Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
“No,” he’s saying. “No—”
“I am. Will you stop being nice to me? This is all my fault.”
“It’s not and never will be. The Vesuvios got what they deserved.”
All I can see is Kaiser face down on the floor. “I failed.” My tears burn my throat, and my voice cracks. “I failed you.” It hurts, it hurts. And it hurts more knowing I hurt him. This ache in my chest? It’s what I deserve.
“You did what you had to do. Baby, please hear me. Just because it didn’t go right, doesn’t mean that you didn’t do right. You’re not in control of everything. No one can be in control of everything. Not even supervillains.”
Oh fuck me. I’m sobbing now, and it hurts like my heart is ripping apart. “I’m such a fuck up. I am, I am.”
His hand cups my face. The back of his hand is still raw, and my tears are falling on him—it must burn. But he just murmurs, “It’s okay, baby, let it out. Let it go.”
“He left me,” I cry. I feel weak and useless, so I let the tears run down my face. I can’t do anything else. “He’s gone. He never wanted me.”
“Baby.”
“Don’t leave me.” I grip his hand, fighting the urge to scream. Mama, don’t leave! “Everyone else is gone. I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay with me.”
“I’m here. You’re not getting out of this marriage so easily. We have a lifetime, remember?”
Now I’m crying because I can see it. Years and years with him. I see us walking through the orchard, holding hands, the sun glinting off his golden hair. All the moments stretching beyond our happily ever after. And I want it. I want it so bad. “Dammit, I wanted to be strong.” I wipe the extra cream on the back of his hand. “I was so stupid, thinking I could be a supervillain.”
“You are. You are the best villain I’ve ever met. You scare me.”
I laugh sadly. “No, I don’t.”
“You do. And you’re going to unleash terror on this world unlike anyone’s ever known. I believe in you. But also… you’re not alone. Not anymore. I’m not leaving, Bella. You’re stuck with me.”
I sleep in a chair beside him, my face planted on the bed, his hand on my head.
I wake when he groans. He shifts in the bed, making it creak. “No, stop—” he moans.
“Kaiser?” I croak. My head is pounding and woozy at the same time. I’m probably dehydrated. I wet my lips so I can speak. “I’m here.”
But he’s caught in a nightmare, thrashing. He’s going to hurt himself. I pull back the covers, and still he fights. The blisters on his face crack and bleed, and he still doesn’t stop tossing and turning. “The bars. I can feel them—” His cry turns to a roar. His veins stand out on his skin.
I back away, I can’t help it. The monster in the bed is terrifying me. Where is the medical team? “Help!” I cry. “Help me!”
Machines are beeping, shrieking, and Kaiser is bellowing like he’s being electrocuted.
The attendants come running. “What’s happening?” one asks me.
“I don’t know. He just woke up—and you have to help him!”
“Hold him down.” They move to pin his arms, and he shoves them away, sending them flying.
“We need reinforcements—”
“No, you’re hurting him.” I hover where I stand, unable to move closer but unable to leave. I don’t know what to do. “Don’t touch him.”
“Bella?” Atticus appears. He’s alert, but he must have been sleeping. He’s shirtless, only wearing black baseball shorts and fuzzy brown slippers.
“He’s having a bad dream,” I say.
“His temperature is too high,” an attendant says.
“His body is fighting the poison, but it’s not working,” Atticus says. “We need to try your blood.”
“Do it,” I say. “But don’t hold him down,” I say. “He can’t stand it.”
“She’s right,” Atticus says to his team.
“But he’ll fight if we try to inject him,” one attendant protests.
“We don’t have time for this.” Desperate, I head back to Kaiser’s side. I feel like I’m entering the lion’s den. “I’m here, Kaiser. Please. You’re safe. You don’t have to fight.”
He moans but quiets.
Atticus readies the shot and nods to me.
I put my hands close to Kaiser’s arm. “I’m going to touch you now. It’s just me. Bella. Your fiancée.”
“Now,” Atticus mouths to me.
I clamp my hands on Kaiser’s arm and Atticus injects him, quick as a bee sting.
Kaiser roars again, but he doesn’t fight me. I keep my hands clamped on his arm. I can feel the power in the muscles. He could rip it away and strike me, hurt me, but he doesn’t. “It burns,” he groans.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I didn’t think I had any more tears, but they come all the same and leave burning tracks down my cheeks. “Don’t leave me.”