Broken (The Captive #5.5)(65)
Her hands tightened on Camille's shoulders so that she could keep her balance. "You tell Atticus he's my heart," she whispered gruffly in Camille's ear. "You make sure you tell him that for me Camille."
Camille turned toward her, her mouth dropped. A gargled scream escaped her sister, tears bloomed in her eyes and she lurched for her. Genny fought off her frantic hands as Camille tried to grab at the arrow that had pierced through her back and now protruded through the front of her chest. It was a mortal wound; even now she could feel the weakness stealing through her body, robbing her of the extra strength that Atticus's blood had granted her. Blood that was enough to allow her to stay upright and say goodbye to her sister but it would never be enough to heal the hole that had been torn through her heart.
She couldn't go down now though, not while Camille was watching. She would never allow her sister to see that and she had to make sure Camille escaped.
"Genny!" Camille screamed in a raw voice so full of anguish that it caused the first tears to fill Genny's eyes.
"Go Camille," she urged as she pushed at her sister again. "You must go."
"Not without you," she vowed as tears slid down her face, leaving clean streaks through the soot, dirt, and blood that covered her beautiful face.
Genny grabbed hold of her cheeks. "I'd willingly give my life for you again if I could, but please don't let my sacrifice be for nothing. Leave me here and run."
"No," Camille whimpered. "Come with me Genny, please."
"I can't. There's no hope for me anymore." Words were becoming increasingly difficult to form as blood swelled up her throat. "I…" Her words cut off as she coughed up some of the blood that was choking her. "Love you… Tell him, Camille… pro… mise me."
"I'll tell him," Camille whimpered. "I love you too."
Genny pulled her sister close and kissed her forehead before shoving her backward with enough force to push her down the embankment toward the woods. She caught a glimpse of Camille staggering awkwardly to her feet and turning to look at her. Camille took a few steps back toward her but Genny waved her away.
Please don't watch this, Genny silently pleaded as Camille remained frozen in the woods before her.
Sobbing, Camille spun on her heel and fled into the shadows. Relief filled Genny as Camille disappeared amongst the trees; she tried to take another step forward before realizing that she couldn't. She didn't remember falling, didn't know when it had happened but she realized now she was already lying on her stomach on the ground.
The scent of dirt and smoke clogged her nose. She watched the feet of the vampires running back and forth as they tried to escape the chaos and the humans that stalked them. Blood oozed from her wounds and seeped into the earth. Her fingers curled into the dirt beneath her as tears of sorrow streaked down her cheeks.
Atticus, she thought longingly. This would devastate him and no matter how badly she wanted to stay, how much she fought to try and hold onto the life she felt slipping away, there was nothing she could do to remain with him. The life they'd dreamed of was as broken now as her body was.
The thick smoke parted, the death and misery of the village surrounding her gave way to reveal Atticus standing in a field of tall, flowing green grass. He laughed as he held his arms out to a young girl who ran eagerly into them. Behind the girl, a smaller boy tottered along, trying to keep up with his older sister. Atticus bent to scoop the boy up with his sister and held them against his chest. He turned toward her; a radiant smile lit his stunning face and his striking eyes danced with merriment as he called for her to join them.
Genny laughed as she was drawn toward the family that was hers and the future that was everything they'd dreamed of together. Atticus's warm arms enfolded her, love engulfed her as she gazed at the little boy with eyes and hair as dark as hers, and the girl with eyes the color of her father's.
"My heart," she whispered and leaned forward to kiss him.
"My soul," he breathed against her lips as he kissed her back.
The nightmare before her was forgotten as she walked with them across the field and into a warm glow that engulfed her until she saw no more.
CHAPTER 22
Twelve hundred pounds of horse kicked him in the chest, or at least that was the way it felt as only a quarter mile from the town something smashed into his heart with enough force to knock him back. He staggered a few steps forward again before falling and landing upon his knees. A roar tore from his throat leaving it ragged and raw. It felt as if his soul had been ripped from his chest and battered upon the rocks as forcefully as a ship caught within a storm. Just like that ship he felt himself sinking beneath the deep waves of fury and despair that pounded over and through him.
In that second he knew that Genny was gone.
Another bellow tore from him, something within him shattered and fractured apart. He could feel the pieces of himself scattering around him, pieces he would never be able to put back together. Agony swept over him, forcing his head down as he was bent double by the weight of the emotions tearing through him.
His knuckles rested on the ground, he didn't require air to breathe but his shoulders were still heaving as the muscles in his forearms bulged. His teeth ground together, his fangs burst free of his mouth as uncontrollable rage consumed him. Launching himself off the ground he poured on the speed toward the town.