I had no argument for that, and he knew it.
Beck picked up my duffel bag of clothes and gestured to the door with a jerk of his head. “Come on, man. Let’s give the doc some space.” I forced my feet to carry me toward the door, pausing briefly to turn to Mark again.
“I can’t do this whole vampire thing without her.”
Mark met my eyes and seemed to understand. Beck walked with me to the living room where he stopped, studying me for a moment.
“We don’t want Aurora seeing you all covered in blood when she wakes up. She’ll think it’s yours.”
He had a point. He held my bag out, and I took it from him and headed for the guest bathroom. I was listening to the sounds coming from the master suite, but so far it was pretty quiet. Nothing seemed to be happening yet. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad news. Then I realized that they were probably communicating silently, and it probably wasn’t either. I heard the other vampire heartbeats in the house, strong and vibrant compared to Aurora’s faltering one. When I turned on the shower, the sound of the hot water falling helped to drown out even that. I scrubbed Aurora’s blood from my skin, watching as it swirled in pink ribbons and circled the drain at my feet. I thought about O’Shea and the other guys and wondered how long I could hold them at bay with excuses about needing a break before we went on tour. Eventually, they’d realize something was wrong. They’d come looking for me.
My neck began to throb as I washed, or maybe I was just more aware of the pain now. I scrubbed myself until the water ran clear; wishing I could wash the memories of Aurora’s broken body down the drain along with her blood. I toweled off and pulled on a pair of boxers and some jeans from my bag. My attempt at pulling on a T-shirt was foiled by the pain that raced across my side as I tried to get my arm in the sleeve. As if I needed a reminder that I had broken ribs to deal with. I dropped the shirt and took a deep breath out of habit, regretting it instantly as the pain resurfaced with a vengeance.
As I turned for the bathroom door, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. My throat was chewed up pretty bad. No wonder it hurt. I wasn’t worried, though. I knew it would heal. It was still shocking to see this new version of myself staring back at me. Most of the changes had been subtle ones, but to me it was like looking at someone who you’d only known as a drunk, now clean and sober for the first time. My eyes were clear and piercing, and I thought about how much fun it would be to get on stage with my new physique and abilities. The excitement was cut short as I heard a nauseating crack from the room where Mark was working to save Aurora. I winced as I walked back into the living room and found Beck sitting on the sofa. He seemed to be trying to ignore the noises coming from the next room. I was doing exactly the opposite, wishing Mark would drop the wall around his mind so I could catch a glimpse of what was going on in there. I changed my mind when that thought was followed by a sickeningly wet sound. I closed my eyes in denial as I realized it was the spindle being pulled from Aurora’s abdomen.
I couldn’t take it. Waiting around to find out if your wife is going to survive being staked is more than any man can handle. I’d never felt so completely helpless in my entire life. I cursed and rushed to the back door, escaping out into the cool night air. The dark night was eerily calm, in complete contrast to the gale of raw emotions rushing through me. I walked along the beach a short ways, the coarse sand giving way under my bare feet as I moved. I didn’t make it far before my legs refused to carry me, and I sank to my knees at the water’s edge.
A crushing weight bore down on my chest as the reality of the situation came crashing down on me. Was this how it was going to be now? I had it too good for too long. No one ever gets to be that happy without the bottom dropping out. I was on top of the world, and fate was determined to put me back in my place. I had more than enough money to buy the best of everything. I had enough clout to make a difference. I was even immortal now, for whatever that was worth. I had plenty of power, but none of it would make any difference. Aurora was fighting for her life, and I was useless. The cool water of the tide lapped at the sand before me, and I glanced up at the moon, pleading silently with the Powers That Be not to take her from me.
Chapter 38
Trey
I’M NOT SURE HOW long I’d been sitting by the ocean before Beck found me. He didn’t say anything at first, just sat down next to me and watched the sea foam swirl and gather.
“No news?” I asked, though I already knew the answer. If anything had changed, he’d have let me know immediately.
“Mark’s still working.”
I nodded, wrapping my fingers around a stick that was lying in the sand next to me. I stood and tossed it insanely far over the rolling waves. Pain raced across my chest and side, and I winced, looking down at the huge bruise that spread across my chest. It was a purple color almost dark enough to be black. I sighed and looked at Beck. He was watching me carefully. I met his eyes and saw something in them that surprised me: respect. I knew Beck was a Catalyst fan, a loyal one, it seemed, but it wasn’t often that I spent this much one-on-one time with a fan.
“It must be hard,” he said, looking back at the ocean. “Having to keep all of this from the other guys. How much do they know?”
“They don’t know anything,” I said. “It has to be that way. It’s the only way to keep them safe … Even that wasn’t enough to keep Wes safe.”
He turned to me. “Wes? You mean-”
“Vampires killed him.”
Beck’s tone matched the confusion on his face when he spoke again. “What could vampires possibly want with Wes?”
“They didn’t. They wanted me,” I said, clenching my fists. “He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Is all of this because your relationship with Aurora went public?” he asked, slowly catching on.
“And that was only because of Malena,” I said, feeling the pressure in my chest build. “It’s all her fault,” I continued, raising my voice. “All of it. Wes is dead because of what she did, and tonight she staked Aurora.” Beck looked at me in concern, getting to his feet. He held his hands out and took a tentative step toward me.
“Trey, let’s talk about this.”
I hadn’t realized until then that my fangs had unsheathed themselves and my eyes had taken on their icy blue luminescence. “Someone has to stop Malena,” I said, grasping for the first ounce of clarity I’d felt since the night had fallen apart. One by one, Malena was taking the people I loved from me. “I’m not about to stand by and let her hurt someone else.” I moved to get past Beck, and he stepped in front of me, blocking the way. His own fangs were out now, his eyes glowing.
“Trey, listen to yourself. You’re not being reasonable.”
“Let me go, Beck,” I stated, trying to push him out of the way. Beck pushed back against me, digging his heels into the sand stubbornly.
“You’re not doing Aurora any favors by getting yourself killed while she’s hanging on by a thread.” I stared at him, my heart reverberating in my chest. “You’re right where you need to be,” he continued. “Mark has his hands full with your wife. You need to be here when she wakes up. Besides,” he gave me a knowing look. “This isn’t you. You’re not that guy.” I sighed, feeling like a balloon that was being slowly deflated. Beck watched me carefully, as if trying to discern my resolve. “Antonio will take care of Malena when he gets back,” he added. Antonio had mentioned at the full moon ritual that he was leaving for the West coast on business. He’d have left yesterday. I nodded, and Beck relaxed his stance, letting go of me.
“You’re right,” I said.
Beck managed a smile, shaking his head at me. “Of course, I am. Besides, you’re in no condition to be starting a fight,” he said. “Come on. You look like you could really use some blood.”
I sat on the sofa while Beck went to the fridge to get us a drink. He returned a moment later with a glass of blood for each of us. He sat down across from me and took a sip o
f his. I held mine out in front of me, eyeing it tentatively.
“First drink from a glass?” he asked. “It’s not too bad. You get used to it.”
Technically my first drink from a glass had been with Aurora at Club Sanguin, but it hadn’t been solid blood, and I didn’t want to talk about that place just now. I brought the glass to my lips and took a drink. He was right. It wasn’t bad. The blood, although it had been chilled in the refrigerator, warmed me from the inside out as my body drew nourishment from it. With the warmth, the pain in my side worsened, but it still wasn’t enough to distract me. It wasn’t anything like drinking Aurora’s blood, but it gave me the pick-me-up I desperately needed.
Hana came out of the master bedroom a few minutes later carrying a small medical bag. “You look better already,” she said to me.
“How’s it going in there?”
She frowned at me. “We won’t know until Mark is finished.” I would have drilled her for more information, but somehow I knew it was useless. I’d have to wait for a real update from Mark. Hana gestured to the table with a sweep of her hand, holding up the medical bag. “Come on. Let me take a look at you while we wait.” Like a good little patient, I sat on the edge of the table for her. “First things first,” she said, and she placed the palm of her hand against the part of my throat that Malena had attempted to rip out. Lucky for me, Malena had been distracted. Not so lucky for Aurora. I would have given anything if Malena had spent her time mauling me instead.
I felt a cool tingling sensation where the wound was and saw that Hana had closed her eyes in deep concentration. After a moment, she looked up and pulled her hand away.
“I’m afraid that will have to do,” she said as she eyed my neck. “I’m not as skilled as Mark, but the wound has closed. The rest will take care of itself in time.” Next, she eyed the large bruise on my right rib cage in concern. “This will probably hurt,” she said apologetically.
“I’ll live,” I told her. Hana quickly checked me over, determining that I did indeed have two broken ribs. She used some medical tape from the leather bag to tape along them. I nodded and thanked her like it mattered, but my attention was focused on the sounds in the next room. Mark was on the phone with Antonio now. It sounded like the soonest Antonio could get a flight back was a day from now. Hana cleared her throat, and I blinked, realizing I’d been completely absorbed in my eavesdropping of the phone call. She handed my half-empty glass of blood back to me.
“Here, you’ll need this.” She scrutinized me, and I took a few gulps to make her happy. It seemed to work. “You need to be drinking blood every few hours,” Hana admonished. “Using the stash means it will take longer for you to heal up, but you should be good as new in a few days.”
I thanked her, forcing a half-smile for her. She smiled back, and I had the distinct sense that she felt sorry for me. That worried me as much as anything. The bedroom door opened just then, and Mark stepped out. He looked … exhausted, although that word didn’t begin to cover it. I didn’t know a vampire could look so haggard. I got to my feet, glass of blood still in hand.
“How is she?” He met my eyes briefly and then looked away. “She … she’s going to live, right?” I demanded. “I mean, she’s a vampire. We’re supposed to be immortal.”
“Immortal doesn’t mean invincible.” Mark stated, accepting the glass of blood Hana held out for him. “Surely, Aurora explained that to you.” He gestured to the living room, saying, “Why don’t we sit down and talk?”
Before I could argue with Mark, Hana gently took my arm and urged me forward. I let her lead me to the living room, but only because the doctor looked like he could fall over at any second. Using his moon-given ability to heal Aurora had really taken it out of him. I hoped that meant he’d managed to do it. I sat impatiently next to Beck while Mark downed his entire glass of blood at once. Watching Mark drink reminded me that I hadn’t finished my own glass yet, and I drank the rest of it quickly.
“How bad is it?” I asked. The suspense was killing me.
“Her femur was broken, along with her collarbone,” Mark began. The fall must have been responsible for those injuries. “I set the bones in place to heal. She has a pretty extensive head wound, which is probably why she’s unconscious.”
“What about the gaping hole in her chest?” I asked. I couldn’t stand the suspense.
Mark sighed. “I was able to remove the spindle and close the hole.”
That was good news, so why didn’t Mark look happy about it? “So, what’s the problem then?” I asked, wrinkling my forehead in confusion. “We’ll get her some blood when she wakes up, and she’ll be fine. It might take a few days, but she’s strong. I can take care of her.”
“I’m afraid it’s not that simple.” Mark set his empty glass on the coffee table and leaned forward, interlocking his fingers. “I can’t tell how bad her head wound is. She could have a brain bleed for all I know. As for the spindle I removed, I closed the wound, but I’m certain I wasn’t able to completely repair all of the internal damage.”
“Why not?” My human voice would have cracked at the words.
“For one, I’m flying blind.” Mark shook his head slowly, and Hana reached over to touch his arm. “She’s bleeding internally, and X-ray vision isn’t exactly a vamp ability. The damage is just too much. I fixed the bleeds I could see, but I’d have to have an MRI to-”
“So let’s take her to the hospital,” I suggested. “You have all the equipment you need there.”
“And let all the human doctors see her extended fangs?” he said calmly. “The results of her blood work alone would spread rampantly through the hospital like wildfire. If I thought there was any way of pulling it off, I’d be hauling her there now, but I don’t think I can cover something like this up. Taking her to the hospital would be dangerous to all of us. The Synod would never stand for it. We’d be risking exposure and all our lives. We’d only be making a bad situation worse.”
“Then what are we going to do?” I begged.
“I’ve done all I can for her.” Mark looked away, unable to meet my gaze. “I put some of my blood into an IV since she’s not able to feed. It’s not ideal, but all we can do is wait and see if she wakes up. And if she does, we hope her head injury isn’t so severe that she isn’t herself anymore. We’ll keep an eye on her.” I didn’t like the defeated tone in his voice.
“That’s it?” I jumped to my feet, ignoring the pain that seared across the side of my chest.
“Normally, her body would regenerate on its own, even without feeding right away, but-” He bit down on his lip, unwilling to finish his sentence.
“But, what?” Even as I spoke the words, I realized what he was getting at. “It’s because of me,” I said. “Changing me … it weakened her.”
“Only temporarily,” Mark clarified, as if that changed things.
Of course, Aurora hadn’t told me what changing me would do to her. She didn’t want me to worry. In any other situation, she would have been fine. And she was having me feed from her. That was how it worked, but it couldn’t have helped. Then she got staked, and that sort of threw a wrench into the whole ‘normal’ scenario. I realized I’d been holding my breath, which wasn’t an actual problem, but I gulped down a mouthful of air out of habit. I felt Beck’s hand on my shoulder. I had done this to her.
It was my fault she was dying.
Chapter 39
Aurora
I WAS SURROUNDED BY darkness, and Trey was nowhere to be seen. I wasn't certain what was happening, but I knew something was terribly wrong. I glanced around again for Trey, needing to find him, but all I could see in every direction was the blackness interspersed with small wisps of cool, grey fog. The last thing I remembered was fighting Malena. Trey had been there. He'd been trying to help me, but Tytus had gotten a hold of him from behind and was holding him back. And now I was here, in the midst of this great void. Had I blacked out? I'd never blacked out as a vampire. I had no idea what t
hat might feel like. Then, an icy cold crept over me as I realized with chilling clarity that I might actually be dead. Maybe this was what death looked like for my kind. After cheating Mother Nature, is this where I was destined to live out the rest of my eternity?
But that wasn't the worst of it. Whether I was dead or not, I wasn't there with Trey, and surely he needed me. What would Malena do with him now that I was gone? Would it be enough for her to dispose of me, or would she finish the job she had originally intended and kill Trey, too?
I felt the insatiable need to search the blackness again for Trey, this time hoping against hope that I wouldn't find him. As much as I didn't want to be dead, the thought of Trey sharing that fate with me was unbearable. I wandered through the dark, drifting insubstantially around in the void and shouting Trey's name. To my relief, there was no response. But did that really mean that he was still alive, or was he searching for me in his own void?
Immortals And Melodies (Blood And Guitars #2) Page 20