Page 155 of Kick the Candle (Knight Games 2)
Carefully lowering him to the floor beside me, I licked my fingers and shot my hand out to snuff the candle. Bad idea. My fist bounced off the barrier of the skulls and a magic zap landed me on my ass.
"Rick?" I shook his shoulder. "How do I get to the candle?"
He opened his eyes and looked up at me, the ghost of a smile crossing his lips, a deep breath of air escaping through his nose. "You don't." His gray eyes were wet.
"Bullshit. There has to be a way."
"Only I can do it."
"Then do it! You'll die if you don't."
He shook his head. "I do not want to live this way. I've loved you too long to spend a lifetime watching you love someone else."
I lowered my head until my mouth was almost touching his bloodied face. "You won't have to. I promise you, I am yours. Only yours."
"You are saying this to save me. I don't want your pity. I want your heart."
I lifted his hand and placed it on my chest, my eyes searched each of his as tears welled and spilled from my face. "You have it. How can I prove it to you, Rick? I am yours." It wasn't enough. If I was going to give myself to him, I had to give it all. "I... love you. I love you. Not the memory of you, not what you do for me, but you. I think I always have. I was just confused because everything happened so fast. I didn't want to get hurt again. Everyone I've ever thought I've loved, I've lost. My mother, Gary, a dozen boyfriends, even my father has pulled away from me. I just couldn't open myself up to it. You suffer enough pain and the walls come up. It's a protective instinct. But I'm opening up now. Fuck, I am wide open. I've painted a bull's eye on my chest, okay. I love you. I do. Please don't hurt me again." The last part came out on a whisper that cracked in the middle like a brittle bone. With my whole self, I begged him to stay with me, tears falling, lips hovering over his, and my body tensed as if one heavy word from him would break me. My muscles shivered with the strain of waiting for his answer.
He swallowed hard, closed his eyes, then opened them again. "On one condition."
"Anything."
"Marry me."
I froze. Warring empires collided within me; fear of commitment battled a love that was ancient, although new to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the candle flicker. There wasn't time for logic, only feeling, only intuition.
"Yes," I said, breathless. "Yes, I will marry you."
Our eyes locked and a current of magic traveled through me. I wasn't sure what it meant but I suspected my promise was binding. His fingers reached out, knocking one of the skulls aside, breaking the protective ring. I did not hesitate. I threw myself into the candle, snuffing it out and knocking it to the floor. The hot wax splashed over my fingers, burning me, but the candle was out.
I turned back toward Rick but he looked the same, weak, in pain. "Did it work?"
"Yes, mi cielo, it did. But it will take me some time to recover." He held up a hand. "For now, I am...human."
I knew what he meant. From his hair to the way he stretched on the floor, was as mundane as it could be. While the candle burned down over the last day, he had transformed into a normal man, and although I'd stopped the magic in time, it would take just as long for him to transform back. Unless I helped him recover.
Glancing down at myself, I noticed I was covered in blood, mud, and other unidentifiable but grotesque things. I stood, then helped him to his feet, half dragging him into the bathroom, where I situated him on the floor.
"Rest here for a minute."
Eyes already closed, he dipped his chin in response.
"I'm going to give you a bath."
Rick's eyes popped open, and he raised an eyebrow, a smile breaking through the exhausted expression on his face.
I winked at him and started the water to warm it up. While I was waiting, I started peeling off bloody clothes, leaving them in a pile next to the toilet. Thankfully, most of the blood wasn't mine. The last thing I removed was Nightshade. I leaned her against the wall near the cabinets.
"We got our caretaker back," I whispered to her, glancing at Rick, who'd fallen asleep against the wall. The hum that came from her thin bone edge seemed to say she understood.
Healing
Rick had fallen asleep against the wall. I sensed he needed the rest and took the opportunity to shower. Blood washed off me in maroon waves, and the deep grooves the ropes had left in my wrists filled in minute by minute. The bumps and bruises, as well as the sore muscles, were well on their way to recovery. Part of the healing was due to my advanced regenerative abilities as a Hecate, but the speed of my cell repair was also thanks to Rick. He'd given me so much blood after my last run in with Bathory, it was still in my system. Now it was time for me to return the favor.
After drying off, and brushing out my hair, I dug in his drawer for a candle, a fat red one I'd seen in there before. I placed it on the side of the sink. Although I couldn't find any matches, I'd learned I didn't need any. Placing my hand behind the candle, I blew across the wick, picturing a flame in my mind. The air curved against my palm, circled the candle top, then ignited, blazing a good three inches before settling into a more even burn.
"You are learning, mi cielo." Rick's eyes were open again.
