Page 43 of The Secret of Pain

As quickly as it started, the heat recedes, and I take a deep breath.

"Thank you, thank you!" Creek utters above me, but I can't speak, I can't move.

I feel warmth and pressure against my lips as Creek kisses me.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, Remington Bennett. I will always catch you, I will always be by your side, through anything, but fuck you for cutting it that close."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“I think she's coming around." Voices filter in through the darkness, and my head throbs as I open my eyes to what is, thankfully, a dimly lit room.

"Girl, you need to up your game, because dying on me is not an option," Fallon huffs as I sit up. I look around the room and realize I'm in Fallon's kitchen. On her dining room table.

"I'll keep that in mind," I tell her with a painful grin.

"She'll be fine," Fallon says over me to where Creek and Colt are hovering. "The poison is out of her system; it’s just the blood loss making her groggy, but that will pass quickly. She's already healing faster than usual."

I look around the room. Creek’s gaze meets mine, and the worry and the pain in his eyes flood me. The memory, or dream, or whatever the hell it was, hits me again and I look quickly away from Creek. Holy shitballs. Maybe it wasn't real, right? It could just be a hallucination. I was dying. This happens.

But I look at him again, and I feel it, I know that it’s true. My heart falls as quickly as it soars, because it's still broken. I might have immersed myself in this new reality to try and forget, but my heart still misses Jack. It hasn't been very long, and despite everything, I did love him.

I shake it off, if Creek remembers, he hasn't said anything, so I'm sure as hell not going to. Not yet anyway. It's too soon. I have other things I need to focus on.

"Thank you, Fal," I croak, swinging my legs off the table, still a little lightheaded but stronger than when I first opened my eyes.

"Anytime, sugar. I was going to swing by and find you guys tomorrow anyway, so honestly, this saves me a journey." She winks at me and I bark out a laugh.

"What’s up?" Colt says as he and Creek follow us into the sitting room.

"I need you guys to retrieve something that was stolen. I'd do it myself, but it was stolen by a Dracul."

"How the… nope, never mind. What did they take?" Colt asks, shaking his head.

"My Witch talisman. It was my great, great, great, few more great grandmother’s. Passed down through our line. It's been in my family since the beginning, Simone created it, and she was one of the most powerful Witches of all time. It holds great power, and Goddess only knows what those beasts want with it, but it can't be anything good." She wrings her hands in her lap as she tells us how it was stolen from her mother’s store. She had taken it off to clean up after a spell had messed up, and when she came back, it was gone. She traced it with a spell to a Dracul nest, but as her power is limited without the talisman, there was no way she was going to try and get it back alone.

"We can get it," I tell her. "It's the least we can do after tonight."

"We are not your errand boys though, Fallon. You'd be wise to remember that," Colt says, and I whip my gaze to him. What on earth is that?

"Oh, I know. Hunters rarely deem themselves low enough to help mere Witches, despite our allegiance and expected obedience when required." She rolls her eyes, and I know that I've missed something between the two of them while I've been wrapped up in myself. I look back to Fallon, who shakes her head subtly, so I don't say anything, but I give her a glare to tell her we'll be talking about whatever the hell this is.

"We should be going. I'm so tired," I say and stand, Creek following suit while Colt and Fallon seem to have a silent battle going on. "Colt."

He looks at me, the fire in his eyes dims, and he shakes it off. "Sure, let’s get you home."

I want to question what the hell that was but he stands and marches out of the room before I get the chance. I look at Creek, who shakes his head a little, but that just makes me want to know more. Turning back to Fallon, I open my mouth, but the tight set of her jaw and the crinkle of her eyes tell me that whatever just happened, it’s not good.

"I'll see you soon, Fallon," Creek says before I get chance to open my mouth, and he follows Colt, leaving just Fallon and I in the room.

"Thank you again, Fallon."

"Oh, girl, shut up. There isn't much I wouldn't do for you. That brother of yours though," she almost growls the words.

"We are going to talk about whatever the hell that is, and soon, but if I don't get to bed, I'm going to sleep where I stand," I say and she laughs at me, some of the tension leaving her.

"Go, rest. Be careful. Maybe have one of them stay with you tonight just in case. Blood loss is no joke, even for a Hunter." I roll my eyes at her mothering, but she smiles at me.

"Love you, girl."

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