“I know,” Rose said in a small, defeated tone. The urge to protect Kara burned so strongly inside of her that part of her wanted to use her power, to force Kara to leave. But the other part of her respected Kara too much to ever do such a thing. The fear of what might happen to Kara weighed so heavily on her chest that she’d forgotten to breathe, and her lungs burned now, aching for breath. She couldn’t tear her gaze from Kara’s, torn between the pain in Kara’s light blue eyes and the fear in her chest. “This is my battle to fight,” she whispered. “Not yours.”
Kara stared at Rose for a moment, a soft, disbelieving laugh falling from her lips. Kara stepped closer, and without meaning to, Rose stepped forward, too.
It was as if they couldn’t bear the distance between them—especially not when the other was in pain. When Kara realized that Rose had taken a step, too, she seemed to take that as affirmation, and suddenly, she was closing the last inch of space between them and cradling Rose’s face in her hands. Sincerity burned as bright as fire in her eyes, which were as blue as ice. She leaned in close, her breath warming Rose’s lips. “I’m your warrior, Rose. Your battles are mine.” She spoke each word with reverence, like a prayer. “We go into battle together or not at all.”
The emotion stole Rose’s voice, clasping around Rose’s throat, like a fist. So, when she breathed out Kara’s name, it was no more than a whisper. “Kara,” she sighed. She shook her head sadly. “This isn’t the kind of battle we can win.”
Kara leaned closer, her lips touching Rose’s. “Then, we’ll fall together.”
Rose lifted her hands, curling her fingers around Kara’s elbows, as Kara’s lips met hers. Though neither one of them had known much gentleness in their lives, though both of them were far too familiar with the brutality of pain, in that moment, they found the sweetest gentleness together, as they lost themselves in the soft warmth of the other’s mouths, as they tried to help bear the other’s pain.
When their lips parted—just for a moment—Kara told Rose, “Whether you destroy the world or fight for it, I want to be with you, until the last moment.”
Rose blinked in shock. “Careful. That almost sounds like commitment.”
Kara chuckled. “It does, doesn’t it?” she said, as she kissed Rose again.
Rose leaned back on her heels, her lips still tingling from the kisses. “So, I guess, now,” she said, as she dropped her hands, “I have to decide what to do.”
Kara dropped her hands, too, and nodded. “Apocalypse One or Two?”
Rose stepped back and turned away, so that she could think. “If I destroy the world, I know that no one will suffer. If I don’t, I know that some will. Even if we somehow defy fate, people are going to die. People are still going to suffer.”
“But it would give us a fighting chance,” Kara pointed out.
“Is a fraction of a chance worth that much suffering?” Rose asked.
“I don’t know,” Kara admitted. “I just know I prefer to go out fighting.”
Rose didn’t look at her. “It’s not like I can do it democratically,” she said in her most sarcastic tone. “Hey, people of Earth, which apocalypse do you like?”
Kara smiled a little at the return of Rose’s sarcasm. It was a good sign, at least. “It’s your choice, love. You’re the goddess. This decision belongs to you.”
Rose scowled at Kara’s use of the word goddess. “Don’t call me that.”
Kara grinned, even though Rose couldn’t see it. “Oh, I’m going to.”
“According to fate, our time has come to an end,” Rose said sadly.
“According to fate,” Kara told her, “you’re not supposed to be with me.”
Rose nodded—her memories clearer, now. “I was only meant to be with Kallias,” she said, her chest aching, “but then, I met you, and I was…enamored.”
Kara couldn’t see Rose’s face, at the moment, with Rose turned the other direction, but she could hear the smile in Rose’s voice. “When?” she asked, before she could stop herself. “When you first met me as Darkness? Or as…Rose?”
“Both,” Rose said, without even a moment of hesitation. “Always.”
Kara smiled at that. “Well, if it means anything, I felt the same way.”
“It means a lot,” Rose assured her. She sighed, “I just don’t want to make the wrong choice and doom everyone to a worse fate. What would you choose?”
“Me?” Kara said. When Rose nodded, Kara answered, “Fate is essentially a rule, right? You know I love breaking the rules.” Her lips tilted into a sly smirk. “When I was human, my people believed in the Norns. We believed fate was an unchangeable force, but you’ve already changed it once. I want to exist as long as I can with you. If that means we die in a war one day from now, I’ll still be grateful. Because it’s still one day more. I’ll suffer, if it means having more time with you.”
Rose smiled, her chest fluttering at the possibility. She wanted that, too— but would other people want that? She had no way of knowing. She only had this one request from this one person—who meant the world to her. Defy fate—one more time. She closed her eyes and said, “I’ve defied fate at every turn for you.”
“I know,” Kara sighed. “And I have no right to ask you to do it again.”
Rose turned toward Kara, studying her with a frown. “Ask me, anyway.”
Kara’s light blue gaze shifted up, meeting Rose’s. “What?”
Rose stepped closer. She reached up, brushing her fingertips over Kara’s face. She watched as Kara’s eyes closed, as she leaned forward. “Ask me, anyway,” Rose repeated. She tilted her face, her lips brushing Kara’s. “Because I’ll say yes.”
Her voice was barely a whisper, now. “I’ll always say yes.”
26
Defying Fate
When the kiss began, Rose and Kara were in the dark together, but when it ended, they were on solid ground again—in the middle of a dangerous storm.
Kara closed her eyes and opened them again—not quite trusting her eyes.
But it was true. They were inside that building Darkness had been using, except the storm seemed to have knocked down a few walls in the last few hours.
“Rose,” Kara whispered, as she gazed into those familiar, tear-filled, blue eyes. Rather than shadows, it was red hair that flowed around her shoulders, now, and rather than shadowy and ethereal, she was flesh and bone, now. “You did it.”
A relieved laugh escaped Rose’s mouth, and then, she felt something wet on her face. She assumed it was tears—until she smelled the blood. The dizziness came on fast, and before she even had time to react, she was falling to her knees.
Kara caught her, slowing her fall, and she sank to her knees, too, holding Rose against her. She watched blood stream from Rose’s eyes. “Are you all right?”
Rose nodded weakly. “Omnipotence, vampire body. Bad combination.”
Kara smiled at the quip. “Better than a human one. You just need blood.”
Rose clutched the edge of Kara’s jacket. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I gave up.”
Kara breathed out a soft sigh. “Oh, Rose,” she murmured. She gathered Rose into her arms, holding her closer, as they cried against each other. “No. No. Don’t apologize. Please, don’t apologize.” She clutched Rose’s long, red hair, as tears burned her own eyes. “You overcame so much. I’m so proud of you, love.”
“I couldn’t have,” Rose mumbled against her shoulder, “without you.”
Kara pulled back to look at her. “I didn’t do anything. That was all you.”
“You gave me what I needed,” Rose said softly, “in order to escape.”
Kara brushed her thumbs beneath Rose’s eyes, wiping away the tears and blood. Her glistening, ice-blue gaze shifted to meet Rose’s. “And what was that?”
“You,” Rose whispered. She lifted her hand, her fingers trembling from the exhaustion, and she touched Kara’s face, feeling the soft, coolness of her skin. “I needed you—need you.” The words
felt heavy in her mouth, dropping out with the force of boulders, even though she’d barely whispered them. Because…those words were true. They were the truest truth she’d ever spoken. For within Rose’s mind was a storm so violent, it threatened to rip the world apart, and Kara…
Kara was her calm.
Kara stared at Rose, her mouth open, a thousand emotions dancing over her face. “Oh, my love, ástin min,” she breathed, utilizing two languages to convey emotions that couldn’t have been conveyed with even a thousand languages. She tilted her face closer, her breath dancing across Rose’s lips. “I have never needed anyone, but when I thought I’d lost you…” Her voice broke, and tears welled up in her eyes, causing them to shine like ice. “I’d trade the whole world for you.”
Rose smiled, tears falling from her eyes, as well. “I wouldn’t ask you to.”
Kara closed the last bit of space between their mouths. Her lips were soft and warm, as they pressed against Rose’s. Her mouth opened, and the heat of her breath danced over Rose’s mouth, until Rose’s lips parted, too. Her fingers traced Rose’s face, tilting her head back. Then, she slipped her tongue into Rose’s mouth and coaxed a soft moan from her lips. It was the gentlest of kisses—with the kind of softness that wrenched Rose’s heart and left it raw and bleeding…but healing.
After a moment that felt like hours, Rose pulled back, panting for breath, stunned by the emotions that filled her up and spilled out in tears. “I love you.”
Kara nodded, her lips wet and her eyes dark, as she stared at Rose, as she processed the feelings inside her. “If we survive this, I’ll spend forever with you.”
Rose’s eyes widened. “Who are you, and what have you done with Kara?”
Kara laughed. “Almost losing you,” she said seriously, “it put things into perspective. I want you to know the truth.” Her fingertips traced the soft skin of Rose’s cheeks. “No matter what happens after this moment, I’m yours. Forever.”
Rose shook her head, tears falling faster now. “You don’t understand.”
Kara watched her with a sympathetic smile. “What do I not understand?”
“I’m broken,” Rose breathed, unable to say why, unable to voice the pain that split her heart in half, unable to speak his name. “You shouldn’t commit to me. Not now. Do you really want to love a broken heart for the rest of eternity?”
Kara brushed her thumb along Rose’s cheek, wiping away a tear. A smile curved at the corners of her mouth. “My heart was broken when we met, and you loved it, anyway. Until it was whole again,” she said. “I’ll do the same for you.”
“What if mine’s never whole again?” Rose asked. “What if I never heal?”
Kara shrugged. “Broken or not, your heart is the most beautiful thing in the world to me,” she said. “Take forever to heal, if you need to. I’ll still be yours.”
“Then,” Rose said, breathless with gratitude, “what’s left of me is yours.”
The corners of Kara’s lips curved slowly, into a stunned smile. Her light blue eyes glistened, and a shaky breath fell from her lips. She leaned in, pressing her lips against Rose’s again, kissing her softly—until Rose accidentally bit her lip.
“Oh, no,” Rose said, as she tasted Kara’s blood. “I ruined the moment.”
Kara started laughing. “You need to feed. Let me give you some blood.”
“If you insist,” Rose said—even though her hunger wanted her to give a much more enthusiastic affirmative. “But then, we have to go kick fate’s butt.”
Kara grinned at that. “You’re really going to defy fate for me? Again?”
“It tried to keep us apart,” Rose said with a matter-of-fact shrug. “Kara, I love you. And if I have to rip apart fate itself for you, I will.” Her eyes began to turn a familiar, fiery red. “No one is going to tell me who I can and can’t love.”
Kara stared into those red eyes, grateful that they were red again, instead of black. “You know, you’re incredibly sexy when you threaten to rip things apart.”
Rose rolled her eyes, laughing, “Oh my god.”
Kara lifted her eyebrows. “You mean goddess.”
Rose’s smile faded. “Shut up.”
—
“Time to go, goddess.”
Rose pulled up short, narrowing her eyes at Kara. “Stop calling me that.”
Kara lifted both eyebrows—a look that clearly conveyed that she was just humoring Rose, that she was absolutely going to keep calling her that. “Whatever you say, sexy,” she said with a flirty smile. “What should I call you? If not goddess?”
“My name?” Rose said, spreading out her arms. “Or like…anything else?”
“Oh, Holy Rose,” Kara teased, “Creator and Destroyer, All-Powerful…”
“Shut up!” Rose exclaimed, as she finally dissolved into a fit of laughter.
Kara laughed, as well. “I can call you my Eklektos, like the Skotalians do.”
Rose immediately stopped laughing. “Please, don’t.”
Kara frowned, confused by Rose’s sudden seriousness. “What’s wrong?”
Rose shrugged. “Erastos,” she said—a spark of red flashing in her eyes, as she said the name of Kallias’s killer. “He told me I was chosen to be the villain.”
Kara nodded, not surprised. “And what do you have to say about that?”
Rose blinked, as if she hadn’t expected that question. “I say,” she began, “no. I’m no one’s Chosen One. I decide who I am. It’s not up to anyone else.”
Kara’s lips curved into a proud smile. “And who do you choose to be?”
Rose considered that for a moment. “Me,” she said—softly, at first. She looked up, her glowing, red eyes meeting Kara’s gaze. “I’m someone who refuses to stand by while people are hurting the ones I love. I’m the person…who makes mistakes.” She paused, tears welling up in her strange, red eyes. Her voice cracked. “Big ones.” She exhaled slowly, breathing out a lungful of pain. “But I never give up.” As emotion welled up in her chest, Rose began to feel that familiar sensation on her skin—power rippling over her, like wind. Her voice grew stronger—and the ground itself began to shake. “I am Light and Darkness. I am depressed…but I have hope. I am full of pain—but also compassion. Passion—but also wisdom. Strength—but also gentleness. Anger—but also mercy. I am capable of hate, but I choose love.” Wind swirled around them, as powerful as a whirlwind. And yet, it was controlled, this time. Subdued. “I am the Creator and the Destroyer, and I choose to be…me.” The wind stilled, suddenly. “I choose to fight for my world.”
Kara was breathing heavily, by now—her pulse racing with excitement, her light blue eyes glowing with pride, her mouth open in astonishment. It was as if she’d been waiting for this moment—and yet, was wondrously amazed by it, all at once. She stepped forward and fell to her knees in front of Rose, lowering her head, like she’d done the first night they met. “And I,” she said, her face shielded by her sleek, blue and black hair, “am your warrior.” She lifted her head, her hair falling back, to reveal glistening, ice-blue eyes, and a wide smile. “Your very, very proud warrior.” She leaned forward, taking Rose’s hand into hers and kissing it.
Rose stared down at Kara, stunned. Kara’s warm, soft-as-silk lips raised chills on the back of Rose’s hand, and Rose’s chest thrummed with emotion, like the plucked string of a harp. “Oh, Kara,” she said with a breathless laugh. “You’re doing one of your slightly-strange-but-also-slightly-romantic things again.”
Kara chuckled. She looked up at Rose. “So,” she mouthed, “proud.”
“Of what?” Rose croaked out, laughing and crying, at the same time. She fell to her knees, too, putting herself eye-level with Kara. “I messed up. So much.”
Kara shrugged. “I never intended to swear fealty to someone who was perfect,” she said, lifting her hand to touch Rose’s face. She brushed her thumbs beneath Rose’s unnerving, fiery-red eyes, wiping away her tears. Then, Kara tilted her face forward, her breath
falling against Rose’s lips. “I swore fealty to someone who was both strong and compassionate. Someone who would inspire loyalty.”
Rose stared at Kara, her heart pounding harshly inside of her chest.
Kara leaned in close. “Someone who would bring me to my knees,” she whispered, her lips tilting into a wicked smirk. “And not just in the sexual way.”
Rose laughed softly, rolling her eyes at the ridiculously ill-timed dirty joke.
Kara’s smile faded. “Someone who I would love to follow into battle.”
Rose’s amused smile flattened into a smaller, affectionate one. “Kara,” she said breathlessly, “you shouldn’t want to follow me into battle.” She shrugged, flashing a cute smile. “I’m clumsy. I’m going to make a lot of mistakes out there.”
“No,” Kara said with a smirk, “you’re going to be an absolute badass.”
Rose blushed. “Pretty sure, out of the two of us, that will always be you.”
“Oh, yeah,” Kara said with a dismissive shrug, “of course I’m a badass. Everyone knows that.” She grinned wickedly. “But you are, too. It turns me on.”
Rose dissolved into a fit of giggles—tired, exhausted giggles—and when Kara’s arms circled around her, she found herself leaning against Kara’s shoulder.
“Let’s get out of here,” Kara said in Rose’s ear. Her fingers slid through Rose’s hair—which was red again, not black. “It sounds like the storms are over.”
“Yeah,” Rose said softly. “The humans will start attacking again, soon.”
Kara climbed gracefully to her feet and held out her hand to Rose. When Rose put her hand in Kara’s, Kara helped her to her feet. She picked up her battle-axe on the way to the door. Kara opened the door, and the cold air rushed inside.
Kara leaned against the door, her light blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, and you are a goddess. No arguments. I win,” Kara said—too quickly for Rose to object. She spread out her arms and flashed a victorious smirk at Rose.
Rose tilted her head to the side, squinting. “What do you mean you win?”
The Reign of Darkness Page 73