darkness; while others paused on benches, taking time to collect themselves before entering the sacred place. I was one of them. I found a bench that was only partially collapsed and took a seat. A statue of Nyx stood nearby, her head was tilted toward the entrance, and her arms were reaching toward the mouth of the tomb, longing for the souls that lay to rest beneath her. Stone flowers pooled at her feet.
I sat a moment just watching everyone slowly make their way in and out of the tomb. I felt Arrick’s presence nearby, but he gave me my space, yet was still staying close enough that I could sense him, or call out if I needed him. Which could happen very soon. I wasn’t sure my limbs would allow me to make the steps needed to pass through the threshold of the crypt. As soon as I entered that tomb there would be no going back. I would have to accept that those we lost were truly gone, and they’d never be with us again. My heart would no longer be able to play tricks on my mind, pretending there was hope for them. Pretending that Nyx would perform some miracle and bring them back to us. My mind knew that wasn’t going to happen, but my heart just wouldn’t let it go.
Eerie tingles ran across my skin and my instincts felt eyes penetrating through me. It wasn’t Arrick, I knew his gaze intimately, nor was it any other vampire for that matter. This felt different, it pierced straight through me making my heart beat faster and cry out with sorrow a thousand times more powerfully than any sadness I’d ever felt. I turned my head and locked eyes with the statue that stood beside me. My heart somersaulted in my chest and I stumbled out of my seat. Nyx’s head had turned in my direction. Horror was written on her stone face, as her emotions slammed into my chest like a train. A scream caught in my throat. Nyx’s pain was more than I could bear. Burning heat grew like wildfire in my body and any second I knew I was going to explode into flames. I closed my eyes tight, fear crippling me as I leaned my back against the bench. Was Nyx angry with me for what happened? Did she blame me? Was this my punishment? All these questions rampaged through my head until everything suddenly stopped.
“Claire! What happened?”
I was in Arrick’s arms and back on the bench. I squirmed out of his embrace and stepped frantically away from the statue, but it was back to normal. Nyx’s face retained the solemn gaze toward the crypt entrance. She wasn’t looking at me. Had she even moved at all, or had it all been in my head?
I fell onto another bench; this one more crumbled than the last, and scanned the vampires around me. Some of them gazed at me curiously, others seemed to find my outburst offensive, and glared openly. Arrick walked over and knelt before me. He pulled a tissue out of his shirt pocket and began dabbing my face. Sweat and tears mingled across my cheeks.
“Are you all right?” He took my hands in his and kissed them until I stopped shaking.
“I don’t know.” I placed my hands on my chest and tried to catch my breath. The stones under my dress were warm against my skin. Maybe I shouldn’t have worn them, but I hated taking them off. I hated being away from them. I knew it was strange, and Arrick worried about me, but the stones and I were somehow connected. “I felt someone watching me and when I looked up the statue of Nyx was turned to me. She was screaming in pain. I could feel her inside me.” I covered my face with my hands. I sounded like a crazy woman. Talking statue? Maybe I really was losing it.
Arrick turned toward the statue of Nyx a growl building in his chest like he’d kick that statue’s butt if he had to. It was almost comical. This man, this blood mate, would protect me from anything, even my own wild imagination.
I placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m okay, Arrick. I think I just let my emotions get the best of me.” I smiled weakly.
“You? Let your emotions get the best of you? Such