“Of course. It feels like demonic energy. I guess it’s decided that since it can’t come after me within the protections of the town, it would go after you instead.” There was an emotion layered in her voice, something Joshua was too tired to parse out.
He closed his eyes. “Stay with me,” he whispered.
“I will,” she promised.
“How long?”
Kira didn’t answer. But she didn’t have to. She was still applying the potion on him, her hands moving rhymical over his body. She was here right now, and that was all that really mattered. His muscles slackened as drowsiness overtook him. The last thing he heard was Kira whispering his name as he sank into a dreamless sleep, warm and comfortable at last.
***
Kira stood on the brink of a cliff. She faced away from him, her arms stretched to either side. Darkness wrapped around her ankles and wrists, yanking her back and forth. A deep chanting filled the air. Joshua tried to run to her, tried to push through the darkness, but it closed in tight around him. A howl ripped from his chest. She was in danger, but he couldn’t reach her!
Cold seeped into his skin as he pushed himself harder. It felt as though he was dragging himself through the ocean, only there was nothing for him to push against, no water to swim through. Tendrils wrapped around Kira’s neck, choking off her screams.
He jerked awake, a muffled cry in his throat. His heart raced as he pushed himself up. Sunlight filtered through thecurtains, casting a warm, orange glow over the room. The bed beside him was empty, though Kira’s scent lingered heavily in the air. When he touched the indent on the pillow where her head had been, he felt the warmth she left behind.
The deep exhaustion from the previous night had dissipated. He still ached, but it was the ache of overdoing it, not the feeling that he could collapse at any moment.
He pushed himself out of bed, checking quickly to make sure he was decent. The dream lingered in his mind, making his wolf pace restlessly. Kira was still in danger. Where had she gone? If she left the town limits, the demon would attack her again.
Or the curse will.
The thought curled sickeningly around his stomach. He hurried to the hallway, casting a glance at the bathroom. The door was open, so she wasn’t there. Her scent remained strong, and he followed it down the hallway.
Once he got downstairs, the faint clatter of dishes and the smell of sizzling bacon drew him toward the kitchen. He held his breath as he pushed open the door, half expecting to see his mother. Instead, it was Kira. Relief washed through him, and he sagged against the door. His eyes drifted shut, and he sent a prayer to the Moon Goddess to thank her for Kira’s safety.
The awful foreboding that something terrible was going to happen didn’t leave. He clutched the doorframe, breathing heavily as he traced Kira’s movements. The sleeves of her sweater were pushed to her elbow, her hair captured in a ponytail as she worked at the stove. It was a calm scene, but his eyes kept sweeping the room, moving to every corner as he searched for danger.
Kira turned slightly. “Oh. You shouldn’t be up.”
Joshua stepped into the kitchen. She didn’t sound afraid; she was only concerned for him. “I feel much better than I did yesterday.”
“You still shouldn’t be up. Sit down while I finish making breakfast,” she ordered, pointing a wooden spoon at the table.
He obeyed her, resting his arms on the table. The kitchen was bright and utterly normal. There didn’t seem to be anything to be worried about. Even those dark images from his nightmare were starting to fade away. With such a domestic, normal scene before him, he had a hard time believing that there could be any sort of prophecy in his demon-addled sleep.
“You stayed last night,” he said uncertainly.
Kira stiffened slightly but nodded. “I did. I wanted to keep an eye on you while you recovered. But as soon as I’m satisfied that the demon didn’t leave anything lingering on you, I’m going to go back home.”
It made his chest hurt, but Joshua nodded. Not enough time had gone by. He hadn’t proven himself yet. “Thank you for coming.”
“Don’t be too thankful. When they heard I wasn’t staying, Mark and Susan went back to their place to pack to stay a few days,” she warned him, though a smile tugged her lips. “So before you thank you, you’ll have to decide whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing.”
“Spending time with my parents is a good thing,” Joshua assured her. “Even if it’s not necessary for them to live here.”
Kira shook her head. “I agreed with them. You shouldn’t be left alone just yet. Last night… I’d never seen anything like it.”
She shuddered, and Joshua’s heart sank. Right. The dark energy. Maybe a demon. Or maybe it was the curse. Maybe itwould be better if he were alone, so that when the curse got him, he’d be the only one harmed. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the table. Too much to think about. Right now, he just wanted the peace of Kira in his home, looking like she belonged there.
That isn’t enough,he thought, and an ache spilled through him. Demons or curse, it didn’t matter. He wanted her to know how he felt. He wanted… Fuck, he wantedeverything.
Chapter 21 - Kira
Kira’s heart twinged to see Joshua so clearly exhausted still. His golden hair was greasy with the efforts of his day, and then the potion she had generously slathered over almost all of his body.
“Do you need more healing?” she asked.
