VEDA

The first wave of grief had left me completely numb. As dead as my sister. Although my heart still beat and I could feel the scratch of Luca's

collar against my cheek, inside, there was nothing. I was an empty void.

But before I fell into this blessed numbness, there was pain. Pain that tore through me with razor-sharp claws, ripping me open and leaving raw, bleeding wounds before condensing in my center, where it screamed for release until I couldn't hold it in any longer.

Oh my god, Nicole is gone!

I wished I could believe it wasn't true. I tried to tell myself that he was lying...