Second Chance (8 page)

Chapter Eighteen

~James~

The men released their iron grip from James, allowing him to crawl to where Hannah lay. He reached out, desperately trying to apply pressure to the wound in her stomach, but his hands passed uselessly through her.
 

Glaring up at the man with flames for eyes, his anger burned within him. He was no use to Hannah. She needed help, but he was unable to provide it.

“Why are you doing this?” James demanded, his voice choked with tears.

The man just stared at him, offering no answer. Instead, he looked to the other two men, nodding his head at James, giving the order to kill him.

James looked down at Hannah, who was now unconscious, tears forming in his eyes as the men approached him.
 

“I love you,” he whispered, taking his last moments on earth to admit the truth to her.
 

He closed his eyes, waiting for the end to come, hoping that it would be quick and painless. Darkness awaited him now, nothing more. He had tried to save Hannah, gambling his soul, losing to these cruel spirits.

A bright light lit the alley, piercing James’ closed eyelids. He opened his eyes, turning to face the direction it came from, watching as the two shadowed forms were struck down.
 

A group of men and women charged forward, their white clothing glowing brightly, fighting back the darkness around them. James’ jaw hung open as he watched the skirmish, the man with flames for eyes lunging towards the group, screaming in defiance.
 

The fight was short but brutal. The shadow moved with tremendous strength and speed, throwing back any that attacked him. However, strength of numbers was against him, pushing him back and forcing him to flee.
 

Relief flooded through James as he watched the shadow vanish, disappearing from sight, but it was short-lived, his eyes once again fixing on Hannah’s broken form.
 

He stared down at the woman he loved, trying once again to press his hands against her wound. It was no use. He was no use.

“Please,” he begged, looking up at the men and women around him. “You have to help her.”

An elderly man stepped forward, his silver hair framing his face, deep green eyes holding the young man’s stare.

“That is not our place, I am afraid,” the man said, his voice apologetic.
 

James looked from the man and back to Hannah, his heart breaking. He had come so close to saving her, this group arriving just in time, but it was still no use.
 

“It can’t be her time,” James cried, sobbing freely. “She is a good person, a kind person.”

“There are many who believe it is her time, that to allow her to live will save too many lives,” the man explained. “This girl is destined for great things. She will save hundreds of thousands of lives one day if she is allowed to live, and that is why so many have fought to end her life.”

James looked up at the man, confused. He didn’t understand.

“You risked not only your life for this woman, but your soul. If you had died here tonight, then you would have been lost forever, taken by the shadow. We are here to give you a second chance, a chance to save her once and for all.”

“How? I’ll do anything!” James said, hope burning within him.

The man nodded slowly, looking to those around him. He looked back to James, placing a warm hand on the man’s chest.

“In exchange for your second chance, you must protect this girl, love her, and cherish her through the storms that are coming,” the man explained. “This will not be easy, and you will face challenges unlike any you can imagine. Do you accept this price?”

James nodded, not even needing to consider the consequences. “I do.”

“Very well,” the man replied. “I hope that our faith in you is not misplaced.”

Without another word, the man slammed his open palm hard against James’ chest, causing an eruption of warmth to spread through the young man’s body. He fell backwards, clutching at his chest as his heart began to beat, a surge of adrenaline running through him.
 

The group vanished, leaving him alone with Hannah. He looked at the girl, reaching out, his hands no longer passing through her. The warmth of her body was fading. He was running out of time.
 

Chapter Nineteen

~Hannah~

She opened her eyes to the blinding light, her stomach aching as she regained consciousness. Once again, she lay on a hospital bed, having recovered from her second near-death experience.

As she lay there, she fought to remember what happened. She remembered her argument with James, how she had pushed him into opening up, and how he had stormed off. She remembered going out to find him but instead, she had found terror.

The blade had cut into her, threatening to steal her life away, but worst of all, James had fought to help her, risking his soul. At that moment, panic set in, fear that James hadn’t made it.

She tried to sit up, but her body was weak, her energy lost. Looking to her side, she saw him sat beside her, slumped in the armchair by her bedside.

“James?” she whispered, trying to get his attention.

Slowly, James opened his eyes, smiling as he saw her. The look on his face melted away all of her fears, filling her with happiness.

“Hey you,” he whispered. “You had me worried for a while back there.”

Hannah could feel the tears welling up. She thought she might have lost him, that she would never get to see him again, but there he was, safe and sound.
 

“You’re beginning to make quite a habit of this, Miss Belkin,” a man’s voice said from the other side of the room.

Hannah turned slowly to face the doctor who stood in the entrance to her room. The same man who had seen to her after James had saved her stood in the doorway, smiling at her.
 

“I know,” she replied weakly, smiling back. “I guess I need to thank my guardian angel.”

The doctor smiled, nodding towards James. “If he hadn’t found you when he did, then it would have been too late. James saved your life.”

Hannah’s eyes went wide with shock as she looked from the doctor to James, who was grinning like a child at Christmas.

“By the way, James. Have we met before? You look familiar.”

“I don’t think so,” James replied, shaking his head. “I must just have one of those faces.”

Hannah watched as the doctor disappeared into the hall, leaving the pair alone. “What?” Hannah whispered, waiting to make sure her doctor was gone before she continued. “How?”

James slid from his chair and sat on the bed beside Hannah. She could feel the warmth of his body, the cool touch of his hand as his fingers wrapped between her own.
 

She stared up at him, holding his gaze as he leaned forward to kiss her lightly on her lips. Her heart pounded in her chest, tears falling free as her happiness overwhelmed her. He was alive. He was real.

“They gave me a second chance,” he explained, his nose only inches from hers. “They gave me a chance to finally hold you.”

Once again, he kissed her, chasing away all of her pain and fears. She had thought she would never get this chance, never get the opportunity to be happy with him, but that had all changed now.

“What next? Why?” she asked, so many questions burning on the tip of her tongue.

James smiled at her; one of his reassuring smiles that told her everything was going to be okay.

“It doesn’t matter,” he answered. “So long as I have you, nothing matters. I love you, Hannah. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you that before, I was just so scared.”

Hannah smiled back, giggling to herself, squeezing his hand in her own.
 

“I love you too, James,” she whispered. “I was terrified I lost you, that I’d never get to tell you that.”

“You never have to be scared again,” he said. “I’ll be by your side forever.”

They lay together, arms wrapped around one another, savoring their first moments. As she lay there, she could feel his heart beating against her, a sign that he really was alive. Everything she ever could have wished for had come to life, all of her hopes and dreams falling into place.

They had been granted a second chance to live, a second chance to find happiness in each other’s arms, and she intended to live every minute as though it were her last.