Forbidden (Fallen 2)

Jonathon’s whole body pulsed with the flames. In an instant the flames burst from his body and exploded, encompassing the whole yard, in a bright white light. I had to cover my eyes. I heard the vampires hiss and cringe away. Just as quickly as it had come the light disappeared and darkness covered all again. My eyes pulsed from black to white trying to adjust to the darkness again.

The backyard had been turned to ash. Selena was gone. Jonathon was lying on the ground. Most of his clothes had been burned away making it look like he was wearing rags. He was dead and Selena had escaped.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Grim

I screamed and screamed and screamed. I couldn’t stop. I had lost the love of my life.

I felt arms come around me. I looked over. Gabriel. “Shhh. It is okay. He is alive. He’s alive, Kylie. Look, he’s breathing. Stop screaming. He’s alive. He’s okay. It’s over. It is really over.”

I started crying. I looked hopefully into his eyes, “He’s alive?”

“He’s alive. He’s hurt and tired but he’s alive. We need to get down there to him okay?” he asked talking to me like I was some kind of fragile moth ready to flutter away. I guessed that’s probably what I looked like. The others were already standing and looking at the ashes below us. I could still see the bodies of our dead on the ground undamaged. Somehow Jonathon had managed to keep the explosion from them. I was thankful.

Gabriel picked me up in his arms and he jumped the three stories to the ground. He landed lightly. Not a jolt. Nothing. It was like he had always been standing there. Like he hadn’t moved or jumped, at all. He set me down and I ran to Jonathon. He’s chest was moving, only slightly, it was a strained kind of breathing. I had never felt so scared before.

I put my hands on either side of his face. “Jonathon, can you hear me? Jonathon?” Tears streamed from my face and landed with soft little plops onto Jonathon. “Please, Jonathon say something?”

He remained quiet. I could see his eyes fluttering beneath his eye lids but it was as if he didn’t have the strength to open them or to even move. Suddenly, the slight movement of his eyes stopped. “Jonathon? Don’t leave me! Stay with me! I love you! We’re going to get married and live happily ever after! You promised! You have to live! Please!” I cried.

Gabriel and Danny pulled me away from him. “He’s going to be out of it for a while. I’ve never seen so much power used before. It will take his body a while to heal. But he’s more tired than anything. He needs to hibernate but when he wakes up you are going to have to be there,” said Gabriel.

I was quiet for a couple of minutes as I watched Patrick and Joseph pick up Jonathon and begin to carry his limp body into the house. I was finally able to process what Gabriel had said asked, “What? Why would I have to be there when he wakes up?” Not that I was planning to ever leave his side.

Gabriel and Danny began to lead me into the house. They took me straight into the kitchen. Danny grabbed a ginger ale and handed it to me with a straw. I realized my hands were shaking. Danny and Gabriel were looking at me with deep concern.

After what felt like an eternity Gabriel finally answered me. “You will need to be there because he will need your blood. I’m sure he’s already explained this to you. His blood can heal you and yours can heal him.”

“He told me that his blood could heal me but he didn’t say anything about my blood healing him,” I sighed and shook my head. I looked into both of their eyes, “He’s going to be okay, right? Please, don’t lie to me.”

“He’ll be fine. Don’t worry. See, I’m not,” said Danny pointing to his smiling face. I found myself cracking a small smile.

I sipped the ginger ale and groaned, “It’s too bad Selena’s still alive. I can’t believe she got away.”

Danny and Gabriel exchanged puzzled glances.

“Kylie,” said Danny, “Selena is dead.”

I shook my head and pointed out the kitchen window as if to clarify, “She’s gone. She’s not there. Jonathon is on his death bed and she got away,” I cried hysterically.

Gabriel took my arms so that I couldn’t move. “Look at me. Look at me Kylie!” He waited for me to turn and meet his eye. I knew what he must see. A girl, tired, dirt covered, bleeding, with tears sparkling in her eyes. I looked like a weakling. “I promise you, Selena is dead, she will never hurt you ever again

. Come on, I’ll show you,” he said and helped me down off the counter.

“Are you sure she should see this?” asked Danny clearly appalled with his hands in his pockets.

Gabriel shook his head, “Probably not but she has to see it. She won’t ever rest until she sees that Selena is in fact dead. Believe me, I would know.” Gabriel took my hand and began to lead me back outside. Danny grumbled but followed closely behind.

Outside I was surprised by all the carnage. We had lost more than I thought. The dead were being covered in tarps and those injured were being led inside for medical attention. I saw Benji’s lifeless shell of a body before a vampire that I didn’t know covered his body. So, many people and vampires had died tonight. It wasn’t fair.

A shudder rocked through my body. Isaac. I didn’t see his body but I thought I knew the general location. I tore away from Gabriel’s hand and ran towards the tarp that I thought was Isaac. I knelt beside it and held my breath. I slowly began to pull back the cover.

A pale hand clamped down hard on mine, “Stop,” said Danny angrily. “He’s dead. You don’t need to see this.”

“I have to,” I breathed. “It’s my fault he’s dead. He died fighting for me, Danny. Me,” I began to cry again. Danny wrapped his arms around me and held me close while I sobbed. I threw my hands out, “They all died because of me,” I said, my voice cracking.

I could hear him murmuring to me in Italian but I still hadn’t picked up on enough of the language to understand his words. I began to slow my sobs and the tears began to stop. I wiped my nose and face, “Sorry, I ruined your shirt.”

He laughed, “So, now you’re worried about my shirt? You amaze me,” said Danny, shaking his head.