by Deanna Chase
“I will.” She kissed her mom on the cheek and went to find her fiancé. It was time to go home.
She found him in the kitchen with her dad. They were talking quietly, but as soon as she entered the room, they clammed up. There was no doubt in her mind that her father was educating Rhys on what to expect going forward. He’d probably been testing him, but judging by the determined look on Rhys’s face, he was not fazed.
“I’m ready to go home,” she said to Rhys.
He quickly rose from the table. “Okay. I’ll follow you. Yours or mine?”
“Yours,” she said, loving that there was no question that they’d be spending the night together.
Walter got up and hugged his daughter. “Your life is not your sister’s, Hanna girl. We don’t know for sure what comes next, and your path hasn’t been walked yet. Remember that before you go making any big decisions. Hear me?”
She did. “Loud and clear, Dad.”
“Good girl.” He kissed the top of her head. “See you in the morning.”
She hugged him again just for good measure. And then instead of getting into her own car, she climbed into Rhys’s and let him take her home.
Rhys felt like he hadn’t taken a deep breath since he got the call from Hanna’s mother that he needed to get to the Pelsh residence as soon as possible. The tractor shenanigans had helped a tiny bit, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was drowning. That he was barely treading water and the life he’d finally carved out for himself would be gone in the blink of an eye.
He’d never really thought that Hanna would get sick. He’d always assumed it would be him. And now that the tables were turned, he wanted to knock the crap out of himself for pushing her away for so long.
What a jackass he’d been. There was no way he’d give a moment’s thought to leaving her side. Whatever time they were given, he’d cherish it, and her, until the very end.
“Come here,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. They’d just walked into his house on the hill, and he couldn’t wait one more minute to hold her.
Hanna didn’t hesitate. She dropped her purse in a chair and flew into his arms. She was out of tears, but he wasn’t. His eyes were damp as he ran his fingers down the back of her neck and whispered, “I love you, Hanna. You know that, right?”
“Yes.” Her answer was simple, but the emotion in the one word wasn’t. The rough sound gutted him, and he hugged her tighter.
“I’ll be by your side every step of the way? You know that, too, right?”
“I do now,” she said and gave him a tentative smile.
He raised one eyebrow. “You weren’t sure?”
“Well…” She stepped out of his embrace and wrapped her arms around herself. He wanted to pull her back and keep holding her, keep her safe, but he instinctively knew she had something she had to say. And she needed to do it without him invading her space. “I admit that I finally understand why you kept pushing me away before.”
“I was wrong,” he said flatly.
“I know.” She reached for his hand and held it in both of hers. “My mom and I had a good talk tonight. She apologized for her behavior again, by the way.”
Rhys shook his head. “She doesn’t need to keep doing that. I get where she was coming from.”
“I don’t,” Hanna said mildly. “I mean, I understand why she said what she said, but I don’t get it at all. Not in here where it counts.” She pointed to her heart. “This whole time, all I’ve ever wanted to do was love you. Do you think I’d trade away my sister in order to not suffer the pain of losing her?”
“No, of course not.” The question was ludicrous, and he didn’t even have to think about it.
“How about you? Would you have wanted a different dad?”
“Gods, Hanna.” He closed his eyes. “Of course not. Why are we having this conversation? I thought we were past this?”
“We are. Mostly.” She pushed up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the corner of his mouth. “It’s just that tonight, after I heard the diagnosis, I started to doubt if you should stay with me, and I needed to hear how ridiculous that sounds when we apply it to those we love. I want to be like Charlotte and keep living my life to the fullest. And that includes marrying you.”
“You’re damned right it does,” he said, nodding.
“Good. We’re on the same page.”
The tightness in Rhys’s chest eased, and suddenly he could breathe again. He hadn’t known it, but it was obvious now that he’d been afraid she’d step back from the life they were getting ready to build together. Hearing her say she still wanted to marry him had been exactly what he needed. “We definitely are,” he agreed.
“There’s something else I don’t want to put off any longer,” she said, her cheeks turning pink as she reached for his hand and glanced toward the stairs.
He raised both eyebrows and flashed her a smile. “And what might that be, gorgeous?”
Hanna lifted her gaze to his, lifted one eyebrow of her own, and said, “I think it’s time you made love to me, Rhys. You know, make sure we’re compatible in the bedroom before we get too far into this.”
Rhys let out a bark of laughter. “Before we get too far?” He reached for her, lifting her effortlessly into his arms. “Honey, we’re in so deep a back hoe couldn’t dig us out of this. But, sure. Let’s go find out just how compatible we really are.”
She giggled as he bounded up the stairs two at a time then strode into his room and tossed her onto the bed. He climbed over her, covering her body with his, and once his lips found hers, all of the laughter stopped. Rhys’s heart thundered against his ribcage, and his love was so big, so fierce, that he thought he’d burst from it.
Hanna reached up a trembling hand and pressed it against his chest. “I can feel you everywhere already, Rhys.”
Her sweet words filled all of his empty spaces. “Good. Because you’ve already invaded every part of me. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered. And then all talking ceased as they came together as one.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Good morning, Hanna, Rhys,” Healer Snow said as she strode into her office. “Thank you for clearing your schedules and coming in so quickly.”
“Sure,” Hanna said, clutching Rhys’s hand so tightly she was afraid she might be cutting off his circulation.
“I have some exciting news—” Snow started.
“I don’t actually have Charlotte’s disease?” Hanna asked, cutting her off.
Healer Snow grimaced. “I’m sorry, Hanna. That’s not what I was going to say.”
Hanna let out a nervous chuckle. “It was worth a shot.”
The healer sent her a sympathetic smile. “As I was saying, we’ve had a significant breakthrough in treatment for autoimmune diseases. It’s lucky that you’ve been supplying us with your blood for so long in our trials because it means we’ve actually been working on a cure using your blood cells. And the antibodies we have now come directly from your DNA. It’s a huge plus for you.”
“What does that mean?” Hanna asked. “Do I have some sort of higher chance for a cure because you used my DNA or something?”
“That’s exactly what I mean. You’re an exact match. If we can duplicate what we’ve tried in the lab, then this can be an actual cure. It will be the first time we’ve managed to reverse this disease instead of just stall it.”
Hanna blinked at her, not daring to hope she’d heard her correctly.
“Cure?” Rhys said. “Is that realistic or just a hope?”
“It’s realistic all right. In fact, I’m so sure it’s going to work that I’ve already started working on guidelines for those at risk for this disease.” Healer Snow’s eyes were bright with excitement. “I think we’re going to make history here, Hanna. And it’s all because you cared enough to keep coming back here for ten years, doing whatever you could to help us learn more about this disease.”
“I... um, is this what the next tria
ls were going to be about?” Hanna asked, confused that she was just hearing about a possible cure now.
“Yes, sort of. We were going to try to duplicate what we’ve been working on already. Remember, before you didn’t have the active markers for the disease, so we couldn’t test our theory. But then last night after you left, we got to work in the lab and, hallelujah! Success.”
Rhys’s fingers tightened around Hanna’s. “Obviously there aren’t any guarantees.” They all knew that. “But what are the chances this works?”
“That’s a good question. We obviously can’t know on an untested treatment, but if I were a betting woman, I’d be laying it all on the line.” She grinned at them. “And all we do is administer the IV that includes the antibodies while a healer specializing in Healing Hands makes the magic happen.”
“That’s it? What are the risks?” Hanna asked.
The healer shrugged. “Not many. Just the usual stuff like a reaction to the antibodies, which is unlikely since you were the original source. And then the risks associated with the healer’s magic, which is more art than science.”
Hanna glanced at Rhys, feeling both elated and skeptical. “This sounds too good to be true.”
“Maybe. But when it comes to magical healing, isn’t that always the case?” he reasoned.
“Charlotte tried more than a few of these miracle cures,” Hanna said, desperate to not get her hopes up. “I just don’t want to go into this with unreasonable expectations. I know what it feels like to think ‘this is it’ when it couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Rhys eyed her. “Are you saying no to the treatment?”
She shook her head. “No, that’s not at all what I’m saying. I think I’m just trying to process this. Yesterday I was envisioning days of being bedridden, and now I’m being told I could walk out of here with a cure. It’s… a lot.”
Healer Snow cleared her throat. “Okay, let me clarify a few things. The treatment won’t be a one-shot deal. We’ll need at least three appointments and maybe up to five, but we’ll know after today’s treatment if it’s even working. When we talk about cures, that means remission and regular screenings. Then if we manage to keep it at bay for a few years, that’s when we can say you’re cured. Think of this as taking one step at a time. Today might be one small step, or it could be a giant leap. We won’t know until we try.”
Hanna took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
“Wonderful.” She reached across the desk and shook both of their hands.
“Healer Snow?” Hanna asked.
“Yes?”
“Do you think someone could explain all of this to my parents? They’re out in the waiting room. I’d do it, but I’m not sure I completely understand, and after all they went through with Charlotte…”
“Say no more. I’ll have my intern fill them in while we’re prepping for the procedure. Follow me.”
Rhys and Hanna both stood, but before she could follow the healer, Rhys pulled her into his arms and said, “Good luck.”
She pressed her lips to his and whispered, “I hope it doesn’t wear me out too much. I had plans for us later.”
He chuckled as his eyes glittered with desire. “So did I.”
“Hanna? Are you ready?” Healer Snow called from the door.
“Yep.” After giving Rhys one last kiss, she spun on her heel and followed Snow into the hallway.
“Are you comfortable?” Snow asked Hanna.
She was lying on what could only be called a surgical table. The motorized table had thick plastic pads and was positioned in the middle of the room with three large spotlights overhead.
“Comfortable enough,” Hanna said.
“Good. We’re going to hook up the IV, and then the other healer is going to come in.”
“Okay.” Hanna closed her eyes, exhausted from the day before. It had been an emotional one, followed by a long night of making love to Rhys. Their time together had been slow and sweet and so full of love she thought she’d burst from the enormity of their connection. It had been wonderful.
And then they’d woken deep in the night, hungry for each other, and that time had been raw with need and full of desperation to be one with each other, to own each other’s souls. It too had been something wonderful that they’d both needed. She’d woken in his arms and honestly couldn’t remember a time when she’d been so happy and yet so scared of what the day would bring. And maybe that was why she was having such a hard time believing this could work. Life was never that tidy. She just wasn’t sure she could trust it. But she was damn sure willing to try.
“Hanna?” a woman asked. “Is that you?”
Hanna’s eyes fluttered open, and she spotted a familiar face. “Luna? What are you doing here?”
The pretty blonde smiled down at her. “I’m the Healing Hands tech. Basically I’m going to try to promote healing within your immune system.”
“I didn’t know you worked here, too.” Hanna was blown away by the fact the new massage therapist was here to basically save her life. Although, hadn’t she helped Faith heal her sprained ankle? Suddenly Hanna felt a lot more optimistic about the procedure.
“Only part-time. What I do is pretty specialized, and it can take a lot out of me. It’s why I’m also working at A Touch of Magic. I need the hours.”
Hanna reached out and touched the other woman’s hand. “Thank you for being here. I don’t know why, but your presence is making me feel a lot better about this.”
Luna smiled down at her. “Thank you. That means a lot. I’m happy to do whatever I can.”
“Hanna? Are you ready?” Healer Snow asked as she walked into the room and scanned the IV machine and heart monitor.
“I guess so. What do I do? Just lay here?”
“That’s pretty much it,” Luna said. “It’s really not much different than a massage. You let me know if you feel anything strange or are uneasy with anything I do. Otherwise, just lie back and relax.”
“Relax.” Hanna let out a nervous chuckle. “Sure.”
“Don’t worry, Hanna. I’ve got this,” Luna whispered.
Hanna took a deep breath and let it out, but she was tense and there was no hope of relaxing.
“I’m starting the IV now, Hanna,” Snow said. “As soon as the drip starts, Luna is going to work her magic. Any questions?”
Hanna shook her head as a chill rippled through her. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around her body, trying to maintain a small bit of warmth.
“Don’t worry, Hanna. It’s just the IV drip. My magic will warm you,” Luna said.
“If you say so,” she said, her teeth chattering. Hanna’s head started to spin, and her stomach rolled. “Oh, god,” she moaned and turned on her side, afraid she was going to vomit.
“Turn the lights down,” Luna commanded.
The harsh lighting dimmed, but still the IV burned through her veins, and sweat popped out on Hanna’s forehead and the back of her neck.
“Make… it… stop,” she said on a moan. Her head was pounding, and Hanna suspected she was a moment from a migraine.
“I’ve got you,” Luna said, pressing her hand to Hanna’s forehead. Her palm was cool, but the tingle of warm magic glittered over Hanna’s scalp, calming the headache.
“Thank you,” Hanna whimpered, still clutching her stomach. She started to rock, feeling as if she was going to come right out of her skin.
“Slow the IV drip,” Luna ordered. “It’s too much, too fast.”
Hanna couldn’t tell if they obeyed her order or not. All she knew was that she was freezing and bile was rising in the back of her throat.
Luna’s hand moved to her neck, the tingling magic a balm against the ice-cold sensation streaming through her body. “Hang in there with me, Hanna. We’re going to get through this.”
Hanna listened to Luna’s soothing voice and concentrated on her hand working its way down to her shoulder and her bare arm. Warmth started to thaw the bone-deep cold
that had gripped her from the inside out. Her breathing became less ragged, and when Luna gently turned Hanna onto her back, Hanna went without resistance.
“There we go. It’s working now, right?”
Hanna opened her eyes for the first time since the IV had started and stared Luna straight in the eye. “Keep talking.”
Luna nodded, pursed her lips, and then said, “I had a puppy once. Her name was Star. She was tiny. You know, the type that fits into a purse? She was a cross between a shih tzu and a poodle. My foster mom called her a shihzypoo and put her in sparkling collars. That’s how she got the name Star. Anyway, Star and I were inseparable. She slept in my bed, followed me around the house, and I, in turn, lavished her with so much love she had no idea she was a dog.”
“I had a dog once,” Hanna said. “Her name was Willy.”
“Her name was Willy?” Luna said with a laugh.
“Wilhelmina. Like the modeling agency.”
“Ah, makes sense. Did you want to be a model?” Luna asked her.
“I am a model sometimes,” Hanna said. “Just not for an agency. I didn’t want to leave Keating Hollow.”
“I can see why,” Luna said and whispered, “Turn onto your stomach for me.”
Hanna did as she was told, barely noticing that she was no longer cold.
Luna pressed her hands to Hanna’s shoulders, and this time instead of soft tingling magic, heat poured into her muscles, making them feel like they’d been turned to liquid. The sensation repeated over and over as Luna worked her way down Hanna’s back. It was intense and wonderful and terrifying all at the same time. Hanna’s mind was complete mush. She didn’t know if she hated what was happening or if she loved it. But one thing was for sure, Luna was pumping her body full of her intense magic. It had to do something, right?
“Tell me more about Star,” Hanna said, her muscles so relaxed at that point she might have slurred her words.
“Star. What a wonderful little pup she was. I took her everywhere in a little mesh case. She was the first being who ever loved me.”
Hanna turned her head and blinked at her. “The first?”