Unbound: Forbidden Desires

20 | I'll Be Right Here

𝓓eath had come for me.

I never thought I would pray for a quick death. And yet I had. And it appeared the angel of death was a quick responder because here he was. I felt him touch me with those icy fingers against my cheek.

"...va...ey...Ev..."

I never thought I would be so grateful for death. And yet I was, because he had spared me from feeling my body ignite under flames. And I'd much rather die in his arms than feel fire on my skin.

"...va...Ev...a...h...h...ey."

Yet aside from death's touch, I also felt a distant tapping on my face. I felt like I was in some far away land, detached from my body, but I could still feel it. I could still feel something, someone, desperately shoving me.

Death released me from his grasp, and like a pebble in a sling, I was flung from his faraway land and jammed right into my body.

My watery eyes opened as hot air entered my lungs. The room was black, orange and red, as angry flames practically licked at my skin, but there was someone in the way. A hulking figure stood beside me, shielding me from the fire. The window had been completely torn off the wall, and I was being lifted into my blurry savior's arms.

He was the one tapping my face, asking me to stay with him.

He was the one who brought me back from Death's faraway land.

We moved through the hole in the wall and then cool air hit my lungs. The fresh air awakened a torrent of coughs, as if it were expelling the plumes of smoke I had inhaled.  Each cough brought a bout of pain in my chest, but I breathed, I was breathing.

"Eva." The blurry figure called out to me and without the smoke obstructing my view, I could see him, I could see him through the sting.

"E-eros?" I coughed out.

He shook his head, large ash-colored eyes filled with fright as he held me. He wasn't Eros. Those dark strands over his face, the lighter tone in his gray eyes—this was his brother.

"Aries." I rasped.

He nodded and came to his knees, setting me down while keeping my head against his chest. I could feel how hard his heart was beating.

"W-what..what are you doing he—" Another fit of coughs escaped me. "How did you get here?"

The wailing sound of sirens fast approaching caught my attention.

"Don't worry about that now." He shook his head. "All that matters is that you're safe."

He looked completely disheveled, his black shirt was covered in soot, much like the smudges on his chiseled face. Sweat glistened on his tanned skin, and there were cuts and all over his hands. Even his dark hair fell in curly waves, tousled from the chaos.

"You saved me?" I managed to ask between coughs.

He pulled me closer to him, his strong arms providing a sense of comfort and protection.

Oddly, the burn in my lungs and sting in my eyes blissfully eased within his embrace. Aries suddenly scooped me up from the ground, cradling me into his arms.

The blaring sirens grew louder, bringing a massive fire truck in front of my home.

There were multiple voices now, and Aries guided me towards them, towards the EMTs coming out of an ambulance.

He tried to hand me off, but I clung to him. I don't know why, but I fucking clung to him, because the thought of leaving his arms made me feel like I was back in my room, seconds from burning.