The Rarest One

Distant Voices Part 30

(Crystal)

I heard distant voices, a loud ringing in my ears, and a warm hand was clasped with mine.  The ringing intensified and I groaned pulling my hand from their grasp to rub my temples.  

"Crystal?" a deep voice rumbled next to my head.

I groaned again as I remembered what happened.  Gates showed up, he said I was unstable that I would lose control.  Ethan.  He wanted Ethan.  I jerked up, and immediately grabbed for my left leg.  Hands caught mine before I could reach it.

"Crystal, you can't touch it," I looked over to see Scott sitting next to me.  He propped my head up with extra pillows and helped me lay back.  

"What happened?  Where is everyone?" I rasped as he handed me a bottle of water.  I gulped it down.

"I told everyone to leave and take Ethan to the healer and hide him away, with Rowan after him now," Scott leaned back in his chair.

"What happened after I was stabbed?" I questioned, fingering the leg wrap.

"It was a silver dagger.  It cut your artery badly, so Adrian and I fixed you up, stabilized you, and moved here," he motioned to the IV in my arm, which had a silver needle in it.

"It's silver, Scott!" I shouted, my hand moving for it.  

He laughed, and snatched my hand.

"Don't laugh at me!  This will kill me!" I yelled at him, angry.  

"Relax, Crystal.  Do you really think we would sew your artery together, stitch the exit and entrance skin wounds to only  stick a silver needle into your arm?" he laughed as it slowly dawned on me.  "It looks like silver, but it's just steel.  Trust me, I touched it before just to make sure."

"You scared the living daylights out of me," I smacked his shoulder, as he continued to laugh.  

"How long will it take you to heal?" he asked.

"Since it was silver, probably longer than usual, maybe tonight I will be able to move," I sighed, looking at the ceiling.

"I'm going to help you kill him," Scott abruptly said.

"What?!" I exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.  

"I'm going to help you take out Gates," he slowly raised his eyes to meet mine.  

"Okay, but what about the bounty on my head?  You could die because of me," I looked away.  

His fingers gently turned my head back to his, "I'm not going anywhere, and you can't get rid of me."

I studied him carefully, leaned forward, and looked deep into his eyes. "You're telling the truth."

"You sound surprised," he laughed, but stopped when he realized how close his mouth was to mine.  I froze, and his eyes landed on my lips.  He ran his fingers down my face and caressed my cheek.  I was breathing hard and my heart felt like it was going to explode.  I wanted him to kiss me so bad, but my head said not to let him get to close.  Seeing as how I will eventually go insane.  He cupped my neck and pulled my head toward his.  Our lips met and it was like fireworks exploded.  He deepened the kiss and I fell into him, every nerve on fire.  My head silently shouted at me and I pushed him away, "I'm sorry, but I can't do this."

"Gosh dang it all, Crystal!" he growled, shooting to his feet and running his hands through his black hair.  "Why are you still pushing me away!?  I'm not going anywhere!  Why can't you see that?!  Just let me in!"

I swung my legs over the edge, unsteadily standing to my wobbly, weak legs, and holding onto the bed frame for balance.  "I can't let you in Scott!  How can you not see it?! I'm dangerous and will eventually, most-likely, go insane, and I will not let you in just to end up hurting you in ten years or less!  I can't."