A Siren's Choice (Book One in A Siren's Series)

Chapter Nineteen: The Last Day

"The trouble is, you think you have time". ~ Buddha

Lia

Have you ever hoped that time would just stop, or at least slow down; just so you can have more of it? I have.

For the last couple of days, I have hoped and I have prayed for it.

Now as I sit on my bed, I glare at my digital clock on my bedside table, imagining all of the ways I could destroy it as its red numbers mock me.

I know destroying it won't magically solve all of my problems, but I am unable to control myself as the anguish that has slowly been building up inside of me for the past few days bubbles over, and I jump off my bed, grab the clock with both of my hands, pulling on it hard enough that the plug rips from the wall; I swing around and hurl it with all my might across my room, causing it to shatter when it hits the wall, pieces flying everywhere.

And yet, time still goes on.

A sob rips its way out of my throat as I fall to my knees, and I hear someone call my name, the sound seemingly coming from somewhere faraway, but I'm unable to answer through the lump in my throat and the pain in my chest.

In the back of my mind, I register that someone has wrapped their arms around me, holding me back against them, talking to me, but I can't hear a word they say or feel the warmth of their arms, all I feel is cold, so very very cold.

I stare at the remnants of the clock, begging the Goddess to please give me more time. More time with my mate. More time with Nathaniel.

But time still goes on.

It suddenly becomes difficult to draw in breath, and my vision starts to darken around the edges. Three simple, yet impossible words are on repeat in my mind, the only things I can focus on as I plunge.

Need more time. Need more time. Need more time.

The person with their arms around me, pulls me almost painfully tight against them, my back to their front, I can hear their far slower beating heart, feel it beat against my back.

I use the painful embrace as a tether connected to this world, and I focus on that, instead of the words in my head. I use their heart beat as a guide, a goal, to get my heart to slow down to that pace.

It takes time, but everything eventually starts to slow back down, the person not daring to let me go.

Once my heart matches the rhythm of the other persons heart, and I can breathe easily once again, my vision finally clears, only then do I go limp in the Siren's arms, causing them to relax their hold on me, but they don't let go.

The Siren just rocks me in their arms, the motion calming.

It takes a couple of minutes for my mind to become completely coherent, but once it finally does, I realise that I know the arms that are wrapped around me, their warm embrace so familiar to me.

My suspicion is proven right, when the owner of the arms whispers to me soothingly as they continue to rock my body from side to side, "Shhhhh Callia, it's okay, I got you".

Turning my head, I look up into a pair of emerald green eyes, "Proteus", I whisper hoarsely, my throat raw from crying, or was I screaming; I'm not really sure.

He brushes my loose hair aside, his own dark blonde hair in a bun on top of his head, "Goddess Callia, you scared me. Don't you ever do that to me again", he reprimands me.

I scoff, I slump back against his chest, closing my eyes, so tired all of a sudden, "Sure thing Proteus".

He tightens his arms around me, spinning me so I lie sideways across him, he rests one arm behind my back and the other under my knees before easily lifting me up bridal style like I weighed absolutely nothing. He places me on my bed, my back resting against the headboard.