ut on the gentle skin of her belly. "I'm sorry, baby," she said, her voice trembling with th

over, running down her cheeks and mingling with the dirt and grime of t

, I didn't know you were pregnant too," Lena said. It was Max's intention to save me, which is why he requ

d so tightly that the muscles in her face moved. "You..." she growled, the word dripping with hatred. "You

ng within her threatened to burst, a molten

ld just drop ded rig

the tendons in his neck jutting out like cords of steel.

ry for Marie, he didn't show i

ppled over, gripping her stomach. "My child is gone..." tears collected in her

d then he tried again. "I didn't know

uch. But you just cared about your Lena. Did you ever care about me, even j

ts way down her face. "I loved you, Max. More th

ords. He carefully diverted

feet, her eyes shimmering with her false tears. "Marie," she said as she clasped Marie's hands, her vo

her arm out of Lena's clutches,

oing?" Max yelled, his

ard Lena with a savage, primordial urge, her fists clawing at the air. "I want

ng with the quickness of a striking snake,

that she was sent tumbling backward, her feet hanging under her. She

ntorted into a mask of rage. "You wil

marked, "If hitting me will make h

arding Lena's remarks. "If you hadn't pushed her down, causing her to have a miscarriage

legs beneath the pillow. She ran toward it and took it out

lood bag..." L

s couldn't be what you called the mi

started to sneak into his mind. "Lena," he murmured softly, his voice laced with a n

lushing as she battled to find a response. Her glance w

about... What blood bag?... I don't kno

ack to Marie. "Marie, hav

dead leaves in the wind. It was a sound that had within it the an

and raspy with anguish, "...when you're not loved, everyt

like the keen edge of a sword, piercing through the air between her and Max. There was a

." She said, her voice booming w