The Sharpest Kiss by Elizabeth Myles (the false prince .txt) 📕

The wait seemed interminable, and Dara, curled up against the head of the couch with her husband’s limp hand clutched in hers, looked like she was about to black out. Or maybe keel over and die herself. Jessica felt guilt pecking at her when she saw her like that, thinking she ought to do something for her, but not having any idea what it might be. She was grateful when Lucy went and sat beside Dara to hold her other hand.

Finally, Kiefer’s eyes snapped open and he said, “Alright, I think I got a read on that spell. It’s bad, but not too gnarly. I think I can do a reversal and try to draw it out.” He laced his fingers together and stretched his hands. Touching Jason’s forehead, the sorcerer got to work intoning the reversal spell. Another couple of minutes passed, and Jessica felt her heart might explode from the tension. She didn’t start to feel any better until she realized Kiefer’s sorcery was really working. She felt her mouth slip open as she actually saw the bad magic leaving Jason’s body. Dark, ephemeral tendrils curled out of his eyes, nostrils, and parted lips. The ribbons of smoke drifted toward the ceiling before disappearing into the ether.

Kiefer dropped back on his haunches and let out an exhausted breath. He dragged his forearm across his face. “Alright, try it again,” he told Nathan, and the vampire once again opened a vein, mixing his blood with Jason’s. It took longer than it had with either Kiefer or Frankie, but the wound finally sealed. There was a huge rip in Jason’s shirt, but not even a scar left behind on his pale, taut skin.

“Oh!!” Dara clung to Nathan’s arm, blubbering her tearful thanks at both him and Kiefer.

In front of her, Jason’s eyes opened more fully. He coughed again and stared down at himself, an astounded laugh breaking from his throat. “Oh, hey, thanks, man,” he said to Nathan. And then, his mouth twisting with chagrin, “Sheesh, that sounds so inadequate when someone just snatched you back from the brink of death, doesn’t it?”

“It is fine.” Nathan gave a dismissive wave.

“But—”

“Please, do not speak. You should reserve your strength.” Nathan patted his shoulder as he backed away. Dara tossed her arms around her husband and cried like a baby, sniffling and hiccuping into his chest while he clasped her tightly and tried his best to soothe her.

“That was amazing,” Jessica breathed as Nathan stepped toward her. His lips tugged into the briefest of smiles, but then quickly slipped back into a haunted grimace. “Are you alright?” she asked.

“Fine.”

But she saw his hands were shaking. Dread lurked in his sapphire eyes. That was when she realized just how close a call it had really been. They could’ve lost Jason just now. Swallowing, she moved in to hug Nathan and was surprised when he actually let her. She stroked his back, and he laid his cheek against the top of her head. Geez, he feels so heavy, she thought. Jessica knew it wasn’t only because he was so tall and muscular. She imagined she could feel the decades of pain and loneliness weighing him down, too, and it clawed at her heart. She decided she would gladly hold him like this forever, though, if it meant lifting even a fraction of his burden. If she could somehow make him happy again.

An unfamiliar voice intruded on her ruminations, saying, “So...you’re the ones, then.”

Jessica turned to see Frankie, the security guard, standing behind her. He was agog as he stared past her at Nathan and, just behind him, Kiefer. “You guys did that to me too, didn’t you?” he asked, gesturing at Jason. “Used magic and bled on me.”

Kiefer’s mouth drew up. “Much as I’d like to take credit, I didn’t have anything to do with it that time.” He hooked his thumb toward Nathan. “That was all this guy.”

“You were badly injured, Frankie,” Nathan said, almost apologetically. “Possibly dying.”

Frankie shook his head. “I’m not complaining, sir. I want to thank you. But like that other guy said, it really doesn’t seem like enough to just say so.”

Nathan held up a hand. “Please. I am only glad you are recovered.”

Frankie grinned uncertainly. “Yeah, you and me both. I just got married, you know. Wife’s pregnant. So my family thanks you, too, even though they’ll probably never know about it.”

Jessica saw a light flicker in Nathan’s eyes at that. She guessed he was pleased to know he had saved someone else tonight, that he had done quite a bit of good here. This was what imbued his long and lonely life with any sense of purpose, she realized. Knowing he could help people.

“This is the most incredible thing that’s ever happened to me,” Frankie went on, a beatific smile lighting his face. “It’s a miracle!”

“Yeah, that’s probably true,” Kiefer said, stepping toward him. “Too bad you won’t remember it tomorrow.”

Frankie reluctantly tore his gaze from Nathan to look at the sorcerer. “What do you mean?”

Kiefer gave him a hard look. “I can’t just let you walk around remembering everything you’ve seen here tonight. I’ll have to erase your memory. C’mere.”

Frankie danced away quickly, almost stumbling as he backed into an overturned chair. “No, I don’t want to forget anything.”

“Seriously?” Kiefer laughed. “You don’t want to forget that vampires are real and that if they get the chance, they’ll rip out your throat and spit down your neck?”

Frankie frowned in uncertainty, his gaze flicking back to Nathan. “Is that what you are? A vampire?”

Nathan didn’t answer, only dropped his gaze.

“He didn’t try to rip out my throat,” Frankie pointed at Nathan. “He saved my life.”

Kiefer moved toward him again.

“No,” Frankie held up his hands. “Wait, please, hear me out. I’m guessing you don’t want the cops around, right? That would only complicate things?”

Kiefer sighed. “Yeah, but it’s likely too late for that. It’s been a while since you came here. The company you