Excerpt 8

To Cameron. You inspire me so much. Thanks, for once again, inspiring something great.

This is by far, one of the best.

Rain. Cold and wet agaisnt her pale face. Freezing. It stings her skin, bitting, like a million tiny needles. Soothing. A flash of lightning, a crash of thunder; deffoning her to the pain, to the shouting of voices in her head.
Why? Why did this happen? It just doesnt make sense.
Pounding. She places her hand against her neck. She can feel the blood pulsing through her veins. A steady rythem, slightly more escelerated then normal.
She takes off. Sprinting through the grassy feilds. Leaping the wide, rushing, silver water of the river. Seeming to dance through the forest.
Crying. Without thinking about it, she comes to an abrupt halt infront of a large, weeping willow tree. He vision is clouded.
Why? She wonders, shock crossing her beautiful and pain-stricken face.
Slowly, she raises a finger, catching a drop of warm moisture that is runnig down her cheek. She watches, as it slides down her slender figer and onto the forest floor.
"How could I have-" She is cut off mid-thought by the sounds of fast-approaching footsteps. She paused, listening as the footfalls slowed...though they did not stop.
She could feel her body tensing up. She wanted to run, but the instinct to turn and defend her back was strong. She gave into it.
She could feel something building in her chest, could feel her lips pulling up over her sharp, perfect white teeth to realease the silent hiss that had gradually built up in her throught. She watched as the man she loved approached her, arms wide open in a cautious gesture.
Cam. Abadon, Angel of Destruction.
Tipical, that the one she had been running from would be the one to chase after her.
"Why did you follow me?!" She snarled at him. She stumbled backward, shocked by how hostile her voice sounded. She couldnt help the smugness she felt soon after, because of the fear that crossed Cam's face. He was wise to fear her, she was, after all, Asraiel, Angel of Death.
In no less then a second, he was right in front of her. She could feel the heat radiating off of his muscular body. He leaned down so that his face was level with hers.
He whispered, "Because I love you."
Cam leaned down further, pressing his ice-cold lips to her neck and taking her small hand in his.
Asraiel turned from him, pulling away.
"You never loved me." She murmmured, sighing as she crossed her amrs over her chest, turning her back on him completley.
He placed his hand on her shoulder in a feeble attempt to turn her around to face him. She shrugged him off.
"Go away Cam," She whispered. She wouldnt turn to look at him; she couldnt let her see her cry.
He gently wrapped his strong arms around her.
"I said, GO AWAY!!!" Asriel growled. She turned, placed her hands on his chest, and shoved him away from her with all the strength she could muster. "GO!!" She yelled, her eyes begining to overflow with fresh, hot tears.
As if taking her own advice, she turned and ran.
"Asraiel!!!" Cam yelled, taking off after her.
"Leave me alone!" She moaned in response. She knew he could here her despite the distance between them. He did, afterall, have extremely sensitive hearing like her own.
Cam ran harder, gaining speed ant quickly catching up to her.
"What the heck?!" Asraiel thought.
She pushed herself to go faster. She could feel her muscles screaming in prostes, but she didnt care. She kept going, sprinting through the woods as fast as she could.
Asraiel didn't see the cliff edge until she's already run past it. She screamed as her arms and legs thrashed through the air, seaching for something, anything, to grasp ahold of. They found nothing.
She forced herself to relax. Asraiel closed her eyes, and let herself fall. She faught the erge to scream again as she felt the wind rushed passed her, blowing her long blonde hair high above her head.
She knew that she shouldnt be affraid, it wasnt like this fall could kill her or anything. She sighed. If only dying could be this easy.
She manuvered her body into a diving position, hitting the clear blue, ice cold water below her perfectly. She quickly swam to the shore a few yards away. Once she reached it, she lay apon the sand, gasping for breath.
Asraiel had always been affraid of falling back when she had been human. And even now, as a Blue Blood, falling still chilled her to the bone.
Much like their Vampire cousins, Blue Bloods were practically invincible. Things such as heights and falling shouldnt be feared. And yet...
Asraiel jumped at the sound of something heavy hitting the water across from her.
He just doesnt give up, does he! she thought.
Before Asraiel could even turn to run, Cam takled her. She groaned as her head slammed painfully against the ground.
"Get. Off. Of. Me." Asraiel growled, clenching her hands into fists at her side and trying to sit up.
"No." Cam said, pushing her back down to the ground again with so much force it hurt. "Not until you promise to listen to me."
"I'm not going to listen to you. Not ever agai-"
Cam pressed his lips to hers. His kiss was pleading. Cam's lips were hard against hers, almost demanding her to kiss him back. Asraiel couldn't help her reaction. She pulled him closer to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. Cam let her sit up, and then pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms securly around her waist.
He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "please let me explain." he begged. "please".
Asraiel burried her face in Cam's shoulder, fighting off tears. She would not let him see her cry.
Cam silently waited for her to say something, anything.
"What's to explain?" Asraiel whispered after a moment. "You love her, cam."
"What? I - " Cam started
"I saw you kiss schuyler (pronounced skyler). I saw the way you were holding her, the way she sighed your name."
Cam sighed.
"It ripped my heart out." Asraiel sobbed.
"I'm sorry." Cam whispered, as he kissed her forhead and rested his chin on her soaking-wet blonde hair. "Forgive me. I promise, no, i swear, i'll never, ever, hurt you again."
Asraiel snorted, "Ha! Right. Isn't that what you said the last time this happened? I'm sick of it, sick of the lies, Cam. I'm done. I'm done with love, and I'm done with you."
She stood. Cam took her hand before she could escape again, and he rose to his feet.
"please, dont do this." He murmmured.
"Let me go Cam." Asraiel whisperd as she kissed his cheek.
Cam dropped her hand. Asraiel turned, and ran.