When Raven’s eyes opened, all her sight met was darkness, and she lay on something soft and cushioned… she thought for a second she was floating down to hell.
But she could tell she was on a bed by the feeling of Malachi’s soft sheets rubbing against her upper arms.
She sat up then, rubbing her eyes lazily when she let out a long yawn.
When she scanned the dark room for shadows, she saw nothing, so she slipped her legs off the bed, whispering, “Mal…?”
There was no response, and she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to remember what happened before she fell asleep.
It all flew by like flashes…
River…
Drowning…
Knives… Stabbing…
Blood…
Mason…
Pain.
Her eyes shot open, heart throbbing as she shot off the bed. “Malachi! Malachi!”
A figure came running into the room, throwing on the lights at light speed. “What’s wrong?”
She winced when the brightness burned her eyes, covering her face with her hands.
She looked up when her eyes adjusted, seeing Malachi standing at the door, looking slightly panicked.
She gazed around worriedly, touching her stomach and feeling no pain, and she looked back at him. “Am I dead…?”
Malachi shook his head as if clearing his mind but stepped over to her. “I didn’t think you’d be waking anytime soon, sorry.”
She took a step back, eyes burning with tears. “Am I dead?”
“No,” he responded, “no, you’re not. It’s okay.”
He caught her hand. “I was talking to Clay and Jae in the living room. They’d be happy to see you. Come on.”
She followed him numbly out to the hallway, down the steps, and to the living room.
“Look who’s awake,” Mal said happily, leading Raven into the living room.
“Hey, babe!” Jae said, waving to her. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay,” Raven said softly, pressing her hand to her head. “Just a little light-headed.”
“You should’ve told me that,” Mal said. “I could’ve carried you.”
She shook her head. “No… it’s okay.”
They all looked her over uneasily.
“You feeling okay?” Clay said. “You look a little pale and… glassy-eyed.”
Malachi circled around her and caught her chin, tilting it up to his gaze. “He’s right. Do you want to go back to bed? It looks like you’re still healing.”
Raven shook her head almost violently. “No!”
“Okay, okay,” he said, holding her shoulders while looking partly stunned. “Why don’t you sit down, alright?”
He started guiding her to the couch, but her legs buckled, and he ended up catching her.
“Woah…” Clay said, on the verge of getting up. “You good?”
Raven laid limp in Malachi’s arms, not responding.
“She passed out again,” Mal said, sighing. “I knew she woke up too early.”
“Here,” Jae said, scooting over. “Don’t put her back in the room. Have her lay here. I think she just needs to know we’re here.”
“I was going crazy leaving her in there anyway,” he responded.
Malachi lifted her by the armpits and held under her thighs as he carried her to the couch.
He sat down first, having her sit in his lap while he had her head lying on the armrest, stretching out her legs along the empty space between him and Jae.
“Now stay asleep,” he told her despite her being unconscious.
“She okay?” Clay wondered curiously.
“Yeah,” Mal said, running his fingers through her hair. “Now she is.”
“You didn’t finish your story,” Jae stated.
“Oh, yeah… well after I ran after her in the forest, I heard her breathing heavily, and I found Archer holding a hand over her mouth.”
Jae looked slightly frightened. “How on Earth did he find her?”
“I think he purposely knocked you out,” Malachi stated to Jae, “to make her angry and also make her have irrational decisions.”
Jae looked down at Raven then. “Go on.”
“She kicked him and broke his knee and then took one of the knives she hid and stabbed him in the stomach.”
“Did she kill him?” Clay questioned.
Mal put a hand up. “I’m getting there.” He looked at Raven sadly. “She told me that there was something tied to her foot, and I saw a chain, but I was frozen.” He rubbed his face. “I feel so stupid… But in that moment, she tried running to me, but Archer stabbed her from behind….”
Jae gasped, eyes rounding.
“The knife went through her entire body…” Malachi said, eyes burning with tears as he subconsciously touched her navel. “And she said my name… I was still frozen… and he threw her… into the river… and behind her—I honestly have no idea how—a cinder block went in behind her… and I knew that was what the chain was attached to, but I eventually ran after her.”
“You saved her?” Jae said.
He closed his eyes to force away tears and shook his head. “She saved herself. I was too late… If she hadn’t had that second knife….” His face broke slightly, but he shook his head again, trying to clear his mind. “Sorry….”
“It’s okay, Mal,” Clay said. “But I gotta admit, I’ve never seen you so emotional, man.”
Malachi chuckled, poking Raven’s nose. “Blame her.”
“But you healed her,” Jae said, “right?”
Malachi nodded. “Her wounds were so fatal, that it’s going to take a couple hours for her to heal completely. You had a head injury, so you healed a little faster, but her organs have to heal; scar tissue, blood… And since it’s healing so fast, she has to sleep because it’s taking a lot of energy.”
Jae nodded. “I get it.”
“Don’t worry about Archer anymore…” Mal said then. “I killed him. None of us are in danger anymore, alright?”
Both Clay and Jae nodded, knowing they didn’t need any more details.
Clay looked to Jaelyn then. “Why don’t we go? They’re both still covered in blood and probably need rest.”
“I can’t change her,” Malachi said almost disgusted. “She’ll wake up and kill me.”
“You haven’t had sex yet?” Jae questioned.
He gave her a look. “This is Raven you’re talking about. What do you think?”
She chuckled. “Good point, but seriously,” she smiled to assure him, “she won’t mind if you change her. I’m sure. She really cares about you, Mal. And you’ve earned her trust, good job.”
He blinked. “You really think… she trusts me?”
Jae raised a brow. “You seriously can’t see it? Wow, you’re oblivious.” She shook her head then. “Trust me, she won’t kill you. And being in that drenched T-shirt is probably uncomfortable. You might want to change your sheets, too, Kay?”
She waved goodbye and left after Clay.
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*****
Malachi had been staring at the ceiling for almost an hour when he heard an exhausted, “Mal…?”
He turned his head to the left side of the bed, finding Raven’s eyes slightly parted. “Yeah?”
She looked over to him. “Hi.”
He chuckled. “Hi.”
She sat up then, raven hair tangled from sleeping for three hours.
After letting out a long yawn, she gazed down at herself, finding herself in one of his button-up silk white shirts, and she noticed she smelled fresh and minty.
She looked at him then. “Why am I all cleaned up? I swear I was still covered in blood an hour ago.”
Malachi shifted his weight onto his arm, propping himself up. “That was three hours ago. And you freaked me out, passing out like that.”
She gazed at him then, amber eyes dulling in sadness as she looked down at his chest. “I didn’t sense you while I was sleeping. I got scared.”
He realized the sadness was really embarrassment.
“Come here,” he said, grabbing her arm and reeling her to him.
After letting out a surprised gasp, she eased in his grip while he tightened his arms around her.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, too,” she responded, making his heart warm.
They were both silent for a moment.
“Did you clean me up?” she said then.
He nodded into her hair.
“Really? Not going to ask me before taking my clothes off?” Despite the word choice, he heard a smile in her tone.
“I didn’t try anything, if that’s what you’re asking.” He kissed the crown of her head.
She looked up at him in concern at his stern tone. “Mal… you okay?”
He held her tighter in response, almost sobbing the words, “I’m sorry.”
She hugged him back hesitantly, stomach coiling at his sudden vulnerability. “For what?”
“I said I’d protect you… now look what happened.…” His voice broke as she felt something warm slip down her neck.
Tears.
“I just…” he said, “stood there… Like a coward.”
She pushed him away then, taking him off guard.
But she only shoved him against the headboard, him staring up at her in surprise when she straddled his lap, leaning forward and clasped their lips together.
The moment her skin touched his, a spark of something ignited inside him, and he tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling her closer needly.
She kissed him back, letting him drown in her scent.
But she pulled away, smiling down at him with a kindness he hadn’t seen before.
“Do you remember what you told me at the club?” she said, tilting her head to the side curiously. When he didn’t respond, she explained, “You said that nothing would stop us. Nothing. No one would come in here. You were right, you know. We could do it finally… right here, right now. No one’s going to barge in and tackle us.”
He looked her over for a moment. “You sure?”
She nodded. “I am.”
“Then come here.”
And he pulled her down with him, making her giggle when he trailed kisses down her throat.
“Mal,” she whispered then.
He looked at her then, eyes glowing. “Yes?”
“When you cleaned me up… did you see my entire…?”
He knew what she was worried about just by the look in her eyes. “Yes, I did. And you’re beautiful; every scar, every mark; every part of you is gorgeous.”
She smiled, cheeks lighting in happiness.
“Now come here before I start going crazy, okay?” he said.
She giggled, rolling on top of him while her lips hovered mere centimeters over his. “Okay.”
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