Take My Broken Soul

CH 49- Staying or Going

Adelaine POV-

My body feels weird. It's like I'm in a sort of limbo. I can feel and hear things, but my eyes won't open and my mouth won't move. I've just been laying here and I can't tell for how long or why. 

Am I dead? 

My mind goes back to the last thing I remember, telling Nate I love him and then everything going black. I vaguely recall feeling a sharp pain in my stomach and shoulder, but by the time he got to me, everything had just felt kind of numb.

I can't be dead right? I mean, I beat off my uncle so he couldn't get his kill shot in. 

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*Flashback*

"Yes. I do believe 10:40 is the perfect time for a death." He says happily.

As my uncle's words hit my ears, I recall his earlier grumblings. 

Holy shit! He's planning to make this a kill shot. He's crazy. 

Knowing I don't have a lot of time, I quickly set my eyes on the sharp knife by my thigh. I slowly inch my hands towards  it, moving only enough to get there without Dorian noticing. As I'm about to wrap my fingers around it, he begins talking again. 

"I had hoped to be able to torture you for longer, but Jack informed me that your little boy-toy is already on his way. Shame, we could've had so much fun." He sneers. 

He's close?  Just hold on a little longer, Lainey. 

I'm snapped back to attention when I watch his hand go towards the trigger. In a move I didn't know I was capable of, I knock his arm and his shot hits sideways. I feel a burning pain in my shoulder and scream out. 

"AHHHHH!"

As he's slightly shocked and confused from my move, I ignore the pain and reach for the knife. I pick it up at the same moment he seems to get his bearings back. The knife is jammed through his stomach and I hear another loud bang. 

That same blinding pain shoots through my stomach and I watch Dorian stumble off me to the ground a few yards away. He is crumpled on his knees, whining in pain, while holding the blood covered knife in his stomach. 

I vaguely hear a yell, something along the lines of 'no,' but I can't be sure. The pain in my body is going from a screaming stab to a dull ache. Everything is beginning to feel numb and I can't seem to catch my breath. The world around me goes hazy at the same time I see my man shoot into view. 

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Everything after that moment was a blur. I vaguely remember calling him over and talking to him, but other than 'I love you' I don't recall what I said. I know there were other people there too, though I don't know who. The only thing I distinctly remember was the metallic smell that filled my nostrils and Nate's pleading voice. 

My mind begins to drift off again as my body crashes further into the numb haze. I feel myself slipping towards the serene calm that seems to be calling me, but something stops me. It takes a moment for me to comprehend what I'm hearing and then the deep rumble of my favorite voice hits my ears. 

"Angel, baby. I really need you to wake up now. It's been a little less than a week and we are all struggling without you. I forced the twins to go back to school, but Wyatt, Candace, the guys, and I are all on independent study. None of us can bare to be away from you for too long, so we figured that was the best option." Nate says softly. 

I feel a warm pressure on my hand, but it's more like a distant thing. His voice sounds like he's underwater and I have to strain to hear him. I can feel his sadness and desperation and all I want to do is comfort him, but when I go to move my hand, it doesn't move. Nothing moves and my eyes don't open, so I'm stuck listening to the man I love suffer.