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Chapter Eighteen
I’m fully out until seven the next morning. When I wake up, I scowl at the notebook, I wasn’t tired until it cut me and did it’s magic writing schtick. Putting it on the back burner and hurrying through a shower, I go in search of Jag, more than ready to get to see Kael in person.
Jag is sitting on the couch, drinking coffee in just a pair of lounge pants when I walk into the living room.I'm momentarily distracted from my mission with a half-naked man in front of me. A very attractive half-naked man. My eyes follow the patch of hair on his chest that tapers into a thin line, before disappearing under the low waistband of the pants. They leave his hipbones exposed and I get hung up on those until I realize what I'm doing.
My gaze flies to Jag's in horror as my fingers seek each other out. My palms are tingling with that itchy heat and my cheeks are blazing in embarrassment. Jag seems to find it amusing though with a grin curving his full lips. When I start to think how cute his messy black hair is I mentally smack myself. It has to be a side effect from yesterday. I do not want Jag. Maybe if I repeat it enough it'll be true. And now I want to cry at my betrayal to Kael.
"Whoa, hold up, what happened? Why are you crying?" Maybe scratch the 'want to cry', it's already happening.
"I just, um, can you get ready to go. I'm just a little emotional today." His deep blue eyes, full of understanding, meet mine.
"Yeah, sure, give me ten minutes?" I nod and he doesn't waste any time dumping out the rest of his coffee, making me feel guilty for rushing him.
***
We're nearly to my PT building before Jag attempts to speak. "You sure you're going to be okay today? I don't want you to overdo it."
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks though." I tug my hoodie sleeves over my hands, tucking them in to keep them warm, and from clutching each other.
Since we're not at the academy we can wear street clothes and it's a comforting relief. I direct Jaeger to pull up to drop me off, rather than park to escort me in. He's hesitant, but does give in. I wave as he pulls away after securing his promise for two hours. It's not enough, not amount of time will be, but it's what I feel I can safely cover for.
When I get inside, I head straight for my PT appointment and ask if we can skip today since I'm not feeling up to it.
"Is anything hurting, Cora? Or are you just having an off day?" Jake, my therapist is concerned. I've had a few bad days, but usually I cancel by phone.
"No, I'm fine physically, just some personal things. I'm sorry to cancel at the last minute." I hunch further into my sweatshirt, not having to try to appear anxious— I'm a ball of nerves wanting to get upstairs.
"If you're sure, that's fine. Take a day and we'll meet for our next session." His kind smile reaches all the way up into his tawny eyes. He's pretty laid back and I'm grateful for it.
"I'll be here, thanks, Jake." I give him a short wave and make my way back to the central lobby to take the elevator up.
When I get to the care center I don't recognize the man at the desk and have to show my identification to get in to see Kael— at least they're vigilant about that much. I'm still not too happy that they messed up his contact information.
"How's he doing today? Any changes?" I haven't gotten a call, but double-check anyway.
"No, Mrs. Shultz, same as last night."
“Thanks, I’ll head on in then.”
As soon as I get into Kael’s room something feels off. He looks okay, but I can’t shake the odd feeling. “Hey, baby,” I greet his sleeping form, as I bend down to kiss his forehead, avoiding the monitoring wires.
Of course he doesn’t return the greeting, but I hope he can hear me anyway. Taking my customary seat next to his hospital bed, I slip my hand into his, relief coursing through me at the warmth and familiar shape of it.
I'm just sitting there, enjoying being able to keep my eyes on him, when I don't feel like I'm alone in the room anymore. "Kael?" It's silly, but he's the only other one in here. Or so I think until the curtain flutters over the window. A window that doesn't open. "What the fuck?" My hand tightens on his as fear crawls up my back.
"What do you want?" I'm not even questioning it after the crap I've seen in the last week. Something is in here. Where Kael can't move from. Panic sets in with the very real danger. This is what happened to him. Instinct has me believing it and that Riggs was either a coincidence or it was the catalyst for whatever is here now. "Get out of here!" I grit out, anger beginning to replace the fear.
A hissing laughter oozes up the walls and across the ceiling. "Mine."
The gravelly whisper is suddenly in my ear, nearly making me shriek and flee the room, but I won't leave Kael unprotected. I'm not positive, but I think the thing is talking about him and respond accordingly.
"No, you need to get out." A sensation like my ears popping encompasses the room entirely and I have a feeling it's just done something to isolate us in here. "You're not welcome here!"
My hands tingle, and then it happens. Kael's hand twitches in mine and his machines start sounding off alarms. The tremors move over his body causing him to jerk around in the bed. It's causing seizures. I don't know what to do, but I know I'm not letting it have my husband without a fight.
The dark energy seems to coalesce into a concentrated ball above the bed before it disappears. My sigh of relief is short-lived when Kael opens pitch black eyes. I'm not sure I could have stopped it if I wanted to, but the tingles turn into an inferno and push into Kael's hand. I slap the other onto his chest and push with my entire being.
His entire body lights up blue as he slumps back down, eyes closing again. The room seems less, dirty somehow, as if the entity had tainted it. I don't let up though, I can actually see the color and vitality returning to Kael. I can fix him!
