Crave Me [EDITING and ON HIATUS]

{thirty-one}

Ezra whispered something I couldn't bother to decipher before Celia backed away and walked with him to the door. They both stood there and averted their eyes as I stood at the foot of Aurelia's bed.

She was barely even skin and bone, much less healthier than how she looked in the vision I'd had of her before. She was dressed in what looked like a hospital gown, though I couldn't tell much since she had a blanket covering her from the chest down. Her soft brown hair was brittle and dry, a crease settled in between her brows, and despite her sleeping form, she looked to be in pain.

My breath began to shake as I walked closer to her, moving around to her right side. She'd been talking to me, teaching me, and writing to me, in this state? I looked over at her arms, they had gone purple and bruised, probably from the bloodvac's they'd give her, maybe other things...

I never planned on meeting you like this. Her voice said in my mind, and for a second, I was started at the strength of her voice. I know it's hard... but don't make a sound. Take my hand. I couldn't help but just... stare.

Don't think, Auden. I'll be alright. I took a moment to breathe and collect myself before I traced the bruises down her arm, each one sending a pang in my heart. I took her hand in mine. She was ice cold and if it wasn't for the heart monitor, I would've thought she was dead. I tried my best not to squeeze her hand too hard. I was worried that if I held onto her any tighter, she would break. But as soon as I had tightened my grip, her hand clasped closed around mine and a pain seared up from my palms to my arms.

Our time is coming to an end. She said and the pain ceased. I felt a soft touch on my cheek. But there was no one there. I looked over at her face, the crease in between her brows had gone, and she blinked her eyes awake. She didn't bother looking at me, instead she looked over at Ezra... and smiled... I thought it was just my imagination, but I watched as Ezra suddenly turned stiff and quivered in his position. Moments later, Celia dropped to her knees.

Ezra began to step forward in a strange, slow... almost unnatural manner. His jaw revealed a tenseness in his actions and I watched as he made his way to the foot of the bed. Celia's face looked freakishly pale as she watched her brother take out a blade from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. Taken aback, I tried to move and grab him, but Aurelia's grip held me firmly in place.

Trust me. She said simply but it was hard to watch as Ezra took the blade and to my surprise, brought it to his hand and drew it through. The smell of his blood wafted throughout the room and I watched as he walked around over to Aurelia, trembling as he offered his bloodied hand to her lips. I looked away. I couldn't watch. But when I felt her grip, loosen around my wrist, I couldn't help but look at the scene. Ezra trembled terribly under Aurelia's gaze. Her eyes landed on mine as she licked her lips clean. She pushed Ezra's hand away from her and I watched as her body pulsed with life, her skin turned supple, hair smooth, and she let out a relieved sigh. Her green eyes then turned a viscious red, as if sending a warning to me.

I didn't know if I was frozen out of fear or out of sheer confusion. Something was wrong and yet I couldn't understand why Aurelia would-

This is how you'll get out of here. Her voice said and I watched as she nodded her head towards Ezra and he moved away from the bed, settling back where Celia was kneeling.

"It's nice to finally meet you," she said, her voice was softer than I expected.

What you've seen me do is our bloodline's trait. Mind control. Though it seems like a powerful tool, I can no longer do it for very long. She then took my hand in hers. Consider my plans in action.

"For my blood, a gift," Aurelia suddenly said and it was like she was reciting a set of lines, "For my enemies, a weapon, and for our lives, a curse." As she spoke, red lines, almost like veins, appeared from the hand that held mine and I watched, as if in a trance, as they travelled and transferred over to my own skin. A burning sensation then began climbing up my arms and into the rest of my body, images flashed through my head and my breath hitched.

I felt a weight over my shoulders and I couldn't breathe. Aurelia refused to release my hand even though the heat had now changed into a scorching pain. I could feel tears stream down my face, my vision blurred, and all I could register was pain... and then I heard it. Voices. Jumbled and messy, like I was stuck in a crowd of whispers - and then before I could decipher any single one of the voices...

Silence.

This is the only way. Our plans live today. Aurelia's voice said and it was as if she woke me up. I was back in the room but Aurelia's grip on mine was no longer there, it was gone, and so was the health that had spread through her from Ezra's blood. I immediately looked over at the heart rate monitor. Stable. I breathed a sigh of relief, but just as I did so, I felt hands grab both my arms, forcing them behind my back.

"What the hell-" I began but all I had to do was look over at Ezra and the anger in his eyes.

"Take her to the basement." Before I could even try to set myself free, I felt a soft pressure on my neck and I was gone.