I Am Only One {Mature Vampire Romance}

Book 1|28. Revelations

Chapter dedicated to Jazzasaurus. It is awesome to see you here, my friend! Thanks so much for reading and voting!

Chapter 28 –Revelations – Raine's POV

I leapt from the bed, grabbed a towel and ran to Ella's side. I applied pressure to the wound in her neck and cried, "I'm so sorry! This is my fault! I swear to you, I will never put you in danger again!"

Ella's eyes were clear and focused. She even found the strength to struggle to a sitting position and said hoarsely, "It's okay."

"It's not okay! I am so sorry!" 

Suddenly, the door opened. A healer and male vampire came in. The healer kept the towel compressed on her neck, while the vampire lifted her carefully. They left silently and then I was alone.

Back in the prison I had tried so desperately to escape.

And now I had no choice.

I couldn't leave and put Ella at risk again.

A sob broke from my lips. But there was no time to wallow in self-pity. Cage would be back soon and I needed to be ready. My legs trembled as I got to my feet and made my way into the shower. I was covered in dirt from my head to my toes. I stared at myself in the mirror, looking for the bruises I expected to be there.

But I found none.

I leaned closer and blinked a few times to make sure my tears were not impeding my vision. But still I couldn't find a single bruise. And it wasn't because I hadn't gotten hit. Quite the contrary, once the hunters established the fact I was fighting with the vampires, they hadn't held back. Several had made fierce contact with my body.

I froze as I realized I didn't feel any pain either. This was crazy. How was this possible? My previous wounds had healed in a day or so, but never this fast, never within an hour. My heart beat faster in my chest. My mind scrolled back to the fight. My accelerated healing wasn't the only significantly abnormal thing. There was no way I should have been able to fight like I did. I didn't have the training or the strength. But it seemed none of that mattered, because as soon as I felt the vibration in the air, my body acted on instinct.

Anxiety constricted my chest as a greater truth ran through my mind. I had protected him...again. Even when trying to run away from him, I chose to fight for him. I couldn't stop myself. It was instinct to keep him safe, to keep them safe. I had felt it for all of them, Cage the most, by far. But I had also felt a need to protect Kieran and Talia as well. I shook my head trying to organize my chaotic thoughts. Maybe it was because I had gotten to know them personally, I rationalized. But in the back of my mind, I had a suspicion there was more to it than that.

Shuffling forward, I entered the shower, letting the water run as hot as I could stand it. It beat against my skin, soothing my flesh and temporarily blocking out my thoughts. My body moved on auto-pilot, running through my normal shower routine with the addition of picking forest debris out of my hair.

As soon as I stepped out, apprehension consumed me again. My time alone was quickly coming to an end and I would have to face him. Even though he had stormed out, it would not be long before he returned. I quickly pulled on my normal sleeping attire, shorts and a t-shirt and sat on the bed to wait. I was done with my tears for now. I wouldn't sit there pitying myself. If this was to be my fate, then I would find a way through it.

As expected, the clocked ticked only fifteen more minutes when Cage returned. He walked into the bedroom and glared at me. Shit, he was angry. Very angry. I held my knees to my chest and waited for him to speak. He paced back and forth, struggling with his fury. Finally he hissed, "Talia almost died tonight because of you!"