“If you don’t mind … I’d like to be alone with Clea.”
Ben looked hurt for a moment, then glanced back and forth between Sage and me. “Of course,” he said.
The two guys stood awkwardly, well aware this would be the last time they’d see each other. Ben finally extended his hand. “I don’t know what to say.”
Sage considered Ben a moment, then took his hand and pulled him in for a hug. He whispered something in Ben’s ear, and Ben nodded as they stepped apart.
Sage took my hand, and together we walked down the beach. It was long and wide, dotted by large dunes and set against a residential area that was fast asleep this time of night. We trekked down until we were around ten feet from the water, close enough for the sand to be solid and packed under our feet, but far enough that the waves wouldn’t roll up and get in the way of Sage’s plans.
I’d felt strong on the ride here. I didn’t really let myself believe this was actually going to happen. I even had a plan to stop it.
But now we were really here, just a few minutes before midnight, and there was no guarantee my plan would work. If it didn’t, it was over. It wasn’t like I could wrestle the dagger away from Sage. If he wanted to do this, he would.
The tears welled up in my eyes, and I tried to keep my voice from cracking.
“What now?”
“I build a fire, like Magda said, and acknowledge all the earthly pleasures I’m sacrificing.”
He took my hand and led me to a dry patch of sand, then pulled me into his arms for a long kiss.
That was it. I started sobbing.
“Don’t do this,” I begged him. “You don’t have to.”
“I do. Even your father knew it.”
I couldn’t speak. I was crying too hard for anything else to come out. Sage leaned in to kiss the top of my head. I saw tears in his eyes too. As he moved away I grabbed his hand and pulled him into my arms. I clung to him as the sobs tore through me. If I held on to him hard enough, he couldn’t do any of it. He’d have to stay here with me until after midnight. I’d get one more day, and if I could get one, I could get more. I had to keep him with me, no matter what.
Gently but firmly, Sage pushed me away. Not having his arms around me was the most devastating feeling in the world. It felt like death. I plopped onto the sand, Gently but firmly, Sage pushed me away. Not having his arms around me was the most devastating feeling in the world. It felt like death. I plopped onto the sand, completely helpless and lost.
As I cried, Sage worked. He built and lit a small bonfire, surrounding it with drawings he etched into the sand with a twig. The end result was a circle of pictures illustrating his time on this earth … his time with me.
He came back to me and took my hand. I clutched it like a lifeline. He put his arm around me and I snuggled in as close as I could possibly get, memorizing the feeling of his body next to mine.
Sage walked me on a tour of our lives together, one image after another. Sage and Olivia in a rowboat on the Tiber. Sage and Catherine dancing in their favorite field. Sage and Anneline at the altar on their wedding day. Sage and Delia, smiling to each other over the piano. Sage and I on the beach in Rio, seeing each other for the very first time.
It was a work of art. We were a work of art. I didn’t want to believe it could end.
I heard a sniffle and realized that Sage was crying too. I looked up at him and made him meet my eyes. “Don’t do it,” I demanded.
“I have to,” he choked.
He forced his eyes away to glance down at his watch. “Eleven fifty-five,” he said huskily. “You have to go. I don’t want you to see this.”
I stretched up and pressed my lips to his. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck as we kissed. I willed it not to end. If I could keep him with me for just a little more than five minutes, we’d be fine.
Five minutes. It was all I needed.
Kissing him hungrily, I ran my hands over his body, down his chest, past the belt of his jeans.…
“No, Clea,” he begged, pushing my hands off him. “I can’t let you.”
“You can. You want to. Please.” I dove back into his arms and started kissing him again, frantic now, desperate to keep him occupied.
“No!”
He pushed me off him, hard, and I tumbled into the sand. He wiped away the last of his tears with the back of his hand, then pulled out the dagger. “I’m sorry, Clea, but I have to. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I tried to say … but all that came out were sobs.
Sage checked his watch—did he even have another minute?
That was when I heard the screech of tires. Headlights flashed, and an old VW bus barreled onto the sand. The doors opened, and three men and two women poured out, each toting a gun.
My God, was it really them? I nearly fainted with relief, but there wasn’t time for that. They weren’t far, but they hadn’t seen us yet.
“Here! Right here!” I screamed, waving my arms.
Five guns wheeled and pointed right at me.
“What are you doing?” Sage cried.
“Over here!” I screamed again.
“Clea!” Sage roared, and dove, throwing himself on top of me as the group of five Saviors of Eternal Life opened fire and ran toward us. They knew the shots would only stop Sage, not kill him, and they didn’t care what happened to me. Sage kept me low, and pulled us behind a protective dune.
“What did you do?” he hissed.
“Told them where we were. I didn’t have any other choice.”
The shots were closer now. Sage grabbed my hand and ran with me, weaving down the beach and ducking behind the dunes. We raced as fast as we could. The effort tore at my lungs, but I welcomed the pain. Sage was with me. He was alive.
A monstrous pain seared through my body and I fell to the ground behind a sand dune. I grabbed my thigh. It was gushing blood. My head started to swim.
“Clea!” Sage dropped to his knees and pressed on my leg, trying to stop the blood.
“Clea!” another voice screamed.
Ben? I saw him racing down the beach toward us. No, no! Bad idea. I wanted to scream at him to get back, get away, but that would only get the Saviors’ attention.
“Clea! Clea!” Ben cried as he ran blindly through the dunes.
Shit! He didn’t need my help getting their attention. They saw him now, saw him barreling toward us. It wouldn’t take a genius to realize we were together. Summoning my strength and hoping to distract the shooters for even a moment, I screamed out, “Ben, stop! Get away! Get out of here!”
Too late. A male shooter grabbed him and held him tight, and the group huddled around him.