Prologue

Nell's POV

It's cold. That's all I can think about as I lie bleeding out on the stone floor, my hand clutching at my chest next to the three dark bullet wounds.

It's so cold. Unnaturally cold. It's not the cold I was used to feeling while growing up back east, no. Back there it was almost pleasant; the nipping on your fingers and your ears resembled the teeth of fairies, appearing to light up your life and spark magic back into the world. This cold, however, is dark and seemingly cruel. Its core lies at the wounds of the bullets themselves and almost seeps through my veins like a poison. It's almost scary, and yet I've never felt so calm. My vision already flickers, going dark at the edges as I stare at the ceiling of the dark room. I smile weakly, telling myself that it's going to be all right; Eric will be all right. I may not have made it through to the end of the case, but my Beale, my dork, my love, will no longer be in danger.

My phone is out of my reach. Somehow I don't have the energy to stretch out my arm and grab it; don't have the energy to send out a distress call. Distress… that word is so unfamiliar. It can mean dozens of things and they all change in any situation. The distress of rushing home to stop a loved one from harming themselves is a hurt you never think you could replace. The distress of waiting for a text to come through while knowing you can do nothing to make sure the other person is all right is even worse, despite your thinking.

Oddly enough, I don't feel distressed. Not now, no. I suppose I did a while ago, but now I'm lying on the floor in a puddle of my own blood, things just seem to… breathe. The world seems so much more calm now. I feel no pain any more. What had been a dull burning at the first moment after the gunshots has since turned to ice. This ice is spreading through my body with every breath.

But Eric will be okay.

With a shudder and a weak smile, I close my eyes.

So! Here begins our journey! I'm so excited to begin this story, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. This is just a prologue, and is extremely short for a reason. It's sort of like one of those single-page prologues you see in some books.

Please send in reviews and such! The more I receive, the more I am motivated to keep writing and thus the quicker new pages will be brought out!