Annie's Song(37)
“We’ll get out of your way,” Penn said. Her eyes were red—at least what Annie could see of them under the curtain of black and turquoise hair. She couldn’t see Michelle’s, since the woman was busy examining the floor. “You all need time to—”
“Not yet.” She moved forward, forcing herself not to flinch with every movement. She really wanted a cold bath and a date with her pillow. “Not until I invite you to a wedding.”
Both of them stared at her. She waited for them to try and back out, and already had her rebuttal.
“That invitation is from both of us,” Eric said. She heard him clumping across the floor. “And Annie won’t take no for an answer.”
“I don’t—”
“We’d be honored,” Michelle said, talking over Penn’s objection. “You just let us know when, and how we can help.”
“I’m honored—let me finish, Chelle.” Penn batted away her friend’s hand. “But I don’t do weddings.”
“And I’ll have her there,” Michelle said, gripping Penn’s wrist as she headed for the door. “With bells on.”
Annie smiled as their argument took them to the door and out the hall—along with her last distraction. Every injury decided to crash in on her at the same time.
“Whoa—” Eric dropped one of his crutches, caught her around the waist. “Time for a session with Marcus.”
“Zach—”
“Is already in bed. It’s your turn, blondie.” With a shaky breath he rested his forehead against hers. “You scared me this time. Really scared me.”
“Me, too.” Running her thumb over her ring finger, she leaned in until she could kiss him. “Marcus can play doctor, then I have a couple things to tell you.”
SIXTEEN
Claire woke, slowly, every inch feeling like it had been pummeled. A smile touched her lips when she saw Marcus in the chair next to her bed, sound asleep.
He looked exhausted, the angles of his face sharper, his skin pale against the limp black curls. She knew that was due to her. Despite the likely outcome, he never gave up on her. Swallowing, she closed her eyes against the sun streaming through the window. She just needed to rest, a minute or two longer.
The next time she opened her eyes it was dark outside.
Marcus bent over her, fingers brushing across her forehead, his touch soothing.
“Welcome back, sweet.”
“I was out a while.”
“You could say that.” Amusement lit the jade green eyes. “Three days.”
“Well.” She let it sink in. “I guess I needed to sleep.”
“How do you feel?”
Empty, fragile, worn thin. “I’ve been worse.”
He smiled. “Quite the understatement.”
“How is Zach?” She remembered the knife wounds inflicted by Diana, knew he had been burned by the elemental. It wasn’t only the physical injuries that worried her.
“Healing. He has questions for you. It seems he had an unusual experience.”
She closed her eyes. That was a conversation she planned to delay as long as possible.
“And Annie?”
“Tucked up with Eric.” He hesitated, and she looked at him. “The burns left by the elemental—I could heal the physical injury, but I fear they will need longer to recover from the psychic injuries.”
Nodding, she swallowed. “They can leave a nasty aftertaste.” She lowered her gaze to the blanket covering her. “Marcus . . . I died, didn’t I?”
Marcus took her hand, his grip so gentle she wanted to cry. “Yes, sweet.”
“I just—I felt myself slipping away.”
The anguish in his eyes scored her. “I could not keep you here. The spell—”
“Don’t you dare blame yourself. It’s your efforts that kept me here long enough for them to find the counter spell.” She softened her voice, reached for the fist clenched on the bed. “Knowing you were there, it helped me hang on as long as I did.”
“Do you remember anything?”
A smile tugged at her mouth. “Like Hell?”
“I assumed, since you acquired a soul, you would be headed in the opposite direction.”
“I’ve done too much damage in my former life to believe that.” Centuries of damage.
“And more than made up for it in this one.” He let go of her hand and cradled her face, his eyes intent. “Don’t you believe any different.”
When he kissed her she let go, felt herself slide into it. The tenderness surprised her, wrapped around her heart. He deepened the kiss, and she clutched the blanket, her head spinning. His hand slid down, around to the back of her neck, lifting her until she was pressed up against his chest.