by Janie Marie
“Give it a few seconds,” he said, brushing his nose against hers.
Jane reached for him, and he helped guide her hand to his face. He kissed her palm, still silently urging her to see him, and she sobbed when she finally saw the outline of his face. “David.”
He smiled, nuzzling her hand. “There are those pretty eyes.”
His face became clearer, and she was so happy to see him unharmed that she forgot about her injuries. “We’re okay?”
“Yes, Jane. Feed now.” He kissed her nose and carefully guided her face to his neck.
As soon as her lips touched his skin, she bit down. She sucked his blood, completely overcome with the need to sate her hunger.
After a minute or so, David exhaled, squeezing her butt before sliding his hand down her thigh. When he jerked his hand away, she registered the throbbing sensation in her leg. Jane released him, looking down where he placed his hand again. She gasped, covering her mouth. It was one of the most gruesome things she’d ever seen. The muscle of her leg looked like it had gone through a meat grinder.
“Oh my God!” She sobbed, lowering her hand to touch it.
“It’s healing,” he said, covering her hand before she could reach it. “See, the muscle is mending.”
It didn’t matter, it still looked awful. She was about to say so when she watched his hand slide from hers.
“David!” she said, touching his face as he leaned against the headboard. “Oh, what have I done?”
“I’m fine,” he said, smiling weakly. “Give me a moment.”
Tears blurred her vision, but she could see how pale he was. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to take so much.”
“I know. I wanted you to, though.” He lifted his hand to her cheek. “Your face is healing.”
Jane held his hand. “Don’t look at me. Oh, God, I’m so sorry.”
He gave her that smile that always took her breath away. “No, my love. It gives me pleasure to take care of you. And I promise, I am in no danger.”
She tried not to feel bad, but she did. She hadn’t meant to take so much; she still had such little control over herself. “I’m still sorry,” she said, pulling his hand down. She could feel his knuckles were busted. When she looked at his swollen hand, though, she gasped at the sight of her own. “Oh my God!”
“Jane,” he said, holding her mangled hand. “It will be okay.”
She shook her head as she continued to take in the severity of her injuries. Her hand looked terrible, and her arm was torn just as badly as her leg was. She couldn’t imagine how bad her face must look. “I’m hideous.”
“Jane, look at me.”
“No,” she said, covering her face with her good hand and trying to hide her mutilated one. “Please leave. I can’t deal with this.”
“You can. And I will never leave.”
She sobbed. She’d always felt unworthy to stand at David’s side. Now she was truly a monstrous beast; there was no way he would continue to love her.
“Look at me right now, Jane.” His fierce tone rang in her ears.
She jerked her head up, locking gazes with a very pissed David. His sapphire eyes looked black, and his jaw was clenched tight as he took a deep breath.
“Please leave me,” she said, shaking. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”
The dark look on his face softened, and he sat up, speaking calmly, “I see my Jane.” He cupped her damaged cheek. “My brave girl who, despite her serious injuries, fought and destroyed mutated monsters. These wounds are marks of your bravery, your victories.”
“I didn’t win my fights.”
He smiled and gently kissed her on the lips.
She closed her eyes, sighing when he licked them before sucking her bottom lip.
“Does this hurt?”
“No,” she whispered, sighing again when he continued kissing her.
David carefully moved her, sliding one hand down her bare back, then up again to hold her neck. His other hand made a trail from her jaw, down her neck. He spread his fingers out, burning her with that beautiful fire of his as he dragged his hand between her breasts. She was panting as he caressed her stomach. With his hold on her neck, he wouldn’t let her pull her mouth away. He kissed her until she could only gasp for air between his lips before moving to her cheek.
She was catching her breath until he kissed her neck and suddenly cupped her breast, massaging it so damn good she stopped feeling any pain.
“David.” She panted, trying to move, but she couldn’t. “Oh, please kiss me again.”
He chuckled and lifted his face. “Only if you stop talking and thinking badly about yourself.”
The ecstasy he had her swimming in vanished. “That’s mean.”
He smirked, squeezing her breast again. “It’s mean of you to talk about my girl the way you were.”
“It’s all true, though. Look at me!”
“I am, baby.” David cupped her cheek, turning her face so he could kiss the cut there. “You’re alive, breathing, arguing with me . . . It’s all I could ask for after finding you covered in your own blood—choking on it as you bled to death.”
Jane dropped her gaze. He wasn’t looking at her any differently. “But I’m disfigured. I’m afraid to see what my face looks like. I won’t be worthy to be your Other.”
“Baby, I would be unworthy of you if I thought this about you. I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks about either of us.”
She smiled softly. David cussing was rare.
He tilted her face so she’d look him in the eye again. “If I was hurt like this, would you think this way about me?”
Her eyes widened. “No! You’d still be my David.”
“So, why would I think any differently?”
She knew what he was saying, but her lips trembled. “But I want to be pretty for you.”
He kissed her firmly, then leaned away. “I will always look at you and see the most beautiful woman. You are perfection in my eyes. That should be what you focus on.”
“David, I’m not perfect. That’s the difference between us. You are beautiful, good, and truly the most perfect man to ever exist while I’m none of those things. And now, I’ll be so ugly. I’ll be laughed at until I can’t bear to show my face around anyone. And because of my stupid advanced hearing, I won’t be able to shut out what they say—what people have always said when I’m around any guy: why is he with her?”
He watched her quietly, and she couldn’t stop her tears. They stung her cuts, but she was afraid to wipe them away.
“Just because others fail to see your beauty doesn’t mean that I do. And don’t tell me I am not seeing the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on—I know what I see. Don’t tell me my definition of perfection is wrong. And do not say I am a fool when I say you are good. You have the loveliest heart I have ever seen. Despite all the hell you’ve been through, you still try to do what’s right and whatever it takes to protect everyone around you. You never put yourself first. You are selfless, and as much as it worries me, I love that about you.”
He brought his face closer to hers. “You are my beautiful Jane. These wounds will heal. Because they were caused by silver, they will scar, but I will kiss them, thankful each time, because they all mean you survived a fight you shouldn’t have. They all mean you were fierce as you battled alongside me. They mean even when I failed to protect you, you fought with every ounce of strength you could. You looked evil in the eye and roared in its face before ripping it apart.”
Jane grabbed his hand and kissed his bruised knuckles. “See, you’re perfect.”
He chuckled and lifted her damaged hand to his mouth, kissing it just as she had done to his. “If you say so, baby. So believe me when I say the same about you.”
“I’ll try. Just don’t say things because you don’t want me to be sad. If you think I’m ugly, please just say it.”
David pulled her face to his, kissing her softly. “You could never be ugly
. You may think you look as bad as you likely feel, but I swear you do not. You are healing every second I stare at you. Even so, just being in your presence, I find it difficult not to become aroused.”
Jane chuckled sadly and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You are not aroused. But thank you.”
“Baby, I wanted to spread your legs apart the first time I held you. You were infected, dying in my arms—turning into one of the undead—yet one of my first thoughts was burying myself inside you.”
Her face burned as she laughed. “I find that hard to believe.”
“It is true,” he said, gliding his fingers down her spine. “And I promise I am thinking the same now.”
She leaned back. “You are not! I look like a bloody zombie.”
“The fact that the little blood left in my body is rushing to my dick says otherwise.”
“David!” Jane covered her mouth, staring at the teasing smile on his lips.
“Jane,” he said in a serious tone while still smiling.
“You’re not supposed to talk like that,” she mumbled into her hand.
“Why? I’m a man. And my beautiful girlfriend is on my lap—topless. I may have strong morals that keep me from rushing things between us, but I’m still a man. I’ve fantasized about us together many times.”
“Really?” She teared up. “Even like this? You don’t have to imagine another woman?” She covered her eyes, thinking of Jason’s reactions to her body during and after pregnancy—of his porn addiction that had nothing but women who did not look like her in the slightest. She barely held back her sob. Of course David would have to imagine someone else. If Jason had to use other women to satisfy himself, and she hadn’t been disfigured like she was now, David would definitely need to.
David pulled her hands from her face, but she kept her eyes closed. “This is because of you, Jane.” He lowered one of her hands to the bulge in his pants.
She gasped, shocked and turned on, as she opened her eyes. “I didn’t even start anything.”
“Baby, I’ve told you this before, you start something every time you smile at me.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “You have no idea how much I want to touch and kiss you. I want you to get better first, though. The blood you’ve taken from me needs to do its work, and you will still need more, as well as time to heal completely. If I did what I wanted to do to you—and, yes, even in the state you are currently in—I would risk undoing all the recovery you have made.
“Anyway, my efforts would only benefit me because I have not fed since leaving home. Besides Texas, my body has never gotten so low on blood before. If I were an average immortal, I would be unconscious. I’m not, though, and I am fighting myself to keep from ripping off your panties. So take all of this as proof that I find you beautiful and that you arouse me.”
Jane stayed still as he gently wiped her tears away. “I don’t deserve you.”
There was such a broken look in his eyes as he gazed at her. “My love, when will you see how truly amazing you are?”
She looked at her mangled leg and hand. They were ruined. They would leave the most horrible scars. If he did do what he was saying, he would be disgusted.
He sighed and put his hand over hers. “I love you.”
“I know,” she whispered, gliding her fingers over his. “Your hand looks broken, David.”
“It probably is,” he said, turning it over to see it better. “Are you changing the subject on purpose?”
“Yes.” She smiled sadly. “Please let it go.”
“Only because I do not wish to stress you, but I will do all I can so you finally see yourself. I want you to believe in me. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
She stared at him as her heart and mind battled with each other. “I want so badly to be what you say, but I’m not there yet.”
He exhaled, nodding. “You will be.”
Jane looked back at his hand. “So, why does your hand look like this? Was it caused by silver? Is that why it hasn’t healed?”
“It’s not from silver. I just haven’t fed; I couldn’t with you hurt. I don’t like the idea that I am well when you are not. Don’t worry over it, though. It will mend when I feed again.”
“I want you to feed now, then.”
A small smile formed on his mouth. “And I want you to see yourself the way I do.”
“I’m trying,” she huffed, upset he wouldn’t drop it. “I need you to feel better, though. What happened anyway? Was this from a wolf?”
“No, I wasn’t injured during the battle. I fought with Thor afterward.”
“Thor? Why? I thought we were allies. And I’m pretty sure he saved me from being killed.”
David balled his broken hand into a tight fist.
“Stop!” She tried to unclench his hand. “David, please.”
He listened and relaxed his hand, but the damage was done.
“Why did you do that?” Jane cried, inspecting his now bloody hand.
“Because Thor is the reason you were nearly killed!” he yelled, making her flinch.
“I don’t understand,” she whispered, trying to calm him when he started breathing harsh, angry breaths.
“Those fucking wolves were not supposed to be there! None of those beasts had been reported to the pilot because they were expected to be hundreds of miles away. But Thor, the god you love so much, was dumb enough to engage them on his own. The stupid bastard had no choice but to retreat to the fortress. Only, the drunken fool forgot we would be arriving last night. Odin was the only reason they came out to find us. He was horrified when he realized what his son had done after he came stumbling in. That is why you were saved. Even then, you and Artemis were lucky.”
“What are you saying now?” She was unsure how to handle this situation. David had already voiced his dislike for Thor, and the way he was acting now had her worried he might hunt Thor down for round two.
David breathed in deeply before he pulled her to him for a hard kiss. When he pulled back, he pressed another kiss to her forehead. “Arthur was able to pick up orders from the wolves’ minds. They were to retrieve a female, or destroy her if they could not capture her.”
Jane stammered, “They were after a woman?”
“They were after you.” He kissed her forehead once more before hugging her. “That is why you were injured. One of Thor’s men was captured a week ago. Thor retrieved him, but he had already revealed we were coming. He had already revealed my Other was a powerful immortal capable of things no other immortal has accomplished. Didn’t you find it strange they were chasing both of you? They were working as a unit, separating us from the females. The fact that they tried to kill you means you were too great an opponent to capture.”
“Artemis’ men died because of me?”
“Fuck, Jane,” he said, dropping his hands.
She flinched and looked away. “I’m sorry.”
“I know you are,” he said, taking her hand. “You blame yourself for every little thing.”
“Because me existing only brings pain to others!” She glared at him. “Everyone around me will be destroyed, and you expect me to be okay with that because you believe I’m something special.”
“You are special, dammit! Stop attacking me when I’m simply answering your questions. You wanted to know why I fought Thor—I fought him because he is a foolish barbarian who does not think about anything but glory in battle. I nearly lost the woman I love because of his stupidity! Yet, all you can focus on is that you were a target in the attack. You were not the one who did anything wrong! Your existence is everything right in my world, so don’t you dare say you existing is wrong. You bring me joy in such a way that I cannot even express it in words. There is always pain, but there is also beauty and love, and you, Jane, you bring so much of those to everyone around you. So, stop thinking like this.”
Her heart was hammering away in her chest. David talking to her like this was hard to take. She knew she pushed everyone away, and she hated that
she couldn’t stop herself from always doing it to him. She just didn’t want anyone hurt because of her. The fact that David willingly put himself in danger by not feeding and fought Thor was proof that she was the cause of destruction.
“Jane,” he said softer, breathing out as his body relaxed. “I’m sorry I raised my voice.”
“It’s fine,” she said quietly. “I deserve it.”
“You don’t. You are feeling terrible, and I should be mindful of what I say.”
“You shouldn’t have to tip-toe around me.” Her eyes burned, and she covered her cheek as she felt the skin sealing together.
“It’s not tip-toeing. It’s respecting and understanding your side of things. My anger and fear of losing you makes me say things I should not. I understand, okay? I get why you would feel guilty or you would think you failed in battle, but you honestly shouldn’t.”
Jane shook her head. “But I get hurt in every fight. I am the reason you and the others have been hurt. Everyone thinks I am this powerful immortal, and I’m not. I’m just as bothersome as you seem to think Thor is.”
“You are not like Thor,” he said, chuckling. “Jane, you have fought in several battles and truly only fell in two.”
“No, I always fail.”
“You have fallen twice in battle, Jane. The first one with the mutated wolves and this one. You kicked ass in the three battles you had in Texas, and even though you were hurt in this one, you were incredible.”
Jane was quiet as she thought over all her fights. He was right. The fight she had at the school had been a success, and she didn’t quite fail when facing Thanatos and Mania. She had held them off, done something no one else had, and she had held the attack back long enough when they were trying to get to the plane. Because of her, they had made it, and David had lived when he was willing to die for her son.
“Do you see now?” He kissed her head. “You are incredible. You’ve saved many lives, destroyed hundreds of creatures, even as a human; you slaughtered numerous undead. Stop being so hard on yourself. I would tell you to stay behind if I did not think you were valuable in this war.”
“Thank you, David,” she said, leaning against him as she watched more of the muscles in her leg close. “I’m sorry.”