IA'S
th my feet. Dirt repla
uts my name
not
my throat. All I feel is the violent p
twists p
skin. Dried blood sticks to my collarbone, but every
of rain-soaked
ses and starts forcing
r. Impo
enough to hurt, but it i
ddenly the next brea
me changes. It is no long
ened. As if my body already be
p wave tears
d into the darker stretch of f
aches where Dar
erything my parents did for this
ves slap against my face. The tre
ges too. Coo
il all I hear is my rough breat
al si
insects flying. And n
stop
nds violentl
. I feel it be
. Watching
rges so fa
in
somewhere de
e follows. L
ls like
le
everything about
flashes
sounds clos
shadows, wondering if s
side me crashes
gainst my chest as i
of me is still waiting for Darian
w why someone buried the secr
ugh the treeline and
cks the breath
rd against a solid chest
I look up. And for
hair falls across his forehead. Shado
lock onto mine like he has been wait
narrows
ll there, but suddenly it is no
inst his shirt where I
the rejection, my body stop
ion makes my
th turns
s before I
s disappears too na
wants to lean closer as I
te t
nd. I should not be craving an
y refuses
e at ea
us slams violently
body seize
lls from
the same moment. H
both our clothes before e
r of u
rtbeat, we only stare
says f
or
ettles me more
I whisp
like the contact was a mistake. Lik
changes. Sma
I no
ward him again. Uncon
e like he does not want di
to his, as though it reco
away, heat tears
nd grab
liar pain of
the cracked cre
ld catches my eye
ath ca
down almost immedi
ound his wrist like
changes. Not fe
desperate to stop the sensati
Like something is trying
erythin
essure
le pull to surge bac
ree
that?" I
s gaze drops to my neck. To
hing c
ly around my arm before h
ishes, leaving the forest
he bre
de
gnit
twists painfu
ady.
shakes. "Why are you lo
s not
is eyes stay fixed on my mark as though he is not o
the thoug
. Maybe because anothe
ately another rea
o
ion was no
d closer
more careful
nk past the bond and
ing about this m
, uncertainty flas
e quickly.
jumps i
s back. Further this time. Controlle
ve broken whatever was
doe
that I alre
this?"
e crack
? Why does my body
before I can
e memory. Like
nderstand
looks at my
irst time, I
recognition burie
er he is trying de
t be here," h
trolled.
ugh almost
re? I don't even k
nd with Darian still ache f
stant now. Over
ll me,"
gain despite the wa
emembering when
ts him harder th
sudden tension
gain, I already know
't exist," he
o me. Mostl
rs inside m
e turn
explanation.
into the
ai
ks as I stumb
can't
ows. Never
he darkness swall
closes arou
tying us together rema
alive bene
tself is the realization
omething the mo
he reme
im more than it
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