A Villain In Red

'This is it' I thought to myself.

I Veronica Irida Henderson am going to die. I couldn't breathe and the pain in my body seemed to be multiplying by the second. My chest felt tight as if some invisible force was causing it to collapse in on itself.

I can hear the voice of my fiance's brother speaking to me but he's barely audible. He's close I can feel him but his voice sounds like it's so far away.His worried face taking up the entirety of my vision.

Is this the price I'm paying for interfering with the story?

None of this would have happened if I hadn't gone a walk with Erick.

If I hadn't he would have been able to save Charlotte without suffering any major injuries. Just what made me think I could play the hero. I'm the villain of this story it's not my place to go around saving people. This is all my fault.

I'm briefly jerked from my thoughts when Erick takes me in his arms and pulls me closer to his chest. The little contact he makes with my skin send streaks of pain through out my body.

I try to call out his name and plead for him to let go of me but my voice refuses to come out . My throat feels raspy and dry. I lean into him and start to cry. I cry because at this rate I know I'm going to die.

He tightens his hold on me and strokes my hair, whispering to me from time to time. The doctor treating my wounds can't treat the Mana contamination I'm currently suffering from. My injuries are severe. My stomach is slashed and my arms have long claw marks on them. If it was only the injuries then they wouldn't be a problem. But my mama has been contaminated.

It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.

It's so incredibly painful. My skin feels like lava. It's constantly burning me. The pain is maddening. At this point death feels like a distant mercy.

A warm drop of water lands on my forehead. I try  it off thinking it's just part of my sweat. But they continue to land on me. In a slow and steady procession. I look up to see Erick with beads of tears rolling down his eyes.

In his eyes is a fear he doesn't want to acknowledge. Once again his hold on me tightens and I give a little grunt of discomfort. I want to scream at him to let me go. He's hurting me. It's not intentional but he's hurting me badly.

He's already done the best that he can for me. Forcing my arm to move I raise my hand up to him and stroke the side of his face gently.

"Thank you" I croak in a voice that's a contrast to my soft and chirpy tone.

He looked stunned for a moment then shook his head violently. Then softly whispered in my ear the word no. Understanding the meaning behind my words.

"I am not going to let you die Nica!"

I flinch at the sudden loudness of his voice. He was normally so calm and steady. It was like a completely different side of him. I silently thanked him for being here with me.

His eyes held a doubt that the both of share. I inwardly chuckle at his words. At this point there's nothing that can be done to save me. He too knows the decision that Damien made.

The choice to save the rose of Henderson or save the sunflower of Sliverline.

Charlotte Silverline will live and I will die in her place.