Chapter 52

"Do it." His forehead pressed firmly against hers. Her eyes stared down at Elius laying on the floor between them. His hands were almost translucent white from the rope around his wrists. Anastasia watched him squirm, her heart beating quicker with each passing moment. She looked at the wand in her hand, hovering over Elius, and felt completely distanced from her body. She lifted her head away from Tom's but refused to look up at him. She kept her eyes down on her wand, watching it extend and turn towards Elius. Tom grinned, taking a step back to get a fuller view. His hands clenched by his sides in excitement. Watching her stand over Elius' writhing body with her wand aimed ready to kill made him sweat with adrenaline. Anastasia closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Not one thought entered her mind. She was too afraid to think about anything. When she opened her eyes the first thing she saw was Elius' eyes staring back, red and terrified. Suddenly her whole body relaxed. She exhaled sharply, a strange smile flashed across her mouth for a second. Of course she knew what she was going to do. Clarity clouded all judgement.

"Uncarcerous!" Anastasia watched the glowing binds untie and fly into the top of her wand. As Elius watched the ties unravel around him he was filled with a crashing sense of relief. Anastasia matched his feeling as she grinned in proud defiance. She remembered what it felt like to be her old self again. The girl who fought alone because she believed in herself enough. Suddenly she heard Tom say something, and her new sense of independence shattered as quickly as it came. Green light exploded below her, making her fall backwards and cover her eyes. She heard Elius scream in pain but it was over too quickly for her to say or do anything. As Elius' body went limp the two words Tom had spoken finally sunk into Anastasia's mind. She looked up to see Tom staring right at her. His skin had turned white as ice and his whole body seemed so tense that his muscles could snap. Anastasia looked back down to see Elius' dead body. She tried to scramble to her feet but Tom moved swiftly over her, his feet planted either side of her thighs.

"Tom-"

"YOU STUPID LITTLE BRAT!" Tom screamed with such an intensity Anastasia felt her lungs collapse for a moment.

"Tom let me-" She croaked. He lowered the top of his wand onto her chest, pushing harder and harder against her skin.

"I offered you everything!" He spat on her face as he screamed. "Did you really think I'd let him live? You pathetic-" Anastasia lifted one leg as fast as she could into his crotch, debilitating him for just enough time to allow her to squirm out from under his stance and stumble to her feet. The pair pointed their wands at each other, panting.

"Tom, this doesn't mean I don't love you." She whimpered. "I just didn't want to kill him."

"Would you have killed someone else?" Drool collected at the corners of Tom's mouth as he seethed in rage. Anastasia looked at him desperately, pleading with her eyes.

"No... I don't know-"

"Do you know what this meant? What this meant to me?" Tom's voice cracked slightly as he took a step closer to her, their wands almost touching. "This was the only way I could..." His eyes flickered to her mouth, his body aching at how mere moments ago their lips had tasted one another. "I offered you eternity and you chose...him." Tom glanced over at Elius' lifeless body. Anastasia lowered her wand in defeat.

"I didn't choose him. I never chose him. It was always you. It will always be you and you know that. I just didn't want him dead. Jesus Tom, I just couldn't..." Tears fell down Anastasia's cheeks. Tom watched her, his body shaking with confusion. He lowered his wand and stepped towards her, lifting his hand to her cheek. His thumb ran through her tears, his fingertips digging gently under the side of her jaw.

"I know." He whispered. Anastasia was so exhausted she leaned against his chest. "See, that's the difference between us. Your lines are blurred. For me it's simpler. I wanted you so I'd do anything and kill anyone to have you. You wanted too much, Anastasia. Even forever isn't enough." Tom breathed her in, letting his whole body feel her against him. Anastasia listened to his low voice, so quiet and gentle it was almost lulling her to sleep. She felt Tom pull away from her, and she looked up to see his cold stare as he stepped backwards.

"This really is a shame darling." He lifted his wand towards her, his elongated arm steady. "I never thought I'd let you be rid of me." Anastasia's eyes widened and an electric fear surged through her blood. As she watched Tom's mouth move to say those two horrifying words she felt a sudden strange heat on her chest. She screamed as it suddenly felt like an arrow of fire had struck her. Her hand flew up and clasped the necklace and suddenly everything around her warped and spun. She pulled at the charm until it flew off and she felt her body and head hit something hard, like a stone floor. Tom watched her vanish into thin air as his killing curse reached her. He had never seen someone disappear before. He lurched forward, immediately rummaging around to find any trace of her. His heart picked up in panic, but he wasn't sure if it was regret that she was gone or fear of not understanding what had happened.