Page 132 of Kick the Candle (Knight Games 2)
"Which means they wanted you dead regardless of the sale."
"Exactly. When I was his prisoner, Julius said Anna would have killed me, thinking my death would break the enchantment around the house. It could be the nekomata are making the same presumption. If I'm dead, they don't have to worry about the technicalities around the sale."
"Agreed."
I faced him and swallowed hard. "But beyond that, my death would make things...easier. Closing or no closing, you and I are the thorn in their sides. We are not going to allow them anywhere near that book, no matter what. They tried to take me out of the equation."
Silas moaned. We both rushed to his side. After shaking him gently and calling his name, it was clear he wasn't waking up, although his pulse beat steadily against my fingers.
"He seems stronger. Maybe when he's conscious, he'll tell us what we're missing." I stared at Silas, willing his eyes to open.
Rick's fingers stroked my hair, and I turned my cheek into his palm. Our eyes met. I came unglued. The stress of the day poured out of me in the form of tears I'd been hoarding for days, and I threw my arms around him, hiding my face in the crook of his neck.
"I will protect you, mi cielo." The thick muscles of his arms wrapped around me and his lips pressed into my forehead.
I pulled away. "Fuck, my car! I left it on the road near the cabin. Will you fly over to get it for me? I don't want the nekomata to know that I'm on to them."
He nodded, eyes lowering to his naked body as he spread his hands. "Still dressed for work."
With a reassuring smile, he disappeared out the door, and I took a seat on the floor near the sofa, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of Silas's chest.
* * * * *
I came awake to Rick shaking my shoulder. "Your car is here. You should go home and sleep."
In a half-awake fog, I reached for him, noticing he was fully dressed but his eyes were still black, a sign he'd recently shifted. I ran my hand down the vee of his button down, hooked my fingers over the first button and pulled him toward me. Instead of accepting my kiss, he stood up.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I am afraid recent events have left me drained."
"I can help you with that," I purred, standing in such a way that I was flush against his chest.
"This time I need sleep, and so do you. Tomorrow is the solstice. It's important I am rested." His voice was firm and cold as ice. "I will call you if Silas wakes."
"You don't have a phone."
"I'll use our connection. You will be home?"
"Yes."
Skeptically, I stared at him. Rick wasn't himself. He'd never turned down an invitation for sex. I'd thought we were growing closer but he seemed distant and aloof. "Okay," I whispered. "I'll see you tomorrow then. We should be vigilant, just in case."
He nodded.
I turned and began a slow, even walk toward the door but stopped short of opening it.
"Rick, are you sure there's nothing wrong? You don't seem yourself."
"Maybe I am more myself than ever. I want to give you what you need, Grateful. I want to give you choices."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He scrubbed his face with his hands, suddenly looking weary. "I need my rest. You need yours. When the book is safe, we will talk."
Why did this feel like a brush off? I twisted the knob and let myself out, my chest heavy with longing, not just for sex but for the closeness we'd shared when he was caring for me. What had happened over the last, I looked at my watch, two hours? Why had it taken Rick two hours to get a car parked less than twenty minutes walk away? And he could fly.
I climbed in behind the wheel of my Jeep, keys dangling from the ignition, and spaced out at the wheel for a minute. Was it possible that Rick was possessed? Had a Nightmare caught up to him in the woods and taken control? He called me Grateful; he only did that when he was angry. If he wasn't angry, maybe he was possessed. Shit! If they could possess Silas they could possess Rick. Could I trust him tomorrow?
