Lifeless

The chill of the night wrapped around me as we emerged from the castle, the heavy doors shutting with a finality that echoed in my heart. The moon hung low, a thin crescent that barely illuminated our path, yet it was enough for my vampire eyes. The amulet in my hand pulsed with a life of its own, a steady warmth that contrasted sharply with the cool touch of Damon’s skin as we carried him.

The king’s reinforcements descended upon us like a plague, their numbers overwhelming, but we were not deterred. Deaken, my fierce werewolf mate, roared into the night, his voice a call to arms that steeled our resolve. Our allies, a motley crew of supernaturals, fought with a wild abandon, each blow struck a testament to our shared resolve to protect our world from the king’s tyranny. I whispered promises into the darkness, vows of protection and vengeance, and the amulet responded, flaring to life with a brilliant light that shielded us from our pursuers.

The night air was thick with the scent of magic and the iron tang of spilled blood. Deaken’s roars, once a clarion call to battle, now served as a somber retreat. Our allies, a diverse array of supernaturals, bore the marks of the night’s conflict, their faces etched with fatigue and loss. The king’s reinforcements, a seemingly endless tide of malice, pressed closer, their shadows stretching towards us like dark fingers.

I clutched the amulet, its light dimming as if in mourning for the fallen. It had been a beacon, a shield in our darkest hour, but now it was time to withdraw. We had fought valiantly, but the cost was too high, and the king remained a specter in the shadows, his presence absent but his threat ever looming. A true leader would be fighting out there with his people, but somehow this is exactly what I expected.

With heavy hearts, we turned towards the sanctuary of Damon’s castle. I wanted this to end today, and it might have if Damon had waited for us. The fortress that had once been a symbol of our oppression now stood as our last refuge. Damon, my beloved, lay limp in my arms, his life force ebbing away with each labored breath. He was the heart of our rebellion, and without him, our cause would falter. I want to be mad at him for putting us in this situation. However, I can’t find it in my heart to be as I look at his lifeless body.

We clambered into our carriage as we sped off into the night. Damon lies before me, a shadow of the formidable vampire lord he once was. His skin, usually aglow with an otherworldly luminescence, is now ashen, the veins beneath it stark and pronounced. His chest rises and falls with shallow, uneven breaths, each one a silent battle against the darkness that threatens to claim him.

“Damon, my love, can you hear me? Please, stay with me.” I begged him as his breathing stops and starts again.

His eyelids flutter, a feeble attempt to return to the world of the living. For a moment, his eyes lock with mine—those deep pools of emerald that have seen centuries pass. They are dim now, the vibrant life within them fading.

a whisper, barely audible, left his body. “Caroline… it hurts to… to leave you.”

“You’re not leaving me, Damon. I won’t allow it. You’re the king of my heart, and you will fight this.” I yell out as I watch him. The pain I feel is unbearable, I finally found my reason to live as it slips out of my grasp.

I watch helplessly as he slips away again, retreating into the recesses of his mind where I cannot follow. His hand, once strong enough to wield power and gentle enough to caress my cheek, is limp in mine. As if somehow possible he is even colder than before.

Outside, the sounds of retreat are a distant thunder, Deaken’s presence a steadfast assurance that our forces will not fall into disarray. His howls, filled with sorrow and determination, are the only sign that we are not alone in this desolate hour.

Damon struggling to speak each word. “The kingdom… our people… protect them.” He pleaded with me.

I held his hand tight in my own giving it a light squeeze. “I will, my king. I will protect everything we hold dear. But I need you by my side. Fight for us, for our future.”

His response is a mere sigh, a wisp of spirit still clinging to life. I lean down, pressing my forehead to his, sharing a breath, a moment of connection in the hope it will anchor him to this world.

I blow out a shallow breath of my own. “Remember our vows, Damon. In life and in death, we are one. You must come back to me.”

As the first light of dawn filters through the curtains, casting a golden glow over Damon’s pallid form, I feel a stir within the amulet. It senses my desperation, my love, my will for Damon to survive. A soft glow emanates from it, wrapping around us both, a cocoon of healing energy.

I bit down into my own wrist letting a few drops of blood drip on his own. “Come one Damon, I need you to drink.” I held my bleeding arm to his mouth, willing him to take a sip. I know it will help him heal if I could just get him to drink. I tilted his head back holding his mouth open allowing a small amount to slide down his throat. His stillness made my heart sink as the tears slid down my cheeks. “Please,” I begged. “I need you.”

I hold onto that hope as I watch over him, the man who is my heart, my love, my king. Deaken’s distant efforts to secure our retreat fade into the background as I focus solely on Damon, willing him to return from the brink. In this quiet chamber, with the new day dawning, I vow to fight for us, for all that we are and all that we can be. Damon must survive, for without him, the night is just darkness without end.