Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 159050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 795(@200wpm)___ 636(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 159050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 795(@200wpm)___ 636(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
Elliot blinked, but frowning made him only ache more. He reached out toward him without thinking. “Knight?” His voice came out weirdly raspy, only making him realize how dry his throat was.
A mass of hair emerged from behind black leather when Knight raised his head, and the jacket that protected him from light folded into his lap. He blinked and blew air to get rid of the messy strands in his eyes before pulling the mane back with a careless gesture. His eyes came into focus the moment they settled on Elliot. Knight got up, leaving the jacket in the chair, and climbed onto the hospital bed, forcing Elliot to make room for him.
“Babe, I’m so sorry this happened. How are you feeling now?”
Elliot’s muscles were still achy and stiff when he shifted, but Knight’s presence never failed to make his heart flutter. “Like shit,” he muttered when it slowly dawned on him that he had in fact lost an eye, and that would never change.
Knight squeezed his eyes hard, only to open them wide and rub his thumb over Elliot’s cheek. His fingertips gently brushed against the heavy dressing that made Elliot’s face feel sweaty, but he remained otherwise still, just resting on his side by Elliot. “You want some drugs?”
Elliot winced, frowned, and then moaned at the pain of any movement to his face. “You have drugs?”
Knight groaned. “Not on me. But they had to treat you, and I guess we could get something nice from the nurse.”
“Ahh…” Elliot lay back with a sigh, running his fingers over Knight’s chest, so unbearably glad that he wasn’t alone. “I thought you had, you know, drugs-drugs.”
“Nah, I don’t use that shit anymore. Why?”
“It hurts. I want to forget it ever happened.” Elliot shifted closer and found peace in Knight’s scent. Nowhere felt as safe as in Knight’s arms.
The firm chest sagged next to Elliot, but the strong, warm arms that smelled of leather and masculine cologne closed around him, offering more protection than Elliot had ever received from anyone.
“I’m so fuckin sorry. I just didn’t think... he’d attack his host. You know, physically. And I didn’t notice the cane was still there.”
“He doesn’t feel my pain. And he won’t be the one living without an eye. I guess I’ll have to change the side of my bangs.” Elliot tried to smile, but it only made his face ache, so he gave up.
Knight kept silent for a moment so long Elliot’s throat got completely blocked by a choking sensation by the time Knight spoke. “You’d look mysterious in an eyepatch. Or, you know, we could get you a prosthetic eye.”
Elliot closed his eye, enjoying Knight’s warmth, more soothing than any painkillers could be. “I could get a blue one. Be a chimera.”
Knight’s laugh was a pleasant hum that vibrated down Elliot’s neck. “If that’s what you want.”
“What I want is for him to leave me alone. He’s like a tumor growing inside of me. What if he blinds me, Knight? I know he hasn’t appeared away from the club property yet, but I can feel him growing stronger every day. The exorcism didn’t work, and I understand you all tried your best. Maybe I just deserve him for the way I’ve idolized him all those years.”
Knight pushed himself up and frowned at Elliot. “The hell? I did loads of stupid shit when I was younger, but that doesn’t mean I deserve permanent consequences. So you were being dumb. Everyone is sometimes. He’s a fucking predator, and I’m not gonna let him have you!”
Elliot looked up at the man who’d somehow weaved himself into the fabric of his life. How did he even get here? How did Elliot end up possessed by a ghost, without an eye, and finding out that time travel was a thing? Maybe heartache and injury were a small price to pay for all that he was getting through Knight?
“Thank you,” was all he had in him now, so utterly grateful that he wasn’t on his own in this. That the darkness that threatened to swallow Elliot whole would disperse any time Knight walked into the room.
Knight swallowed, watching Elliot with such intensity it felt like his eyes alone were making Elliot’s skin hotter. “And... he can’t hear us when you’re off club grounds? He can’t force you to do anything? Is that how it works?”
“At the moment? No. He’s not here at all.” Elliot leaned in to enjoy a kiss from Knight, away from Fane’s nasty comments and his gaze. The privacy of this moment was such bliss that even the pain dulled down. “He can’t hear my thoughts, or know what’s being said here.”
Knight’s breath was warm against Elliot’s lips, and when their mouths pressed together, in the softest, most tender of caresses, the jolt of pleasure going through Elliot chased away the pain.