Last of Her Kind (Book 1, Part 1, of the LAST series)

The next hour passed in peaceful silence as Eldar and I watched the sun sink behind the horizon. I felt more and more at ease around him, and the tranquility of the moment allowed me to gather my thoughts. But deep down, I knew I needed to talk to Sorin. As much as I appreciated the space he was giving me, I missed him—missed his presence, missed his touch, even though it had been overwhelming at times.

Eldar and I walked back to the house together, neither of us saying much, just comfortable in the quiet. When we entered, the warmth of laughter filled the room. Azriel and Ren were deep in conversation, chuckling about something while Levana sat on Ren’s lap, engrossed in her book. Sorin, however, sat apart from them at the table, staring into space with a distant expression, his thoughts clearly far away. Was he thinking about our argument?

“Do you remember that?” Ren’s laughter broke through my thoughts.

Azriel grinned, nodding. “Oh, it reminds me of the time when that townswoman just handed you a baby out of nowhere and walked off.”

“What?” Eldar asked, smiling in disbelief. “How did that even happen?”

“I don’t know!” Ren threw his hands up, still laughing. “I tried calling after her, but she just walked away. Then the baby started crying—no, screaming—and then it vomited all over me. I nearly vomited myself!”

Azriel and Eldar burst into laughter, the sound filling the room. I stood in the doorway, quietly laughing at the image of Ren covered in baby spit-up. My gaze drifted to Sorin. His eyes were already on me. The moment our gazes locked, my heart skipped a beat. I motioned upstairs, and he nodded, rising from his chair without a word.

Once we were in my bedroom, there was a distance between us, not just physically but emotionally too. Running a hand through my locs, I hugged my arms around myself, feeling vulnerable. “I’m sorry,” I said softly, breaking the silence. “I didn’t mean to snap at you this morning. It’s just—being trapped in my own mind, it was a nightmare. You, Ren, and Azriel kept...killing me over and over again, and I couldn’t escape. It was relentless, and now, even though I’m awake, it’s hard to believe I’m safe.”

My voice trembled, and before I knew it, I was gasping for air, tears spilling down my cheeks. “I don’t want to go back there. I don’t want to be alone again. Please... don’t let me go back there.”

Sorin closed the distance between us in three long strides, his hands gently cupping my face. “Hey,” he said softly, his voice steady and calm. “Look at me. Breathe with me, alright? Inhale... hold... exhale.” I followed his instructions, our eyes locked the entire time, and slowly, my breathing began to steady. “You’re never going back there,” he promised, wiping my tears with his thumbs. “I swear it. I’m here, and I’ll always protect you. I’m sorry if I was being too clingy. I was just so happy to have you back, I didn’t know how to let go.”

I laughed—a small, uncontrollable giggle slipped out, catching me by surprise. “I’m sorry,” I gasped through giggles, “I don’t know why I’m laughing.”

Sorin raised an eyebrow, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “It’s okay. Laugh if you need to.”

I shook my head, still laughing even as tears continued to roll down my cheeks. The absurdity of it all hit me like a wave, and for a moment, I couldn’t control it. I wasn’t sure if I was laughing or crying or both, but Sorin didn’t move. He just stayed there, his hands on my face, letting me feel whatever I needed to feel.