As I pursed my lips, I let all the anger flow out of me, all the pain, the hurt. I lost my Bond, the love of my life, to Death’s cold, bony fingers. The only person to blame is the Sworn.
I walked inside the school, completely unnoticed, as usual. I waited in the janitor’s closet until the end-of-the-day bell rang throughout the building.
Do, do, do, do. Do, do, do, do. Do, do, do, do.
As I walked out of the janitor’s closet, I turned the safety off my gun. I heard a voice behind me that I never thought I’d hear again.
“You don’t want to do this, Emmy.” Elizabeth Bennett’s voice whispered persuasively.
“Why not?” I growled into thin air desperately.
“You’d be putting Samuel’s life in danger!” she replied.
“That’s the idea.” I growled as I gave two warning shots into the ceiling.
I heard the teachers mumbling to their students, telling them to get down and stay away from the windows. I heard the sobs of overgrown children. They weren’t mine, therefore, it didn’t faze me. I was soulless without my Lyle. He was born with my soul attached to his, like a lifeline, and now he’s gone. He has taken my soul with him. The only thing that ever stood between us was the Sworn. I will make certain that they will never tear another Guardian from his Bond as long as I live.
“You’re hurt; I understand,” Elizabeth soothed, “but there’s no need to get murderous.”
“If I can’t have my soul mate, Gatlin can’t either.” I whispered through my teeth.
“Now you’re going insane!”
“You think I haven’t noticed? That tends to happen when the one person that holds you together and keeps you sane is dead, Elizabeth. Oh, wait a minute. That’s right; you don’t have one!”
“That’s what I came to tell you, Em.” Elizabeth said, “Ford’s alive!”
I froze. How could she tease me like that? Was she insane?
“You’re lying.” I whispered.
“My granddaughter decided to test drive her ability to dream walk, but she found it easier to use a comatose for her first run, so...”
“She killed him?” I sneered through my teeth, “She killed my Lyle?”
Before I could get a hold on Elizabeth’s swan-like neck, I heard the most beautiful voice in all of existence at that moment. It stopped me in my tracks and gave me back my sanity.
“Nice to know that you’ll turn into a homicidal psychopath when I’m dead.” the voice said sarcastically.
I turned my back on Elizabeth to find my beautiful Lyle leaning against the lockers. Though he was covered in dirt, his emerald eyes gleamed even more against his soil-covered baby face. He smiled that same sly smirk that made my breath hitch.
“Lyle!” I exclaimed, running into his arm with tears rushing down my face and staining the green shirt that I buried him in, the one that always looks gorgeous on him, “I thought I lost you!”
“You’re never losing me, Em.” Lyle whispered, “You’re a miracle. My miracle.”
He gently stroked my back. I tucked my head in his neck, kissing it tenderly. I got dirt all over myself, and I didn’t care one bit. My soul has been returned to me.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
“Isn’t that sweet?” a snarky, trilling voice cooed at our reunion, “It’s too bad your love is doomed.”
I turned in Lyle’s warm embrace toward the voice. That’s when I saw the angel again, the one with Gatlin’s eyes and Samuel’s hair. She had Elizabeth’s conniving smirk on her porcelain face. Lyle tightened his grip on me protectively.
“Melody.” Elizabeth scolded, “Be nice.”
“I only say the truth, Grandmother.” Melody stated plainly, “You know what my father says. “It’s better to tell the truth and lose a friend than to lie and let them live in false hope.” Isn’t that right, Grandmother? My father never lies.”
“I doubt that, sister.” Lyle responded.
Suddenly, with just one glare, Melody threw him across the room, cracking his spine against the wall.
“Lyle!” I screamed, running toward him.
I kneeled to his side, checking his heartbeat. I heard nothing in his chest, and I felt my heart stop beating, too. I opened his mouth, tilted his chin up, and I gave him two breaths. I thrusted his chest in desperation.
One, two, three.
“She’s gone!” Elizabeth yelled.
Four, five, six.
Everything else disappeared around me as I tried to save the man I love more than anything else.
Seven, eight, nine.
I heard police sirens wailing in the distance. I couldn’t care less.
Ten, eleven, twelve.
Nothing else mattered. Nothing else mattered!
Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.
Lyle is my life now.
Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen.
I will never stop loving him.
Nineteen, twenty, twenty-one.
I will love him until my last breath.
Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four.
“Don’t you die on me, Lyle” I whimpered passionately.
Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven.
“Don’t you dare!” I growled.
Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty.
YOU ARE READING
The Nightingale Code (Monsters Series #2) (COMPLETE)
Romance"The Nightingale Code, the rules for every Guardian to follow, and the list of important people in a Guardian’s life. There are many minor rules, such as never cross a threshold with a crucifix above it; it’s an omen of discovery. The one major rule...
