Page 487 of Flirting with Darkness

“Forgive me for not getting here sooner,” he says.

With shaking fingers, I reach up and brush newly healed skin. “You healed me?”

The spell breaks with a muffled groan. “Bastard!” Ben growls. “I won’t let you stop me!”

Thomas’s features harden, then he looks up. I try desperately to cling to him, not wanting to let go or be let go. A pointless waste of effort. He sets my back against the wall and stands.

The loss of his warmth is nearly enough for me to cry. I know enough to understand I am in shock, physically, mentally, and emotionally, from everything that’s happened tonight.

Thomas takes one step forward before Ben turns and bolts out of the alley and into the darkness, where the song of demons grows louder by the second.

I must whimper because Thomas glances down at me. He hesitates for only a heartbeat, then kneels at my side and wraps his arms around me.

It would have been easy for him to go after Ben. It would take less than a few minutes for Thomas to catch up to him and end his life for the murder of innocents and plotting to kill him.

“You’re safe now.”

I press the side of my face to his chest and cling to him.

A horrible sound cleaves the night. I don’t even recognize it as human until Thomas presses a palm over my ear and hums softly, blocking it out. The scream lingers in a never-ending echo in my mind.

I have lost someone dear to me, but I have also found someone who chooses kindness over hate. Someone who ensnared my heart with a smile.

After a while, we find ourselves surrounded by people. They quickly give up speaking to me and turn their questions on Thomas. He answers them but refuses to let me go. Thomas is even at my side, offering support when I explain everything to Father and Sabrina, helping me find the words I need when I stumble.

Benjamin’s family leaves town a few days later. No one is quite sure where they chose to relocate, only that it was several days before it came to light that they mentioned a different city or town to anyone who asked. I don’t blame them for wanting privacy to start over.

It’s a week before things calm down and life returns to normal—or as normal as possible. Sitting on the bench in our garden, I take the opportunity to appreciate the warm spring air of early evening, rich with bird song and the delicate scent of new flowers. It’s the first day reporters, neighbors, or anyone else hasn’t come by unannounced to ask question after question in an attempt to learn something no one else knows yet. I close my eyes and take slow, deep breaths.

“Your father said I would find you out here,” Thomas says softly.

Butterflies swarm in my belly at hearing his voice. I glance up and smile, shifting over to make room for him. He sits, and we are silent for a long while, but we don’t need words to be comfortable. This is enough. It’s strange how quickly his presence has become ingrained into my life. I miss going to the library to study with him, but I’m not ready to return just yet.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done. You made an impossible situation bearable. I don’t think I would have made it through without you,” I say after a while.

Thomas turns in his seat to look me straight on. “It was my pleasure. Though you would have been fine without me because you are strong—never doubt that. I’m positive you could handle a great deal more if necessary.” He pauses thoughtfully. “I’ve always believed that just because someone can handle something on their own, it doesn’t mean they should have to. Everyone deserves support when faced with difficulties.”

“Not many people think that way.”

He shrugs. “By watching rivers.”

“Rivers?” I arch a questioning brow.

“Even the hardest stone will slowly wear away in the never ceasing path of a river.”

“That’s… deeper than I expected.”

“Mmm,” he hums in agreement, then with a straight face, he adds, “So are some rivers.”

I try to hold in a bubble of laughter and end up snorting. Which only makes me laugh harder. It feels good to laugh again. When I finally stop, I slide closer to him and rest my head on his shoulder.

“How are you doing?” he asks after a moment. It’s such a simple question. One, that when usually asked, people don’t want to hear the answer to. But as I continually discover, he’s not like most others; he genuinely wants to know how I’m doing.

“It hurts. Benjamin was practically family. I wasn’t prepared to mourn him.”

“We are rarely ever prepared to lose those who are dear to us.”

“I feel terrible for Sabrina, too. She her best friend left without a word… I think she’s been having an even harder time. I’ve had you, but she’s had no one. And I only seem to make her more upset.”

Thomas puts his arm around me and tilts my chin up. “She needs to mourn before she can heal, and you will be here for her when she’s ready.”

“I’m sorry I doubted you… and tried to kill you.” It’s insufficient for the apology he deserves. I have a lot to make up for.

He grins rakishly, leaning in. “Nonsense.” His breath brushes over my lips. “That’s exactly what made it impossible to resist you any longer.” Then his mouth is on mine, and he kisses me fiercely.

Healing is a long and arduous process, but with him, it won’t feel impossible.

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