No, not quite dead yet and not quite alone. One voice broke the silence.
"I keep my promises," it whispered. "With these words to you, a promise I bind. Symbolised by blood, embrace and ribbon twined. Stay with me, Riley."
Something warm brushed my lips. There was a surge of heat that started at my mouth and worked its way through my veins. Thick as treacle, it spread outwards into my arms, down into my chest and abdomen. Calves and feet. I felt a silent instruction to open my eyes and found I was still laying on the garden path. I'd been turned onto my back, the stone slabs cold and hard beneath me.
The throbbing in my head had stopped, as had the sense of drowning. I didn't ache, and any pain I should have felt from having my head bashed in and being sent crashing through the side of a building had evaporated along with my make-shift mist.
And darkness smiled down upon me.
Rafe's face hovered inches above mine. Even battered, he was still the most beautiful being I'd ever seen. There was a golden glow in his eyes. At first, I thought it was the power inside of him, the magic capable of taking life and sealing the end of it. Until I realised it was my reflection. My whole body glowed.
"Can you move at all?"
"Move? Right now, I could probably fly better than you." I moved my arm up, sweeping sweat-coated strands from his good eye.
Rafe lay stretched out at the side of me. My head rested on the bulge of his bicep as it curled under, his other hand cupped my cheek.
"What did you do?"
"Well, once again you've tried to force your rotten soul upon me and I'm not having it, Riley." His voice cracked.
"I saw you leave," my bottom lip trembled.
"Barely a second," he breathed. "I couldn't let her hurt you - anyone again. Riley I-" his eyes clouded over, words lost.
"You what?"
"I keep my promises," he whispered low into my ear, and let his head fall so his forehead rested against mine.
I allowed my eyes to close.
And the bond between us shattered.
YOU ARE READING
BREAKING SHADOWS (Shadows Book 1)
Paranormal[The Wattys 2023 Fan's Choice Award Winner] The problem with bargains is that someone always wants something in return. To save the life of her grandmother, seventeen-year-old witch Riley Archer makes a deal with an angel of death. But in return, he...
