Nikolai

One moment she was in my arms, her body pressed against mine, her heart hammering against my chest. The next, the light in her eyes simply... went out.

Like someone had snuffed a candle.

She crumpled. I caught her before she hit the floor, my arms closing around her limp form, her head falling against my shoulder. She weighed nothing. Absolutely nothing. I could feel her ribs through the thin fabric of her dress, could feel the rapid flutter of her pulse against my fingers, too fast, ...