ILL-FATED JOURNEY™

Chapter 34

"First aid is not really my thing," Azura said as she re-entered the room. Vlad had straightened up

the mess she made and was staring out the window. He didn't even turn to acknowledge that he

had heard her speak.

"Vladimir?" She called again.

"You call me Vlad when you're mad." He said without turning. "I take it you are no longer angry 

with me."

"I'm always angry with you." Azura admitted as she removed the jacket off his arm.

"A little deeper you could've gotten an artery." He pointed out bitterly.

"You seemed disappointed that I missed." She pointed out, wondering at his strange tone.

"Maybe..." He evaded, still not looking at her, even after she applied the antiseptic. He didn't 

even make a sound.

Azura didn't want to ask but the curiosity was getting to her. "Are you alright?"

"Why do you ask?" He countered. "Not of any real concern, perhaps...curiosity."

She absolutely hated that he read her so well. "You're acting strange and I'm stuck here with 

you...alone....so, it concerns me."

He finally faced her and stated. "We can go home"

"Home?" Azura asked, pausing as she wrapped the bandage around his arm. "Russia, you 

mean?"

He moved his free hand in an airy wave. "There is no purpose to being here anymore..."

Azura took a step back. "We just got here! Why do we have to go back?"

He shrugged. "You didn't want to come..."

"I'm also sick of being there..." She argued.

He sighed. "I don't think we should stay here any..."

Azura cut him off. "Why can't we stay here?"

He shrugged that stupid shrug again. "You just said you didn't want to be alone with me..."

"Because you're being creepy but then... you're always creepy." Azura said mimicking his airy 

wave.

He hedged. "I can't touch you and ..."

She couldn't stop her eyes from rolling. "So that's why!"