Chapter 14
Fourteen
Riley
“What is that even supposed to be?” I lift my face over Gareth’s shoulder as he adds more gray paint to his pumpkin.
“You’ll see once I’m done.”
“Then I’ll know for sure if it’ll be an outdoor or indoor decoration.”
He laughs, reaching for the black paint. “I think you’ll love it. So much that you’ll ask me to paint one for every room.”
“Don’t be so sure.”
“Oh, but I am. Very, very sure.” He kisses my cheek, his lips dry and cracking.
“Someone needs some ChapStick.”
“That and something else.” He grips the stem and sighs, scratching at his elbow. That’s when I notice he’s peeling there.
“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”
“I don’t know.” His shoulders lift. “A while.”
“We’ll need to figure something out. You’re starting to look more—”
“Dead,” he finishes.
“Yeah.” I take in his sunken eyes, frowning. “The party is in two days, and I don’t want to go with you not feeling well.”
“I feel fine. You don’t need to worry.”
“Will taking more from me tonight help?”
“You really want it to, don’t you?” His eyes darken. “As much as I want that too, I need to be logical. I’m too hungry to not accidentally lose control. I told you I’d try for you, and I meant it.”
“I know.” My throat thickens as he peels at the thin layer hanging from his arm. “I can’t lose you again. I wouldn’t be able to take it.”
“You won’t. It’s a slow-going process. It’d more than likely take a year before I fully turned to ash.”
“That’s not funny. You’re . . . you said it could happen but I was hoping you were wrong.”
“A person doesn’t experience a feeling that strong for no reason.”
“No. Now that I understand . . .” I move my fingers to a softer area of his arm. “What if they’re already dead? That would still work, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes, but don’t know how long it’ll be before someone posts about a grave robber on the loose.”
I bite my lip so hard I bleed and his teeth clamp tight together. “There has to be a better way. I have to find one.”
“Baby . . .” He wraps his hand around mine. “How about we don’t think about it right now. Let’s enjoy the rest of the Halloween week and then we can come back to it.”
My teeth clamp on the inside of my cheeks and I draw more blood.
“Stop doing that.” His fingers squeeze mine so tight I wince in pain from the almost cracking of my bones. “You have to stop doing that.”
“I’m sorry. It’s a nervous habit.”
“One that drove me crazy before and now it’s driving me straight to pure madness.”
“We all have those things we wish the other wouldn’t do.”
“It’s not just that and you know it.” A muscle ticks in his cheek. “Let’s finish painting these pumpkins. I really want you to see the end result with the candle inside and everything.”
“Okay.” My chest doesn’t feel any lighter with his sweet kisses or reassuring smile. I want it to, but then I look at his neck, and I can’t stop the tugging at my heart when certain areas are already looking on the gangrene side.
“Drum roll,” Gareth says an hour after blocking his work with his body. He turns around holding up his hands. “I don’t think you’re ready for this masterpiece.”
Giving him a slow, easy smile, I lean back on the opposite counter. “Let’s see it already. I can’t take the suspense anymore.”
His face brightens and he taps the counter with his hands behind him, slowly stepping to the side. I inch closer and laugh so loud, I snort too hard, causing my nose to burn.
“What do you think?”
“I think it’s an exact replica of you and would win the number one prize at a festival.”
He sends me a sly smile. “I told you it was a masterpiece.”
“I should have guessed you were going to want a zombie outside on our porch to even out the house.”
“And that was exactly what I was going for too. One inside and one outside.”
“I don’t think I’ll be creating any more Rileys. I might get too jealous if you start paying more attention to the new one.”
“If he’s made of pumpkin then you won’t have anything to worry about.” He wrinkles his nose. “I hate the taste of pumpkin.”
“What were we saying before about some things never changing?”
“Yeah, and that’s a non-negotiable one.”
I chuckle against his lips, my tongue slipping between his teeth, and he holds me at a distance. “I can taste the dried blood on you. On your mouth.”
My face falls and I back away. “I can brush my teeth . . . or better. I can eat lots of pumpkin.”
His lips jump. “Yeah. We can see if that’ll work later. I still need to see your pumpkin.”
“It’s not a blue-ribbon winner like yours, but I think it’ll look pretty good sitting next to it.” I crane my neck, turning the pumpkin around to make the front visible to him.
His eyes glimmer. “It’s very, very cute.”
“You think?” I look down at a printed image of us dancing to our favorite song. I painted a starry sky around us and his eyes glow so much, it’s like it lights up with them.
“I love it. How about we recreate it.” He nudges his head toward the back door.
“On the back porch?”
“Yup. I’ll bring the record player to the kitchen and give you a head start while I turn it on.”
I peer out the window and the sky is navy with yellow glowing shapes appearing like sprinkles. “Deal.”
I open the door and step out into the cool air.
The beginning of our favorite song plays and I smile, spinning around two times.
The next time I peel my lids apart, he’s standing right in front of me, offering me his hand.
I take it and he leads, taking us around the deck with our feet moving like we’re floating on clouds.
I twirl and twirl before he dips me, his lips curling over mine.
They’re so close to pressing fully together, and then he lifts me up, making me sway with him as he guides my head to his chest.
The stars are so bright around us and the sky is lighting up to mimic what I feel inside.
“I love you,” I whisper in his ear, remembering the last time I said it.
When the sky and I were both breaking so much we were sharing a cry that lasted all night.
Not this time. My lips tilt high and I laugh when he spins me faster.
I’m dizzy within minutes and he’s keeping me from falling.
I helped him rise from his grave and now we’re staying above ground together.