Karizma: Reborn

Chapter 2: Kristopher

I killed her. I fucking killed her. The thought ravaged Kristopher's mind painfully as his arms tightened around Ryleigh's body. He breathed in relief the second that her arms encircled around him, and she buried her face into his chest. But she is alive now, he reminded himself for the hundredth time. Bailey brought her back. She is okay. She is alive. "I'm so sorry, pet," Kristopher whispered as he hugged her. "I'm so beyond sorry."

"I'm okay," Ryleigh whispered in response as she pulled her face away from his chest to look up at him. "I'm okay, I promise. I needed you to kill me, and you understood."

"But—"

"How is Bailey?"

Kristopher smiled softly at Ryleigh's distraction. Just like their arguments from the past; rather than talking about her death, they needed to change the topic so that it was not all that they thought about. "She is resting in the next house over," Kristopher said gently. He caressed his fingers along her face as he spoke. "Bringing you back took so much out of her. She collapsed the second that you opened your eyes. She's strong. You've trained her well."

"I wasn't planning on coming back," Ryleigh muttered. "She shouldn't have had to do that."

"Baby, you know damn well that we were going to try. We could not just let you die."

"But what if it killed her in the process?" Ryleigh snapped suddenly. "Then there would have been two dead witches and no one to help the vampires or the lycans fight."

"Ryleigh," Kristopher said as he cupped her face. Her gold eyes had dissolved into her bright emerald eyes that were now filled with concern and anger. "The bond that you and Bailey have is unmatched. If the roles had been reversed, you would have died trying to save her as well. It worked," Kristopher added as she opened her mouth to argue. "You are alive and stronger than before, and she will recover. You both just need rest."

"Now there are two of us to fight. Lukas?" She asked suddenly. "Does he know?"

Kristopher shook his head. "I will take her secret to my grave, my love. If he discovered it on his own, he has not said."

"I need to see Bailey, and I need to talk to Lukas," Ryleigh said immediately. She attempted to pull away from Kristopher and stand, but his arms tightened around her.

"Ryleigh, please, just a minute, pet," Kristopher's voice broke as he whispered. His hands slid from her face through her crimson hair. "I lost you..." It was all he could think about, all that he could feel; a part of him died the second that he killed her, and she was ready to go back to business. He understood that there was a war to prepare for, and her concern for her sister, but he wanted just one minute with her first. "I killed you."

"Kristopher," Ryleigh sighed. She placed her hand on his chest and gently pushed. He took one step back and dropped his hands. She stood up and pulled the blanket around her body as she gazed up at him. "I am sorry that you had to endure that pain," she said as she took his hand in hers. "I truly am, but there was no other way. Please, accept that. We need to move on and grow from this."

"You expect me to just get over killing you?" Kristopher said bitterly.

"Wasn't that the plan all along?" Ryleigh asked gently. She squeezed his hand. "Even when we knew who we were to each other, that was the plan. You promised me that you would kill me before anyone else could, and you did that. I am fine. I am alive. I would like to go see Bailey and begin acclimating to my newfound companion."

"Your wolf," Kristopher nodded. He had smelled the wolf the second that he came in the room. Similar to Lukas' scent, Ryleigh now smelled of dirt and grass, with a hint of lavender. The remaining smell of her magic, he thought with a smile as he remembered the first time that he smelled it. The lavender smell was almost masked by the smell of the woods that radiated from her, but it was still there just beneath the surface. His hands cupped her face again as his thumbs stroked her cheeks. "She is going to be magnificent," he whispered. "I can feel it." He lowered his head and placed his lips on hers.