A D Tier's Breaking Point

Chapter 38

The church bells were ringing high above the long hall, with marbled dome ceilings that shone with a brilliant light. White silk and gossamer draped over the tall windows and down pearly white pillars, to the pearly stone steps where Morgan stood, trying not to fiddle with their ivory gown. They watched the room of faceless bodies, dressed in jewels and pearls and lace, waiting for the bells to change. They faded away, shifting to strings echoing around the room. And then he appeared. A perfect white suit, a blood red tie, and a perfect smile. And he was walking down the aisle, with that ridiculous swagger that always made Morgan roll their eyes.

A blink and he was standing in front of Morgan. They brushed a speck of snow off his shoulder, trying not to let the tears out yet. They had barely started and already it was too much in the best way. Morgan smiled and turned to where the officiant should be.

'Dammit they're late,' Morgan laughed, looking around at the altar.

'Who is?'

'Who do you think dummy? The person that's going to marry us.'

An eyebrow quirk. A tilt of the head. 'Oh I sent them away.'

Morgan frowned. That couldn't be right. They looked around for the rest of the officials. But they were alone at the top of the steps.

'We don't need them for this.'

'We need someone to marry us.'

He laughed. In a cold way that made Morgan want to step back. But their feet were frozen in place, and Morgan's stomach turned in time with the light above them beginning to dim. 'We're not getting married Morgan.' His hand came up to cup Morgan's cheek, and Morgan spotted it. The glint against the light of a near invisible strand around Alex's wrist.

'No,' Morgan shook their head. They reached up to grab at the thread, but he took their hands in his own. Morgan tried to pull away, looking around for the source of the thread.

'What do you mean no? This idea is much better.'

'Stop this,' Morgan pleaded, but he pinned their wrists together with one hand as the other let go. 'Whatever you're doing, stop it.'

There was that laughter again. One with no humour, it rang hollow. Morgan tried to pull away, and they finally looked up. Looked up at Alex's face. And piercing blue eyes were staring back.

'You'll like this, I promise,' Alex said with the wrong eyes smiling down at them. His free hand pulled back to his chest. Morgan tried to close their eyes, tried to pull away, to scream, to stop what was about to happen. But they couldn't. Alex stayed smiling, not flinching as his hand crunched into his own chest.

'Stop!' Morgan managed to yell. The sound echoing off the walls. Stopping the music and the crunch of bones and sinew under Alex's hand.

Alex's head tilted again, considering them with a blank face. 'You're right. It's much better if you do it.' He pulled his hand out of his chest, dripping blood as he took Morgan's wrist. 'Just like last time.'

Morgan couldn't pull away, couldn't stop Alex from dragging their hand forward and plunging it into his chest to wrap around his pulsing heart.

'I'd say you were stealing my heart,' Alex said, words far too calm against Morgan's screams, 'but it's always been yours.'

'No! No, I don't want this!'

Alex grinned, 'That's my little thief. Just my heart won't be enough will it?' He pulled Morgan forward. His blood poured over Morgan's arm, sticking to their cheeks when Alex cupped their face. 'You can take all of it. It's yours.'