself for it but knowing it was the only way to keep her. And I’d be damned if I let the gods steal her from me.

When it was done, I pulled back, searching her face for any signs of immortal life. Her skin was near-translucent in death, so pale she resembled my kind already.

I rested my ear to her heart and a dull thump reached my ears.

Once. Twice. Silence.

The quiet stretched on. She needed to die to turn, but it was agony to know in these few seconds she was no longer here, reaching toward the afterlife. But I couldn’t let her go. She wasn’t done living. She had so much more to give. I thought of all the things I’d show her, all that I’d give her, all that I’d be for her. I’d build a new world she’d be proud of. One she’d long to live in. If only she’d come back.

“Don’t leave me,” I commanded, taking her hand in mine. “You must stay. I hate to place this curse on you but I swear by all the stars in the sky, I will break it. I have never wanted that as much as I do now. I won’t stop until it’s done. I’ll tear the gods from the heavens and kill them one by one until they rid the curse from your body. Just come back to me, Montana.”

I cupped her icy cheek, despair drilling into my chest.

I cannot lose you.

I shook her softly and her sister’s sobs filled the air, but I couldn’t turn to face Callie’s grief. If I accepted it, it would be true. Montana would be gone. My saviour. My life. And I refused to let go.

“Your heart is stronger than iron,” I growled, suddenly furious with my wife. She was my rebel. She fought harder than anyone I’d ever known. And she was giving up. Leaving me. She wasn’t fucking fighting.

My voice boomed as I continued, praying my words would guide her back to me. “Your heart is fortified, eternal, invincible. You will not die here, do you hear me? That’s my final order to you, rebel. Don’t you dare disobey me this time.”

It was the longest wait of my life. An eternity on earth would have felt like a blink in comparison to these few seconds, our future balanced on each of their razor-sharp edges.

I pressed my forehead to hers, determined not to give up. Her body was so badly damaged, and I’d never turned someone with so many injuries. But maybe...just maybe...

Her hand twitched in mine, so slightly, I half thought I’d imagined it, but then her fingers flexed again and I released a raspy laugh, squeezing her hand in response.

I glanced over at her sister in Magnar’s arms, her eyes brightening as I nodded. She dove from his lap, crawling to Montana’s side and reaching out with a shaky hand to touch her twin’s face.

“Callie...” Magnar seemed pained as he stared at Montana and anger rolled freely through me.

“What happens now?” Callie asked me, ignoring him. “When is she going to wake up?”

“She has a lot of injuries, it may take a while for her to heal,” I muttered, giving her an intense look. “And she will be ravenous when she wakes. It’s best I take her from here, somewhere away from the smell of your blood.”

Callie met my eyes as she realised what I meant. Montana was going to try and kill them the second she woke. She wouldn’t be able to help herself.

“You have to let him,” Julius said in a low tone, his expression grave as if Montana really had died. The sight set my blood boiling. This was better than death, how could he not see that?

His brother shifted uneasily. “It isn’t right,” Magnar snarled but he didn’t approach to halt this.

Callie glanced back at him, seeming broken. “It’s better than losing her forever.”

Magnar glowered at her, evidently not agreeing but he didn’t voice any more of his thoughts.

A silent tear slid down Callie’s cheek as she pressed her lips to Montana’s forehead. “We’ll figure out the prophecy. You won’t be one of them for long, Monty. I promise.”

I scooped Montana into my arms. Her skin seemed more porcelain already, the stillness of her body making her resemble a doll. But she’d be anything but fragile when she woke.

Hope clawed its way out of the depths of my soul, spreading relief through to my bones.

I glanced over at Fabian’s decapitated body in the golden cage with a heavy frown, certain I couldn’t leave him here.

Magnar lifted his head, seeming to sense something as he jogged through the rubble and scooped up three large swords. My gut tightened uneasily, but he sheathed two of them quickly and passed the other to his brother. Julius winced as he took it, blood still pouring from the bite marks on his neck.

Our fight was done. It was clear they’d accepted that, but I didn’t trust either of them not to plunge one of those blades into my brother’s heart.

Callie moved to my side and the slayers followed us over the broken concrete, keeping within the safety of the ring’s power.

“You’re going to let me take my brother home,” I snarled, rounding on the slayers.

“I’ll fetch the fucker then,” Julius announced as we arrived beside the cage, apparently not up for the fight I’d expected to meet on this matter.

“Be careful with him,” I warned, glaring at the slayer as he flung Fabian’s body over his shoulder and snatched his head by the hair.

“I’m always careful.” Julius smirked as he headed out of the cage, a dong sounding as Fabian’s head collided with the bars. “Whoops. That was an unfortunate accident.”

Magnar chuckled as Julius approached, and he stumbled with the weight of Fabian, his injuries clearly still affecting him. I was surprised he was on his feet at all after what I’d done to him, but I supposed his slayer gifts were working to heal him now. Magnar took Fabian’s body from his arms and threw him unceremoniously over his shoulder.

I glowered, clutching Montana to my chest protectively as I led the way to the speedboat. Callie fell into step beside me, a slayer blade in her hand as she eyed her sister with concern. The golden knife was still tainted with my blood and the wound on my shoulder ached from the deep cut she’d given me. I hoped we could keep our differences aside long enough for me to get Montana away from here.

“I need to take her to shore then you can have the boat,” I said gruffly and she gazed at me with suspicion.

“Fine,” she said tersely.

I waded out into the water toward the speedboat and gently placed Montana aboard. Climbing inside, I laid her on one of the leather seats, brushing a lock of hair from her cheek. She showed no signs of stirring, but I was sure it wouldn’t be long before she woke, then all hell would likely break loose. Callie sprang into the boat, seating herself beside her, resting a hand on Montana’s, wincing when she found it cold.

A loud thump sounded as Magnar tossed Fabian’s body onto the deck, then the slayer helped Julius up and I spied my brother’s head tucked under his arm.

“Put him down,” I commanded, irritated by the slayers’ lack of propriety.

Julius held out the head with raised brows. “As you wish.”

He let go of it and it thumped against the floor and Magnar released a rumbling laugh. I scowled, grabbing a blanket from beneath a seat and throwing it over Fabian and his severed head. I didn’t think it was a good idea to let my brother rise again now; it would cause way more trouble than it was worth.

Julius dropped onto a seat, clasping the wounds on his neck. “Still hungry?” he goaded me.

“I wasn’t in my right mind when I bit you,” I muttered. “Besides, you taste like filthy dishwater.”

“Liar,” Julius muttered. “I taste like a rainbow.” His joke was somewhat diminished as his laughter caused him to wince, and a ripple of guilt found me that left me confused.

I turned the key in the ignition, driving us out into the harbour and pushing the boat to its limit as it carved a path through the waves. I glanced over at Montana to make sure she was alright and found Callie holding her head in her lap. I frowned, concerned that if she woke, she might try to feed from her sister. Magnar eyed her like he expected her to attack Callie at any moment, and I sensed the strange agreement we were making was as fragile as glass.

I set my eyes on the shoreline, closing the distance and finally making it to land. Moving quickly, I took Montana into my arms again, pulling her away from Callie with a frown.

She blinked away tears, squeezing Montana’s hand before turning her gaze on me. “Swear you’ll look after her.”

“I’ll protect her with my life,” I vowed, and Callie nodded firmly, seeming to believe that at last.

“Get her to call me on Julius’s phone the second she wakes up,” she said, briefly touching my hand before realising what she’d done and retracting her arm.

“I will,” I said stiffly, moving to the ladder that led up to the pier above us. I carried Montana onto it before returning to get Fabian, but he was deposited at my feet as Magnar threw him from the boat. Julius tossed his head at me and I grumbled my irritation as I caught it. I wrapped the blanket around my brother before lifting him and my wife into my arms.

“You’re not keeping her,” Callie called to me, her eyes holding a tempestuous sea inside them. “This is temporary, bloodsucker. Don’t forget that.”

I didn’t reply as I gazed down at the boat of slayers. After all that had happened, there wasn’t really anything I could say so I just dipped my head and walked away. And as quickly as I could, I ran to the car I’d parked just hours ago.

With a flash of guilt, I put Fabian in the trunk, slightly concerned about someone seeing him in his current state. I couldn’t deal with his mood right now; he was going to be severely pissed off when he woke up.

I laid Montana on the back seat, pressing a kiss to her lips as I leaned over her.

She murmured something incoherent and my heart lifted. I didn’t have much time left. I needed to get her somewhere safe. Somewhere I could look after her. And somewhere I could give her the one thing she was about to crave more than anything she had ever known.