Patient B-2

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Avalyn

 A bittersweet chuckle escapes me, accompanied by a smile tinged with tears as I gaze at him tenderly. Using a hand, I swiftly brush away the evidence of my emotions. "It's alright. Just promise me you won't do it again, okay?"

 "I won't," he affirms, his eyes holding mine with a mix of gratitude and determination, though a fleeting glance betrays a different kind of longing.

 Swiftly shifting gears, he steers our conversation back to the pressing matter at hand. "About the cure... I'm not quite following. What did you mean by that?"

 I realize he's completely unaware of everything I've experienced. I never shared the true ending of my story. It's strange how quickly I've become comfortable with him, as if I've known him for ages, despite our brief acquaintance. Yet, he's clueless about my past. Dr. Gavens mentioned the cure, but he still doesn't know what it all means. Despite the possibility that he may not be receptive, I feel compelled to share everything with him. It's important for him to understand, even if it's uncomfortable.

 "It's quite a complicated story; maybe I'll share the details another time. But in short, my parents modified my blood while trying to turn me into the cure, ensuring I'd become a vampire after death. Surprisingly, it was Idalia who ultimately ended my life. But—"

 "She what?" he practically growls, startling me.

 I didn't even know the sweet, timid man could react so fiercely. "Right, when I said we were friends, that wasn't entirely true. Idalia and I are more like... business partners," I explain, my words hesitant as I struggle to convey our complex relationship. "I was helping her find you and she was helping me take down members of WWA. I'm sorry I wasn't completely honest from the start."

 "No, you don't need to apologize, Av," he shakes his head, his expression clouded with anger. "God, I can't believe she would do such a thing. I'm so sorry, I don't know how I'll forgive her for this."

 "It's alright. It was bound to happen eventually. I'm kind of glad it was sooner than later." He nods, but the creases in his forehead remain. I divert my gaze, my eyes falling to Jeannette's empty cell. "Where did they take her? I don't hear her."

 His eyes follow mine and he shrugs. "I'm not sure. I can't imagine it's anywhere good."

 As his words sink in, my mind races, scrambling to concoct a viable escape plan. Jeannette's sudden absence throws a wrench into my plan. The optimal plan was for all of us to leave together, but Jeannette's absence complicates matters. We'll scour every inch of this building if necessary, but there's a haunting possibility she's not even here. The veil of uncertainty only amplifies the pressing need to escape.

 "Aren, we need to—"

 My words come to a halt when I feel his other hand meet my other thigh, both now inching upward. "We need to what?" he asks, his eyes boring into mine.

 "Uh... we need to—"

 He breaks away to glance downward, his fingers fidgeting with the bottom of my boyshorts. My mind goes momentarily blank, a surge of nervous energy coursing through me, tinged with an unexpected flicker of excitement. My stomach flutters as he slips a single digit beneath the fabric, tracing the inner curve of my thigh.

 "I'm really sorry for what happened," he murmurs softly.

 "What are you sorry for? I—" I start to respond, then pause as realization dawns. "Oh, I said it's alright. Just no more worrying me. We—"

 "No," he interrupts, shaking his head, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he clarifies, "For that day on the medical table."

 It takes a moment, but understanding eventually floods over me. "Aren, I said you could bite me. It's alright. You don't need to apologize for that."