The Secret Life - Sex and Blood anyone?

The Secret Life ((Part 22))

I woke up quite disoriented. There was a throbbing pain on my jaw and when I put my hand up to it I found a perfect little row of stitches along my jaw line.

My right hand was in a wrap and I could feel the bruising when I tried to wiggle my fingers. In fact, I could feel bruising all over my body. I felt like I'd been run over by a large truck-several times. I groaned and rolled over, coming face-to-face with Bebe.

She whined and put her nose to mine.

"Morning baby." I croaked.

Fuck! My throat was on fire. I sat up in bed and looked around, catching a look of my reflection in the mirror.

Ah hell.

My eyes were swollen and puffy, they both had light bruising underneath them and the outline of the bite on my jaw line was black; there were finger prints on my throat and I was sure, if I stood up, there would be more prints on me in various places.

I slid to the end of the bed and winced. I'd forgotten about my ribs, they were still completely sore-though probably no longer broken. I didn't care about my own pain in that moment, I really wanted to go check on Paige and see if she was okay.

I stumbled out into the living room, locking eyes with each of my dogs, and then finally my eyes fell on Jace. He was asleep on the couch with Chevy and Turk, the West Siberian Laikas, laying on him. I didn't smile, I couldn't, so I turned and went to check Jace's room.

Sure enough, Paige was there. Mia was asleep on the lounge chair next to the bed, snoring lightly. I saw the faint traces of bruises on her face and hands as well. I moved until I was next to the bed and then lowered my weight onto it so I wouldn't jostle her. Her head turned and her eyes opened.

"And she wakes from the dead." Paige said, her voice cracking.

"What are you talking about?" I asked her.

"You've been sleeping for a long time, I was getting worried."

I laughed. "You don't have to worry about me Paige, I'm strong."

Paige shook her head. "Not about you, about Jace. He wouldn't leave your side. He tended to you hand and foot. Actually, he's the one that stitched you up. I have to bare through Mia stitching me, and let me just say, she's not very good at it."

I looked at her, trying to find some kind of sign that she wasn't okay.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her.

Her face was slightly paler than usual and she had on absolutely not eyeliner which made her look so much younger.

"I'm good; I could jump up and fight vampires right now if the warden would let me. Mia is being a real hard ass. She wont even let me have my pills."

"Your pills?" I asked her.

"Yea, it's the more conventional way I've found to deal with being what we are." She told me.

"And pills help you?" I asked doubtfully.

"Doesn't sex and alcohol help you? Pills are much simpler; you don't have to look cute for them and you don't have to drink massive amounts of booze so you don't care about the nasty things you have to do to feel better. Trust me, I've been there."

"Pills," I said in wonder. "What kind?"

"Barbiturates grasshopper." Paige said. "They're like this hard core depressant, I only have to take three and my whole body just shuts down until morning. A normal human would only need one, but it seems our bodies need a lot more to obtain a high. I used to have to take eight Oxys just to relax and then two more to hit bliss. These are more expensive, but they last longer."