The more I moved, the more confused I got. My head was getting fuzzy, making it hard to think. Which way is up?
Had to keep swimming. Grasping for the surface.
I swam wildly as my panic grew.
I needed to breathe.
I needed air.
I slapped a hand over my mouth. I was going to breathe in.
My body was burning for me to breathe. I was fighting it, but I couldn’t. Not for long. No! I had to find the surface.
Dastien! I can’t! I reached along our bond, grabbing for his strength to give me a boost. I felt it flow into me, but without direction, it wasn’t a help. He could feed me power, but not oxygen.
Dastien was coming. He’d reach me soon, but not soon enough.
He was going to be too late. He was saying something, but I couldn’t hear him. My mind was getting fuzzy.
The last few months flashed through my mind. The cave of vampires.
When I killed Mr. Hoel.
Luciana stealing my powers.
When I killed her.
Closing the portal.
I hadn’t fought this hard to give up now, but I couldn’t hold my breath any longer.
I’m sorry. My body took in a lung-full of water and I choked. Unable to swim, I sank farther and farther into the darkness.
Dastien yelled something I couldn’t understand.
My heartbeat seemed to slow.
Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
Thump—
Two
“Breathe!” Dastien screamed, but his voice sounded a million miles away.
The world shook, but I didn’t know where I was or what was happening.
Something hit my chest over and over. Each slam rocked me.
I wanted the pain to stop. I needed to breathe. But I couldn’t.
Why couldn’t I breathe?
There was cursing in French. It sounded louder than his words before.