The Bite That Binds [Kaylor] ON HOLD

[ it's hot here ]

Sorry this update took a while, guys!  Some important explanations occur in this chapter though.  After all, I'm sure you're wondering why Josh would be sending Karlie wolfsbane bouquets.  Thank you all so much for the votes and reviews!!  You're all so wonderful.

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Taylor ended up drifting off around 2:45, and when she startled awake again, the clock told her that nearly two hours had passed.  Her body felt heavy, eyes burning from tears and lack of sleep.  Exhausted, her sleep-addled brain tried to discern what had woken her.  It took a moment for her to realize that it was the fact that Karlie had stopped shaking in her arms.

Panic hit first, stabbing her repeatedly like a knife.  Her fingers fumbled for a pulse, and for a terryfing second, she couldn't find one.  Karlie felt weak, like a broken doll in her arms rather than a woman.  And she was still...so still.

Then Taylor felt it.  A rhythmatic beat beneath her fingers.  She pulled Karlie closer, trying to calm her panic, and she could feel the younger woman's breathing.  It had grown steadier, and she was no longer wheezing.  All good signs.  Or, Taylor hoped they were, at least.  She tilted Karlie's head up with a gentle hand, and found that her face had regained some of its color.  She looked ivory now, rather than whiter than snow.

Karlie's eyes blinked open after a moment.  They were still red and clouded, and she was obviously still not completely pain-free, judging by the tenseness of her face and the wateriness of those beautiful forest-green orbs.  Karlie swallowed thickly, and her voice was somewhat clearer than it had been a few hours before, "Taylor?"

"I'm still here, baby," Taylor mumured, leaning down to kiss Karlie's forehead.  The sweat had mostly dried, and she felt far less clammy than she had been.  Taylor rested her forehead against the werewolf's, closing her eyes, breathing her in and hoping Karlie felt safe in her arms.

The model shifted a little closer, "Am I 'kay?"

"I think you are.  You're a lot better.  Just rest some more, alright?" Taylor replied, glad that the conviction in her voice was no longer forced. 

Karlie sat back some, very slowly, looking a little bit dizzy, "Can we lie down?"

"Of course," Taylor said.  She pulled down the blankets and settled back on the pillows.  Automatically, Karlie crawled under them next to her.  Her head came to rest on Taylor's chest, an arm around her waist.

Taylor ran her fingers soothingly up and down Karlie's back until the younger girl fell asleep once more.  This time, she let her own sleep come willingly, reassured by the strength bleeding back into Karlie's body.

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Karlie stirred again, feeling like she'd been over by a truck.  Or maybe three of them.  But right now she also didn't feel like she was actively dying, and that in itself was an improvement.  Weakly, she lifted her head so she could see Taylor's face, and found the singer looking down at her with a small smile.

"The princess awakens," Taylor purred, and Karlie could see exhaustion in her face. She felt bad that it was only there because the blonde had been up taking care of her.

Karlie shifted so she could press a kiss to Taylor's cheek, "You're the princess.  I'm the prince."

Taylor gave a lazy smile and shifted underneath Karlie's body, stretching the tightened muscles in her back.  She looked like she felt almost as terrible as Karlie did.  Another wave of guilt hit, and Karlie rolled carefully off of Taylor, giving her space.  But in an instant, the blonde had followed her, pulling Karlie back into her body with an arm around her waist, "Do you think you could keep food down?"