I saw nothing but darkness and pain. Every time I pulled air in to breathe, the world seemed to hurt even more.

And the darkness. It felt empty and dark.

A feeling of hatred seemed to surround me, and I didn’t know where it came from.

I knew that it wasn’t mine. I didn’t feel this strong emotion of anger, not like this.

But it all quickly dissolved into nothing. The darkness remained, but the anger and hatred were gone. It was just me and my own mind.

I opened my eyes and stared at a white wall. For one moment, I thought we were in the laboratory because the space smelled the same. But I heard the beeping of machines near me and the voice of someone on an intercom in the distance. I knew this wasn’t the lab but somewhere else.

I pulled my gaze away from the wall and took in the room.

I was in a small room, lying on a bed. There was a TV in the corner that was on, playing the news, and a chair next to me.

There was a large window that showed me darkness outside, so it was nighttime.

I looked down and noticed I was attached to an IV, and the door to my room was slightly open.

I reached a hand up, rubbing it down my face. I winced as pain radiated over my entire chest and down. I coughed, which made it hurt even more. It was like someone had punched my stomach and taken the breath right out of me.

And suddenly I remembered what happened.

I was leaving the bar when I spotted Katie walking towards her car, parked just a few spaces behind mine.

I was hurrying to catch up to her, and I saw darkness come out of nowhere, hurrying to her.

My body reacted instantly, running to her and jumping in front of her.

“Katie,” I started to sit up, unsure of where she was or what had happened. But I knew I needed to see her. I needed to make sure that she was okay.

“Henrik, what are you doing!” Katie’s voice filled the room, and I saw her standing in the doorway. She had a mug in her hands, and she hurried into the room, setting the mug down. “Lay back down. You can’t be moving like this.”

I reached out, taking her hand, feeling my entire body shaking. The pain that I felt was something I never wanted to feel again, but if I hadn’t jumped, I don’t think Katie would be with us right now.

“Are you...” I suddenly felt my lungs ache for more air.

“Shh..” She reached out, placing a hand on my chest. “Lay back down. You have three broken ribs from the hit you just took. You’re going to heal up, but the doctor said it’s going to take a while. So, don’t sit up. I’m sure it hurts.”

I placed my hand over her and allowed her warmth to seep in. Katie was okay. She was alive. The darkness didn’t touch her.

“You promise you’re okay? You’re not just saying that because I’m the one laying in the hospital bed?”

She pulled the chair up and took a seat. She shook her head. “I’m fine. It left after you took that hit for me. You saved my life. I don’t think I would have even…” She didn’t finish the sentence, but we both knew what she was saying.

“How long have I been here?”

“A couple of hours.” She reached for her mug and took a sip of it. “The doctor said you’re going to heal slower than you expect. You should be up and walking by now, but he said you’re not healing quickly enough. I’m guessing it’s because of the magic.”

I pulled at my sheets and yanked my shirt up. My entire chest was black and blue. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at it. She reached a hand over mine. “But you are healing. That’s what matters.”

I didn’t like this. It was one thing to hit me, but entirely another to slow my healing ability. Just who was this person, and what was this blackness fully capable of? It hit me so hard that it knocked me out. I couldn’t imagine what else it could do. I didn’t want to imagine it.

“He said he wanted to watch you for another hour or so, and then we could go home, but you have to remain off your feet for a few days, maybe a week, depending on how you’re feeling.”

I shook my head. “I can’t do that. My job requires me to be up and about, Katie.”

“You don’t have a choice,” she said quickly, leaning back in her chair. “I’m a doctor and I know what can happen if you don’t. So I already told the guys you wouldn’t be working and they would have to handle everything.”

“Katie..”

“You are going to rest,” she said softer. “I’m going to make sure of it.”

She pulled the sheets back and gave me a soft smile. “Why don’t you rest for a few more hours before we get home. They were working on getting you discharged.”

“I’m sorry,” I said softly. “I don’t want to fight.”

Katie gave me a soft smile. “I know. Just rest up.”

We were in the hospital for a few more hours before I was able to go home. Everything still hurt, and my lungs burned every time I sat up. I could see the hurt look in Katie’s eyes when we left and the entire drive home. She drove slowly and every time we hit a bump, she apologized.

Once home, she helped me up to bed. It was a sweet relief when I finally sank into my sheets. I hated the idea of being glued here, but the ride home was enough to tell me that I needed the rest. The blackness had clearly done its damage.

“Here,” Katie handed me a glass of water. “Take this medication and get some sleep. I’ll check on you in a few hours.”

I took the glass and patted the spot next to me. “I have space. Why don’t you join me?”

She shook her head. “I have to call your sister and let the lab know I won't be in today. So, take your meds and get some sleep. I’ll be back in a little while to check on you.”

Before I could even argue with her, she turned and slipped out of my room.

I sighed, taking the medication she gave me with a few gulps of water.

I adjusted my pillow and sighed, staring at the ceiling.

I didn’t want to sleep. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared.

I didn’t want to feel that pain again, feel that anger in such a raw form.

I don’t know when I dozed off, but I had. I woke up to Katie checking my temperature. I opened my eyes to her, placing her hand on my forehead. Her eyes went to mine, and she gave me a nervous smile. “I don’t mean to wake you. I was just checking your temperature and your bruises.”

“It’s fine,” I said, reaching for her hand. But her hand was quicker, and she pulled it away. “You seem to be doing okay. I should let you keep resting.”

“I’m rested, Katie.” I groaned as I tried to sit up. “Will you sit with me?”

“Are you hungry?” she asked, taking a step away from me. “I made some chicken pasta. Let me grab you some.”

I sighed as she left the room. I ran a hand over my face, hating that she was avoiding me. Was she still mad about the fight? It was the only thing I could think would make her react this way.

Katie came back with a large bowl of chicken pasta. She set it on the nightstand and turned to leave, but I grabbed her arm, yanking her back. “Stop avoiding me.”

She looked at me, hurt. “I’m not avoiding you. I’m the one nursing you right now.”

“Katie, you’re also avoiding me touching you. I’m sorry about the fight, but I don’t want you to avoid me like this.”

She shook her head. “I’m…I’m not mad about the fight.”

“Then what? Why can’t you look at me?”

Her eyes snapped up from the bed, and I could see the hurt swimming in them. Tears built up, and her voice cracked. “This happened because of me. You’re full of bruises because the darkness was going for me. This is all my fault.”

I reached out, pulling her closer. “And I would do it again because I was protecting you. You’re my wife, and I never want anything to happen to you.”

She sniffled, rubbing at her eyes. “I know that, but that doesn’t mean that seeing you in this state doesn’t hurt. I didn’t know what to do. I was so scared that you were dead. I thought our last conversation was us screaming at each other.”

I pulled her hand up to my face. I kissed her knuckles and held her there. “I’m alive. I’m well. Sore, but well. I did it for you and I would do it again and again.”

She wiped at her eyes, and I cupped her face. “Talk to me. Please. Tell me what’s going on in your head.”

She took a seat at the edge of the bed. “I saw you with her. At the bar. You guys were eating, and you looked like you were meant to be together.”

My shoulder stiffened. I’m sure from her view, it probably looked like that.

“Katie, I know you probably won't believe me, but nothing happened. I actually told her off. I went there to calm down, and she showed up. After a few comments, I saw she wasn’t the sweet person that she always made me think she was.”

“Really?” She looked at me, shocked.

I nodded my head. “Yeah. I won’t tolerate anyone talking about you. And I should have sided with you earlier. I’m sorry I didn’t.”

She shook her head. “You didn’t know what was going on and I shouldn’t have been yelling. And I shouldn’t have said that you don’t care about humans. That was cruel to say.”

I pulled her hand up and kissed her knuckles again. “So, we’re okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, we’re okay.”

I pulled her closer. “Good because I don’t want to ever feel that fear like I had. I was so scared that something was going to happen to you, and I know if I lost you, I would have gone nuts with how much I would have missed you.”

She rolled her eyes. “A little dramatic, I think.”

“I’m serious.”

She snorted. “I can tell.”

I pulled her closer, and Katie stiffened as I stared deeper into her eyes. “I mean it. I don’t ever want to lose you, Katie. You are the most important person to me.”

I thought of the darkness and how empty it felt. I never wanted to feel that again. I reached a hand up and pulled her down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. Katie was frozen at first before she softened and placed her hands on my chest.

“I was scared, too,” she whispered as I ran my nose against hers. “And seeing you so bruised up. I don’t ever want to see that again.”

I kissed her again, tasting lemon. She smelt clean, and her hair was half damp. Katie softly moaned as I pulled her tighter against me.

I sat up slightly, and pain radiated through my entire body. I gasped through my teeth as everything stiffened.

“Shit,” Katie mumbled, pushing me back onto the pillow. “You shouldn’t sit up. You’re still healing.”

I frowned, waiting for her to crawl away from me and state that I needed more rest. But she moved, throwing her leg over my hip and straddling me. My eyebrows went up as she leaned back, resting right on my hips and dick.

“Is this better?” she asked in a sweet voice. Her fingers slid down my shirt, her nails leaving a trail as she went down. “Or should I move?”

“Don’t move,” I growled, taking her in. Katie was in a nightgown, and it spilled over her hips, but her legs were bare. It could see her nipples underneath the thin fabric, and her curves looked good in the outfit. “If you move from that position, I’ll think you hate me.”

A smirk pulled at the corner of her lips, and she slowly slid her hips forward and backward carefully. The friction was soft, but my cock jerked.

“Is this better?” she purred.

I nodded my head. “Oh, much. So much better.”

Her eyes sparkled, and I placed my hands on her hips, but she pulled my hands back. She rested them on the sheets. “I’m in control tonight. And you don’t do a thing.”

I was a little surprised at this. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Yeah, let me take care of you.” She reached for my shorts. “In every way.”