Page 53 of Healer
“Rest, my sweet,” I whispered, my heart shuddering as her eyelids drifted shut.
“I love you.” The words preceded her descent into unconsciousness.
“I love you, Aggie.” I said, hoping my words followed her into the dark. I completed the Medi-unit cycle and ran a diagnostic of her vital signs. Her blood pressure and respiratory rate were high but not out of the ordinary considering her recent turmoil.
Eyes burning, I dropped the Medi-unit on the bed and held Agnes’ hand. She looked serene, finally able to rest without pain wracking her subconscious.
It is said a Vaktaire warrior may only shed tears over the death of his mate or his child.
Yet here, in the quiet, letting the sound of Agnes’ deep, steady breathing wash over me like a balm, I held her hand, placing gentle kisses on her fingers… and wept.
Chapter 18 – Agnes
Heaven.
Pretty much what I expected. The absence of pain felt almost euphoric as I opened my eyes to the eternal expanse above, squinting them shut against the burning brightness.
Okay, it was a little brighter than I expected.
Weren’t the Seraphim supposed to be so bright that it was hard to look upon them? I must be in the presence of angels. I felt perfectly at peace, save for one regret.
Hakkar.
I wish we’d had more time together. I longed for more moments to cherish, to etch into my memory and hold for eternity. I could almost feel his presence beside me, comforting and reassuring. A surge of love filled me as I thought of him deserving a spot in the afterlife, surrounded by all the beauty and peace it held. Surely, the angels and saints would welcome someone as wonderful as Hakkar.
Unwilling to have the Seraphim burn my retinas, I kept my eyes shut, and stretched. My body felt as perfect as it had when I’d stepped out of the Garoot Healer the first time, except no telltale stiffness existed in my joints.
No more ALS.
Heaven was the bomb!
I released a sigh of contentment, noticing the faint aseptic scent in the air. I’d always imagined Heaven smelling like the most perfect flower, but it wasn’t like I based my opinion onanything concrete. Maybe the heavenly scent of Lysol differed little from Earth’s.
My eyes flew open as a weight shifted beside me. In all my dreams of Heaven, the one thing I’d never imagined was having to share a bed upon arrival. Yet the warmth of another being lying next to me, their breath gently stirring the hair on my neck, overwhelmed my senses.
My eyes shot open, this time staying that way. The piercing brightness caused tears to well, and I blinked rapidly to clear my vision. As the sensitivity faded, my surroundings slowly came into focus. It appeared like the quintessential set from every science fiction show I’d ever watched, with sterile white walls and gleaming metallic equipment. I lay on a bed near the center of the room. The white blanket covering me felt impossibly soft, like laying under warm, freshly fallen snow. Shifting slightly, I glimpsed the being curled protectively at my side. Not a Seraphim, but an angel just the same... Hakkar.
So... not dead yet.
If we weren’t in heaven, then where were we?
A low, distant hum caught my attention, sounding like the faint whirr of an engine. Had we finally arrived aboard the Bardaga? And if we were on the Bardaga….
I concentrated on my body. Each finger and toe clenching and unclenching as I focused on the sensation, searching for any sign that ALS still held me in its grasp. My body felt strong and whole, without even a hint of stiffness or pain. I felt younger, too. My hands no longer bore the age spots and wrinkles that returned after that bastard Ulkommanian injected me. I ran my fingers through my hair, lifting a strand to inspect it. The color had returned to the rich blend of brown and blonde from my youth.
Hakkar healed me, then ran me through the young-again machine. Not upset about that.
Gingerly, not wanting to wake him, I shifted onto my side. His handsome face held signs of exhaustion in the deep shadows that lay under his eyes. He dressed differently, in silky loose-fitting slacks and a tunic rather than the leather he’d worn on the planet. Unable to keep from touching him, I ran a gentle finger along the frown line between his brows, easing the furrow, and let my lips graze the tip of his nose with a butterfly kiss. He stirred, smiling in his sleep, and my heart squeezed with the adorableness of it.
God, I loved him.
Before Hakkar, I never thought feeling such intense emotion for someone was possible for me. Because of ALS, I’d built walls, guarding my heart and never letting anyone get too close. I’d even kept my ex-husband Dereck at arm’s length. A wise decision, but still not what one wants from a marriage.
Somehow Hakkar shattered those walls. He treated me with such tenderness and care as if I were the most precious thing in the world. Hakkar protected me from self-doubt and insecurities and showed me love when I couldn’t find it within myself. He’d swept me off my feet and showed me what it truly meant to love and be loved unconditionally.
That he was the most gorgeous example of maleness I’d ever seen was simply a bonus. I couldn’t stop my gaze from roaming lazily over his body, enjoying the view. A lock of his dark brown hair lay over his forehead, and the tips of the Nike-like swooshes that adorned his shoulders were visible at the top of his shoulders. The muscles, muscles, and more muscles, not to mention what else, lay hidden under his tunic.
“Like what you see?”
