Infected

Quin

"She's asleep."

Her breathing has been steady for a while and her heart hasn't faltered into dangerous territory, yet I don't see any reason to move from the couch where I'm holding her.

I look down at the resting form in my arms. I brush the limp curls away from her hidden face. She's nestled against my chest, with no sign of pain on her features. Every time she exhales, I'm overwhelmed with relief. It means she's alive, that she's on the path to recovery, and not the kind that the doctors have been spewing to her since she left the hospital.

My body wouldn't protest the position I'm in, I'd never need to rest or shift her featherlike weight in my arms. It's the only time I've not seen her in misery. Under the influence that I've placed in her mind, she has nothing to worry about, her dreams are safe for the first time in what must feel like forever. Fields of daisies and alfalfa in the warm sun, hilly mountains covered in snow, bright oceans with crashing waves and salty air. I won't conjure anything that resembles her family, it's too soon for that. From what I saw before she woke, the Infection had been ravaging her mind with perversions of the people who love her. Her heart can't take seeing them so soon after escaping that hell.

"We need to leave. She needs hydration and something for the fever." Nathaniel, my oldest friend, and Elle's boss stands from our resting place. He's putting away the empty syringes in his bag and wiping the coffee of all evidence of Elle's blood when I find a reason to respond.

"I'll come back to clean up the rest. Let's just get going." My tone is short, reflecting the rage that simmers in my body. He knows I'm far past disappointment right now. Promises were made the day I found her in the apartment, and he's broken them for his own selfish reasons.

He stops his cleaning and begins turning off the lights. She had them on before going unconscious, too scared of the dark that was chasing her. It'd personified itself as Rucker, turning her biggest fears into a reality she couldn't discern to the point she didn't even know she'd stabbed me. She missed my heart, though it wouldn't have matter if she did pierce it, I would've healed either way. But something tells me she thought it was someone else.

However, I do remember her shrill cries claiming what we are, her fear of the things that have ruined her life having come true.

"You're monsters!"

I wanted to tell her how accurate it was, but it would've only made her fight us more. I made a split decision to give her enough reason to keep her calm, and keep her mind focused on the mystery of what was occurring with the injections, even if she didn't believe a word that Galen or I said.

I rise from the couch with little effort, cradling Elle like a child. She whimpers, and my heart stops, searching for the source of her discomfort. Did I hurt her doing this seemingly fluid movement? I would never do it to her intentionally, but I'm so unused to being in such close contact with humans, it could have happened.

I'd rather her stab me a million times than to see another tear come from her emerald eyes, the events of tonight proved that. The force she used to knock Nathaniel to the ground wasn't normal for a human. It was a symptom, she let the rage take over her for one moment and was able to use the strength of the Infection, springing like a tigress to take him down. It was amazing to witness but if I hadn't been there to restrain her, he surely would be covered in his own blood right now, refusing to harm her in order to gain some control.

As I carry her out, I pass the puddle of blood on the floor of the kitchen, my canines aching at the scent that wafts over to me. The blast of power I had to send to calm her weakened me greatly, it's been so long since I've had to use such force. I'll have to get something to rid the hunger in my stomach when we get to Nathaniel's and judging by the parlor of my friend as he slips into the driver's seat of his Mercedes, he's going to need some too. Today has drained us more than we'd planned.