A Kiss Goodbye

He lay lifeless in her hands.

Her lips hovered over his as tears spilled down her cheeks.

This was her fault.

It was always her fault.

Gloved fingers dug into the collar of his polo shirt, stained with salty bitterness. Her leather jacket groaned for her to stop shaking him.

As if shaking him could bring him back.

A strangled cry erupted from her lips as she squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her forehead to his chest.

"I told you..." she whispered through gritted teeth. "I told you to stay away from me."

Still clutching his collar, she yanked herself up, straddling his waist on the cold desert sand. The wind nipped at her moist cheeks and dripping nose, whipping sand at her face in mockery as her long black hair flew around her.

Dark clouds loomed in the west, coming closer as the wind picked up speed with each passing moment. The setting sun peeked out between the horizon and the storm clouds forming in the distance.

The Dark colliding with the Light.

What use did she have for hiding now?

She'd taken the life of another. Her fourth.

How many more would there be?

Monster.

"I told you to stay away from me. Why didn't you listen?"

His head bobbed as she shook him again. His glazed over eyes rolled back in their sockets as his skin turned gray, his body slowly stiffening with each passing minute since his heart stopped beating.

Fool. Such a stubborn fool.

Choking back a sob, she pulled the black leather gloves from her hands and touched his cheek with her fingertips.

His skin was as cold as hers now.

She cupped his cheeks in her palms. The first real intimate touch she'd had since she killed her grandmother.

"You should have let me go," she said, brushing her thumbs over the curve of his cheekbones. "Why didn't you let me go? You'd be alive... You'd still be f*cking alive!"

They fought. Months ago, he caught her trying to run away.

He should have let her run.

Instead, he confronted her. Tried to convince her to stay. Give her foster family another chance.

He didn't know. He didn't understand.

Her existence put them at risk.

Her existence could cost them their lives.

She was trying to protect them. She'd gotten too close. Too attached...

He kissed her.

Such a fool...

A crow cawed overhead.

Her heart skipped a beat.

No...

Her hand flew to her breast pocket but she knew the protective charm wasn't there.

It was too late now. They knew she was here.

Her eyes shot up to the sky as the large black bird soared lazily around. Circling her. His beady red eyes focused on her yards below.

How much time did she have to get away?