Chelsea Fine - Awry

Hope.

Every piece of Tristan was screaming internally.

His lungs. His head. His heart.

He’d never experienced anything more excruciating in all of his existence.

But it was the best thing he’d ever felt.

Because pain—sickening, life-draining pain…pain that brought him to his knees and invaded his soul— this kind of pain always meant one thing.

Scarlet was alive.

His heart climbed up his chest. Eager. Desperate. Devouring the familiar pull of Scarlet’s heart. The agony made it impossible for him to move without groaning, but he didn’t care.

Because Scarlet was alive.

He could feel her raging heart beating with more fever than ever before, resounding in his chest and slowly bringing purpose back to his soul.

Tristan tried to die.

Scarlet could think of nothing else as she scanned the cabin’s living room. Gabriel’s muscular body blocked her view of the room as he hurried over to her.

His shirt was torn and his nose was bleeding as he gently cupped her face. “I thought I lost you,” he said with emotion. “I was so scared.” Scarlet looked into her boyfriend’s deep brown eyes. Why had he thought he lost her?

Scarlet watched Nate rush up to her as well. “Scarlet! Do you remember us?” He flittered around her in bafflement.

Turning her face away from Gabriel’s hands, Scarlet stared at Nate. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

She looked around the room. Where was Tristan? Was he safe? Was he alive?

“Because you….” Nate looked her over, his eyes perplexed. “You were dead.”

Scarlet stopped her search and spun her head to Nate, her mouth falling open. “I was what ?”

I died? I died ?

“How the crap did that happen?” Scarlet looked around in confusion, blinking at the scene before her.

The living room was trashed; the end tables were overturned, the large back window was completely shattered, and there were blood splatters on the floor.

Gabriel touched a hand to her arm, letting his fingers graze her skin. “Tristan rigged an arrow to kill himself tonight so he could save you, but you went after him in the woods and the arrow hit you instead.”

Scarlet blinked.

Tristan had tried to end his life for her. His stupid, selfless heart had tried to leave her alone in this world. And she had almost been too late to save him.

Thick emotion sloshed up against the walls of her throat and she hurried to swallow it down, the sting of tears hiding behind her eyes.

She’d almost lost the boy she couldn’t remember.

Scarlet stepped into the living room and her eyes found Tristan.

He was on his knees in the center of the room, grimacing with his eyes closed. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and small cuts covered his face. His hair was a mess, his clothes were a mess and his hands—Scarlet swallowed—his hands were completely covered in blood.

And he was in unbearable pain.

Not because of the cuts and bruises that were quickly healing across his immortal body, but because of her. She could feel her nearness wrapping around his insides with merciless torture.

“Tristan…” she whispered.

Nate looked at Tristan’s grimace in puzzlement. “Dude, what’s wrong?”

With his eyes still shut, Tristan took a deep breath. “I’m fine.”

“Uh…you don’t look fine.” Nate left Scarlet’s side and stepped closer to Tristan. “Are you in pain?”

Scarlet looked at Gabriel’s torn shirt and then at Tristan’s bloody mouth. Had they fought each other?

Tristan slowly rose from his knees and shook his head. “I’m fine,” he repeated. He opened his eyes and stretched his neck.

Tristan and Gabriel were identical twins, save for their eye colors. Gabriel’s eyes were a dark brown while Tristan’s were a brilliant green.

A captivating green.

Scarlet could feel the torment ripping through Tristan as he tried to act casual. She took a step forward, wanting to relieve his pain in some way. Wanting to reach into Tristan’s chest and pull out all the anguish with her hands.

Their eyes locked on one another.

Tristan slowly shook his head, as if warning Scarlet not to draw attention to his pain. Because of their connection, Scarlet knew he could feel every emotion running through her.

But she could feel him too. Which was why she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. “Yes,” Scarlet confessed. “Tristan is in pain.”

Tristan looked at her darkly.

Too bad, Tristan. You don’t get to pretend like you’re superman.

Nate swung confused eyes to Scarlet. “How do you know?”

Scarlet blinked. “Because I…I can feel him.”

Tristan’s jaw clenched.

“ You can feel him ?” Nate looked alarmed.

Scarlet nodded.

Uh-oh. Was that not normal?

Gabriel let out a strained exhale and rubbed the side of his face.

“Since when?” Nate asked.

Scarlet licked her lips. “Uh…for the last few months?”

Tristan looked at the floor as awkwardness bumbled around the room.

Being emotionally “connected” to your boyfriend’s twin brother didn’t make for comfortable group situations.

Or one-on-one situations.

Or any situations involving feelings…or sexual tension….

Tristan glanced at Scarlet.

Awkward.

Nate looked at Scarlet seriously. “You’ve never been able to feel Tristan in your other lives.”

“I haven’t?” Scarlet‘s eyes widened.

Ah. Now she understood Tristan’s warning. They were more connected than they were supposed to be and Tristan didn’t want to draw attention to that.

Oops.

“No.” Nate shook his head. “This is new. This is… strange. Your connection shouldn’t be so strong. Tristan should be able to feel you. But you feeling him ? That’s not normal.”

Great. That’s what Scarlet needed. Another abnormality to add to her ever-growing list of Things-That-Make-Me-Weird.

Gritting his teeth, Tristan sucked in a strained breath. Scarlet felt another ripple of pain roll over him and it almost caused her knees to buckle.

How was he not screaming out loud?

“Something’s wrong.” Nate looked at Tristan’s clenched teeth. “Even with a stronger connection to Scarlet, you shouldn’t be in pain when she’s this close to you.”

“I’m fine.” Tristan stretched his neck again. “Seriously.” He looked at Scarlet again, his green eyes deep and heavy.

Less than an hour ago, those green eyes had begged her not to die, begged her not to leave him as they washed over her face.

Those green eyes had secrets.

Another wave of pain assaulted Tristan and Scarlet’s lips parted in response.

Her heart kicked forcefully inside her, drawing her to him with every hot pulse. If she could just touch him, maybe all his torment would go away. If she could just press a fingertip to his cheek…or his chest…or to the dark tattoo he had hidden beneath his torn shirt. The tattoo that wrapped around his hip and dove below his waist….

Tristan glared at her.

Right.

Scarlet blinked herself out of his eyes and back to the present. Nate’s mouth hung open and his brows furrowed as he looked at Tristan.

Tristan snapped, “Quit staring at me, Nate. I’m fine .”

Nate squinted at Tristan. “Right.” He turned to Scarlet. “So back to you. You’re, uh…you’re alive.”

“Yep.” Scarlet nodded, still not believing she had died. “When did I…?”

“Like, five minutes ago.” Nate looked into the kitchen, where the table was covered in blood. “Your heart stopped beating and then all hell broke loose in the living room and then bam! you just…came back to life. So weird.”