Darkness swallowed everything. My hands hovered over Damian's chest, frozen in disbelief. His pulse was gone. Flatlined. My lungs felt hollow, and the world narrowed to the deafening silence between us.

“No… no, no, no!” I screamed, pressing my hands harder, shaking him. The metallic tang of blood burned my nose. “Damian! Stay with me!”

His eyelids fluttered, just barely. A shallow, ragged breath escaped. Relief collided with terror so sharply it made my head spin. He wasn't gone. ...