Bloody Curse | Book Two of Blood Trilogy

Chapter 43

Violet 

Hours had passed and I was finally getting out of bed. My joints popped and I cracked my knuckles. Everything felt tight and the tension between my shoulder blades felt like they were going to take a while to disperse. 

Asher must've brought me here while I drifted off to sleep, but there was no sign of him in the room. I was mildly disappointed but I knew that he was probably with the men right now  dealing with the situation. 

I sighed then glared at myself in the mirror. I looked like a walking mess. My hair was tangled in places, but I smiled softly when I glanced down at the button down shirt that Asher had wrapped me in. He changed me out of the messy clothing and into one of his dark navy shirts. I breathed in his scent. It was like he was standing right next to me, but he wasn't. 

I shook my head slightly. My mind cleared of my husband and filled with my daughter. I began worrying about her. I best see her right away. She was crying and I couldn't do anything. She must be worried sick. 

A hand smoothed down his shirt and I frowned because I didn't quite want to change out of his warm shirt, but I had to. 

My arms bent slowly and I gritted my teeth in pain as I put a t-shirt on. The soreness would not leave for days after, I knew of it. I just hoped that nobody else got hurt right after I went down. Chills crawled down my spine and goosebumps rose. What would I do if mother wasn't there? Alexandria would've been in the hands of the monster instantaneously. I did not want to think about it anymore. 

The hallways were dimly lit when I walked out into them. I felt compelled to walk back to my mother's room but it was probably still a mess, so I decided against it and made my way to the kitchen for a glass of blood. 

I sat at the barstool and leaned my weight against the granite countertop. I sighed and rested my head on my arm. I felt energy slowly coming through my body but I just sat there and drew designs among the swirls on the granite. I sighed and closed my eyes tightly. I felt tired yet energetic at the same time. I either needed sleep or more blood. I chose the latter and drank another glass in three swift gulps. 

My head perked and I thought of Jilly and Hazel. I closed my eyes and cringed at my neglect. I was the worst best friend. I didn't even consider once about visiting her and her newborn. 

I nearly sprinted down the hallways to her and Caleb's room. I was in a rush and I hoped that she would feel indifferent about me not coming to see her. 

I knocked on her door while holding my breath. I waited and waited but I heard footsteps approaching. Those steps stopped right before the door but I could hear her heart beating quickly. 

"Who is it?" She asked wearily. Her voice shook a bit but I could understand why. 

"It's Vi, can I come in?" I asked. She was taking precautions and I couldn't blame her. She was protecting her baby with a lot of care and nurture. 

The door cracked open a second later and I walked in then shut it immediately behind me to give her a sense of security. When I turned around to face her, her arms wrapped around me in a tight hold. I rested my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes. Her warmth radiated into my body and I felt loved. 

"You're safe." She whispered into my ear with a shaky voice. I pulled back with a reassuring smile. 

"Everything will be okay, Jilly. I promise that." My eyes diverted from hers to the crib that lay across from the bed. Small babbles could be heard, so I asked Jilly for permission silently and she let me go so I could make my way over to the crib. 

The baby with the largest green eyes stared back me. She wore her father's eyes well and I giggled when she grinned at me. Jilly walked up beside me with a motherly smile and I could tell by one look of her eyes that she loved her daughter more than she loved Caleb. I chuckled at the thought. That was a massive amount of love because there was no such thing as loving someone more than a mate. 

"How has she been doing? Has she gotten a lot of rest?" I asked those questions while turning my attention back to the mother. I could tell that by the bags under Jillian's eyes that she was tired and had been up all night, but that could easily be from Hazel's fussing. 

She nodded and sighed. "Hazel is a healthy baby and is always asking for food, so Caleb has been getting jealous with the extra attention I'm giving her, and not him." She smirked at me with a glance that told it all. I knew what she meant because while Zayden and Alexia were babies, Asher was being a baby and asking for attention himself. 

I rolled my eyes at the mens' behaviors. All they wanted was affection from their mates but the also wanted children, so they would just have to deal with splitting the attention. They could pass as being as immature as children anyway. 

I laughed to myself. I then glanced down back to Hazel and reached down so she could wrap her small hand around my fingers. Her feet kicked in the air excitedly and she gave the widest gummy smile. I mimicked her smile and felt the happiness from her come to me. She was as happy as Zayden and Alexia when they were newborns. 

"Well I better leave the two of you alone, I plan to find Alexia and visit Zayden as well. Just make sure you stay safe in this room and don't open any windows." I stated the last part when I reached the double doors. Jilly nodded then pulled me into another hug. 

"Please don't get hurt again, Vi. You know that you aren't as strong as you were ten years ago." She said then pulled back but kept me at an arms length to confirm that I hard heard what she said. I nodded then smiled while turning to walk out the door. 

The stroll to Zayden's room was quiet and peaceful. There was no one in the hallways, which was a bit odd since there was always at least one person walking, but it was calming nonetheless. The closer I got to Zayden's room, the more confident I felt that Alexia had been with her brother the entire time. 

I reached the door and breathed out a long breathe. I didn't want to disturb their silence if they were connecting again, but I needed to check on my daughter. I bit my lip and hoped for nothing to happen on the other side of the door when I opened. 

I walked through and shut it softly behind me. I glanced at his bed and sighed at the sight before me. It warmed my heart and I smiled widely. 

The brother and sister laid under the same bed cover and cuddled closely with their limbs tangled together. Their hearts beat at the same rate and they looked content in each other's presence. Seeing them together made me have a sense of security because our family is coming together one step at a time. 

Pushing the covers up to Alexia's chin, she woke up and had wide eyes when she saw me. 

"Are you feeling better, mommy?" She asked with much concern. My cheeks turned slightly red at her worrying. 

"Don't worry about me, sweetheart. I'm fine now. How has Zayden been treating you?" I spared a small glance at her older brother but he remained asleep. 

"He hasn't said much, but he wanted me to sleep with him tonight." She whispered. "I think he's been feeling better." She stated with a hopeful smile. Her front tooth was missing and a bit was growing in near the gums. I touched her cheek and ran my thumb down the side of her face. 

"That's really good, baby. He loves you very much."