Page 54 of Midnight Whispers

Flora rises and goes to Asher’s side. He wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her in close, comforting her with a kiss on her forehead before they turn to leave the room. I cross the room and kneel on the floor next to the bed, Lillia doesn’t so much as move when I rest my elbows on the bed. Asher was right, her heart is struggling. She and I discussed blood-sharing, but not at length. My skin crawls at the thought of doing something without her expressed consent, but I know if I don’t, she’ll die. Lillia’s chest slowly rises and falls, I know I don’t have much time to give her my blood.

Blood,my blood,will heal her.

It willsaveher.

I can save her.

“Come back to me, my love. I don’t want to exist in a world without you in it.” I rest my forehead on hers and whisper into the space between us.

Her eyes flutter, but she doesn’t open them fully. I lace my fingers in hers, desperate for the warmth of her skin, but she’s cool to touch. I lift myself up and place a small kiss on thecorner of her mouth. With hesitation, my wrist meets my lips, and I inhale deeply.

I don’twantto do this, but I know there’s not a lot of choice before I lose her forever. My teeth sink deep into the skin of my wrist and when I pull them back out, blood pools at the area. Carefully, I move my wrist to Lillia’s mouth. Her lips, a pale pink cracked with dehydration, become coated with the deep red wine color of my blood. She parts her mouth and the tip of her tongue dances along my skin. The bed sinks when I reposition myself to by her side, slipping my free arm to support her head. Asher and Flora don’t come back into the room with the understanding of the intimacy in this moment.

“Take what you need from me, my love. All I am is yours.” I whisper against her temple, savoring the vision of my blood flowing into her mouth. I pull Lillia into me, the warmth in her skin returning as her body gets what it craves.

25

I feelthe softness of a bed underneath me, a weightlessness I welcome. A hand reaches behind my head and lifts me slightly. The sound of broken sobs echo in my ears, sounding both faint and close at the same time.

My head is throbbing and all I want to do is make it stop.

Why won’t it stop?

“Lil, you need to drink this.” I grumble as something gets pressed between my dry lips. The sensation of liquid is welcomed, but I can’t force myself to drink. My tongue is desperate in its search for hydration. Gently, my head is returned to the pillow.

I want to open my eyes, but they’re so heavy.

So heavy.

I let myself fade back into the darkness.

There’sabright light that burns my eyelids as they flutter open. They’re still too heavy to open completely, but I’m able to peek through the sliver of opening. The people in the room are blurry, but I can make out two of the three people I know based on their hair alone. Flora sits at my side, sobbing into her hands. Finn is standing across the room, a man with icy blonde hair has his arm draped across his shoulders.

The man, I’m assuming it’s Asher, is saying something to him. My ears sound like they're underwater so I can’t make it out, but I hear broken words. Something needs to be done, but Finn doesn’t want to do it. Flora stands and I want to grab her, but my mind can’t make my arm move to touch her. I can’t keep my eyes cracked open anymore. I can hear when Flora and Asher leave the room, leaving Finn and I alone. I can hear the ache in his voice as he speaks to me, but my mind can’t register what he says.

What is he saying?

He gently glides his arm beneath my head, propping me up. Something warm and slick pools against my lips, the scent of it intoxicating. My tongue responds to its invitation and my taste buds burst when the sweet metallic taste fills my mouth. There’s a darkness that fills my mind, my body is weightless floating in a black abyss.

“She should have wokenup by now. It’s been two days.” Flora’s familiar voice is full of panic.

“I understand that, but she sustained a lot of injuries. We don’t even know to what extent really. She will wake up soon, kitten.” A voice said softly, I assumed it was Asher.

My eyelids were heavy as they flutter open. Asher’s arm is wrapped around Flora’s waist, and they are leaving through the threshold. Finn is sitting at the foot of the bed, holding his face in his hands. The normally styled and gelled part of his hair is disheveled.

“Hey, you.” I croak, my throat scratching against the words. His shoulders fall as relief washes over him. He stands and kneels on the ground next to the bed, resting his forehead on mine.

“I’ve never been so scared before in all the lives I’ve lived. I’m sorry.” He chokes back a sob. “You’re in this position because ofme.”

“Am… Am I a vampire?”

“No, my love. That’s never something I’d do without your permission.”

“But…” Disappointment fills my chest for a reason I don’t understand. Did I want to become a vampire?

“Let me get Flora and I’ll also grab you some water.” I smile in thanks. He leaves the room, and it takes seconds before I hear Flora running.

“Lillia.” Flora sobs, her body crumpling up on the bed next to me. My arm is heavy as I lift it to run my hand through her hair.