Blood Red (92 page)

Vivi Anna

across her shirt. The knife still stuck out of her chest.

She moved her hand down to the hilt. She touched it reverently.

* * *

Wolf touched her hand as she gripped the knife.

Emotion poured over him like a cascading waterfall.

He could hardly breathe from the power of it. He had come too far to lose her. She had jumped in front of the knife meant for him. If she had not, the knife would have imbedded into his throat, that he was sure. She had saved his life, by sacrificing her own.

“Wolf?”

He gazed down into her pale face. She was looking up at him, a small smile on her bloodied lips. Her eyes shone like wet gems.

“I’m here.”

“I know. I can feel you. I can always feel you. Even when my hate for you blinded me to all reason, I could still feel you deep down in the lightest part of my soul. I will always love you, for helping me to see.

To finally see.”

“What do you see?”

“You.”

Wolf sighed deeply. Tears fell freely from his dark eyes. He wanted to hug her to him. To press his life into hers. To give her some substance to feed her. To feed her chance of life. He howled. He howled like a wolf. A wolf that lost his life-long mate.

* * *

182

Blood Red

Red could feel her life slipping. Her body began to chill. She would soon feel icy and stiff, unable to move ever again. She gazed into Wolf’s darkening eyes and wished they had more time. She wanted to tell him so much. To show him how much she loved him. How much his very existence made her feel whole. Maybe they would meet again in the next life.

And this time she would let nothing stand in their way.

She grabbed his hand on the knife. “Guide my hand strong and true. Know that my love will help you find its mark.”

Through the sheen of tears, Wolf saw her nod. He looked down at their hands joined together on the knife.

“Touching, but I really must go. I have a kingdom to destroy.” The Brother stepped toward them, intending to go around and out through the door.

He stopped in midstride. He rolled his eyes up and tried to see the unseen. His hand came up to his forehead. His fingers came away bloody. He fell back onto the floor, the knife sticking out of his head.

“Nice shot.” Rapunzel knelt down on the other side of Red.

Red chuckled and grabbed her hand. “Did not think you’d make it.”

“I also, but I found my power deep inside.

Morgana was not expecting it.” She smiled down at Red.

Footsteps fell down the hall. Junior, Papa, Hans and Goldilocks filled the doorway. They all looked 183