Love me

Love me

“Damien…”
Lyra’s voice barely came out.
Rain dripped from her hair onto her jacket. Her chest felt tight, like she had forgotten how to breathe. She slowly turned to face him.
He stood a few feet away, soaked, his face hard, his eyes dark with anger and hurt.
“How long?” he asked.
She swallowed. “It’s not what you think.”
“That’s what everyone says,” he replied quietly. “So stop lying. How long have you been meeting him?”
Her silence answered for her.
Damien let out a sharp breath, shaking his head. “Since the warehouse, right?”
She closed her eyes. “Before that.”
His jaw tightened. “Why, Lyra?”
She took a step toward him. “I didn’t plan for it to go this far. I swear. I thought I could control it.”
“Control what?” His voice rose. “The enemy? You thought you could control the people who kill without thinking?”
“I was trying to protect everyone!”
“By working with them?” he snapped. “Do you hear yourself?”
She flinched. “You don’t understand.”
“Then make me understand!”
Thunder rolled overhead, loud and sharp.
Lyra stared at him, her heart pounding. If she told him everything, it would change everything. But if she didn’t, she would lose him forever.
“He said the group would be destroyed,” she whispered. “He said everyone would die if I didn’t cooperate.”
Damien stared at her. “So you believed him?”
“He showed me proof,” she said quickly. “Names. Places. Things that haven’t happened yet. But they will.”
“And you just trusted him?”
“I trusted my instincts,” she said. “And they told me he wasn’t lying.”
Damien rubbed his face, pacing. “So what are you doing for him?”
Her chest tightened. “I… I’ve been giving him information.”
The words fell heavy between them.
Damien stopped walking.
His eyes slowly lifted to her face.
“You betrayed us,” he said quietly.
The pain in his voice hurt worse than any shout.
“I never gave him anything that could kill anyone,” she said fast. “Only movements. Patterns. Nothing dangerous.”
“You don’t get to decide what’s dangerous,” he said. “Every detail you give him puts us closer to death.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I was trying to keep you alive.”
“By destroying us,” he replied.
The rain poured harder, soaking them both.
“Why didn’t you come to me?” he asked. “Why didn’t you tell me what he showed you?”
“Because he said if I did, he’d start killing,” she whispered. “One by one.”
Damien’s hands curled into fists. “And you believed him.”
“I’ve seen what he can do,” she said. “He doesn’t bluff.”
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, Damien said, “So what’s the plan now?”
Her breath hitched. “Tonight.”
His eyes darkened. “Tonight?”
“He said final phase,” she admitted. “Midnight.”
Damien laughed bitterly. “Of course.”
She reached for him. “Please. Let me finish this. Then I’ll end it. I’ll bring him down from the inside.”
“You think he won’t kill you when you’re done?” Damien asked. “You think you’re special?”
“I know I’m not,” she whispered. “But if I walk away now, everyone dies.”
Damien stepped closer, his face inches from hers. “If you go through with this, you might destroy us anyway.”
Her chest burned. “What choice do I have?”
He stared at her, searching, desperate. “Let me help.”
She shook her head. “It’s too late.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is.”
Thunder cracked loudly, making Lyra flinch.
Damien grabbed her shoulders gently. “Lyra, listen to me. Whatever he’s planning, we can stop it together.”
She shook her head again, tears sliding down her face. “You don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“And you don’t know what we’re capable of,” he said. “Not when we’re together.”
For a moment, she almost believed him.
Almost.
But the image of the threat he had shown her burned in her mind.
“I can’t risk it,” she whispered.
Damien’s grip loosened.
“Then you’re choosing him,” he said softly.
“I’m choosing all of you,” she cried.
He stepped back, his face closing off.
“Then do it,” he said. “Finish your mission.”
Her heart shattered at the coldness in his tone.
“But know this,” he continued, “if anyone gets hurt because of you, I won’t protect you.”
She nodded slowly. “I understand.”
She turned and walked away before he could see her break.
Midnight came fast.
The abandoned factory stood silent, its broken windows glowing faintly from inside. Lyra slipped in through the side door, her breath shallow, her body tense.
He was waiting.
“You’re late,” he said.
“Barely.”
He studied her face. “You look shaken.”
“I was followed.”
His eyes narrowed. “By who?”
“Damien.”
A dark smile crossed his lips. “And?”
“He knows.”
“Interesting.”
Her stomach dropped. “That wasn’t part of the plan.”
“No,” he agreed. “But it makes things more exciting.”
She clenched her fists. “You promised no one would get hurt.”
“I promised cooperation would keep them alive,” he corrected. “There’s a difference.”
Fear wrapped tight around her chest. “What are you planning?”
“You’ll see.”
He gestured toward a large metal door.
“Go inside.”
Lyra hesitated.
“Now,” he said sharply.
She stepped forward.
Inside, the room glowed with harsh white light. Machines hummed. Cables lined the walls. Glass tanks stood in rows.
And inside them…
Creatures.
Half-human. Half-wolf. Half-vampire. Half-mermaid.
Alive.
Her stomach turned.
“What is this?” she whispered.
“The future,” he said calmly. “An army. One that obeys.”
She shook her head, backing away. “This isn’t what you said.”
“You misunderstood,” he replied. “You thought I wanted peace. I want control.”
Her breath came fast. “You said you wanted to stop the war.”
“I want to win it.”
She stared at him, horror filling her eyes.
“You used me.”
“Of course I did,” he said lightly. “But you were willing.”
Her chest tightened. “Let them go.”
He laughed. “No.”
She clenched her fists. “Then I walk.”
“And they die.”
Her legs trembled.
Suddenly, an explosion rocked the building.
The walls shook.
Alarms blared.
His head snapped up. “What did you do?”
Lyra’s eyes widened.
Because she hadn’t done anything.
Smoke poured into the room as metal crashed to the floor.
Through the chaos, a familiar voice shouted her name.
“LYRA!”
Her heart leaped.
“Damien.”
Through the smoke, she saw Damien and the others storming in, eyes burning, weapons ready.
The enemy turned slowly toward her.
“You betrayed me,” he said calmly.
Lyra’s chest tightened.
And she realized she had just started a war.