I cleared my throat, and spoke quietly, “Why don’t you both sit down, and I’ll explain—”
Mr. Godwin fumed. “I’ll do no such thing! How dare you speak to me this way! You don’t belong here. You’re not even family.”
“Dad!” Michael croaked “Cassandra and I practically live together. I love her. If you can’t treat her with respect, then I’ll have the nurse ask you to leave.”
His father’s mouth opened and closed. He wasn't used to being spoken to this way. His expression cleared, and he stepped forward to touch his son’s leg. “Michael, you’re awake!”
Michael grunted in acknowledgment. “Yeah, and I think you owe her an apology.”
Mrs. Godwin turned to me with tears streaming down her cheeks and said, “I apologize. This is all just very sudden. Please…tell us what has happened to our son.”
I nodded, swallowing the lump that was rising in my throat, and glanced down at Michael. “How much do they know?”
Michael gave me an encouraging smile. “It’s okay. They know everything.”
“Even about my powers?”
“Even that.”
I swallowed hard again. “Okay, then. It’s hard to explain, but there was a demon trapped in Michael’s eye. It was going to kill him. Michael begged me to remove his eye before the demon could finish him off completely. This was the only way to save him.”
“So, this is your fault,” Mr. Godwin clipped. “You did this to him.”
“She saved my life,” Michael argued.
Mr. Godwin snapped, “You would never have been in danger in the first place if it hadn’t been for her.”
Mom stepped in front of me defensively. “I think that’s quite enough. We’ve all been through quite an ordeal, and I’m sure you’re tired. Why don’t you go back to your hotel room? We can meet here again in the morning once we’ve all properly rested.”
“I’m not going anywhere!” Mr. Godwin shouted.
Michael snapped, “Dad, quit being a jerk. I need to rest, and you’re making it impossible to stay calm. Please, just leave and let me breathe.”
Mr. and Mrs. Godwin exchanged suspicious looks, and then both frowned at their son. “Are you sure? We can stay with you until you’re discharged.”
“Mom, I’m fine, just tired and sore. Go to the hotel, and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
His father scowled. “We’re just down the street. We’ll call your siblings in the morning so they can be with you, too.”
Michael muttered, “Fine, fine. I just need to rest. See you in the morning.”
Huffing, his parents leaned over and kissed his forehead. Mrs. Godwin brushed his hair back from his face and murmured to him. They threw me another irritated glare as they walked out.
I turned to leave as well when Michael reached out to take my hand. “No, you stay,” he pleaded.
I held his hand to my cheek and began to sob. “You want me here?”
“Of course I do. I love you,” he said with that adorable, crooked smile.
I wrapped my arms around him, crying bitter tears, and kissing his eyes. “Michael, I’m so sorry.”
He patted the back of my head. “I’m not. The Shadow Demon will never haunt your dreams or anyone else’s again.”
As tears streamed down my cheeks, I realized that, although he was the one hurt, he was comforting me.
Mom walked beside me and patted Michael’s shoulder. “Oh, sweet boy, I’m so glad you’re going to be all right.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Ms. Williams.”
Mom chuckled. “Why don’t you call me Beth?”
“All right, Beth. I would like that.” He patted me again. “See, Cass, everything’s okay. We’re all fine.”
I pulled back to meet his gaze and found his usual good humor and understanding. “Really?”
“Yeah, really,” he murmured.
Mom put an arm around my shoulders, kissed my forehead, and asked, “Do you want me to stay?”
I shook my head. “No, just come by in the morning.”
Mom nodded with a knowing smile and exited through the door to the hall, leaving Michael and me alone. I curled into a lounge chair beside his bed and held his hand.
Before I realized, I fell deep asleep.
M ichael and I were awakened the following morning by the nurses bringing food. Soon enough, his room was a hive of activity. Doctors, interns, and nurses moved in and out all day, adjusting his meds, asking questions, and making sure he was on the right track to healing. By the time dinner came around, Michael was so hungry that he shoveled everything placed in front of him into his mouth and, by the time he finished, I heard a loud commotion coming down the hall. Mom and Fred entered the room first, carrying baby Elsie with them. To my surprise, Halle poked her head around the corner and joined us in the hospital room.
“Halle? What are you doing here?” I asked with surprise. I rose to hug my twin tightly as Mom and Fred squeezed Michael’s hand, and Elsie gave him one of her signature slobbering kisses.
Halle laughed. “Where else would I be? Mom called me at three in the morning and told me what happened. I hopped on the first plane this morning and got in about forty minutes ago.”
Michael grinned. “Hey, Halle.”
She smiled back and patted his foot from her spot at the end of the bed.
Michael and I glanced at one another nervously. I took Halle's hand in mine. “There is something. I need you to go to Michael’s apartment and clean up the mess.”
Halle nodded. “Right…I’ll take care of it. I’ll grab him some extra clothes while I’m there.”
“Perfect.”
We exchanged a few more pleasantries before she kissed me on the cheek and exited the room.
Mom and Fred had both retired for the evening, so Michael and I could rest. The Godwins had been there most of the day, and Mrs. Godwin’s rage was slowly fading. Michael’s constant affection toward my family and me made his parents see how much he cared about us.
“Cassandra,” said Mr. Godwin, “did this stop whatever is plaguing the Realm of Dreams?”
I nodded and twisted my father’s ring on my finger. “Michael defeated the demon and saved not only my life but the lives of the other Dream Weavers.”
His youngest sister glared at me. “You shouldn’t have dragged him into your mess.”
“Kristina, relax. This was my choice, all of it,” he insisted.
“I don’t care! You lost your eye, Michael! What are you going to do? You can’t perform surgery anymore.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Michael’s whole life would change, and we didn’t know how much. Kristina was right; he couldn’t operate on animals anymore. I didn’t know if he could continue working at the zoo.
Michael considered for a long moment. “Probably not, but that doesn’t mean I’ll have to quit. No one has as good as a rapport as I do with the animals, especially the big ones. Having one eye doesn’t change my ability to talk to animals.”
Julie, his other sister, patted Kristina’s arm. “Don’t make things worse. He’ll be fine, just like he said. Besides, this gives him an excuse to take his dog everywhere with him. Do you think you can train him to be a guide dog?”
He grinned. “Already planning on it. He likes to describe everything in detail anyway, so it shouldn’t be too hard. Kris, I’m going to be fine. Please stop crying, and don’t blame Cassandra for any of this. She’s the only reason I’m alive right now.”
By the time his family went back to their hotel, Michael and I were both wiped out. Though his parents were nicer, Kristina still couldn’t let the grudge go. I supposed it would take a while to get used to her brother’s new condition, but her anger still hurt. Michael was great about everything, and every time he defended me, my heart swelled.
Michael yawned and decided to take a nap. “Wake me the next time food comes around, okay?”
Smiling, I kissed his cheek. “Get some rest.”
H our
s later, Halle crept slowly into the room. It was nearly ten at night, and she tiptoed so as not to disturb us. It wasn’t necessary because we were both wide awake and watching television.
“Hey,” she said cautiously. “I come bearing gifts.” She held up a delicious smelling sack of fast food.
Michael laughed. “Hal, you’re a lifesaver! Hospital food is not satisfying. What did you bring?”
“Well, thank you. I brought you In-n-Out. Double-doubles with cheese and some fries if I remember correctly, right? Cass, I got your usual, too. I hope it helps.”
“Thanks, Halle. This is great,” I told her.
She handed us the food and sat in one of the chairs. “So…what’s going to happen now?”
Michael and I looked at one another. “Well, the doctor says I should be able to go home tomorrow. After that, there will be some adjusting.”
I nodded. “I already told the school that I need time off to help with Michael’s recovery. It’s just a nightmare. He’ll need care around the clock, and I feel completely overwhelmed. I’m too scared to leave him alone.”
Halle nodded. “Around the clock care, huh? What does that mean? Are you moving in together?”
My cheeks heated as I glanced at Michael. “I…uh…I guess I hadn’t thought of that. I suppose I would have to, at least temporarily.”
“Or forever,” Michael offered. “We can find a place of our own and settle down.”
Halle and I both turned to him in surprise.
“You mean like…for real?” I squeaked. “Do you think we’re ready for that?”
“I am—I’ve been ready for quite a while. The decision is up to you.”
I smiled. “I could live with that. Forever it is.”
Epilogue
“I can’t believe you have so much stuff,” Michael exclaimed as he hefted a box from the back of his truck and turned toward his–our–townhouse.
I eyed him nervously as he climbed the stairs and walked through the front door. “Well, between all my clothes and school supplies, it was pretty crowded. You should have seen how much stuff Halle and I had in our last apartment.”
Michael snorted. “I bet. Where should I put this?”
“Um, in the bedroom,” I offered. Before he could take another step, I cleared a path through the boxes so he didn’t trip. Even though his balance was nearly back to normal after having his left eye removed, he still hadn’t gotten used to the limited field of vision, often underestimating the amount of room he had.
“Thanks,” he grunted and walked down the hallway, dumping the box on our four-poster-bed in the middle of the room. “Just one more box, right?”
Smiling, I stood on my toes and kissed him. “I’ll grab that one. Sit and rest for a minute. You’ve done most of the work.”
“Sure. I’m going to get something to drink and try not to trip on the boxes in the living room.”
I shook my head, still smiling, and nearly skipped to his truck. The box wasn’t heavy, thankfully, so I locked up the vehicle and strode back into the house.
Michael sat on the couch, sipping from a sweating glass of ice water. He turned to look at me, put down the glass, and rose to help me. “This is wild,” he said.
I nodded in agreement. “I can’t believe we’re going to live together.”
“We should have a party to celebrate.”
Michael’s dog, a black pit bull, nudged his leg and huffed impatiently. The dog had become his ever-present sidekick whenever Michael wasn’t at work. He described their surroundings in detail and warned Michael when to step aside to avoid sharp edges and potential falls.
“What’s he worked up about now?” I asked with amusement.
Snickering, Michael sat down and rubbed behind the gentle animal’s ears. “He wants to know if Adam will come for the party since he always sneaks him delicious human food.”
“Ooh, sneaky boy,” I said, and sat down next to Michael. While Peaches and I had a good relationship, the dog simply adored me and followed on my heels whenever Michael wasn’t around for rubs and cuddles. “For your birthday, I’ll make you a nice doggy cake instead.”
“He says he loves you and can’t wait to try your cake, but will you please give him some of your cheese the next time you have crackers at night? He promises extra cuddles, the suck-up.”
I laughed and scratched behind the dog’s silky ears. Though we had small pets growing up, I never thought I’d own a dog, especially a large one like this. This sweet animal was gentle and loving, and the care he showed Michael made me adore him even more.
“He’s also trying to convince me that he should sleep in bed with us,” Michael added. “More specifically, he wants to cuddle between us, but I told him no. I’m the only one who gets to cuddle you at night.”
My smile took over my face as I leaned up to kiss him again. “If we let him sleep with us, Peaches would insist that he needs to join the party, and you’d never have a good night of sleep again.”
Michael sighed with contentment and rested against the back of the couch with one arm casually slung over my shoulders. “Let’s plan the party for next month. I want to make sure my balance is better.”
“Of course,” I said, understanding what he meant. “We can start working on the details.”
Yawning, he nodded and said, “Do you need my help right now? My head hurts, and I could use a nap.”
“I’m fine,” I assured him. “Get some rest.”
Michael kissed me sweetly, rose, and strolled off toward our bedroom.
Recovery hadn’t been as grueling as we thought, though he still struggled. Thanks to his ability to talk to animals, it seemed like every species was willing to help the nice guy who always chatted with them. Birds, rabbits, even earthworms, directed him around cracks in the sidewalk and other objects he was close to bumping into before he could hurt himself. He hadn’t returned to his duties at work, but he’d attended Stanley’s surgery to calm the beast before the big operation. Stanley was eternally grateful and didn’t seem fazed by his friend’s new look.
Michael hadn’t decided whether he wanted a glass eye, so he wore an eye patch at the moment. He swore it made him look like a dashing pirate, something that made me giggle every time he said it. I had mixed emotions about it if I were honest with myself. The patch was a stark reminder of what I’d done, and the guilt gnawed at me. Whenever that guilt came to the surface, Michael gently told me that, to him, it was a reminder of my bravery, love, and everything we’d gone through together.
Alone, I heaved a sigh and sat down to open the first box. It held the dishes my mother and Fred had purchased for me, along with my favorite mugs and a selection of teas. I brought everything to the kitchen and found plenty of room for my stuff. Next, I placed my favorite trinkets around the living room including framed photos of Halle and me together, our family including Elsie, and a treasured one of me, Halle, and four of our other sisters from the one time we all managed to be in the same place at the same time. We were only missing Rhaele, who hadn’t ever tried to meet us or contact us in any way.
I was so happy to be here, knowing I was making a home with Michael. He was my soulmate, my other half, and I couldn’t even remember what life was like before him. While I always had the love of my family, nothing compared to the understanding and acceptance that Michael brought into my life.
N ow that Michael and I were settling into our life together, one issue loomed big in my mind. It had grown in my heart for the last several months, and I couldn’t hold it in any longer. One day, after dinner, I sat next to Michael on the couch.
“Michael?” I asked tentatively.
He smiled and brushed a tendril of hair behind my ear. “What’s up?”
“There’s something I’ve wanted to talk to you about for a while.”
Michael was quiet for a moment. “Go on.”
I shifted to face him fully and took his hands. “Ever since I started teaching, I’ve felt a real connection to o
ne of my students. He’s such a sweet boy and has been through so much in his short life that a part of me wants to sweep him into a hug every time I see him.”
“The shifter?” he asked.
I nodded in confirmation. “Yes, Henry. He lives in a foster home with other kids, and he told me his foster mom said that no one would want to adopt him because he’s weird. I don’t even think she knows about his powers, just that he’s different.”
“That’s so sad,” Michael said, his face softening.
“It is. He’s such a good kid, and he’s in for such a tough life if he stays in foster care or gets adopted by a family that doesn’t understand him. I’ve told you how hard it’s been for my sister, Leena, even though her mother kept her and loved her exactly the way she is. And…”
Michael smiled at me. “Tell me.”
I exhaled deeply and summoned the courage to tell him what was in my heart. “And every time I look at him, my heart tells me that Henry is mine, that he should be my little boy. I want to adopt him, but now that we’re living together…”
“Cass, I think that’s wonderful,” he murmured. “You have so much love to give, and I’d love to add a member to our little family. I bet he would do well being with people who understand him and can teach him how to live in the Mortal Realm with his powers.”
“Really?”
He squeezed my hands and nodded. “He’d probably enjoy living with loving parents who also have their own powers. I can’t imagine how hard it’s been for him, trying to hide his abilities and figure out his place in the world at such a young age. If you’re sure, let’s put in the paperwork to adopt him.”
I threw my arms around Michael’s neck and kissed him passionately. His heart was so huge. He loved me enough to take on a child and a shifter at that. Our world was crazy with my nighttime activities, and Michael’s menagerie of animals that seemed to grow every time I turned around, and he had no problem adding to our circus.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
Chasing Starlight: Cassandra's Story (The Daughters of Night Chronicles) Page 19
