My eyes flew open, andIsawIwas lying on a couch in what looked like the back room of a small shop.Sunlightstreamed through a nearby window, andIwas wrapped in a blanket.Moreimportantly,Iwas cradled securely against a broad chest thatIwould have recognized anywhere.
Kor.
I looked up at him dizzily, trying again to make sure it was him.
“Kor?”Iasked, my voice coming out in a whisper.
His arms tightened around me instantly.
"Easy," he murmured."Easy, sweetheart.I'vegot you."
The sound of his voice shattered the last of my disbelief and a sob rose in my throat, whichIswallowed down with difficulty.Igrabbed the front of his shirt with both hands, desperate to feel him.
"You'realive."Mywords came out in a trembling voice.“You’rereally alive!”
His eyes closed and for a moment he looked as though those three simple words had physically wounded him.
"Yeah," he said roughly."I'malive, baby.BarelybutI’mhere."
I shook my head, unable to believe it.
“I…Ithought you were one of the bodies they found afterTheBlackridgemassacre."
“Is that what they’re calling it?”
“Yes—Iheard on the news that half the population was dead.Iwanted to go see if you were one of them, butIdidn’t dare go back.Iwas sure if they caught me there again, they’d never let me leave.”
“You did the right thing,”Korsaid roughly.“Thattown was poison.Ijust wishI’drecognized it sooner.Weshould have left right away, instead of hanging around, thinking about winning that fuckingAlphaChallenge.”
I looked up at him then—really looked.Hewas thinner than before.Therewere shadows beneath his eyes and new lines around his mouth that hadn't been there three months ago.Helooked exhausted…burned out…devastated.
Suddenly,Iunderstood.We’dlost each other butI, at least, had the baby to live for.Korhad had nothing.Allthese long, lonely months he’d been living with no hope—no reason to go on.
"Oh,Kor,"Iwhispered, and my heart was breaking for him.
His throat worked.
"Sweetheart,I’mso sorry for everything…everything that happened."
That was all it took.Ithrew my arms around him, buried my face in the side of his neck, and sobbed.Allthe grief and loneliness and heartbreakI'dbeen carrying came pouring out at once andIclung to him as thoughIwould never let go again.
"I thought you were dead,"Isobbed."Ithought you weredead."
His arms tightened around me.
"I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely."God,Vivienne,I'mso sorry."
I pulled back just enough to look at him.
"What happened?"Idemanded through my tears."Wherehave you been?Whydidn't you come find me?"
The pain that crossed his face was so raw it stole the anger right out of me.
"BecauseIthought you hated me,” he said hoarsely.
I stared at him.
"What?"