Fatal Fascinations

Chapter 8: Running Out of Time

I awoke moments later in Luca's arms.

I couldn't have been blacked out for more than five minutes, yet it felt as if I had been out for days.

The biggest difference I noticed was the pain was gone.

Am I a vampire now?

My heart beat widly in my ears, drowing out all other sounds. Not yet. Not yet.

I glanced down at my stomach to see the wounds mostly healed. Only four faint pink scars stretched from the top of my ribs to just below my navel. The rest of my body was in similar shape. Several purple and blue bruises climbed up my pale skin. The red scratch marks from the Mercari's claws were heavily faded.

I healed myself. I healed myself. I'm a vampire. Dear god, I'm the vampire Queen.

Looking up at Luca, I noticed he wasn't paying attention to me. Instead, he was watching Caspian carefully holding Alex in his arms.

"Al," I cried out, causing Luca to give me a sharp look.

"She's fine," Caspian assured me. He set her down delicately beside me. Her eyes were closed, her face purple, and she was covered in dirt and blood.

"She'll wake up soon," Luca told me, brushing a stray hair away from my face. I leaned away from him, scrambling on my hands and knees on the ground towards Alex.

"Rose," I breathed, grasping Alex's cold hand. "Where is Rose?"

I looked up frantically, my eyes wide and panicked.

A small figure sulked carefully from behind a tree. Rose limped cautiously toward us, holding her hand across her bleeding bicep. She stopped about five feet away. Her black hair was tangled with twigs and leaves. Several pieces of it had drifted from her ponytail to cover her heart shaped face. 

"Come here, Rose," Luca coaxed.

She didn't move.

"Come here, gorgeous," I said softly, holding out my other hand.

Reluctantly, Rose hobbled forward and took my hand. Tears cascaded down her face, causing lines of her intense black eyeliner and mascara to run with it.

"I'm going to help you," Caspian told her, placing his hands gently on her shoudlers.

Rose flinched but agreed.

Carefully, Caspian bit the inside of his wrist with his fangs.

The sound of flesh breaking caused my stomach to clench. 

Delicately, Caspian brought his wrist to her mouth. Rose hesisated, but opened her pink lips slightly, tasting Caspian's blood. It was a scene incredibly intitmate for me to watch, so I turned to Alex instead.

"Al, wake up," I prayed, squeezing her hand. I brushed some of the curls from her face, which looked less purple than before. Slowly, Alex resumed her natural shade of pink.

Her eyes fluttered open and she took a startlingly loud breath.

"I'm sorry," she choked out, tears brimming her eyes as well. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry I couldn't take him."

"Shhh," I soothed, hugging my redhead gently.

"It's okay," I told her, stroking her nest of curls. Tears ran down my face as well.

"Annalina, we need to leave now," Luca began, but I cut him off.

"That is not my name," I corrected. Anger creeped its way into my voice. "And you can leave. Both of you," I said, glancing at Caspian.