Descending Darkness(38)

I look over at Emma and David. The only time Ryanne had smiled like that was after the vision she had of them getting married. She still hasn’t told me about that vision. Liam mentioned it to me once. I haven’t told anyone, and Ryanne doesn’t know that I know about it. I hope that she saw something like that. I’ll ask her about it when she wakes up, and we are alone.

“I don’t know, but I’m glad she finally saw something good,” I whisper.

“This just means that we have to keep an even closer eye on her,” Tom says. I nod for I had already come to that conclusion. They are able to get to her way too easily. I feel movement on the couch beside me. I look over, and Olive is sitting there, watching.

“She’s going to be okay, Olive,” I tell her, but I can tell my voice isn’t very convincing. I can’t read her mind like Ryanne can, so I don’t know if she is saying anything back to me. Ryanne starts shaking again. I look down at her right as her eyes open. She groans and jumps off of me, running shakily back to the bathroom. I get up and follow her there, pulling her hair back as she empties the contents of her stomach again. I hate that there is nothing I can do to help her. I keep her hair out of the way and rub her back, trying to calm her.

Emma walks into the bathroom and places a bottle of water, Ryanne’s toothbrush and toothpaste, and some mouthwash on the counter. She grimaces at Ryanne and then leaves. None of us like seeing her like this. She starts coughing, but doesn’t get sick again. Resting her head on her arms, she takes a couple deep breathes.

Slowly standing up, she grabs the water and swirls it around her mouth. Spitting the water out, she grabs her toothbrush and starts brushing her teeth again. I walk behind her and let her lean back against me. I can tell that she is very weak. When she starts to sway, I wrap an arm around her waist to steady her. “I’m sorry you keep seeing me like that,” she whispers hoarsely.

“Ryanne, I’ll always be here to help you, no matter what.” She leans back fully against me. I support her weight easily. I know she won’t ask me, so I bend down and pick her up. I can tell that she is still pretty shaky and probably won’t make it back to the living room on her own. Cradling her against me, I walk back into the living room. I would take her upstairs, so she can rest, but I need to stay with her for now, and I still have some questions. “Thank you,” she mumbles. I sit down on the couch and place her back onto my lap.

Bending down, I kiss her forehead and tell her, “You don’t ever have to thank me, Ry.” She sighs and curls back up, leaning against my chest, closing her eyes again. A couple seconds later, she is asleep. I glance over at Logan.

“There’s nothing I can do. I healed everything I could.” I already know that, but I don’t like that she is still sick. I lean back and let Ryanne sleep. No one says anything, but I can tell everyone is worried.

Larkin transports back into the living room, but this time he has someone with him. The man standing next to him looks close to my age, maybe slightly older. Larkin introduces him, “This is Kyril Xavier. I brought Ryanne to meet him earlier. He’s the one that helped us rescue Liam, Colton, and Ryanne from the compound.”

“Holy crap on a cracker, he’s hot,” Emma says. David growls at her. She jumps at his growl. “Shoot, did I just say that out loud?” She looks around. I nod at her, and she turns around and smiles sweetly at David. “Sorry, babe.”

“You must be Emma?” Kyril asks. Emma blushes and nods. Whoa, Emma blushing? I’ve never seen that before. David wraps his arm around Emma’s shoulder, showing Kyril that she is his. Kyril laughs while his eyes scan the room. He winks at Natalie, who is staring at him with her mouth hanging open. “That’s what Ryanne did too.” Natalie giggles and tears her eyes away from him. Liam scowls and looks down at Natalie. Something is definitely going on there.

I didn’t realize it, but I must have made a noise as well because Kyril turns his attention to me. “I’m guessing you’re Colton?” When he sees Ryanne asleep in my lap, he grimaces.

“She doesn’t look too good.” He takes a couple steps toward me. When he reaches out for Ryanne, I move her. “I can heal her,” he tells me.

“Colton, let him heal her,” Larkin demands.

“Logan already tried healing her.”

“He heals physical injuries; I can heal illnesses. Her body is reacting negatively to the truth serum. If I don’t heal her, she’ll only get worse,” he pleads with me. Does he care about Ryanne too? He seems sincere enough, but he is working for Dravin. I look over to Liam and Logan. Neither one of them seems to like the idea, but they both nod. I turn back to Kyril and slowly move Ryanne, so she is facing him. Her head falls limply to the side.