We Paid The Price (sequel to RPAP)

Chapter Nineteen

Recap!!!

Eric's POV~

"Yes," I muttered, unable to take my eyes off her. "Yes, I'll marry you, Tamara Rose."

Barely noticeable, the corner of her mouth twitched.

"No, you won't," she whispered breathily, voice shaking. "I took a blood oath. I can't marry anyone but Jason. So, us, agreeing to get married..."

She opened her eyes, and our gazes locked. Her brown eyes were watery, but shining with determination.

"You just agreed to your death sentence, Eric.

...We both did."

***

Tamara Rose~

I felt my chest begin breaking apart, piece by piece. It was as if a giant weight had been dropped on it, knocking the breath out of me and splintering my bones and creating thousands of tiny shards that punctured my organs.

In simpler terms, it hurt.

Before me, I saw Eric stumble to his feet. His eyes were popping out of their sockets, wide open with shock. He was clutching his throat desperately in an attempt to claw out some air. His face slowly went from red to purple, veins in his forehead popping violently.

Within seconds, he gasped and fell onto his back. With a final shudder, Eric's hands fell away from his throat. His hands landed limply by his sides, the fingers uncurling.

I stared. Some of the pressure on my chest eased away slightly.

My cheek twitched. I wanted to cry, for some insane, impossible reason. Eric had done so many horrible things...but, as I stared at his dead body, all I could think about were his stupid jokes and how he always made innappropriate or sarcastic comments at the worst possible moments. All the pranks we'd pulled--together and on each other. Every funny moment we'd shared.

Tears slipped down my cheeks, mingling with dirt and blood caked onto my skin.

In a way, his only crime was loving someone who didn't love him back.

Haven't we all been guilty of the same sin at some point?

My heart broke for him, but it was too late. With an ounce of feeling returning to my arms, I sank my fingers into the hard-packed dirt floor of the forest and dragged myself forward. I felt my broken legs jostle, sending searing pain shooting up my body. I clenched my teeth and continued dragging myself towards him. Within a few painful moments, I was by his body.

I pulled myself up slightly onto his still chest.

Closing my eyes, a single tear dripped down past my chin, dampening his shirt. I sighed softly.

"If I had to die, I'm glad it's with you, Eric," I whispered.

And, very slowly, the blackness crept into the corners of my vision. With it came a pair of icy claws, which sank into my neck with a sudden agressiveness. My breath caught in my throat.

And that was it.

***

When I woke up, the first thing I saw was a flash of red.

I winced, shielding my eyes from the vibrancy of the color. Next, a blur of bright green flashed before me.

My eyes nearly popped out of my sockets. "Lizzie?"

She looked absolutely stunning. There was an air of elegance surrounding her. Halos of light floated in the air, framing her figure like it was coming out of her pores.