Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“Thank you,” I say to Xavier, but he just responds with a grunt. My fingers are trembling by the time we get to the ICU. Theo must have already held the nurse spellbound because she looks up at us with glazed over eyes for just a second before looking back at her computer.
“Do whatever you humans need to do,” Theo tells me. “I need to talk to my brother.” The look they exchange reminds me of the annoyed way Antonio has looked at Leo over the years. I’ve known the Russos as my siblings for pretty much my whole life. I can’t imagine how much we’d get on each other’s nerves over several lifetimes together.
“Hi,” I whisper, feeling all shaky as I slide open the glass door, letting myself into the tiny ICU room. Devon is almost unrecognizable. He’s hooked up to machines, including one that is helping his punctured lung breathe. “I’m really sorry.” My voice breaks and I bring my hands to my face, covering it as I sob. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.” Blinking through my tears, I shuffle over and put my hand on Devon’s arm.
He’s cool to the touch, not as cold as a vampire, but cooler than he should be. Maybe from the blood loss? The trauma?
“I know you said you didn’t want to be turned, but I don’t think you want to die.” Sniffling, I look at the machines, watching the beeps and the numbers slightly fluctuate. I don’t have a degree in anything medical, but I’ve been around enough carnage to have a decent understanding.
Devon’s vitals are weak.
Yes, people do pull through. People do witness miracles. But what if the person who needs to pull through doesn’t want to? What if Devon isn’t fighting against his injuries to come back? Maybe he wants to go on his own terms.
“Either way…I…I don’t think it’s my choice.” The words feel wrong coming out of my mouth. “It should be yours. But, um, we both know Theo and Xavier are kinda the King and Queen of the house. Theo is totally the queen, by the way. He’s really dramatic, but I’m sure you know.”
I force myself to look at Devon’s face. Sometimes, people look like they are peacefully sleeping when they’re in a medically induced coma like this.
Devon doesn’t.
He has too many tubes and wires attached to him to look even remotely natural. His chest rises and falls unevenly, and the heart monitor beeps too slowly. He’s stable—for now.
“All along, you wanted to be a vampire. It doesn’t seem so bad.” I inch closer, scared of bumping one of the devices keeping him alive right now. “I would miss food, but I’m guessing you don’t miss it once you turn, which is a weird concept to just stop wanting to emotionally eat cookies after a bad day, right?” My lips twitch into a half smile, almost able to hear him chuckle along with me.
“And you enjoy Mabel’s fake sunshine. She likes to smell my hair after I’ve been out in it. I’ll let you do that, too. But that’s the only thing you’re sniffing, mister.” My eyes fall shut and I try not to think too far ahead, but I can’t help it. Going from being alive to undead is just such a hard thing for me to wrap my head around.
The Malus vampires all were alive at some point. Every single one of them that I’ve met had some sort of death story, a moment in time where they took their last breath.
But it’s not like they’re gone.
“I don’t want you to die,” I say and break down again. “Not in the you’ll-be-gone-forever way.” I wipe my eyes and suck in a shaky breath. “And I’m sorry if that makes me selfish. I’d rather have the vampire version of you than to not have you at all.” I feel some relief after admitting it out loud. Because it’s true. Xavier has done very well for himself as a vampire. Other than not being able to be outside in the sun, there are a lot of advantages over being a human.
“You’ll never get sick again. And you can open all the jars I’m too weak to open.” Tears roll down my face. “I’ll even take you demon hunting because you’ll be close to my level. I’ll still be better.”
Sliding my fingers down his arm, I bring my hand back and wrap my arms around myself. I can’t stop my mind from wandering, and right now it just seems way too coincidental that Devon ran to me with a warning about the Russos only for him to be shot by them moments later.
The slow and steady beeping of the heart monitor starts to sporadically increase. His body tenses as if he’s in pain, and I gasp and step back, turning to call for the nurse. She rushes in and gives Devon something through his IV. Seconds later, the beeping slows and Devon’s body relaxes.