by Janie Marie
Hearing her struggling efforts to breathe and feeling the anguish seeping out of her, time seemed to stop.
The others were quick to take positions around her and began their slaughter, but David could no longer see the world around him.
He only saw Jane. His Jane.
She screamed and lifted a gun to her temple.
“NO!” David’s desperate yell rang out as she squeezed the trigger.
CLICK...
Never had the sound of an empty chamber sounded so wonderful to David.
“Why?” she cried, looking down at where her useless weapon lay.
Although he was relieved the gun didn’t fire, he couldn’t stand to see the misery she was in. She looked so lost and defeated. He snapped out of his panicked state and rushed to her as soon as she began to fall forward.
Wrapping his arms around her, his heart pounded, feeling her go completely limp. Carefully but quickly, he turned her around, watching in fear as her head rolled to the side. She was barely hanging on, and David’s heart ached as he tried positioning her head in the crook of his arm.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered. It felt so strange to hold her. He never thought he’d get this close.
Her eyes remained closed, and she continued gasping for air. David heard the wild pounding of her weakening heart, but it meant she was alive.
Still, David’s heart tore at the sight of her. Her skin was pale and clammy. Tangled brown hair stuck to her face, and her blue lips were parted as she tried to suck in precious oxygen. She definitely looked on the verge of death, but to him, she was beautiful.
He smoothed the hair off her face, and whispered again, “I’ve got you.”
She seemed to hear him this time. Her eyelids fluttered for a moment, before finally opening to reveal two crimson orbs. David sucked in a breath but made no other outward sign of distress. Inside he was dying, though. She was infected and turning into one of the very monsters he destroyed without a second thought. He wanted to yell. He wanted to kill something—but he could only stare at the girl who lay dying in his arms.
He didn’t know what to do. She kept gasping for air and staring at him with those ruby eyes. Several blood vessels had burst, tainting the whites of her eyes with bright red and pink. Even the irises had been penetrated, but tiny specks of hazel still broke through the bloody color.
It made him smile even though he felt like he could almost cry. He had never shed a tear over someone before, but his eyes burned when he noticed the fear lingering in her delirious gaze.
David abruptly realized she was only able to see his eyes. He wanted her to see his face, so he removed his mask.
Her fearful gaze turned stunned for a moment, and despite the situation, he hoped she was pleased by what she saw.
David didn’t notice the mayhem around him anymore. Nothing else mattered. Just her. The yells for him to get her to safety were not heard, nor the blasts of fiery slaughter and exploding gunfire. There was only Jane.
He smiled at her confused expression and caressed her cheek as he looked her over, absorbing every single detail of her face. The way her eyes widened made him wonder if she recognized him. He hoped she remembered him from their brief meeting before. It wasn’t like they had talked, or she had even seen his face, but he wanted her to remember.
Jane let out a sudden gasp, and a few droplets of scarlet blood sprayed across her pale lips. She was trying to speak. He would give anything to have her talk to him, and so he waited while she opened and closed her mouth a few times. “Heaven,” she whispered, lifting a shaking hand toward his face.
As soon as her cold hand touched his cheek, he felt complete.
With a contented sigh, he put his hand over hers and leaned into her palm. She was so soft and sweet-smelling. It didn’t matter that she was covered in sweat and sickness; David held his angel for the moment.
He couldn’t help but chuckle at what she said, and watched as her eyes widened. “Not yet, my love.”
Arthur and his knights continued to dispose of the oncoming horde. They had created a strong perimeter and were holding them back.
The flashes of light from their rifles were endless and, for a few seconds, the roar of their massacre broke through David’s daze.
“David, she’s fading,” Arthur yelled over the blasts from their guns. “You need to change her now.”
Arthur’s words yanked him out of his dreaming and back into a nightmare. He looked between her red eyes. Her panic from before was no longer present; she looked almost at peace. But she was dying.
Change her, Arthur’s words repeated in his head.
He had promised he wouldn’t take her from her family, but she’d already been forced to leave them. He still worried about how she’d react to being forced to leave them again.
“They would want her to have a second chance, David,” Arthur yelled. “Your blood should destroy the virus. Change her before it’s too late.”
Gunfire resumed as the clanging of magazines were thrown to the concrete. Rotting, now inanimate corpses, polluted the ground beneath their feet as body after body collapsed on top of one another.
David stared down at the woman in his arms. Her disoriented eyes were locked onto his while she continued to take harsh breaths.
It didn’t stop her from murmuring, “Beautiful,” while he still held her weak hand to his cheek.
All second guessing went to hell for him. “I’m going to make it better, my love. I will make the pain go away.” A peaceful look came over her, making him smile and continue with his decision.
Taking her hand from his face, he placed a small kiss to her palm and placed it against her chest before repositioning her so she sat on his lap. He lightly grabbed the back of her neck and didn’t take his eyes from hers. “I’m going to make it all better.”
She looked so trusting. He knew she thought she was dying, and probably didn’t understand what he was telling her, but her comfort with his presence eased his heart. He was relieved she thought he was an angel. For so long he had considered himself a monster and worried about what the woman he was meant to love would think of him. It gave him a tiny bit of hope that she would understand and accept what he was.
David took a deep breath and leaned down over her neck. His fangs elongated and sank into her delicate skin. She whined in pain, but he became too consumed with the sweet nectar pouring down his throat to think on it further. He could taste the infection, but that did not stop it from being the most delicious blood he’d ever sipped.
He moaned against her skin and continued to drink selfishly. His whole body thrummed with excitement, and he struggled to stop himself from becoming aroused. Everything about her—her soft skin and sweet taste. Her beauty—it all sent a deep fire through him. He wanted to take her right then, and he nearly forgot she was dying.
These frenzied thoughts didn’t last long, though. He quickly regained his rational thinking and focused on her. Now was not the time to think of such things. So, instead of imagining how it would feel to have her legs wrapped around his waist as her body arched into his, he concentrated on the fact this could be the first and last moments he’d ever have with her.
The painful realization brought him falling back to earth. Later, much later, they could consider an intimate relationship. He didn’t even know if one was possible, but that could wait.
He had never changed a person, but as if already programmed, he knew he’d taken enough of her blood and stopped drinking. David withdrew his fangs and ran his tongue over her wounds before he pulled back.
Everything was automatic then. He placed her head back in the crook of his arm and bit down on his wrist, then lifted it to her lips. “Jane, I need you to drink.” Greeted again with a ruby stare, David pressed his wrist to her mouth and ordered again, “Drink.”
Those daunting eyes stayed fixed on his own, but she obeyed and opened her mouth. David secured his wrist to her mouth, and she began sucking, gradually increasing
her pace and vigor the more she drank.
As her crimson eyes faded back to their hazel color, his body weakened. “That’s enough.”
She released her hold and licked her lips. The wounds on his wrist healed within seconds, but he wasn’t concerned for himself. A faint smile graced her face as David rubbed his thumb across her lips.
“Good girl.” His voice sounded foreign to him. He had never heard himself speak so tenderly to another person.
Everything about her was soft and fragile. Taking care of her was all that mattered. She was like a precious doll to him, but he knew she was a fighter, too.
“David, get her out of here,” Gawain hollered.
“No, Gawain,” said Arthur. “Take Gareth and go with David. He’s too weak.”
David was about to protest, but he was hit with a wave of dizziness when he stood. Shaking it off, he rearranged her to carry her in his arms. Even with their considerable size difference, they fit together perfectly.
Bracketed by Gawain and Gareth, he made for their camp.
He gazed down at the sleeping beauty and couldn’t stop the smile that stretched across his face. She was here. She was alive in his arms where she belonged.
Tightening his hold, he pulled her closer and placed a small kiss on her forehead. She was warming up. He left his lips there and breathed in her flowery scent. When she sniffed his scent, he grinned, loving the effect he already had on her, and kissed her once more before picking up his pace.
While Gareth stood guard outside, David followed Gawain upstairs to the master bedroom. He glanced around, pleased that the room was in good condition as he walked to the bed. As he lowered her down, she tightened her hold and whined. He stopped trying to put her down and held her closer as he shushed her. She instantly relaxed and curled into him, causing him to grow unsure of how to proceed with her.
He glanced at Gawain and found an amused grin stretched across his friend’s face.
“It is best to hold on to her. She will not wake for some time anyway. Here.” Gawain led him to a large chaise near a window.
David sat, pulling Jane’s head to his chest as he did so, and he smiled when she quickly curled into him. She no longer struggled to breathe and was completely at ease in his arms.
“Do you think this is okay?” David asked, still a little worried about holding her like this.
Gawain laughed. “David, this is fine. It’s better for her anyway. Your presence soothes her whether she is aware or not. I doubt she knows what she’s even doing, but you are what her body and soul want. Enjoy it.”
David focused back on Jane. She was safe. He never thought she’d be in his arms. Now that he had her, he never wanted to leave her side. Some might find it a bit extreme, but he had waited centuries for her to finally come across his path.
“I will get you something to drink,” Gawain said, interrupting his thoughts of holding this girl for the rest of his life.
Stroking her hair, David breathed out and closed his eyes. As horrible as it had been leading up to now, he couldn’t be happier. It nearly destroyed him when her finger squeezed the trigger. In his entire existence, David had never felt so helpless as he did then.
But he held her now, and all worries slipped away. Everything ahead of them could wait. He wanted to enjoy holding her and marvel at the fact his Other was so much smaller than him. Most women of his kind were tall and toned from years of fighting, and his fellow knights all had rather statuesque Others. Not her, and that was fine by him. She was petite. He’d guess she was a little over five-feet tall. She didn’t have much muscle tone either, but that didn’t bother him. He already loved the feel of her body against his.
Returning to the room, Gawain held out a large glass of blood for him.
David felt tired, and his thirst was more significant than usual, so he took the offered blood and started to drink quickly. He surprised himself when he gagged and nearly spit it all out.
Gawain snickered. “It will take some time for you to get comfortable with any blood other than hers now.”
“Really?”
Gawain took a long drink from his own glass. “Yes. It will be the same for her, as well.”
David looked back at him, horrified. He couldn’t imagine her reaction if he asked to feed from her.
Gawain covered his laughter by coughing when Arthur and Tristan entered the room.
Arthur smacked the back of Gawain’s head as he passed him. “Quit terrorizing your captain. I will never forget the day you changed Elle. Don’t you remember, you tried to get me to lie to her by saying only her blood would keep you alive?”
Gawain moved to stand next to a chuckling Tristan.
Arthur crossed the room, grinning at him, then caressed Jane’s cheek. “She’s lovely, David. How are you both?”
David kept his eyes on Jane’s face. “Good, I think. How long will she be out?”
Straightening, Arthur frowned. “I am not sure. With everyone else, it took a day. Besides you, no one else has been as close to death as she was.”
David frowned as he realized there was no guarantee she would be okay. “So that could affect her change? Do you think she will suffer any side effects? Maybe we should find her medicine. What if I need to give her more blood?”
Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder. “Calm yourself. She will be fine. It may take a little longer for the transition, but you can see it happening already.”
David looked at her and saw Arthur was right. Her once sickly, pale skin was gradually becoming more radiant and had a faint silver glow. Even though her hair was still tangled, the texture seemed softer and more luscious than it had been the first time he saw her.
He gazed at her pink lips and felt tempted to steal just one kiss from them. After feeding from her, he knew she tasted incredibly sweet, and her skin was so soft. It had been cold before, but now she was warm. He wanted nothing more than to feel every bit of her skin pressed against him. It was going to take all his control to keep him from doing anything of the sort. Even a simple kiss was out of the question. Hopefully, that would change in the future.
He sighed and looked away from the lips he wanted to suck and nip. Arthur smirked, and David knew his brother-in-law could hear every improper thought he was having. David shrugged, she’s beautiful.
Chuckling, Arthur turned to Tristan. A serious look was on his face now. “What happened?”
“I’m not sure,” Tristan answered. “We were positioned around the house and everything was calm. Then we heard the children crying inside and Jane telling them goodbye. At the same time, Geraint picked up movement and began taking out a small grouping of undead. Then she was out her window and running.”
Panic filled David and he looked at Tristan. “Is her family all right?”
“Yes,” Tristan said. “Dagonet refuses to leave his post. They had a little action but took them out without a problem. I think he is just shaken up about the children’s cries for her.”
Relief washed through David, but he was worried about how she would react after waking up. She ran away to save her family. To die. Now she would wake as a different kind of monster, and she’d still have to face never returning to them.
“David, I am sure she will appreciate what you have done for her,” said Arthur. “Clearly she is a strong woman. Not many of the infected are brave enough to take their lives. I’m sure the fact that she can continue to keep them safe will bring her comfort. And, of course, she’ll have you now.”
David nodded but remained uncertain. None of them had the opportunity to have children. To do so resulted in horrible consequences that none in their party were willing to take. He imagined, though, the bond between mother and child might be similar to the bond he felt growing with Jane. He now knew what it felt like to possibly lose her. For her to have that kind of pain worried him, and saddened him at the thought of her children growing up without her. He hadn’t met them, but he already felt connected to them. He wanted to prot
ect them as much as he did her.
“It will work out, David,” Gawain assured him.
David smiled at his friend’s comforting words, hoping he was right. He wasn’t used to feeling so vulnerable. Never had he considered what it would be like to have a weakness, and that’s what he felt at this very moment, completely weak.
“You need to rest,” Arthur told him. “She will be out for quite some time. You will need to be rejuvenated to help her along once she wakes. This will not be easy for her. Be prepared for the worst. A mother’s bond with her child is unbreakable. When she cannot return, it’s going to be hard on her. So, relax, but reflect on how you will help her cope.”
David nodded. “I will.”
Arthur smiled. “Congratulations, brother. Your sister will be happy for you. Call if you need anything.”
David looked up, receiving grins from the others and a wink from Gawain. He smiled back as they left him to rest with his angel.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “My Jane.”
JANE TEETERED ON THE EDGE of consciousness, fidgeting a bit before relaxing again.
Wherever she’d chosen to rest was not soft. Its firm surface rose to meet her softer body at every curve, while a thick bar across her waist held her in place. It was heavy, but that did not disrupt her comfort.
The masculine scent which wrapped around her might have had something to do with her calmness. Although it smelled nothing like Jason, it overwhelmed her senses and begged her to come closer. She remained in a semi-conscious state and was more than happy to oblige her body’s desire. She inhaled deeply, nuzzling her face against the source of heat and its delicious smell.
Her new bed pulled her closer, letting out a low rumble before relaxing again. Beds didn’t move on their own, though.
Keeping her eyes closed, Jane used her senses to tell her where she was, and it wasn’t long before she realized she was lying on someone. A male someone! A very large, intoxicating, and surprisingly cozy male, but he was still a man she was certain wasn’t Jason.