Forbidden |18+

XXXVII: Blood Lock

XXXVII: Blood Lock

Wren is my name, right?

I...it must be. I think so, I—at least I think it's supposed to be that...it's what I can recall to...

Darkness.

It's all I see, yet I feel my body urging me to see. I must, feeling how quickly my eyelids move beneath my closed lids causes my heart rate to soar. My breathing is coming quicker, my head moving slightly from side to side until I release a sharp, audible gasp. A second later, my eyelids flutter open, my vision blurry before it gradually comes into focus.

Releasing the air from my lungs, I didn't realize I'd held my breath in for so long. My breathing evening out as I see familiar glowing stars above me. No, not that if the night sky, nor the cool breeze that accompanies it. No...this familiarity gives me reassurance that I am safe.

Safe...

...I never thought it's something I've taken for granted for so long.

On the next beat of my heart, I feel, hear...I hear multiple heartbeats with one being just inches next to me. My nostrils flare as I catch the scent of ecstasy...sweet...fresh...

...blood.

My heart immediately skyrockets as I sit up straight suddenly. Even though I can feel the other heartbeats, my gaze snaps on the one closest to me. He sits there, on his chair, his lab coat over his clothes as Ulric looks at me with concern and worry.

Sharp, agonizing pain splits through my fangs as I release a dark hiss before lunging forward. My hands snatch his shirt, nearly tearing it and his lab coat in half as I rip away to reveal his skin...his flesh. My fangs slice through it with such ease. Oh...the ache, it starts to knock off the surface of pain slowly, slowly.

I bite...harder, feeling the other heartbeats closing in on me as I feel how distance Ulric's heartbeat is. However, the heartbeats suddenly halt in their advance, feeling one of his arms lift, and then wrap around me. I'm bathing, no...drowning in his blood. It splashes outside of my mouth, feeling his blood trickling down my chin, clutching onto him in a vice grip as I can't release him...I won't...

If I don't let him go, then I lose myself.

Respiring a quick breath and retracting my fangs, I'm breathing hard. Even though I am holding onto Ulric's shirt, desperate to stay alive and with him, I hardly notice the fact that Odette is standing next to the two of us. As I slowly lift my gaze, I see that Ulric's mouth is around her inner wrist, healing him as the puncture marks slowly begin to close from where I tore my fangs into his flesh.

"I...I'm so sorry..."

"Wren, no, there's nothing to be sorry for," Odette offers me a half-hearted smile as her irises are crimson. She nods at me and states, "I figured as much would happen the moment you awoke, and Ulric was prepared."

While Odette brings her wrist away from Ulric's lips, I look up into his eyes, searching them as I see he's okay with the amount of blood I took. Odette was ready to immediately start healing him, off setting any damage that I've done. My eyes water, wrapping my arms around his neck, I release a sharp sob as everything starts to flood back to me in an instant.

I'm alive.

I'm alive and with Ulric...and, Odette?

"Wren..." Ulric's voice is near my ear, feeling it wrap around me like a warm security blanket. I bury my face into his chest, breathing in his scent as it's the one thing I've missed more than anything. He tells me softly, "I'm so sorry we weren't able to find you sooner. Noir and the pack's finest trackers did everything that they could to find you."