Unbroken (Shattered Promises, #2.5)

Chapter 6

***This is from the unedited version and content may change*** **Mature Content Warning*** 17+ for language and sexual content.***

Chapter 6

“No. There’s no way we’re going to do that.” Aislin paces the length of the room, shaking her head as she stares at the floor. She’s been doing it since I divulged my plan of almost killing myself while Gemma’s awake in the hopes that it’ll bring her back.

“It can’t hurt to try,” I say, watching her from the bed, more stressed than I ever have been.

She stops in the middle of the room and puts her hands on her hips. “Can’t hurt to try? You could freaking die, Alex. And besides,” she starts pacing again, folding her arms, “she already tried to kill you and it didn’t bring her back.”

“It did something,” I argue, drawing a line up and down Gemma’s leg, missing her so much it’s driving me crazy. It’s amazing how even when we’re close, I want to be closer. All those years apart and I never stopped thinking about her. Then we ran into each other at her grandparents house and even though I thought it was forbidden, I knew I had to have her in my life again. “She’s been unconscious ever since.”

“Yeah, but—” she begins to protest again, but I interrupt her off.

“Aislin, this isn’t up for debate,” I tell her, getting to my feet and cutting her off in the center of the room. “I’m doing this with or without your help.”

She huffs in aggravation, but I already know she’ll help me. Aislin’s that way—when it all comes down to it, she gives in.

“Fine.” She surrenders, throwing her hands in the air exasperatedly. “We’ll try it, but I really hope you know what you’re doing.”

I nod, even though I don’t. I have no clue what’s going to happen in the next five minutes, and I don’t like it at all. The loss of control but there’s nothing I can really do about it at the moment.

“So how do you want to do this?” she asks, frustrated. “Strangle you or something.”

“Try not to sound to eager by that idea,” I retort and she narrows her eyes at me. “And no. Not strangling. It’s got to me something that we can torment her with.” I rub my jawline, thinking. “Something that won’t kill me unless I fully commit.”

It’s quiet for a moment. The sound of the ocean crashing against the shore just outside fills the air. The sun is peeking up over the horizon and light reflects against the windows and land. It seems like such a peaceful day, yet it’s the exact opposite, full of torment and deadly possibilities.

“I think I might have an idea,” Aislin says, heading for the doorway. “Something that will for sure not kill you unless you’re stupid enough to use it. A potionem mortis.”

“And what exactly is that?” I ask, waiting by the bed, not wanting to leave Gemma alone in case she wakes up.

Aislin glances over her shoulder at me with a wary expression on her face. “A shot of death.” She turns around and faces me while makes stabbing motions with her hand at her heart. “One shot of it right here and your dead.”

Dead. As soon as she says it, reality crashes over me. I’m really going to do this and if it all comes down to it—if it takes me actually jabbing a needle full of death into my heart to bring her back—I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever it takes and it’s startling how okay I am with it—sacrificing my life to save hers.

“I might be able to bring you back if you use it,” Aislin says quietly, lowering her hand to her side. “As long as I don’t wait too long, but I can’t promise anything.”