Page 23

Killian Teixeira

" S ir, you cannot bring those animals into the hospital. Take them outside, or I'll be forced to call security."

A murky, jaundiced yellow oozed off her silhouette. It was thick and sluggish, like curdled milk left to rot in the sun. I gave the frumpy, foul-smelling nurse a deadpan look, blank and unmoved, then continued walking toward the desk behind her.

"Sir!" The closer she stepped, the more the color darkened, rising in oily coils like steam from an open sewer. "Sir, they can't be on this floor," she repeated.

I tilted my head, studying the bile-colored haze writhing around her. The shade was a warning that something was foul about this woman, and from her smell, I knew it wasn't just her attitude. I glanced toward of my companions.

"Senta. Odju.” They lowered into a poised and controlled sit. I smiled, then allowed my gaze to flicker back to the nurse.

"They teach us to never leave the house without brushing your teeth," I calmly stated. "The stench of spoiled cheese floating from your lips each time you speak tells me you don't give a fuck about rules."

Her mouth opened, then slammed shut. The yellow flared around her in one final puff before she rolled her eyes and spun on her heels, storming off down the corridor.

I chuckled, amused by the fact that she was worried about Grim and Ghost when her breath was liable to send every patient she met into cardiac arrest.

"Sigi."

Grim and Ghost idly walked beside me as I approached the desk. Using my hand, I covered my mouth and nose. This nurse didn't possess the same toxic hue as the previous one, but there was no telling if death-induced breath was common practice around here.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a patient."

"Um, can you uncover your mouth, please? I saw your encounter with Nurse Mae. You have nothing to worry about. I brush, use a Waterpik, and swish with mouthwash daily." She giggled.

"Then you also heard what I said about my friends here." I gestured toward Grim and Ghost.

"Yes, and a memo was sent up a few moments ago as well."

"Good. River Ashland is who I'm looking for. Her husband should have come up maybe five minutes ago."

"She's in room 404 along with a Kysre Maroux. They came in together."

"A man?" I asked to better understand what I was about to walk into.

Seeing that there weren't any alarms blaring or officers swarming the floor, I liked to think everything was okay.

However, given how I had taught the officer on the first floor a valuable lesson, it was safe to say no police or security would be rushing in our direction anytime soon.

I made it clear that anyone with the last name Gravehart was to go unbothered while in this hospital.

I didn't plan on staying longer than a brief conversation with Crown about what I put in place for River's stay.

Hearing River... the woman Crown claimed as his wife came in with a man, would extend my stay.

Lawyers, a cleanup crew, and a few other things were needed for Crown and me to walk out of this building unscathed.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and sent a quick text to Emersyn.

Me:

Have someone from the cleaning company on standby for a sweep.

Emersyn:

Location?

Me:

Briar Ridge Medical Center

Emersyn:

A fucking hospital, Killian?

Me:

I'll explain later. Just have everything in order.

Emersyn:

Consider it done.

"I need you to clear this entire floor." I swiped out of the text thread and pushed my phone back into my pocket.

"Sir, we can't?—"

"I don't care. All I want is to hear an announcement stating the floor is to be cleared. River shouldn’t have been placed in a room with a man. They might've come in together, but the minute her husband showed up, Kysre should have been moved."

"Kysre isn't a man."

"What?"

"Kysre is a woman."

"A woman named Kysre?"

"Same thing I said. It's not spelled the normal way, though." She chuckled as if I would also find humor in her stupidity.

"That's funny to you?"

"Uh... no... I was just... uh, saying that... never mind. River is in room 404. Please do your best to keep your animals?—"

"Grim and Ghost," I corrected her before she went any further and suffered the same consequence as the officer who called them mutts.

"I'm so sorry. Please do your best to keep Grim and Ghost at your side."

"Does it seem as though I don't have control over Grim and Ghost?"

"No, but?—"

"Make the announcement about clearing the floor. The only two patients who can stay are River and Kysre."

At the mention of Kysre's name, Ghost took off running.

The nurse in front of me smirked until I grimaced in her direction.

Nervously, she scuffled with a few folders, then quickly moved from behind the desk.

Shaking my head, Grim and I leisurely strolled in the direction Ghost took off in.

Ghost rushed into the exact room where River and Kysre were, I whispered for Grim to sit, then moved to the opposite side of the open door.

The commotion in the room wasn't loud, but the tension was palpable even from outside.

I listened as Crown tried to explain what would happen if someone named Kyree shot my fucking dog.

I chuckled, entering the room, "No, you crimson burning bitch, it's a muthafuckin' promise."

Behind me, Grim stepped into the room, growling to make his presence known.

"Kill Ghost, and I'll feed your sister to Grim.

I'll make you watch, tears falling from those pretty hazel eyes, snot crusting at the rim of your nose.

Your throat will dry, making your voice too hoarse to plead for Kysre's life.

Then her bones will sever beneath his teeth, chilling your skin.

You'll be repulsed and want to look away, but I'll be sure to staple your eyes open.

Then it'll be your turn because the least I can do is reunite the two of you in death. "

At the sound of my voice, Ghost lifted his head to look in my direction, then laid his head back on Kysre's stomach. His ears were tilted slightly back, still alert but seemingly bored with whatever me and the bitch with the gun had going on.

"Nigga, did you have to be so fucking graphic?" Crown questioned, shaking his head.

"I'd be less of a man if I allowed her to make an irrational decision without knowing the full extent of the consequences."

Since entering the room, her focus had been on Ghost. When he moved to glance at me, I caught the subtle flexion of her finger on the trigger.

Then he settled, and she released an anxious breath before frowning in my direction.

A blood-orange flare pulsed from her shoulders like heat waves rippling off a stove. Reckless. Dumb.

"Put it down. He's not going to hurt her. If he wanted to, he would have done so already," I flatly stated.

"Am I supposed to just forget how you described our deaths and believe you?"

Her grip didn't waver. Neither did the color surrounding her. It spewed sparks of red, thick and erratic, like she was moments from pulling the trigger, just to prove I wasn't the only killer in the room.

"Ghost, banha li."

His head shot up with a low groan. Ghost jumped off the bed and hurried to my side. Grim nudged him with his nose, clearly annoyed, but his tail betrayed him, wagging with quiet relief.

"Thank you," she huffed.

I nodded, then eased over toward the bed Kysre was in.

I wanted to see the woman who silently commanded my friend to come to her.

Ghost never took off without my command, yet today, he did at the mention of a stranger's name.

He found her, leaped onto her bed, and then clung to her side protectively. It all made little sense.

Until I saw her drenched in a light that lacked purity and innocence.

The beauty in front of me wasn't an angel.

She was something more. Smoldering rays of violet poured off her in waves, robbing me of my ability to breathe.

My pulse stuttered as I roamed over her.

She was slightly bruised on her arm, tainting her beautiful cocoa complexion.

Low groans slipped between her cracked lips.

The violet hue that surrounded her didn't dim because she was in pain.

It burned brighter. A color I'd never seen on anyone before scorched endlessly around Kysre.

Dark and warm, like a burgundy wine threaded through violet, evoking an emotion I hadn't experienced before.

Desire . An endless hunger between hearts, Desire brought my hand to hers.

Kysre stirred beneath my touch, her lashes fluttering as her eyes opened slowly, almost as if it hurt.

Her gaze met mine, stealing my breath once again.

The violet aura surrounding her blazed into a color that again lacked innocence.

The hues I saw when looking at people told me a lot without having to hear a person speak.

The gold around Kysre was beautiful... too fucking beautiful that trusting it would be my downfall.

The shimmer was soft, delicate, even, but heavy with intent.

Kysre wasn't what her eyes tried to force me to believe.

Gold was known to have crowned tyrants, tempted saints, and clung to those who were willing to bleed for it. Kysre was ruin-wrapped in radiance.

No one truly understood my perception of color in terms of emotions, aura, and moral ground.

I used to hate how different I was. I wanted to see the world the same way everyone else did.

Now, I pitied those who didn't see what I did.

Had Kysre's glow been visible to other men, the male population would quickly become an endangered species.

I didn't know a thing about her other than the colors that illuminated her complexion.

Wanting to be closer, I leaned down, our faces less than an inch away from each other.

Saying her name guaranteed our lips to touch, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Too much too soon might scare her. Then again, maybe not.

Not once since I invaded her space had Kysre moved away.

Her eyes locked onto mine, silently challenging me.

To what, I didn't know, but I was up for the competition.

"I've experienced a lot of things in the form of colors," I spoke low enough for only her to hear.

Nothing I planned to say needed to go beyond the two of us.

"Anger, grief, fear, and hunger are a few.

What I haven't experienced is what you're showing me now.

" With every word, my lips grazed hers. A chill swept me, and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.

Kysre had no idea how intoxicated I was by her.

"That is?" she whispered and smirked, almost like she was calling my bluff.

Is she intrigued?

My entire being screamed to walk away, and that whatever this was between us, the colors I saw weren't safe.

Drowning myself in gold laced with violet and burgundy would drive me insane, yet I couldn't help myself.

I needed to explore the mind, body, and soul of the beauty lying beneath me.

I was willing to lose it all to keep Kysre close.

Bringing my lips to hers, I kissed her softly,

"I am yours."

Without waiting for a response, I backed away from the bed and around Kyree, who was standing too close for my liking.

"I'll be in touch," I told Crown. He nodded, and I signaled for Ghost and Grim to follow. We made it out of the hospital with no issues and climbed into the Suburban I had waiting for me.

"Home." The driver nodded, then drove off.

Sitting back, I closed my eyes, reliving the kiss with Kysre a few times.

It was subtle. No sparks flared when our lips touched, but I wasn't looking for them to.

Sparks flying and hearts stopping were regular people shit.

What Kysre showed me in colors was enough.

Smirking to myself, I pulled my phone out to text Emersyn.

Me:

The cleaning company isn't needed.

Emersyn:

You sure?

Me:

Yes, but guess what?

Emersyn:

I'm not in the mood to guess. Just tell me.

Me:

I found my wife.

Emersyn:

Killian, please.

Me: