Page 42 of His Blazing Witch (The Silver City #3)

I'm heavy. Heavy, tired, and in a lot of pain.

I hear voices around, and some regular beeping. I'm uncomfortable... and Moon Goddess, so thirsty and hungry. Yeah, I'm literally starving, but my throat hurts. Wait, I really need to... wake up. I try to move, remember how I'm supposed to use this body. Something feels weird, I can't quite name it. I'm in pain everywhere, yet it feels like a big weight's been lifted off my chest. I feel remarkably better than before, but I can't explain it. I'm just tired and in pain, but strangely fine. What happened to me? I feel I'm... alone. No one else in my head. No strange echo, no little voice waiting. No more voices at all; just me and my wolf, patiently waiting...

"...Mara?"

Liam's voice. I hold on to it like a lifeline, and feel a gentle pressure on my hand. Is he holding it? I try to focus, and take control of my body again. Oh, the human body is so complicated... I already miss being a wolf. Yet, I slowly get back to my senses, and somehow manage to open my eyes.

A white ceiling above me, and some orange skylights... I take a deep breath that fills my lungs.

"Mara!"

"I'll call the nurse!"

I hear a lot of movement around me. Why is it so noisy…?

I take a second to try and come back to reality. I'm lying in a hospital bed, aren't I? This feels all too familiar. The gentle pressure on my hand returns, and I slowly turn my head. Shit, my neck is so painful... I finally meet Liam's eyes as he leans over me with a worried expression.

"Don't move too much," he whispers gently. "Your cervical spine is damaged..."

What isn't? I want to ask. My neck is painful, my ribs are painful, my arms, even my butt, and Moon Goddess, I have the worst headache possible. I take deep breaths, trying to ignore that stupid pain and focus on what I can. Well, I'm alive, that's good news. Very alive, and... lonely.

I had never realized it before, but... I never felt alone while little Mara and the voices were there. Regardless of if it was a good thing or not, there was always that presence at the back of my mind that didn't let me feel alone. Now I... I do feel alone. It is so strange. There's relief, but also, something sad about it. I feel abandoned. I feel so lonely, I want to cry. I start to weep, realizing little Mara is really gone, I'm on my own now. Just me, the new Mara, with all that pain.

"Hey, hey, babe... it's okay..." whispers Liam, visibly worried by my sudden crying.

I feel him gently caress my arm, and he leans over to hug me the best he can without crushing me. I wish I could hug him back. His presence and warmth makes me feel a lot better. I slowly stop crying, taking deep breaths.

Bonnie and Kelsi both barge in at the same time.

"Mara!"

Bonnie, very professionally, walks up to my side to check my vitals.

"How do you feel?" she asks.

"Like crap," I sigh, "but alive."

"You should be dead," she retorts. "Do you even know how many floors you fell? That was crazy, even for you! If Nora Black hadn't been there to help you, or if you weren't a witch–"

"I'd be dead. Yeah, my body agrees..." I grimace.

"Are you really in a lot of pain?" asks Kelsi, on the verge of tears. "You slept for a full night and day, but you cried a lot in your sleep..."

"Wait... It's been that long?"

I force my poor neck to turn again and look out the window behind Liam. Crap, it's really dusk.

"What about Sylviana's tree?" I ask him.

He slowly shakes his head.

"...It died this morning, Mara. The barrier is slowly fading. But don't worry, we can contain the witches for now. You should focus on your healing."

I frown, not happy with that response. The tree is really dead? How can they contain the other witches by themselves? It doesn't sound good to me. How can he ask me to rest when the situation has become like this?! I turn to Bonnie.

"How bad is it?"

"You mean your state? Quite bad," she sighs, grabbing a notepad, "or at least, it was."

"What do you mean?"

"You came in yesterday, and most critically, you had a severe traumatic brain injury with lesions and severe swelling. However, that wasn't the case twelve hours later. No more swelling, and your brain looked... almost normal. Just a bruise, as if you had simply knocked yourself against a wall. Believe it or not, it actually healed itself between the two scans you got. Same for everything else. A lot of internal injuries, including your perforated kidney and the bleeding that ensued. Then again, your blood replenished itself, and your organs seem fine after the surgery you had. Broken bones... Yeah, you fractured your rib cage, head, spine, and both legs. Seeing how you seem fine, I'll bet you’re almost healed now too. You should be in an excruciating amount of pain right now, Mara, and certainly not awake!"

Well, I like how she put it, but I don't feel that fine right now. It does hurt like hell, and it's not like I'm going to run a marathon yet. However, it does explain all the pain and that horrendous headache I'm fighting against...

"It's... You're healing really fast," added Kelsi.

"Fast? How fast exactly?" I ask, sensing something wrong in her voice.

Bonnie and Kelsi exchange a look, and the nurse sighs, going back to her notes.

"Certainly faster than before," immediately says Bonnie. "Much faster, it's actually... remarkable. First, like I said, you shouldn't be awake so soon, so I do want to take you for a full checkup. I don't know what happened, but your healing process is totally different now. It's absolutely insane and quite impressive. I think... You're probably healing even faster than a common werewolf, Mara."

I chuckle a bit nervously.

"...Faster?"

Bonnie nods.

"Yes. I don't know what happened to you, but... well, it saved your life."

"...It's my wolf," I whisper.

I turn to Liam.

"Isn't it? I... unlocked something when I changed into my wolf."

He nods.

"I think so too. You feel... different. Not just to me, but to the other werewolves too. Selena said your aura had changed when she dropped by to visit you, she can't sense that evil she used to feel anymore."

"It's all gone," I whisper.

Along with little Mara, that evil thing that had been with me, all those voices, they are now all gone. Damn, it feels really strange, but... I'm relieved. I'm the only pilot now, there is no more room for possession and Dark Witchcraft anymore. I rest my head on the pillow, and let out a long sigh.

"Do you feel okay?" asks Kelsi

I nod.

I'm probably feeling a lot better than I should, I realize that after Bonnie's words from earlier. Still, I can't rest with what's to come. With Sylviana's tree really gone, there will be no barrier left to protect Silver City against those witches that were itching to get inside. It's going to be up to me and the werewolves to defend it. I'm worried that, no matter how fast my recovery is, I'll be too late...

"You should focus on getting some rest for now," says Liam, as if he had read my thoughts. "We can hold on for a little longer, don't worry."

Suddenly, I remember all the crap that happened, and that I was mad at him. I turn my head and glare at him, making him all surprised. He retreats a little, lost, and glances over at Bonnie and Kelsi.

"Bonnie, Kelsi, can I get a minute with Liam before you do whatever checkup you want on me?" I ask, my burning eyes still on Liam.

"O-okay," says Kelsi.

They both leave, and Liam stares at me, dumbfounded.

"Mara, are you alr–"

"Alright?" I retort. "I don't know. My boyfriend kissed some strange evil spirit while I was trapped in some stupid mirror! How should I be?"

He opens his mouth, completely shocked.

"S-seriously? You s-saw that? ...Wait, that's what you're thinking of right now? That was just some stupid mistake!"

Some stupid mistake? Damn I want to burn that idiot down! I use whatever strength I have, which is not much, let's face it, and slap his shoulder, making him barely frown. I keep slapping, like a pup trying to impress a wall.

"You! Damn! Idiot!" I swear with each slap. "How dare you mistake your freaking fated mate?! You kissed her! You dared to kiss that bitch!"

"Mara, calm down, you're going to re-break your wrist, for Moon Goddess' sake!" He grimaces, grabbing my wrist to stop me.

"I don't care! I'll break all my fingers if it's enough to have you stop kissing strangers!"

"Come on, she had your body!" He rolls his eyes. "I felt something was wrong but she... uh... Well, she basically jumped on me."

"She did what?!"

What? What happened while they were together? What did I miss? Don't tell me they went further than a stupid, dirty kiss!

"Liam Black, I swear if you slept with my body while I wasn't in it, I'm going to–"

"Calm down, calm down! No, no, we just kissed, I swear to the Moon Goddess! And... Oh crap, why are we even having this fight to begin with?"

"Because, you dirty, dirty wolf! You kissed some evil, witch bitch!" I hiss, still furious.

"Well, technically, they were still your lips..."

Seeing my expression, he quickly steps away from the bed.

"I'm going to burn your–!"

"Oh, Mara! Mara!" suddenly yells Bonnie, coming back into the room and dropping her notepad to run to me. "What the hell is wrong with you two?! You should be resting, not assaulting your boyfriend!"

"If that idiot hadn't kissed an evil witch, I wouldn't have to!" I retort.

Bonnie and Kelsi immediately both glare at Liam in support of me. He's retreated all the way to the wall right now, and stares at the three of us in fear.

"Are you serious? That was an honest mistake! And I dropped her off at the flat as soon as I felt something was off too!"

"Liam, do you mind waiting in the hallway?" sighs Bonnie. "I don't really care if you two fight, but I'm not sure we have enough fire extinguishers around."

I'm still frowning when Liam leaves, rolling his eyes. Bonnie sighs, and starts checking me all over again with her doctor colleague, who acts very professional despite the scene before. On the other side of the bed, Kelsi chuckles.

"He really stayed by your side the whole time, you know," she whispers to me.

"I'm still mad," I sigh. "You have no idea how frustrating it was to be on the other side of that stupid mirror and see my... my fated mate kissing someone else."

"Yeah, I probably would have been mad too... Just don't be mad too long, okay? He really missed you, boo."

"I know. Don't worry. By the way, you and Ben...?"

Kelsi suddenly gets red all the way to her scalp.

"W-w-what d-do you m-mean, B-B-Ben and I? W-we... I-I mean w-we are not, not..."

She keeps glancing at Bonnie in complete panic mode, but the nurse is focused on discussing my state with her colleague, and knowing her, Bonnie probably doesn't even care that much. However, I don't really care about all their exams, while they are touching me all over, checking on my bruises, vitals and what-not, I can't help but tease Kelsi some more.

"I did see some interesting things from that mirror..." I wink at her.

She goes from tomato-red to almost eggplant.

"Mara! Are you sure you aren't still evil?!" she protests in a whisper.

I chuckle, but this makes my ribs hurt like hell.

"Yeah, it's probably not completely healed," sighs Bonnie. "I know you're somewhat fine but you shouldn't be playing around in your state, Mara. I want you to get a complete exam right away."

"Do you think I can leave tonight?" I ask.

"Tonight? Are you insane?! Didn't you hear me earlier?"

"Yes, and I clearly heard the part where you said I was healing crazy fast. So, I'm wondering if I'm healing fast enough to be released tonight. I promise I won't do anything crazy, but I still want to leave the hospital, Bonnie. I need to check where things are at with Nora, and a bunch of witches attacking is more important than a couple of broken ribs..."

Bonnie rolls her eyes at me.

"You're so stubborn, I don't even know why I would try convincing you otherwise. You still need a full array of exams, Mara. I am not releasing you otherwise."

"And then I can leave?"

"You can leave if you're in a state to, and with medical approval."

I growl a bit, but I can't really oppose Bonnie, she is the expert after all. So, I patiently go along with all of the exams they make me do, although it takes a lot longer than I had hoped. Bonnie keeps being amazed by my results, but to me, it just means I can get out of here faster. I'm taken in my bed from floor to floor, and I start to miss Liam again. Maybe I shouldn't have acted so harshly toward him... I was really mad, though. But I still miss him a lot. Damn it...

In the meantime, Kelsi left to get me some new clothes from our apartment. When I finally get back to my room to wait for some of those medical results, Liam is there alone. Not only him, but a delicious smell with him.

"Food?" frowns Bonnie, pushing my bed back in its spot.

"I figured she might be hungry..."

She sighs.

"Fine, but don't let the other nurses catch you with that!"

Liam nods with a smile and Bonnie leaves, closing the door after herself.

He and I are left alone in the room, and his cheeky smile gradually disappears.

"Hi..." he mutters, careful of my reaction.

"...What did you bring?" I ask.

"Barbecue. I figured you'd be hungry..."

"Moon Goddess, I am," I sigh. "Can you help me sit up?"

He nods and immediately jumps to help me put my bed in a seated position.

We keep exchanging looks as he's suddenly close, and we both blush a little. Liam is extra cautious of my reactions, but I'm just happy he's here... with me. He grabs the little tray and puts it between us, laying out all of the food. It smells heavenly to my grumbling and empty stomach. He's not even done putting everything on the table before I grab a piece of chicken to eat.

"...You like it?"

I nod, my mouth full. He smiles, and we both start eating, Liam sitting on the bed next to my legs. For a while, there is no sound besides our chewing and the ruffling of the wrapping paper. After a little while, Liam sighs.

"I'm really sorry, Mara..."

"It's okay," I sigh. "I can't blame you, anyone would have been confused."

"No, you were right. I should have trusted our bond more. I should have realized, right away, that something was wrong. After that... mirror thing you did, I was just worried about your hand bleeding. It took me a little while to realize something was wrong. The... kiss is what actually made me realize. It... wasn't like before."

I raise my eyes to look at him, and suddenly realize we are very close. I blush even more as Liam's eyes stare so deeply into mine.

"...Really?" I whisper, a bit shy.

He smiles.

"Yeah. When we kiss, you... tend to attack my lower lip more. You are more raw and your lips are warm. Your fingers too. I like how you brush my hair with your fingers."

Gently, he raises his hand and pushes some of my hair behind my ear, his fingers giving me chills as they slowly slide down my skin. They go down, until he reaches my neck, holding me softly in his warm hand. We get a little bit closer, and it gets hotter in here.

"Your... smell changes a bit when we kiss," he continued. "It's like hot wood, and crackling fire. There's something a bit spicier too, like... I don't know. Just your lips."

I chuckle, and slowly, grab a gentle kiss from him.

"Just my lips?" I whisper.

He nods.

"Yeah. Just your lips... and I love whatever they taste like."

He smiles, and leans forward a bit more, hooking his hand around my neck to pull us closer.

Our lips meet again, for a longer, deeper kiss. Moon Goddess, his lips... I'm melting. I feel my heartbeat going crazy and all of my skin warming up again. A chill rolls down my spine, and his hot hand on my neck is terrifyingly nice too. We keep kissing, very gently. Perhaps he's afraid of hurting me. I do feel a little cut inside my lower lip, but I don't care. I just want Liam. More of Liam. More of my man. I missed him so much. I push the tray out of the way, and wrap my arms around his shoulders to lock him in with me. He is careful about each of his movements, and I do feel he's a bit stiffer than before. Finally, he pulls me onto his lap, and we resume our kiss, gently holding each other.

I don't care about any witches, any wolves, or any battles for now. I just want a few more minutes, just him and I kissing and bathing in the warm light of the evening...