Blood-Red Tear (19 page)

“Don’t kill her!” Paul pleaded
, walking toward them, his hands raised in the air. “Please, don’t take her away from me.”

It was the most vulnerable I had ever seen him
, and I took up his cause, knowing I was the only one who could make Aidan see reason. “Aidan, please,” I begged.

“She could have killed you!” Aidan
snarled loudly.

“But you stopped her,” I told him. “Please, for me
, let Paul take her home.”

Aid
an growled angrily but looked at Paul and nodded. “Take her away; she is more a danger to Katie now than anything else,” he growled.

“Are you going to be okay
here alone with her?” Paul asked, obviously torn between leaving him with me and staying. Beth screamed and clawed to get at me, and he wrapped his arms around her like a vise, holding her tightly as she struggled.

“I’ll be fine
,” Aidan answered sharply. “Just get her out of here, now!”

Paul nodded
and gave me one last agonized look before dragging a screaming, snarling Beth away.

My vision was blurry, the pain
in my body intense, and I was losing my fight to stay alert. I knew it would not be long before I passed out from the sheer amount of pain mixed with the blood loss. I had suffered too much for the human body to handle, and I felt my body fall limply to the side.

“Katie
!” Aidan screamed.

“Aidan,” I whimpered in a small
, almost fragile voice.

“P
lease fight, I cannot live without you,” he pleaded desperately one lone blood-red tear rolling down his cheek.

“Live,” I murmured
, just before I sank blissfully into darkness.

Chapter Fifteen

Machines beeped loudly and the smell of antiseptic assailed my nose as I came awake. I struggled to open my eyes, but only one would open fully to reveal white ceiling tiles and fluorescent lights above me. Pain and fear raced through me as images of the horrific accident flooded my brain. I felt my heart rate increase and sweat bead my forehead as panic began to set in. I felt someone squeeze my hand, then Aidan’s anxious face appeared over me.

“Katie,” h
e said, brushing his finger down my cheek lovingly.

I wanted to speak
, but a tube down my throat made it impossible, and I looked at him with fear.

“It’s okay
. You couldn’t breathe well after the accident, so they put the tube in to help you out. The doctor is on his way, and I’m sure they will remove it now that you are awake.”

A tear rolled
from the corner of my eye and he gently wiped it away. He looked like he wanted to say something to me, but the doctor walked in and Aidan was forced to back up so he could check me over. When the doctor was done, he assured me they would indeed remove the tube, and a nurse hurried in to assist him.

Aida
n held my hand as they pulled the tube out, worry creasing his brow. As I took my first breath, a stabbing pain in my ribs made me cry out, and his skin paled more than should have been possible even for a vampire.

“I know it hurt
s,” the doctor said calmly. “We’re putting something in your IV to help the pain.” The nurse quickly pushed a needle into the small tube attached to my hand, and I laid my head back on the pillow, praying it would take effect quickly. “Now, you relax and let your body mend. I’ll be back later to check on you.”

Aidan’s face was tau
t, his expression one of agony as he stared down at me. The anxiety he felt was hard to ignore, and the fear I saw in his eyes made me want to reassure him. I tried to smile but it hurt, and I was sure it looked as awful as I felt.

The doctor too must have noticed his upset because he rushed to reassure him.
“She is going to be fine, in time. The bruising on her face will fade and, aside from the one wound on her forehead that we had to stitch up, I don’t believe there will be any lasting scars. The way her leg was broken will make it a difficult recovery, but you called upon the best orthopedic man in the country to set it so I don’t expect any complications. There was a lot of bruising to her chest and a few broken ribs, but again that will all heal with time and rest. Right now, our main concern is the concussion she received. We want to keep a close eye on it for now.”

It was a long, frightening list
, and I shuddered as he listed each of my injuries. It was the first time I really understood the scope of how close I came to losing my life, and it was scary.

“You are here;
that is all that matters,” Aidan whispered, brushing his lips over my forehead.

“How lon
g will she be here?” my father asked, startling me with his presence.

My first thought upon waking had been of Aidan and I hadn’
t realized anyone else was in the room.

“For now
, let’s just take it day by day. We can discuss it again after we run some more tests.”

“Thank you
, doctor,” my mother said.

“Not a problem,” he
replied politely. “I will be back later to check in on you,” he said to me, before walking out, rapidly issuing orders to the nurse as he went.

“Katie
, honey,” my father said at my side. I looked at my parents, taking in their haggard appearances with a sigh. My mother struggled to smile, but I could feel her upset. My father, on the other hand, didn’t bother hiding his emotions. I could see his angst in his eyes and it unnerved me. I closed my eyes, unable to deal with the emotions that churned around me.  They must have all thought the medicine had taken effect because they started talking as if I was indeed asleep.

“Aidan
, you must go feed now,” my mother said worriedly.

“I’m fine,” he assured her,
his voice low and laced with tiredness.

“Katie
is going to need you to be strong now. It will upset her to see you looking so haggard and weak. It has been days since you last fed. You cannot continue on this course; it is self destructive,” my father cautioned.

“I cannot leave her,” he
insisted, gripping my hand.

I wanted to tell him to go and get the blood he needed
, but I didn’t want them to know I had been listening, so I remained quiet.

“She’s sleeping. S
he won’t even know you are gone.”

“J
ust step into the bathroom and handle it. I left a cooler in there for you,” Paul called from the direction of the doorway. “We will all be here to keep an eye on her.”

Aidan
let go of my hand, but he wasn’t gone more than ten minutes before he was back picking it up again, lacing my fingers with his own.

“Beth and I are going to check things out and make sure our people are all set to keep this place secure
, since we can’t move Katie right now,” Paul said.

“That’s a good idea. W
e’ll go with you,” my mother said.

“Paul can handle it
,” my father said gruffly.

“I’m sure he can
, but Katie is asleep, so we might as well take a walk and stretch our legs.”

I could have kissed her. As much as I loved my
family, I wanted time to talk to Aidan alone, and as soon as they left I took the opportunity.  “Aidan,” I croaked.

“It
’s okay, do not talk yet; your throat needs to heal,” he told me. I shook my head in frustration, which made him smile. “Just think of what you want to say and direct it toward me.”

I wasn’t sure it would work for us like it did for my parents but I gave it a try.
“What
happened?”
I thought, concentrating on him.

“There was an attack
. From what Paul told me, a vampire appeared in the middle of the road. Chad swerved to avoid hitting him and the car went down a ravine. Paul and Beth were behind you but there were a few other vampires’ they had to contend with before they could get to you. The vampire that caused the accident used that distraction to try and kill you. Thankfully, I was close enough to stop that from happening.” I could see the look of remorse on his face and rushed to comfort him.

“It wasn’t your fault
. I asked Paul not to even follow me on that date,” I thought. He frowned and I was sure he would have scolded me, if not for my present condition. “How long have I been here?”

“T
hree days.”

“Is Chad alright?”

“He’s okay; he believes a deer ran in front of the car. He had a concussion and some bruises, but he went home that night.”

“
I’m guessing he looks better than me, then.”
I tried to smile but it hurt, and I flinched instead.

Aidan
chuckled. “You are beautiful.”

“Is she communicati
ng with you mentally?” my father asked from the doorway. Aidan tensed and nodded.

“It’s too soon for that,” my father
growled angrily.

“Is it?” Aidan asked. “Don’t you think nature knows better than we do when it is time?”

“S
he’s too young!” my father snarled, his face filled with rage.

“Why don’t we discuss this in the
hall?” Mom said, pulling my father towards the doorway.

“Good idea,” Aidan
responded tightly.

“Why are they angry?”
I thought, biting my lip then crying out at the pain my action caused.

He took my hand and squeezed it gently.
“It’s okay; they just don’t understand why we can communicate this way so soon, that’s all. I’ll get this straightened out with your father and be right back.”

“
Paul, why don’t you go with them? I’ll stay with Katie,” Beth said, looking worried.

I silently thanked her, worried myself that the man I loved and my father might come to blows
right there in the hospital.

“Will you be okay
alone with her?” Paul asked uncertainly.

“I’m
fine. I’m in control now,” Beth answered, looking uncomfortable.

“I’ll
be right back,” Aidan said to me, releasing my hand and walking to where Paul waited by the door.

“Can I get you any
thing?” Beth asked nervously at my side.

I shook my head no, regretful
that all of our time together was now marred by her slip of control at the accident. I tried to smile reassuringly. She smiled too but it did not reach her eyes, and I wondered if she would ever forgive herself. I hoped so, because I held no grudge against her. She was a vampire: it came as no surprise that all of that blood was too much to handle. Although, I admit, I now had a more healthy fear of them.

M
y eyes were growing heavy when I felt Aidan take my hand once more. I struggled to open them again, to find out what happened with my father, but it was useless. The pain medication was dragging me under. I felt him kiss me softly just before I fell into a deep, peaceful, pain-free sleep.

*****

When I woke
next, I was not sure what day it was, or how long I had been in the hospital. Thanks to the pain medication they kept pumping into me, the days and nights had mixed together and were all a fog, but Aidan was there holding my hand, so that was all that mattered.

“How are you
, beautiful?” he said, smiling down on me.

“
Liar, I’m sure I look hideous,” I whispered, my throat still scratchy and sore.

“You’re always gorgeous to me,” he assured me,
pressing a gentle kiss to my lips.

“You must be blind,
” I teased.

“
Vampires have excellent eyesight,” he chuckled, kissing me once again. Something I knew I feared I could grow very used to.

“It’s good
to hear your voice again, honey,” my father said walking into the room, giving Aidan a scathing look of disapproval before kissing my forehead.

“W
here’s Mom?” I asked, trying to distract him.

“She went shopping to get you
some pajamas that would fit over the cast on your leg.”

I sighed. The last thing I needed were more pajamas
, I had a so many at home.

“I know
, but she could use some shopping therapy right now. She’s been worried to death about you,” he told me with a smile.

I
laughed, but it hurt and I cried out, clutching my stomach.

Aidan looked o
n with concern.
“Rest, your friends will be here soon. Jess has been everyday but you were always asleep, so I know they will be glad to see you awake and able to talk. They have been very concerned about you. You are lucky to have such good friends in your life.”

“Yes, I am,
” I whispered, humbled by the amount of love that surrounded me. My mother and Beth came into the room with their hands full of bags, and I turned to them with a grimace. “Did you buy up the whole store?”

“
You never know what you’ll need,” my mother answered, as she began pulling things from the bags and removing tags before sliding the clothes into a small cabinet across the room under the window.

As she worked an
elderly volunteer walked into the room carrying a large cut-glass vase overflowing with long-stemmed pink roses. “Good afternoon,” she said cheerfully. “These are for you. Where would you like me to put them?”

I stared at the flowers speechlessly
, unable to believe that I was the recipient of such a lavish bouquet.

“Here
, I’ll take them,” my mother said, relieving the poor woman of her burden.

I looked to Aidan
, positive he was the sender, and he smiled. “Did you think I had forgotten that pink roses were your favorite?” he asked.

I had been thirteen when he
had given me a vase of pink roses for Valentine’s Day instead of the usual teddy bear or box of chocolates I had received as a child. It was my first real grownup gift and I had declared them to be my favorite flower ever. Apparently, he too remembered that day as fondly as I did, and it touched my heart.

“Hey
, they were supposed to make you happy,” Aidan said, wiping away the tear that rolled down my cheek with his finger.

“
They do, thank you,” I whispered, overwhelmed with emotion for the man before me.

A com
motion in the hallway interrupted the moment and we both looked to the doorway where Jess appeared with Josh, Chris, and Chad in tow. She wasted no time coming to my side, her concern and upset written upon her face. Josh hovered behind her, nodding to Aidan, who returned the nod with one of his own. It was an odd exchange. I had no idea Aidan even knew Josh, and I made a mental note to ask him about it later.

  “Don’t yo
u ever scare me like this again,” Jess mumbled, taking my hand in her trembling one. Tears filled her eyes, and her body began to tremble as she stared down at me sadly.

Josh placed his hand on her shoulder
, offering his quiet support, and looked at me with a thin smile. “Hey, Katie, I hope you get better soon. We really miss you,” he said, pulling Jess into his arms as she began to tremble and sob.

“Thanks,
” I murmured, hating that Jess was so upset.

He nodded and pulled Jess away.

“You are a menace, Katie,” Chris said, taking her place. “I’m beginning to think you need twenty-four hour protection,” he said jokingly, but I could see tears forming in his eyes as he kissed my cheek then moved away.

Chad came forward
, his face haggard and his eyes filled with regret. “I’m so sorry, Katie…” He broke down then, tears sliding down his cheeks as his body shook. Josh and Chris rushed forward and escorted him from the room, Aidan swore softly next to me, and Jess stared at me sympathetically.

“Well
, I guess I must look pretty bad if just seeing me makes everyone burst into tears,” I said, trying to lighten the moment.

“You look beautiful
,” Aidan’s voice echoed through my head.

  Jess stayed for a little lon
ger, but I could tell she too was upset with my appearance and was having a hard time trying to keep it together, so I feigned being tired to give her an excuse to leave. She promised to visit again and said goodbye. Josh met her at the door and whisked her away, leaving room for my family to come back inside.

“Maybe you men could go for a walk so we can
help Katie clean up and change,” my mother suggested sweetly. As nicely as it was said, it was not a request and they all knew it.

Aidan kissed my lips
and squeezed my hand reassuringly before following my father and brother out of the room so the females could help me get changed. Mom and Beth moved quickly to clean me as best they could and dress me in a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top. It was awkward and painful, but being clean and dressed in something other than a hospital gown made it all worthwhile.

“Now
, let’s do something about that hair,” my mother said, opening her purse and pulling out a brush and several hair bands. “I think a braid will work best to keep it out of the way.”

She reached for my head but I stopped her. “Mom
, Aidan likes it down, and to be honest it is more comfortable that way. Would you mind just brushing it?” She smiled and nodded, so I sat back and let her fuss, happy I was alive to let her.

“Okay
, I think we can let the men back inside now,” she said when she was done.

I felt
Aidan’s presence long before he walked through the door and as he spoke lowly to my father and Paul. I stared, unable to breathe as I looked upon his perfection. It was unfair that one male had the ability to affect me so easily, but there was nothing I could do: I was completely, utterly, and totally captivated by him. He lifted his head and smiled, and I knew he had once again been eavesdropping on my thoughts. I felt my cheeks warm. He came directly to my side and lifted my hand, brushing the back with his lips, both of us too caught up with one another to notice the nurse who had entered the room.

   “I certainly do not want to interrupt such obvi
ous affection, but I need to check a couple things, then you can have her back,” she said, smiling apologetically. Aidan moved back reluctantly and she winked at me, making me laugh. After checking my temperature and all the machines, she messed with some of the equipment then asked if I wanted something more for the pain. I declined, not wanting to waste a moment of time with Aidan, but he knew I was in pain and insisted I take the medication.

   “Y
ou’re in pain, take the medicine. I promise I will be here when you wake.” He turned to the nurse, staring into her eyes for a brief moment, compelling her to give me the medicine, and she stuck the needle into the IV without another word.

“Not fair,” I told him.

He grinned wickedly. “When it comes to your welfare I don’t play fair.”

How could I argue with that?

The doctor came into the room, making small talk as he checked me over before turning to address my parents. “I think we can send her home tomorrow, but she will need twenty-four- hour supervision.” He looked at everyone assembled in the room and smiled. “I’m guessing that won’t be a problem?” They all rushed to assure him that I would be well cared for, and he held up a hand. “Okay, okay, if everything still looks good in the morning we will release her then.” He took one of my hands and Aidan stepped forward threateningly, but Paul placed a restraining hand on his arm. “See you in the morning, Katie. We are going to miss you around here.”

I would have
liked to say the same but, in reality, I couldn’t wait to go home and hoped to never see another hospital again in my life.

   Aidan came to my side
, immediately taking my hand, rubbing it between his large ones as I listened to everyone making plans for my return home. All I could think about, though, was that if I went home, Aidan would leave again. As if reading my thoughts, he looked at me and whispered, “I’m here now,” before pressing his lips to the back of my hand.  I leaned closer, wanting more of a kiss and he grinned. “Later, your dad is watching and he is not happy,” he whispered.

I looked to where my father
stood, staring at us with a worried expression, and sat back. The pain medication they had given me was kicking in and I was beginning to feel woozy anyway so I closed my eyes and listened to them all planning until I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.