Page 29 of Jade Lion and the Witch Boy (Haunted Hearts: Season of the Witch #5)

WHY DOES IT feel like I just ran a marathon, then got hit by a truck? I don’t remember where I am or how I got here. There are potted plants everywhere, along with a metal pole. I’m in a bed, and the sheets are comfy.

Wait, these are my sheets. This is my bed, and these are my walls.

I’m propped up on two pillows, and tubes are attached to my right arm, the inner elbow area.

There appear to be IV lines from my veins to the bags hung up on the large pole beside me.

My throat feels dry, and I can barely move my legs.

My right palm is bandaged, and I recall that there’s a cut there.

The last thing I remember is reading off a scroll, chanting with Luther, and him slicing open my palm to access my blood.

Kai! I went into his subconscious! I told him I loved him! Is he okay? I need to find him, but I’m too weak to look for my phone.

A figure walks in and proceeds to water the plants. I do my best to clear my throat despite the pain in my ribs. The woman turns around, and I smile.

“Anika. Where is—”

“Oh, haunted hearts, you’re awake!” My roommate rushes up to me and holds my hand. “I’m thrilled to see you, Seb!” She beams at me while her eyes fill with tears.

“Nice to see you too, Anika,” I reply. “But where is…?”

“You must be wondering what happened.” She gets up and resumes watering the plants, but faster this time.

“You’ve been asleep for three days. You lost nearly all of your blood; it’s a miracle you survived, to be honest. The Union has medical personnel on staff, well-versed in non-magical medicine.

We don’t want to get those dreaded mortal hospitals involved.

Then the police will ask questions, and—”

“That’s great, but where—”

“And so we got you transfused. That spell took a lot of blood from you. The Union infirmary had some good old-fashioned intravenous blood and saline to give you.” She dotes on her plants, still not listening to me.

“Those wizards have so much magic, and yet they couldn’t do much because of the nature of the spell.

That sounds like rubbish to me, but what do I know, I’m just a green witch. ”

“Anika.”

“And so once we got you home, I placed as many healing plants as possible in the correct configuration around your room. I guess they did the trick, because here you are, already awake. Now all we need is—”

“Anika!” I yelp.

She stops and finally looks at me. “I appreciate that, but…” I cough and wince. “Where is Kai?”

Anika nods and puts down her watering can. “I’ll go get him.”

“He’s okay?” I rasp. My eyes burn, knowing that he’s here in Boysen House. Kai, the man I love, is here, and he’s well?

“He’s been a wreck.” She plays with her fingers, then strides to the door. “But I’ll give you two lover boys some space. Oh, I’m so thrilled you’re awake,” she sings as she walks down the hallway.

My smile falls at her calling us “lovers.” Okay, sure, we had sex.

And yes, I needed to be his fated mate to reach his soul.

But still, he was so pissed the last time I saw him.

I don’t blame him, yet I want to patch things up.

I want us to talk about our love, but not in his subconscious.

I hope he isn’t still mad. We stopped a power-hungry witch together, that’s got to count for something, right?

I shift in the bed despite my body’s protests. I want to look good when I grovel and ask Kai for a second chance.

The door creaks open, garnering my attention. A gasp escapes my lips at the sight of Kai, standing in my room. He has bags under his eyes, and his black hair is slightly disheveled. His white shirt is wrinkly, not helped by him gripping the fabric like a timid child.

“H-h-hey,” I stutter. My throat feels coarse, but I power through.

“Um, so, I’m really sorry about…not telling you about the coven’s terrible plan.

I feel awful. But I never faked any of my feelings.

I hope you can forgive me.” The silence is thick between us when he doesn’t reply.

I’m about to continue when he starts sobbing.

Kai, the massive, all-powerful stud, is now on his knees by the bed. He grasps my hand and taps his forehead to it, a sign of remorse, I assume. “Se-Se-Sebastian,” he sobs.

My eyebrows jump, but after a moment, I cover his hand with my left. “Kai, it’s okay.”

“You almost died,” he cries, as tears stream down his precious face.

“I know, but…”

He sniffs. “I am so sorry! So sorry for everything, Sebastian.”

My brow furrows. “Huh?”

He wipes his face and moves closer to the bed. “If I had not fallen for the trap, if I had been stronger, then maybe…”

“Woah, woah, time out, you handsome lion.” This earns me a slight smile, so I continue, “You are not to blame for any of this.”

He sniffs and nods. “I did not want you to give up your blood. I would not have let you—”

“And let Ashley run rampant with your body and use you to kill people?” I give a feeble chuckle and lie back. “Fat chance. Anyone who takes control of my man answers to me.”

Kai laughs and wipes away his tears. “I never wanted you to get hurt. Or lose your life force.”

“I did it willingly. And I’d do it again,” I reply.

“But you almost died!”

“Almost.” I tap the tube coming out of my arm. “I feel fine now. Well, I’m getting there. I won’t be donating plasma anytime soon.”

I laugh, but Kai stares at me with that heartbroken expression. “I cannot have you sacrificing yourself for me, Sebastian.” He shakes his head. “I would leave you forever if it meant you were safe.”

“Hey, no, Mr. Zhou.” I point at him and give him my best chastising tone. “There was too much at stake. And you’re the Jade Lion. The world needs you. Your destiny is so much bigger than that of a witch boy like me.”

Kai shakes his head again. “But I have no destiny without you.”

Swoon. I pat his hand and stroke it lovingly. It’s entirely possible we’ll be alright, but I still have so many questions.

“What happened to that traitor, Ashley, anyway?”

Kai laces his fingers with mine. “She used too much geo arcanum at once. It rendered her catatonic. The Union plans on forging documents so she ends up in a mortal asylum.” Kai frowns. “She wanted to kill all wizards. I felt her blood lust. And when I was free, I almost killed her.”

I grimace and Kai shakes his head. “But I knew you would not want that. So I held back.”

“I prefer my boyfriends to be murder-free, if possible,” I reply with a smile.

Kai chuckles and gets up. He moves to the other side of the bed, and I know exactly what he wants.

I pat the space next to me, and he pulls back the covers.

There isn’t much room for his hulking mass, but like the kitty he is, he curls up by my side.

I rub his head and he purrs. The storm in my soul settles into contentment.

“We are still boyfriends, right?” I ask.

“If you would like.” He pivots so that his precious dark eyes are gazing right at me. “Lisbeth told me that the only way that spell would have worked was if you, um…you were my…”

I grin. “Your fated mate. I remember. I cast it after all.”

We both chuckle, and he scoots so his head is next to mine. I want to kiss him so badly, but everything feels so tense. “You, um…you do not have to if you do not want to,” he says in a meek tone.

“Don’t want to what? Be your fated mate?” I lightly punch his thigh with my left arm. “I’ve got news for you, bud: fate says we should be together, so that seems pretty permanent. Can’t break the lease now.”

We both laugh softly, and my smile dies when I glance at his mouth. “Do you remember what I said in your mind when I cast the blood spell?” I lick my lips and continue, “What I told you to…hold on to?”

Kai nods. “To you, Sebastian.” He whispers the next few words, irrevocably changing my soul. “To the love I have for you. The only real thing I’ve ever known.”

My breath hitches, and after a moment, I shut my eyes. “I love you, Kai. For real. No hexes, no manipulations, no—”

My words are cut off by his lips on mine. Maybe it’s magic, but my body feels so much lighter now, and the pain seems farther away. Kissing Kai is a special kind of wonderful. I’m finally complete.

We pull apart for air, and he strokes my cheek.

“I love you, too, witch boy.” We laugh in bed, and tears of joy trickle down my cheeks.

Kai is here, and we love each other. How can I feel anything but powerful when the greatest man I’ve ever known is here in my bed, telling me he loves me?

For the first time in a week, I think we’ll be alright.