Excerpt: ETHER: The Next Generation

"Marcus," I choked out, tears running down my dirt-covered face. The pain in my side was growing with each step I took behind me, and I finally collapsed to the ground with a moan.

I lifted my shaking hand only for a moment to glace down and see the blood streaming through my fingers. With a trembling breath, I looked back up to the still figure standing a few yards away, the darkness that seemed to drip from the stone walls surrounding him in shadow.

My entire body was shaking, but not in fear.

No, I had never feared death. Not truly.

Instead, I sat in a crumpled heap on the dusty ground of the broken staircase, staring up into the black eyes of the man I loved.

Fearing for him, and his life. And how ending mine might just make him lose all hope.

He stepped closer, the metal pole in his hand gleaming in the moonlight that managed to make it down from the surface. I could see it take a new shape as he walked towards me, molding into a sharp blade as if it were made of liquid. The stoic look on his face sent shivers down my spine, and I felt new tears slide down my cheeks to the thirsty ground beneath the upturned bricks.

I inhaled sharply as he took the collar of my shirt in his fist, lifting me easily a few inches off the ground. My hands wrapped around his wrist, trying to pull myself up so I wouldn't choke. My mind couldn't focus, and I had lost too much energy to fight back... or even heal myself, I realized as I felt fresh blood trickling down the side of my leg.

"Marcus," His name was barely as whisper as it left my rain-stained lips, and I could see Lyla's reflection in his black eyes, the darkness behind them burning my own. "Kill her."

He paused for a moment, the long, sword-like blade in his hand a few inches from my throat.

"You're stronger than she is," I choked on the blood rising in my throat, wincing at the pain in my side. "When you wake up, please. Please kill her for me."

I could barely believe I was asking him to do this, but I knew it would buy him more time once I was... gone to realize he needed to go on without me.

Despite being my killer.

His eyes stared at me blankly, and I could barely sense his soul anymore.

"I'm sorry." I was struggling to breathe now, and my vision began to turn black. "I'm sorry she's making you do this..."

With a gasp, I closed my eyes as I saw the flash of the silver blade in the moonlight.