The Quest

Chapter Forty Four - Kiss of Death

"Priestess," Matera's voice cut into Tess' thoughts. Tom scowled at her. He felt like he was getting through to Tess. "I hate to remind you we're on a time schedule."

Tess went through a series of emotions before landing on a calm face. "Did he come with anything?"

"I-I'm sorry?" Matera asked, surprised by the question.

"Did he come with anything?" Tess raised her voice, turning towards the matron siren.

Matera flinched before regaining her composure. "He had a sword. It's put away."

"I want to see it," Tess demanded, looking Matera straight in the eyes.

Matera was about to argue back, but motioned for another siren to leave the room. "As you wish, priestess," Matera bowed, then moved to the side of the room.

"Look at you, commanding a room," Tom teased, trying to get Tess to focus on him again. If he could just break through whatever the sirens had done to her, he might stand a chance.

"Lots of practice," Tess smirked, turning back towards him.

Tom could see Matera becoming agitated at the stalling. He did his best to keep Tess' attention on him, trying to keep her talking. Soon his sword was brought in and laid before Tess.

"Beautiful sword," Tess reached out towards it. She clasped the handle and studied it. She glanced at Tom, confused. "Sword of the High Priest?"

Tom shook his head. "I'm just as confused as you are."

Tess thought for a few moments, then put the sword down next to Tom. "So the story we grew up with was true."

"It appears so," Tom replied solemnly. He had always thought the story of the High Priestess and the Wilkolak was a fantasy story. Told to scare him and his brother if they misbehaved, but there seemed to be some truth to it.

Matera cleared her throat behind Tess, making Tess look back at her athame. She had placed it on the ground near Tom. She looked at Tom, fear in her eyes. "I don't want to," she whispered. Her body was shaking. "I don't want to kill you."

"You don't have to," Tom replied in a soothing voice. "You have a choice."

Tess shook her head, "No, I don't."

"Yes, you do," Tom whispered forcefully. "Everyone has a choice... and you do, too."

Tess stayed in her kneeling position, hugging herself, her face nearly on the ground. Tom felt bad that Tess had been put into this difficult situation. "Tess," Tom called gently, making her look up at him, her cheeks tear stained. "No matter your decision. I will always love you."

"I love you too," Tess whispered as Matera continued egging her on. Tess crawled up to Tom's side, then gently pressed her lips on Tom's.

His lips quickly met hers, trying to meet a hunger that neither of them knew existed. Tess almost became lost in the moment. Their lips working against each other, matching movement for movement. She took her knife and released Tom's hands in one swift motion.

Tom didn't waste a second and immediately cupped Tess' face, bringing her in closer to him. He felt his body fill with warmth as the poison on her lips worked into his system, but he didn't care. His rough sea chapped lips were against her soft smooth ones. They only stopped when Tess sliced into his throat with her athame. He let out a strangled cry, gasping for air, as he fell into her. Her tears splashing into his hair as she laid her head on his, her fingers running through his hair. "I'm sorry," she whispered repeatedly, as her body was racked with sobs.

The bell tower had struck midnight. She felt Tom's lips trying to say something against her skin. She placed her hand on his cheek to let him transfer his thoughts to her.

I forgive you; Tom's voice filled her head.

"Tom," Tess cried, her heart beginning to break, the siren's curse taking over her.

"Eat his heart!" Matera's voice chanted to Tess in the background.

Tess could barely hear her over the pounding in her ears. She laid Tom on the ground, his breathing becoming shallower. She put her hand on his chest, preparing to remove his heart so she could finish the ritual.

"I can't," she finally said, throwing herself across Tom's still warm body. "I'm so sorry! I can't! You trusted me," she sobbed, her tears soaking Tom's shirt.

She half expected him to put a hand on her back to comfort her, but he never did. "Tom, I'm so sorry." She took her shaky hand and closed Tom's eyelids. He had taken his last breath a few moments prior.

She held her head to his chest, listening desperately for a heartbeat. "Tom," she wailed over and over, her heart cracked in two. She felt the changes as they came to her. She just needed to finish the ritual to make them permanent.

"Finish the ritual!" Materas' voice screamed at her from across the room.

Finish the ritual.

Tess sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes, trying to regain composure. She began moving Tom's shirt away from his chest, turning her attention to where his heart was.

The bell tower rang out the final toll, signifying midnight. She needed to finish this before the next hour came.

"Please lend me the strength of the love in your heart." Tess raised her athame above Tom's lifeless chest. Tears continuing to course down her flushed cheeks. Tom's smiling face entering her mind. "That you freely gave to me, every day you were alive." Her hands shook as she continued. Memories upon memories flooding her mind at all the things the two used to do together. One thing was constantly the same in every single one. Tom's love for her, the way he looked at her, protected her, teased her. He had loved her since the first day they had met, and she had killed him.

"Please continue to bless me and give me your strength throughout my life," Tess' voice broke. She shifted her grip on her athame's handle. "As you would have if you were still here by my side." Tess finished, closing her eyes. She brought her knife down to pierce Tom's chest.