Demonic Bonds by Claire M (best books to read for self improvement txt) 📕

a word until they reached the bridge, which is when Eve stopped suddenly and disappeared before his eyes. The next thing he knew there was a quick sharp pain in his forehead and that was all he could remember.

He rubbed his head and shielded his eyes from the rain. Sitting up, he felt something fall down onto his lap.

A hoodie? But this is Lexie's...? He stood up and looked around, then he sensed Eve's presence. It was very close. He followed it to the side of the bridge and looked down at the river. Why is Eve...? Numerous bubbles rose to the surface of the water and the familiar sweet scent of Lexie reached him, along with short broken scenes of her drowning appearing in his mind.

"Lexie!" He dropped her hoodie to the ground and jumped over the wall and into the water below.

The river was still flowing fast and deep. She wouldn't last long under there.

Lexie's scent was quickly fading. Eve wasn't anywhere in sight but her scent was still strong. She wasn't important at this moment. Even though he had many questions to ask her, Lexie came first. She would always come first.

As he swam deeper he spotted Lexie. She was falling deeper into the river, her eyes were closed and the air bubbles had stopped escaping her mouth. Rufus knew he had to hurry.

He coughed and lay Lexie on her back, moving her hair which was plastered to her face out of the way and pressed his lips to hers, forcing air into her lungs.

Her lips were pale and frozen-like, along with the rest of her fragile body which lay practically lifeless.

"Come on Lexie, breathe!"

Her body didn't respond.

"Lexie, please...!" Rufus cried, pleading her to wake up, open her eyes, anything.

He checked her pulse again, to make sure she was still there, still alive, and it hit him like a hard blow to the chest. His whole body froze in horror.

There was nothing. No pulse, no sign, just a limp icicle-like Lexie who had faded away.

"No. No, no NO!" He choked and yelled in despair. His hands sparked blue with electricity as he built electric power out of nothing but his emotions and will power. In the back of his mind he didn't know what the hell was going on but he just let whatever it was take over.

Something sparked in his chest. The tiniest bit of hope. It told him that she would be okay, that she would be alive in his arms again and he would never have to leave her and let anything happen to her again.

So he did what anyone would do. He grabbed onto that little piece of hope with all his might and held on like his life depended on it, like the world depended on it.

He was not going to let her go.

Lexie's body jumped from the shock but there was still nothing. The use of this new found power seemed to be draining Rufus, but he didn't care. After what seemed like countless yet useless tries, Rufus fell back on his hands as a shot of dizziness hit him.

"No..." He sat up and leaned over her, resting his forehead on hers as a tear escaped his eye. "Please don't leave me...I love you..."

As the tear fell from his cheek to hers, he moved his lips down to hers and kissed her.

Then he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly before laying down next to her, putting his hand in hers and staring at the grey sky for a moment before closing his eyes. His mind was blank.

Then something brought him out of his trance. A sound. Rufus's eyes snapped open and his body rushed with hope once again.

It was a heartbeat.
Chapter 13

I could hear voices. They were faint and hard to understand, but they seemed to be begging.

Begging for what? To whom?

I didn't know, and to be honest, I didn't care. I was in agony. My insides felt like they were being ripped apart, like someone had forced a chainsaw down my throat without turning it off beforehand.

I wanted to scream but nothing came out. Where was my voice? Had it abandoned me to be trapped in this dark abyss of pain with no way to shout for help? I was being choked by what tasted like my own blood mixed with water to make it that much worse.

Just let it end! I can't take it anymore!

And everything went black once again. Finally, I was heard.

Everything was blurry as my eyes opened and I couldn't breathe. I instantly found myself choking and struggling to breathe. I turned to face the ground and water along with a bit of blood spilled from my mouth. I was still in alot of pain but it seemed to have numbed down, even if only a little bit.

"Lexie!" I heard someone shout. I tried to look round but my head spun and I fell forward, someone catching me on their knee.

Rufus...

I felt like I was going to black out again so I quickly reached into my skirt pocket and pulled out Rufus's locket, handing it to him with a very shaky hand. God, why was it so cold? Although, I wasn't too sure whether I was shaking from the cold or from shock. Maybe both.

Rufus looked at me worriedly then switched his glance to the locket, now confused. I raised my hand to his cheek and he looked back at me.

He'd saved me...I owe him so much...

"Rufus, I-" I choked. My throat was sore and I admit, it did hurt to talk.

"Don't speak, it's okay!" He spoke quickly, reassuring me and squeezing my hand. I smiled but noticed his eyes were red. He'd been crying...

I tasted blood in my mouth again and a more painful shock of agony shot through my body. I winced and felt Rufus put a hand on my cheek.

"Lexie!" His voice was distorted and strange. No, not again, please...but once again I found myself falling into unconciousness.

Chapter 14

Lexie's small and gentle hands fell limp in Rufus's as she passed out. Rufus breathed, relief sweeping over his body that she was alive. He clicked open the locket and his eyes widened for a second, but he simply smiled.

"Thank you Lexie." He looked at her and a small amount of blood trickled out of the side of her mouth with was open just slightly. He bent closer, but the sound of a splash caused him to spin round to see a familiar feminine figure land with a thud on her feet not too far behind him.

"Eve." He narrowed his eyes and stood up in front of Lexie. "You're responsible for this. For hurting Lexie." He growled, holding up the locket and gesturing towards Lexie at the same time. Eve glanced at the girl who lay unconcious behind Rufus, her eyes turned red for a second and she lauged and looked away, down at her nails.

"You know, if you were smart and used your powers, you'd be able to see that her organs are damaged and bleeding from when I sent a shock of electricity through her."

Rufus flinched, his eyes wide and his jumped forward, grabbing Eve by her collar.

"You did what?" He growled, pulling her up off the ground. She sighed and flicked his hand away but not without sending a shock of elecricity through Rufus, the same amount that she had sent through Lexie.

"I did that." She smirked as Rufus fell to the ground, doubled over and coughing up blood. If that's the effect it has on demons...It's a miracle Lexie is alive...Still alive, at that. Rufus thought as he glanced over at her. She still lay unconcious but at least she was still alive. He knew he'd better hurry and get this over with then get her to a hospital.

Eve noticed this and sighed once again.

"You-" Rufus cut her off.

"The locket. Why was I sent it? What happened to our parents?" He stood up, obviously still in pain but speaking past it.

Eve's mouth fell straight and her expression turned serious.

"I doubt you even knew you had such a power that enables you to see inside humans, did you?" She said, changing the subject. "You have so much to learn. You must be ready for when the others arrive. Call what happened today a test, I just wasn't expecting there to be a girl involved, a human girl at that." Rufus was about to question her, but she turned her back on him, not without pulling a familiar looking locket out from her jacket pocket.

Rufus recognised it as a replica of his own. So she had been sent one too. Well, it was only right since she was the Kichiki daughter.

"Our parents...they were murdered." Eve's voice softened as she looked at the ground, a glint of sadness in her eye. Rufus's eyes widened. "That's all I know."

Eve turned her head and glanced towards Lexie, Rufus sure he saw her eyes turn red again for a second.

"She's getting worse. You might have brought her back but it will have been for nothing if you don't hurry and get her to the hospital. And remember what I said; the others, they won't mess about." She looked up and looked Rufus in his eyes.

"Rufus...I'm sorry." Rufus swore he saw her mouth turn up into a slight smile for only a second. A nice smile which held no spite. With that, Eve turned and disappeared. Rufus felt a twinge in his heart, almost as if he was sad to see her go...

He turned and walked back to Lexie, crouching down next to her and looking at her sadly. Lexie...I'm so sorry...You shouldn't have gotten involved in all this...He bowed his head and clenched his fists.

Then he looked back up at Lexie again. He could tell she was fading