The Haunted - Jessica Verday [121]
A kiss…
My eyes flew open, and I gasped. Caspian was beside me in an instant, kneeling on the grass. “Are you okay? Talk to me, Abbey.”
With one hand on his name carved in stone, I steadied myself and brought up the other to his face. The feeling was stronger here, and I held my trembling fingers in place.
“It doesn’t hurt, Caspian. I thought it would. Thought it might be too much to bear. But it’s not.” A sense of awe came over me, and I looked at him in amazement. “If I’m strong enough to handle this, then I’m strong enough to handle whatever else comes my way.” Silent words that I did not say floated on the tip of my tongue. Revenants… death…
Caspian turned his head slightly to move closer to my hand, and a thousand tiny charges erupted under my skin. “Do you feel it?” I whispered.
He nodded. “It must be stronger because I’m here.”
I shook my head. “It’s stronger because you’re here.” I pulled my other hand away from the stone and placed it over my heart. Keeping my gaze steady, I smiled at him. “I finally feel it now. The missing piece.”
He gave me a confused look, so I tried to explain. “When Kristen died, it felt like my heart shattered into a million pieces. And no matter what I did, or how I tried to make it better, I couldn’t. Then I met you. And it started to heal. The cracks went away, bit by bit.
“I didn’t realize that all the pieces were there except for one. But now, being here, with you, It finally fits. We fit, Caspian. I feel whole. Here, in this place. And I’ll do whatever it takes to hold on to that.”
I brought my hand down from his face and folded both hands together on top of the gravestone. Almost like I was praying.
“Even if that means I only get to touch you one day a year. I’ll take it.” I turned my face up and felt the sun’s warmth. “I want you, Caspian. I want your body, your heart, and your soul.
And any part in between.”
I took another deep breath. This was the scary part. “That only leaves one question to be answered.” I wanted to look away. I wanted so badly not to see hesitation, or reluctance, cross his face. But I had to know. “Do you want me?”
“Forever,” he said. And in the quiet stillness, the hushed authority of a solemn vow ran behind his words. “I want you forever.”
The Haunted
Chapter Twenty-five
UNFORTUNATE
What passed at this interview I will not pretend to say, for in fact I do not know.
—“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
We stayed in the cemetery for the rest of the afternoon. When it was time to go back to Shepherd University, I met Ben there on time and we drove to the hotel. Ben talked about the junkyard the entire time.
I nodded my head and listened with one ear, but I wasn’t really paying attention. My thoughts were on Caspian. I didn’t know what would happen when we got back to the hotel.
What could happen.
Ben suggested that we get Chinese for dinner, and I caught enough of the conversation to agree. “Yeah, sounds good.”
He pulled into the bait shop–Chinese restaurant, but we were both too grossed out to eat there, so I suggested that we find another one.
The closest place ended up being almost an hour away, but it was worth it, and we returned to the hotel with several boxes of leftovers. Ben carried them in and walked me to my door. I just wanted him to say good night already so I could spend the rest of the evening alone with Caspian.
He started fidgeting with the boxes as soon as I pulled out my room key. “Are you sure you don’t want to take any of these?” He held them out to me. “You might get the midnight munchies.”
“They’re all yours.”
He looked down at the floor. “Do you want to come watch a movie or something in my room, then? I feel bad. I didn’t get to ask you anything about the school.” I slid my key into the card reader and pushed open the door. “That’s what we have a six-hour car ride home tomorrow for. We’ll talk—” The phone in my room started ringing and I glanced over at it. “That’s probably my dad. I should get it.” Ben nodded and opened his door too. “See you tomorrow. Night, Abbey.