Second Chance

by Sawyer Bennett

  Carrick noted that Quentin looked quite deranged. His clothes were dirty and rumpled. His hair was sticking up all over the place, and his eyes were red. From crying, or lack of sleep, Carrick didn’t know. Nor did he care.

  “I’m sorry it has had to come to this, Carrick. I truly liked you and Ava, but nothing can compare to my love for Ralina.”

  A little bile rose in Carrick’s mouth just imagining loving someone like Ralina.

  Quentin reared his arm back prepared to throw the Hell-Fire at Carrick. Carrick braced to throw himself sideways, when Quentin dropped the ball at his feet. It landed on the ground, still flaming, just inches from where Quentin was standing.

  Carrick watched mesmerized as Quentin grabbed his throat as if he was choking. Confused, Carrick looked behind him and saw Heph squeezing the air in front of him as if it were Quentin’s throat in his hand. He saw blood from a cut on Heph’s palm running down his arm. Heph had sacrificed his blood to save Carrick.

  Turning back to look at Quentin, Carrick saw his lips were turning blue and eyes were bulging. The lack of oxygen had made him dizzy and he started to stagger around. As fate would have it, and the irony was not lost on Carrick, Quentin stepped onto his own ball of Hell-Fire and almost instantly his whole body ignited. Heph must have released his strangle hold on Quentin because Carrick heard a blood curdling scream come from the raging flames. And then he heard no more.

  Carrick, Heph and the rest of men, stepped around the burning Quentin and continued down the hallway. Carrick knew Ralina must be close if Quentin was here. He would have stayed near to her in his foolish attempt to protect her.

  Rounding a corner, Carrick spied several of Ralina’s soldiers guarding a door. Carrick felt a rush go up his spine… he’d found her. Carrick and his men charged forward, throwing spells as they ran, and then switching to their swords as they met their targets.

  A vicious battle ensued. Carrick cut his way left and right, trying to quickly make his way to the door. He cut down several of Ralina’s men in his frenzied attempt to get through. He felt something slice through his upper arm and warm blood start to trickle. He didn’t give it a passing thought. His only purpose was Ava.

  Reaching the door, Carrick raised a powerful leg and kicked the door in. It splintered off its hinges and landed ten feet inside the room. He stepped inside and immediately his eyes landed on Ava. He briefly scanned her to ensure she was okay and saw her eyes were shining bright with relief to see him. He gave her a smile of assurance.

  “Give it up, Ralina.” Carrick hoped he sounded neutral because he was seething inside seeing her hold a knife to Ava’s throat. “There is nowhere for you to go. It’s over.”

  “It will never be over,” Ralina scoffed. “Not until either I’m dead, or your precious Ava is dead.”

  “Well, you know what my choice is going to be,” Ava quipped.

  Carrick gave an inward smile. That’s my girl!

  Ralina didn’t seem to find it as funny, and pressed the knife into the tender skin at Ava’s throat, just above the iron collar. Ava tried to hold her head back as far as she could to get away from the knife but Ralina pressed harder and made a small cut. A tiny rivulet of blood ran down the side of Ava’s neck, under the collar and onto her chest.

  Ralina leaned over and slowly ran her tongue over the blood. She swallowed and gave a sigh. “She tastes good, Carrick.”

  Carrick heard others come in behind him, assuming it was Heph and Kieran, but he never took his eyes off Ralina.

  “I want safe passage out of here and I’m going to take little Ava with me,” Ralina said confidently.

  “It’s not going to happen.” Carrick kept his hands casually at his side but was tensed to fly a spell the moment he needed to.

  Ralina gave a confident laugh. “I will tell you what I’m going to do if you don’t let me pass. I’m going to plunge this knife deep into her heart and then we’ll throw the dice to see who will win the ensuing battle. I may die, you may die, but either way, your girlfriend will be dead.”

  Carrick didn’t know if Ralina was bluffing but he wasn’t willing to take the chance with Ava’s life. He wasn’t close enough to be able to stop Ralina from using the knife if she wanted to. As if to prove her point, she pulled the knife from Ava’s throat and put the tip over her breastbone.

  Carrick held up his hands in supplication and backed away a few feet. “Okay, take it easy. If you can give me assurance you will let Ava go, maybe we can discuss safe passage.”

  “Of course,” Ralina said smoothly. “I promise to let her go once I’m outside the palace walls. I’ll even swear a blood oath on it so I won’t be able to break it without dying. How’s that for a bargain?”

  Carrick considered her words. He was sure they were nothing but a ruse. Ralina would never spare Ava’s life.

  “Carrick,” Ava called. He snapped his gaze to hers. “Listen to me. Do not, under any circumstances, let her walk out of here. She needs just a little more time to complete a ritual that will grant her unimaginable strength. You cannot take the risk she will complete it. Kestevayne cannot take the risk that she will complete it. Do you understand me?” Ava’s words were clipped and strong

  “If you don’t let me walk,” Ralina taunted, “knife to the heart”. She pressed the tip in just a bit and more blood trickled down Ava’s chest.

  Carrick’s heart was thundering so hard, he thought it might jump out of his chest. His eyes flicked back and forth between Ava and Ralina. He just didn’t know what to do.

  Ava said his name again, softly and he was once again looking only at her.

  “Carrick. Trust me on this and I swear it will turn out okay. Take your shot at Ralina now and do not fear for me.” Ava’s eyes radiated confidence in her statement and for a moment, he thought he saw something glowing deep within her green irises. Carrick didn’t know how it would be okay, but it was time for him to trust her judgment. He thought about all those years ago when he left her without choices. He wouldn’t do that to her again.

  Without letting himself think about it further, Carrick summoned a white hot ball of energy and threw it at Ralina, while simultaneously whipping his knife out, and throwing it at Ralina as well.

  As if in slow motion, Carrick saw Ralina plunge the knife downward into Ava’s chest, just as the energy ball caught her in the face and the knife hit her in the throat. The force of the energy threw Ralina backward against the cell wall, but Carrick wasn’t watching. He only watched as Ava’s body dropped to the floor.

  Carrick ran to Ava. He heard Kieran and Heph make their way to Ralina to ensure she was dead. He couldn’t care less.

  Ava was lying on her side, turned away from him. He knelt down beside her and turned her over into his arms, cradling her with care. The knife was stuck hilt deep into her chest. Carrick caressed her face with his hand and her eyes fluttered open.

  “Hi,” he said with a watery smile.

  “Hi yourself,” she said back with a faint voice.

  “Don’t you die on me, Ava. You can’t leave me,” Carrick pleaded.

  “Why?”

  “Because I love you. I love you so much and will be lost without you.” Carrick reached down and kissed her gently on the lips. He noticed tears sliding down her cheeks. “Please don’t say I’m too late to prove that to you.”

  Ava moved her arms and Carrick loosened his hold. He watched as Ava reached up to the knife and grabbed the hilt with both hands.

  “Stop,” Carrick commanded to her. He put his hands on hers to stop her from pulling it out. “If you take it out, you will bleed out immediately.”

  Ava seemed to be fading right before his eyes, but she looked at him and whispered, “Trust me.”

  Indecision clouded his features.

  “Please,” Ava pleaded.

  Carrick couldn’t refuse. “Let me do it. I don’t think you are strong enough.”

  Ava gave a weak smile and let her hands fall to her side. Carrick grabbed the
knife and looked up. Through the tears in his eyes, he saw Heph and Kieran standing there, looking down at them with sadness. He turned his gaze back to Ava.

  “I love you,” he whispered as he leaned over and kissed her one last time.

  Then Carrick ripped the knife from Ava’s chest. The grief of her impending death hit him hard and he flung the knife away. He gathered her back up in his arms and buried his face in her neck, breathing in the scent of her. A wail tore out of his mouth and he rocked her back and forth as knew her life force would start to drain.

  But Carrick immediately noticed blood was not flowing from her wound and leaned back to look down at Ava. A warm light appeared over her chest and Carrick watched in disbelief as the hole in her heart closed up. Next the muscles and skin knitted together and even the blood moved backward in time to seep back into her body. The warm light started to fade, and then it was gone.

  Carrick was staring dumbfounded at Ava’s chest. He couldn’t believe it as he watched it rise up and down as she breathed. The skin was smooth and free of any marks. Her eyes were closed but her skin was warm. Placing a hand over her chest, her heart was beating strong.

  “Ava?” Carrick stroked her face. “Wake up.”

  ***

  Ava heard voices, faint and whispered. She opened her eyes slowly. Everything was fuzzy but as she looked around, her focus returned. She realized that she was in her bedroom in her palace apartments. She was lying in bed, under her blankets. Peering under the covers, she saw she was wearing a nightgown.

  In a flash, the events of what happened played out in front of her. The fact that she was awake, and alive, meant her gamble had paid off. She took stock of her body. She gingerly touched her chest and it felt normal. No cut or gaping hole there. She felt good. Damn good as a matter of fact! She sat up in bed. Looking around her room, she noted she was alone.

  “Carrick?” Ava called out.

  Carrick and Heph both appeared in her doorway, only to be knocked aside by Bing rushing in. He took a flying leap onto the bed and crashed into Ava. Laughing, she wrapped her arms around the furry beast and hugged him like there was no tomorrow.

  “I missed you too, you big baby,” Ava murmured. She looked over Bing’s shoulder and saw Carrick was looking at her with such intensity, she thought she might burst into flames. Her cheeks flushed.

  Carrick’s gaze raked over her. She saw his blue eyes were burning with emotion. Ava pushed Bing aside who happily curled up at her side. She watched as Carrick walked to the bed and then he was wrapping his arms around her. He picked her up and crushed her to his chest in a hug so fierce, she gasped for breath. Carrick loosened his hold and sat on the bed, cradling her in his lap. He peered down at her.

  “How?”

  “How what?”

  Carrick swept his face down to Ava’s and gave her a swift kiss. “Stop teasing me, brat. You know what I’m asking.”

  “Oh, you mean how did I take a knife to the chest and live to tell about it?” Ava looked slyly over at Heph. “Well, it was actually pretty easy. In his teachings to me, Heph told me the greatest protection spell of all can come from self-sacrifice. I figured if I offered my life for the well-being of Kestevayne, I could use that blood sacrifice to weave a spell that would undo any damage that Ralina may inflict on me.”

  “You ‘figured’ you could weave a spell?” Carrick’s face was red with anger. “How could you take a risk like that not knowing the outcome?”

  “Don’t be angry, Carrick. I was pretty sure it would work. I just had to hope that I lived long enough to incant the spell after she spilled my blood. Once I was able to invoke it, the only thing left to do was pull the knife out and see if it worked.”

  Carrick’s brow furrowed. “But how did you invoke a spell while you were collared with iron?”

  Ava gave Carrick a sheepish grin. “Well, that I’m not exactly sure. The iron definitely prevented me from unleashing my magic outward. But when I reached inside to invoke the spell, my magic was still there. The iron apparently didn’t nullify the magic. It just kept it contained inside of me. And I only needed it to protect my heart.”

  “That’s amazing,” Heph said. “Truly amazing.”

  Carrick gave Ava another hard hug, burying his head in her neck. Ava knew he was frustrated and angry with her, but he was more grateful to have her alive so she considered that a win for her.

  Heph walked up. “Mind if I give my niece a hug?”

  Carrick released Ava just enough so that Heph could bend down and give her a hug. “I’m so proud of you, Ava. I know your parents would be. You’re going to make a wonderful Queen for Kestevayne.”

  “Thanks, Uncle Heph. I hope you will stay here with me.”

  “You got it kiddo. Now, let me leave as I’m sure you two have some catching up to do.” They both watched as Heph walked out of the bedroom and closed the door.

  Carrick looked down at Ava again and gently grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. “I love you, Ava.”

  Ava smiled at him. “I thought I might have heard you make that proclamation while I was dying.”

  “I wanted to say it again, so you know I wasn’t just saying it under the duress of experiencing the most incredible fear I’ve ever had.” Carrick leaned down and kissed her softly. He whispered against her lips, “I was a fool to ever think of living without you. Please say you’ll forgive me?”

  “Hmmmmm,” Ava pondered. “Are you offering me marriage, Carrick Dunne?”

  “I’m offering you marriage, kids and all the hot sex you could ever want.”

  “All the hot sex I could ever want? That’s a deal I don’t think I can refuse.”

  Sealing her acceptance with a kiss, Carrick told her one more time. “I love you so much, Ava.”

  “And I you, Carrick.”

  If you enjoyed Second Chance, I would love for you to give me a review at Amazon. : Second Chance Amazon Review

  If you would like to read Kieran’s story, turn the page for a sneak peak at Stolen Heart.

  Connect with Sawyer online:

  Website: www.sawyerbennett.com

  Twitter: www.twitter.com/bennettbooks

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/bennettbooks

  About the Author

  Sawyer Bennett is the penname for Beth Noble, a native North Carolinian and practicing lawyer. When not trying to save the world from injustice, she spends her time trying to get the stories she accumulates in her head down on paper. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, Shawn, and their two big dogs, Piper and Atticus.

  Coming Soon

  Forever Young

  Book 1 of the Forever Land Chronicles

  A Young Adult Paranormal Series

  http://sawyerbennett.com/books/forever-young/

  STOLEN HEART

  CHAPTER 1

  AltVeritas of Vyronas - Kestevayne

  Kieran Dunne awoke right on time, as he did every morning. 6:30a.m. sharp. As a member of the Royal Army of the House of Clairmont, his years of military training couldn’t let him sleep any later. It didn’t matter that he had stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, wrapped in the arms of a beautiful woman.

  Speaking of which…Kieran rolled over to his side to look at said beautiful woman. What was her name again? Kayla? Kara? He knew it started with a “K” but past that, it just wasn’t coming to him. She lay on her stomach, with the sheets pulled up to her hips. Her slender back was peeking out from the long layers of golden hair flowing down to her rear.

  A smile came to his face. Perhaps a little morning fun could be had as well. Reaching out, he stroked his finger down her back. Reaching the sheet, he pulled it down over the gorgeous swells of her ass. Kayla or Kara let out a sleepy sigh.

  “Wake up darling”. Best not to let her know I can’t remember her name right now.

  He now got an annoyed groan in response and watched as Kayla or Kara reached back and pulled the sheet up over her body. He supposed he should let her sleep. They h
ad gone at it for hours the night before and he had rewarded her with no less than four orgasms. Poor girl had to be exhausted.

  Kieran turned over on his back, placing his hands behind his head. Looking up at the ceiling, he mentally calculated the things he had to accomplish today.

  Technically, he was on a hiatus from his duties with the Army. What did his brother call it? An extended vacation? Yes, that was it. Kieran had been on extended vacation for the past week. That was the problem being a soldier in a world that was utterly at peace. The Army was downsizing and without regiments to train, Kieran just didn’t have a lot to do anymore. He hated not being busy.

  His brother, Carrick, was King of Kestevayne. King by marriage that is. He had married his soul mate, Ava Clairmont, almost three years ago, after they had defeated the hell-bitch Ralina.

  He snickered at his new nickname for Ralina Haramish. He tried to come up with a new one every month or so. Hey, it’s what you did when you were bored! In the recent past, she had been known as “her evil holiness”, “skank witch” and “No one would touch you if you were the last woman in the universe”. She was a wretched excuse of a human indeed. “Was” being the key word.

  Ralina Haramish had usurped the throne in Kestevayne seven years ago. After murdering Ava’s parents, King Jaron and Queen Selena, she had planted herself in the Clairmont’s palace and proceeded forth with a furious path of destruction and mayhem. Ralina, with her evil use of sacrificial blood magic, had tormented and killed wantonly the good people of Kestevayne. But she had met her match with Ava Clairmont.

  Having been sent away to live in The First Dimension of Earth for the four years following her parents’ death, Ava had not been aware of the turmoil embroiling her country. Carrick and Kieran had stayed behind, waging a bloody war against Ralina and her forces. It was an uphill battle all the way. Not only had Ralina commandeered troops by mind control, her blood magicks allowed her to conjure up demons to jump into the fray. Oh, what he wouldn’t give right now for a good battle with an Erchras. Now that was a demon that could chase away boredom.