The Dark Hunters

Chapter 31

Braden POV

Bags under her eyes, all red and puffy, cut marks all over her arms and legs, a bloody knife on the floor, her hair spewed over her shoulders, she falls to the ground.

I run to catch her, but she hits the ground hard.

I pull my phone out of my pocket, and dial the Duke's captain of the guard.

Let me explain.

After I left Odeya, (worst mistake of my life!) I went to the town's 'Main house'. A.k.a, The Duke's mansion.

I met the Duke's captain of the guard, Erik, and we talked for a while. For so long, I finally convinced him to get me an appointment with the Duke. He told me, he got me appointment with the Duke at two o'clock the next day. Erik and I became friends, so he gave me his number in case I ever needed him. The number I'm dialing right now.

Erik answers right away. "Hey."

My voice comes out panicky. "It's Odeya. My wife. The woman I told you about." I gasp, breathing hard. "I found her trying to kill herself, she's unconscious, and very wounded, I need your help. RIGHT NOW." I practically scream into the phone.

"Oh god, man." Erik says. "I'll get the paramedics. Ten minutes." He hangs up.

I kneel down beside Odeya, afraid to touch her. Afraid to hurt her.

Her eyes open a fraction, as I gently lay a hand on her cheek.
I get close to her face to hear her whisper. "Dead. They are all dead." Tears slip down her cheeks.

In horror, I realize she's talking about her family. "Oh Odeya." I say, covering my mouth, cursing myself for not being here with her. "I'm so sorry."

She blinks slowly. "I'm sorry too." She pauses, struggles a breath, then says, "I'm sorry I did this to myself. I'm sorry I hurt you like this." She coughs, putting the back of her hand against her mouth.

I feel her forehead. It's obvious she has a fever. "It will be ok." I stroke her hair. "I forgive you. It's ok. I understand why you did this to yourself, even though you shouldn't have. People will be here soon to help you."

She nods through her fever.

I trace the back of my fingers across her cheek.

A knock on the door makes me jump out of my kneeling position. I rush out of the bathroom, and to the door, swinging it open as fast as I can.

Erik stands there with the paramedics at his side. "I hope I got here in time." He puffs. Then he and I both step out of the paramedics' way, as they rush into the bathroom.

They gingerly pick Odeya, off the ground, and carry her out the door, all the while Odeya moans.

Shutting the door behind us, Erik and I run after them.

There's a carriage outside the hotel, which Odeya is loaded into.

Three paramedics get in after her. Surprisingly, they leave the door open for me.

I gratefully get in.

Staying out of the paramedics' way, I sit a good distance away from them, but still in view of Odeya.

After a while, one of the paramedics, a girl, turns around. "Ok." She says to me. "We're almost to the healing wing. Once we get there, you have to get out first, since you're closest to the door, let us get Odeya out, and into the healing wing. If you want to be with her as we heal her, you may follow us, just stay out of the way. Got it?"

I nod in surprise and gratitude

We arrive at the healing wing.

I dart out as fast as I can and get out of their way. Once they pass me, I quickly follow them, keeping a good distance away so I don't get in the way.

We walk down a long hallway, and enter a medium sized room. The nurses and paramedics transfer Odeya onto the bed.

I make my way to the back of the room, and sit down in the chairs in the back, still in view of Odeya.

Her eyes are closed again, most likely unconscious again.

They start to undress her to work on her cuts, and I look away. I have a feeling Odeya would be really pissed at me if I invaded her privacy without permission, so I keep my eyes closed as they work on the cuts on her legs.

I look up, as the nurse says it's ok to look.

The blanket is draw up to her belly button, and a small, different blanket, covering her chest. Her eyes are still closed, but still look troubled. Worried even.

The nurses are treating her arms now. Wrapping them up in bandages I've never seen before.

They next daub her forehead with a damp washcloth, and inject three shots into her left shoulder. They put a cold ice pack-type bandage across her stomach. A smaller version of the bandage across her stomach, is placed across her right shoulder.

The nurse that is daubing Odeya's forehead, stops and folds it, leaving it across her forehead.

One of the nurses leaves and then comes back with two glasses of water and a container of pills. She sets one of the glasses, and the pills, beside Odeya's bed, then walks over to me.

Setting the other glass in my hand, she says, "You're her husband, right?" I nod. "Here's the deal. She's going to be ok. I won't ask why she did this to herself, but she needs to take the pills on the table to fully recover." She points to the pills on the table. "She'll be healed by late morning, if she takes those pills. We have advances in the healing technology, so that's why she's healing so fast. She'll wake up in about ten minutes or so. I'll leave you here with her. She's going to have to stay the night, so I'd go get your guy's stuff if I were you. And before you ask, the mess in the bathroom back at your hotel room is being taken care of."

I exhale and thank her.

"Of course." She replies. "I'll leave you to it." With that, all of the nurses leave.

I get up from the chair in the back, and transfer to the chair beside Odeya's bed.

I carefully take her hand in mine.

I wait for her to wake up, before I get the clothes. I will NOT be leaving her alone again.

After about seven minutes, her eyes flutter open.

She looks at the ceiling.

Then down at her body. Like she's processing everything that just happened.

Her eyes fall on the hand I'm holding. Her eyes travel up my arm, locking eyes with me.

"Am I dead?" She asks weakly.

I pause. "No." I say slowly not wanting to upset her.
"Oh." She says, licking her lips.
"Where am I?" She asks.
"You're in the Healing Wing of the Duke's town."
She's silent.