Haven's Blight by James Axler

Author:James Axler
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781459219717
Publisher: Harlequin

RYAN’S EYE SNAPPED open to the amber gleam of an oil lamp turned low.

Krysty’s dead, son, a voice said in his head. Face it. She’s lost. You’re lost. She was the better half of your soul. Now she’s gone forever.

He sat up so violently he almost made the cot fold up on him. He felt hotter than the air would account for. Wildly he looked at Krysty. She still lay on her back, covered by a sheet, her cheeks the color of ivory in the dim light.

Somewhat more cautiously he climbed off the cot. He licked a finger and held it under her nostrils. He felt the slight cool pressure of her breath. She was breathing shallowly, as she had since he had awakened here in Haven. But at least she still breathed.

But this is how it ends, the voice said. She’ll never get better again. You’ve lost her. You’re lost, little boy. You’re doomed to wander forever alone.

He shook his head. He wasn’t a fearless man. Any man who said he felt no fear was just a flat-out liar. A man who really didn’t feel fear had something wrong inside.

Ryan had felt fear many times, in many forms. He had always mastered the fear. He had always one way or another found what it took to do what had to be done. That was what made him the man he was.

But he’d never felt fear quite like this before. It curdled his guts and turned his joints to jelly. It was a burning pain like cancer in his brain. It seemed to offer no hope, no escape.

“Nuke it,” he snarled, keeping his voice low as if there was any danger he’d wake the sleeping woman. As if that wouldn’t feel like the best thing that ever happened to him. “I’m not going to give in. I’m not!”

Ryan, he thought he heard a voice say.

“Krysty?” There had been no sound. The woman lay as she had for days now. She obviously hadn’t moved. Or spoken.

Ryan, listen to me, the beloved voice said in his skull.

He shook his head. “I’m imagining this.”

He felt her soft laughter fall on him like gentle rain. You still haven’t learned better, lover? Believe what you want. You always do anyway.

“You got that right,” Ryan said, folding his arms and feeling like a stupe for holding a conversation with a woman in a coma.

First, you’ll never be left alone. Unless you choose to be. I’ll always be with you, live or dead, until you tell me you don’t want me hanging around anymore.

“That’ll be never.”

That’s a long time, lover.

“You said it first.”

Again, he felt more than heard the unvoiced laughter.

Exasperating as always. That’s my Ryan. The other thing is—you need to be ready to let go.

He crossed his arms. “That’s not going to happen.”

You say that now, but there’ll be a time someday when you just have to walk away.

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