Page 36 of A Soul's Curse
Dr. Brooks chuckled. “This isn’t my first house call for him. The half-demon is a bit reckless and has a habit of getting into trouble. I’m surprised he’s even still alive at this point. Anyway, you should get some sleep too, Theo. You must have used up a lot of your magic healing him.”
Now that she mentioned it, Iwasfeeling lightheaded. I pulled over the desk chair and positioned it beside the bed. “I think I’ll stay here and watch over him. Is there … is there nothing else I can do for him? He’s in this position because of me.”
Dr. Brooks sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Well, there is one thing. I’m not sure you’ll like it though.”
“What is it? I don’t care! I’ll do it!” My eyes widened with anticipation, but there was a lopsided grin that pressed into Dr. Brooks’s lips.
“You could get naked and sleep with him.”
Heat burned my cheeks and I was shocked my hair didn’t light on fire. “E-excuse me?”
“Hmm. How do I put this? Ren has an ability to … absorb magic? He won’t go into the specifics with me, but he candraw magic out of people and replenish his own with it. If that succubus depleted him, then he needs to resupply. He needs skin-to-skin contact to do it though. If you want him to heal faster, then I suggest you get naked and hop into bed with him so he can take your magic.”
“You’re messing with me right?” My throat constricted and my chest twisted into knots. “I, uh …”
“Nope. I swear I’m being serious.” Dr. Brooks shrugged. “It’s up to you. He’ll be fine without it, but it will help him heal faster. The more skin contact, the better. Night, Theo.”
“Wait!”
She left the room, leaving me alone with Ren. Dr. Brooks had given him something to help him sleep and ease the pain, but I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be strong enough to get through the night.
With my heart thumping, I let out a long breath, taking his hand in mine and instantly feeling the pull on my magic. Still on his stomach, he seemed peaceful sleeping there on the bed. And while I should have been agonizing over my breakup with Sly, all I felt was … relief. My chest had felt tight for months, the tension in my shoulders growing unbearably stiff. I knew deep down our relationship was going to end at some point, but I always expected him to dump me when he found some stupidly hot guy to show off, with connections in the industry. Sly was embarrassed of me, there was no hiding that fact. He constantly put his friends before me, never wanted to hang out in public, and never supported me in the things that I wanted to do. I pretended it didn’t bother me because I was afraid to leave. I had no idea how I’d survive on my own without his support.
I focused on Ren’s breathing, watching the silver loop through his lip catch the overhead light with each exhale. I pushed aside his sweaty auburn hair to reveal the other silver piercing through his eyebrow. Ren was mesmerizing, I knew that fromthe first time I laid eyes on him, but it was more than that. It was the subtle things he did, like help translate for my sister at Emberheart Place, and the not-so-subtle things like saving my life—twice—that drew me to him. It was his pull on me that gave me the courage to stand up to Sly and put him in his place, to accept that I was so much better than the trash he treated me as.
I kissed Ren’s forehead, a gesture I had done a million times whenever I tucked Sly into bed after a heavy night of drinking. I froze, heat creeping down my neck and burning my ears when Ren stirred awake.
“Hey.” I abandoned the chair and crouched down beside the bed so Ren didn’t have to strain his neck to see me. “How you feeling?”
“Like shit.” A long exhale accompanied his fluttering eyelids.
“Dr. Brooks stopped by.” I absently stroking his hand with my thumb. When I realized what I was doing and tried to pull away, he squeezed so I couldn’t. “You know, Dr. Brooks said she’s treated you before. You’re like a cockroach, Ren, stubborn and refusing to die.”
He tried to chuckle at that, but it came out as a wheeze. “Then you’re like a dandelion weed—annoying and always showing up in places you’re not welcome. I told you not to come, Theo. Why did you follow me?”
“I didn’t!” I looked him right in the eyes, my expression serious. “I kept my word, Ren. I promise I had no idea you were gonna be there, but, uh, would you believe me if I told you someone who knows Caspian called me? He sent me to that hotel to get the grimoire. I didn’t know it was you making that deal or I wouldn’t have intervened.”
“How much did you see?” Ren closed his eyes because I knew what he was really asking and he didn’t want to see the judgment passed onto him.
“Enough to know that I’m glad I was there.” He slowly opened his eyes. “Tara had two bodyguards with her, and she wasn’t going to let you leave with that grimoire. If we hadn’t jumped in, she would have taken what she wanted, killed you, and kept the book to herself.”
“I figured as much.” He tried to reposition the pillow under him, so I gave it a nudge. “Still had to try.”
“You know, as much as I hate that you’re lying here in agonizing pain because you had to protect me—again—it means a lot to me that you did. No one’s ever done something like that for me before.”
“I would hope not,” he snorted. “Because if someone else had been trying to kill you before I showed up, I’d be a bit worried.”
I pressed my lips together with a smile. “You know, Dr. Brooks also told me I should get naked and jump into bed with you. That you could absorb my magic to heal faster.”
“Mmm. She did, did she?” There was a long silence between us before he added, “So, are you planning to get in or not?”
“Ren!” I smacked him lightly on the arm. The drugs must have been kicking in. “I just broke up with my boyfriend, like … an hour ago. And you’re already asking me to sleep with you?”
“But I literally almost died for you. Don’t you want me to heal faster?”
“Are you trying to guilt me for saving my life?” I knew he was only teasing, and I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped me. I then slipped my shirt over my head.
“Wait, are you really …” Ren’s voice faltered, the usual smoothness cracking just slightly as he spoke.
