14 Nathan

I stared helplessly at the sky, watching Arabel's figure dissappearing among the clouds. A wave of anger enveloped me,

'Go after her.' The voice urged in my mind and I growl and shake my head. Why did she still insist on doing everything alone. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder and turn to see Sam staring up at me.

"Come with us, we will take you to her." I nod in defeat, they were my only way of getting to her quickly. So I ride with them and the soldiers, the envoys were quiet since no one really knew what was happening and Ronan was in his wolf form.

'Hey voice! Where are you?' I called out in my mind.

'Oh so you decide you reach out on your volition this time?' To my surprise the voice responded with the longest sentence it had ever said to me and for a moment I was stunned.

'Who are you?' I asked.

'You already know. It responded and I frowned.' I did have my suspicions but I couldn't bring myself to actually believe them. I leaned my head back in thought.

'What am I supposed to do?' I asked.

'You will know when the time comes.'

'You're not a very helpful voice, you know that right?' I groused and for a moment it felt like I could hear the voice laughing in my mind.

'I will be more helpful when I retrieve my body.' The voice said then went silent and I remained deep in thought until the tops of skyscrapers became visible through the humvee's windows, we were almost there. I swallowed nervously while staring out the window. The entire city was bustling, completely unaware that something explosive was about to happen. We met up with the police commissioner and while Dane worked out the details of setting up a perimeter around the empire State building I looked at Sam who was also watching me. Perhaps she could sense my thoughts or reasoning. Then afterwards I looked up towards the top of the Empire State building and saw what looked like a billow of smoke and was surprised to hear the voice growling inside my mind in anger.

'Get up there!' It roared.

'What?' I questioned in confusion.

'Now!' So without another thought I broke for a run towards the building. I ignored all the voices screaming behind me or the security guard's trying to stop me. I didn't take the elevator, it was too slow. I took the stairs, running, taking them two at a time; I never paused to ask myself why I wasn't tired. When I burst through the door leading to the roof I saw the Ciaran from Arabel's dreams, but he was significantly older, his hair streaked with gray. I saw him standing poised over Arabel, who was on her knees, her back to me. Kristy was being held by a man in military camouflage with tears streaming down her face. Ciaran had a sword poised over Arabel and I recognized the scene from the painting in the orphanages library.

I didn't need the voice to tell me what to do next. It was as if I was moving while the world around me was frozen or moving in slow motion.

"ARABEL!" The scream tore through my throat as I threw myself between her and Ciaran. Just in time to feel the tearing and burning of flesh in my chest and feel the gasp of Arabel in front of me. It felt as if my sacrifice was for nothing. Ciaran not only ran the sword through me but it connected with Arabel as well. Her eyes grew wide and filled with horror.

"No!" she gasped but I couldn't hear her. My body felt as if it was burning, as if I had fire tearing through every vein, every cell of my being. I felt her hands at my face as the burn of the sword being pulled out sent sparks of pain throughout my body.

"No please," Arabel pleaded, "why would you do that?" I looked at her carefully and reached for her and pressed a kiss to her lips just in time to hear Ciarans roar of anger as I felt my body get torn away from her. Before I was wrenched from her grasp I held her gaze.

"Because I love you." I whispered as blood began to fill my throat, causing me to choke. Her eyes widened and her face contorted in pain but I couldn't focus on it as I found myself spun around and face to face with Ciaran who was glaring daggers at me.

"You think the world is ready for guardians Arabel?" Ciarans voice was sickly and cold. He spoke to Arabel but held my gaze as he held my shirt collar. I didn't try to fight him, I didn't have the strength. But I heard Arabel struggling to stand, despite the massive hole in her chest, matching my own.

"Let him go." She hissed through clenched teeth. Ciaran's lips curled into a sneer like smile.

"Very-well," he said, "but let's see who you will save." He said as he walked, dragging me towards the roofs ledge. My eyes widened as I realized his intentions.

"Arab-mgh" my voice was cut off by the blood filling my throat and I coughed and sputtered. It was too late Ciaran already had me at the edge and his minion had Kristy next to her.

"What will you do Arabel? Save your soul mate or save your precious human?" He asked and her eyes were wide and filled with pain. I watched her as she started sprinting towards us both but then my view of her was distorted and instead replaced with the blur of the empire State building's windows. I was falling, and seconds after I heard the blood curdling scream of Kristy as she too was pushed off the roof.

'Is this the end?' I ask the voice. But it didn't answer.