The strain of using my freshly awakened powers over such an extended period of time combined with my exhaustion from the fight drained my energy at an alarming rate. I had to end this.

Growling through clenched teeth, I slammed my heel against the guard's wound. He screamed in blind rage, blood pumping from his shoulder.

Off to the side, Nash coughed up spurts of red, choking now as he lay on his back, too weak to roll over. Had to make it to him, damn it.

We would die at this rate. I couldn't let this happen.

My sword lay on the ground, out of reach, so I pulled myself toward it along the cave floor.

The last man left alive was out for blood. He was wearing down fast, but Nash and I were going down faster.

Nash twisted enough to spit out a mouthful of blood. His body fell limp, breathing ragged. I held his wound closed. Only one more. I could do this. Had to.

The guard rose and took me with him, his grip impossibly strong despite his injury. He grabbed my face and gathered my wrists with his other hand, tightening his hold until it felt like he'd crush my skull.

In his fury, my enemy wanted me to suffer as he had. His fingers tightened until my teeth cut into my cheeks, filling my mouth with blood, and the pressure forced black spots into my vision.

Instead of going for the kill, he swung his fist for my gut. I lifted my knees, managing to block the first hit. But the second battered my ribs so hard the pain paralyzed me for a moment. He hit me again in the same spot.

It nearly broke my focus on my power.

I sank my teeth into his hand, funneling my pain into that bite. Hot blood rushed into my mouth. At the same time, he had punched the same place on me again. My ribs gave in like twigs snapping.

Then, he dropped me and ripped away from my teeth. Desperation drove me forward as I clawed my way across the ground and buried my fingers in his shoulder wound. We both screamed. Knives of pain hacked at my ribs.

All the while, the life and blood continued to drain from my Nash as my hold on his wound weakened.

The guard thrashed as I clawed my fingers deeper into his open wound. He tried to shove me away, but I clung with all I had, digging my nails deeper and deeper until my hand ripped his wound wide open.

The man’s head dropped back. He spasmed and cried out. And then he collapsed in a pool of his own blood.

I grabbed my sword and stumbled. Fell to the ground. Dragging myself back up, I struggled to each man and sliced their necks to ensure they were dead.

Exhaustion pulled me to my knees beside Nash.

"It's over." I hardly had enough breath to speak. "Hold still."

Black spots danced in my vision.

"Max…"

As the adrenaline faded, the pain flared in my body. Each breath felt like something stabbing me in my side. The brute had broken my ribs.

Unable to sit up any longer, I collapsed over Nash, barely keeping pressure on his wound as I struggled to stay awake.

I could hear the pain in his labored breathing. I was losing him.

"You're… hurt…" Nash said. "Live."

"Shut up. Elsie is waiting for you." I wiped the sweat from my face and spit out the blood in my mouth. "Trish."

"Trish…" Nash wheezed in a breath. Blood covered his lips. Speckled his left cheek. "I want someone… who fights with me… She gave in…"

"Save your strength, Nash."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"I really wanted to survive this… and convince you to fall for me…" A hint of a smile twisted his lips. "I think I could have…"

Tears slipped from my cheeks onto his. "Stop teasing me. You're really hurt, Nash."

His eyes slid shut, voice quiet. "You always think… I'm teasing, when I'm serious…" The pause was long, so long, I thought he'd fallen unconscious. "I'm sorry I hurt you." Pain gripped his expression. He was only upsetting himself. "You're not a demon."

"It's okay." I pushed his curls away from his face.

He said something, but it sounded like a groan. Nash was slipping away from me. More tears fell down my face. Wet his cheeks. Mingled with his own. I weathered through the pain of bending to press my lips against his and kiss him while he was still awake.

I carefully lowered myself beside him, holding his hand tight. He tried to speak once more, but unconsciousness took him, and it tried desperately to take me as well.

Fire consumed my body. I radiated heat. Nash, though, felt cold and clammy.

Every second stole precious strength from me.

Sleep still clawed at me. I fought it like I fought the guard who'd held me in the air.

How could we survive another hour? A whole night? But we had to. Nash had Elsie waiting for him. And I couldn't abandon Rune and my people in the Prophet's captivity. All these days and my little buddy must have lived in constant fear. Frightened for his life and for his papa who hadn't yet returned.

I had to survive and return these fathers to their children. Striking all else from my mind, I focused on Nash's wound alone.

"Hold on…" I dug my nails into his hand.

Every breath hurt like the guard hit me again. The hours passed, and though I had no idea how I held on, I did, each moment feeling impossible. Nash holding Eslie as she cried hovered in my mind through the night. Rune's fingers reaching for help. The coldness of my father's body after I sucked away his life during the eclipse. All these years wanting so badly to see him just one more time, even though it didn't make sense to love him so. It all drifted through my mind, heating my skin each time, igniting embers of power still smoldering within me.

As dawn warmed the cave floor in a glow of yellow, its rays didn't make it to me, and I was shivering with cold. Even the sound of Elsie pleading for Nash to come couldn't draw an ounce of warmth within me. The embers of power were dying. I knew I wouldn't last much longer. It was like drifting off to sleep. My strength faded more and more.

With shaking fingers I lifted my shirt. My side was swollen and black and blue. But my stomach made my heart hammer. It looked like my bruise had leaked out in my abdomen and spread in a pool of dark purple. Internal bleeding. Neither one of us had long.

Nash was out. Even when I tried to wake him, he didn't stir. His heart beat faintly.

I eyed the dead bodies on the ground. No one had come for me after those three. The guard must have decided it was too dangerous. They’d be watching, probably hoping Nash and I would die here. If we left, they would attack again.

It would be hours still before Leif and Wren made it to the tram. And longer for help to return. We wouldn't make it.

My vision waned. Wet, red blood spread slowly over Nash's bandages. A thin trail dribbled from the corner of his mouth. My hold on his wound weakened each passing minute. We couldn't die this way. There had to be something I could do.

Still, the stain of blood on Nash's chest grew larger. Time only seemed to pass more slowly.

I searched for any power left inside me.

In the distance, I heard someone’s heart, too fuzzy and faint to hope to recognize. Had my friends given up and returned? No, only death would stop them from reaching Piercey. It must have been the enemy. I was helpless to stop them from approaching. The guards must have been coming for me now that we were in such a weak state.

Would we even make it long enough for them to kill us?

A form darkened the opening of the cave. I managed to open my eyes but I couldn’t even reach for my sword.

My vision blurred as I studied the form approaching us. “Stay… back…"

“My gods. It really is you, Max.”

I tried to make out the image of the man who knelt beside me. I felt him, then. “Piercey?”

“I’ve got you now.”

Leif and Wren approached at his side. They didn't look hurt. How had they all made it here so fast?

I blinked a few times, managing to make out those eyes I knew so well. “Piercey,” I whispered. “Bind his…” It hurt so bad to breathe. The pain choked out my voice.

The last ember of power died out and I fell limp.

Piercey had him. I had no doubt. He had me too, lifting me gently into his arms.