Seventeen
I sat up gasping. My heart racing, and a cold sweat coating my body. My hands clenched the blankets covering my legs, trying to calm my heart. I turned my head to the left, automatically noticing the IV drop and heart monitor that was beeping uncontrollably.
My head went to my right. Knight sat slumped in a plush black leather chair chair. His arm rested on the arm of the chair and his head rested haphazardly on his hand. His brow formed a hard 'V', his jaw clenched tight.
I smoothed the blanket on top of me out, only becoming slightly annoyed by the tugging of the IV on my inner elbow. My bones protested with any movement I made.
"Renee." I tuned my head to see Knight fully awake. His eyes bright with relief.
"Hey." I replied softly.
He quickly got up out of the chair and sat beside me on the bed. He grabbed my right hand, tracing the crescent moon on my wrist.
"How are you feeling, love?" He placed his other hand upon my forehead. It was cool, but sent an electric tingle down my back.
And you haven't mated with him yet?
I scowled at the comment.
"Renee?" He asked.
"Oh yes, yes I feel. . . not as well as I should anyways." I said with a small smile.
"You're slightly warm. I'll make sure Alexandra brings something up to help bring your fever down." He cupped my cheek, looking into my eyes.
"How long have I been out?" I asked breathlessly. His hand tightened in mine.
"You've been out for five days." I watched as he closed his eyes, not showing me the pain that my unconscious state had caused him.
"Oh Knight." I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him into me. "I am so, so sorry. I shouldn't have been so stupid. I should have known if you weren't in the house, then something's must have been wrong. But I was just so. . . so scared for you. But, no matter what I shouldn't have been so reckless."
If you hadn't been, I wouldn't be back. Be grateful for that.
"No, no, no. Renee, no." He sighed heavily, his arms tightening around my waist. "It is entirely my fault. As much as I hate to admit it. I should have barred the door, told you what was happening. Then maybe we could have avoided this." He placed a soft kiss onto the crook of my neck. "I just thank the Goddess that you are safe."
Oh gods. He is just so much more. . . passionate than I recall him being. I mean. He's always been passionate and protective and loving and. . . well everything. But, only after he's gotten his memories unlocked. Sweet mother, what is wrong with you?! Make a bigger move!
"Be quite." I hissed.
"I-I beg your pardon?" He asked incredulously, lifting his head from my neck.
"No, no not you." I sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just. . . not feeling myself at the moment."
A sad smile turned the corners of his mouth up. He gently placed a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
*****
There was something off. Not in the same sense that something was necessarily bad, but something didn't seem to be the same as it was. I could feel the electric charge in the air as always when in the same room or proximity with Renee, but now there was a slight intensity to it. It had never gotten to this peak, not when we had made out in the closet, or even when I had marked her.
She has a slightly different smell, not a significant difference, but it is more. . . intense.
What could it have been though. Obviously something had happened. Her wounds would not have caused her to pass out for five days.
"Are you hungry? Is there anything you wish to have?" I watched her intensely, taking careful notice that whenever she moved, even if it was a finger, her eyes clouded in subdued pain.
"I am feeling a bit peckish." At that moment her stomach decided to growl. Her cheeks grew red. "And a glass of water would be nice." She added.
"I'll go make something right now." I stood up to leave when she grabbed my hand.
"There is something you should know." Her eyes left mine and her cheeks grew pink.
"You can tell me anything, love." I sat back down on the edge of the bed.
"It's gotta be vegetarian." She stated.
I couldn't grasp what she was referring to. What needed to be vegetarian? As if understanding my confusion she carried on. "The food. I'm a vegetarian, so whatever you decide to make me, it can't have meat in it."
"You're joking right?" I asked with a laugh. A vegetarian? My mate? It had to be a joke.
"No, I'm completely serious." I laughed again at her expression. "This isn't a joke. I've been a vegetarian for," She stopped to think about it, her expression becoming clouded. "I've been a vegetarian since the day my mother disappeared."
I sat still, not moving a muscle. She didn't talk about her mother. And after what happened five days ago, I could be walking on thin ice.
"Y'know how most people find different coping mechanisms when they go through traumatic events? Well, mine was going vegetarian. My mother was a big meat eater." She said this with a sad laugh. "I guess my eight year old mind figured that if I couldn't have my mother, I shouldn't be able to enjoy one of the things she loved most." She said the last bit with a shrug.
"Baby, you can have whatever you want, and if that means you don't want meat, so be it." I stood and placed a kiss hop her forehead. "I'll be right back."
*****
He had been gone for no more than five minutes. The steady beeping of the heart monitor the only sound in the room.
So, now that you know who you really are, what do you plan on doing?
I pondered the question for several seconds. What was I going to do? It was obvious one of the biggest things to do was to finish the mating process with Knight. It wasn't right that I knew our history and he did not. Not only that but it might help in helping keep Sebastian. . . Vladimir, out of our lives.
That is unlikely.
It's worth a shot. At this point I'll do anything to protect Knight, and our race.
Then you may want to prepare yourself.
"Prepare myself for what?"
The next several days may be difficult for you, not that the past few haven't been, oh gods I am so sorry.
"What? What is it?" I could feel my worry building.
It's Father.
"What about him? What do you mean?"
There was no response.
"God damn it what's wrong with him!" I hollered.
He's gone. Vladimir found him. Curse that Nightwalker. He's killed him.
I could feel the tears running down my cheeks before she had stopped talking. Her reaction hitting me before the meaning of her words did. I didn't even register the scream that ripped out of my throat. The pain ripping through my chest was worse than a broken arm. My mind went blank. There was nothing but the pain. As if a dull blade was being shoved into chest and twisted into my heart.
I barely noticed the sound of the door being shoved open. Warm arms wrapped around me, cradling me. I could just make out Knights voice, questioning me on what was wrong. I had no breath for talking.
Father is dead.
Knight stiffened. His arms going rigged around me as my screams became loud sobs.
"What did you say?" He whispered.
"No one said anything, Alpha." Alex stood in the doorway with Dimitri. She glanced over at her mate, her brow furrowed.
Father has been murdered by Vladimir.
His arms left me, and he stood up abruptly. "How the hell are you doing that?" His voice had become hard.
"Doing what, Alpha?" Alex was starting to sound concerned.
"Knight?" Dimitri questioned.
"Just shut up the both of you." He growled. As the words left his mouth I felt my body start to burn. I curled into a ball, my body screaming at me.
Sh, let me handle this. We'll be okay.
I heard myself scream again. This time louder than before. Every bone in my body felt as if it were breaking. Breaking my arm felt like walking in sunshine compared to the pain my body was in now.
I sensed Knight take a step towards me, as if to hold me once again. Before he could reach the bedside I felt I myself rolling off the other side and landing painfully onto the floor. The blanket landed around me.
I tried to stand up but only managed to get tangled in the blanket. I felt my body collapsing to the floor once again.
My skin had begun to itch uncontrollably. It was as if millions of ants were crawling under my skin. I was in so much pain my mind couldn't decide what to try to relive first.
I felt rather than saw Knight, Alex and Dimitri come around the bed to find out what was happening. Knight stood the closest. His face a mask of pure fear. I felt a twinge of sorrow for him, he couldn't help me. Even though it wanted him to hold me, I knew that it would only cause whatever was happening to me to be more agonizing.
I twisted from my side to my back, trying to ease some of the unbearable pain. I hadn't stopped screaming. Or crying. The pain in my heart was an equal match to that of my body.
"Jesus fucking Christ, she's changing."