Thorns of Fate: Serendipity Saga Book One

Chapter Six

The first thing I was aware of after the pain faded was the warmth in my hand. I felt like I wanted to crawl under my bed and hide from the light but I wanted to see the source of that warmth.

I screwed my eyes open and shrank away from the painfully white lights.

Without another word, the lights flicked off and I opened my eyes again. As I had hoped he would be, Carson sat to my left, my hand cradled in his. He was asleep, his head propped on the arm of the couch, his body stretched out alongside me but his hand was still tied with mine.

Other than Carson, the room was empty.

I could smell the fresh blood that still remained somewhere in the room. Carson looked the same except for the blood that was down his neck and across his lips had been wiped clean. He hadn't changed and his hair was a tousled mess. He looked peaceful in slumber, his face slack, making him look younger than I imagined he was. He wore an undershirt and dress slacks, his button up shirt piled into a pillow beneath his head.

I didn't speak, not wanting to wake him.

I did a quick assessment of my aches and pains.

To find them entirely gone.

I actually felt amazing. I felt fresh and like I had just had an amazing night's sleep. I quietly lowered the banister along the opposite side of the bed, swung my legs over the edge and lifted myself into a sitting position.

I stepped gently to the floor, my wobbly legs not supporting my weight, and fell in a heap. The fall was quiet, barely making more sound than.a puff of breath.

"You made it," Carson said quietly from behind me. He sounded relieved.

I turned in a half crawl until I could see him looking at me. He was still laying on the couch though he had rolled onto his side and was watching me. When I didn't get up immediately, he swung his legs over the edge of the couch and came to kneel beside me.

"You can't get up can you?" He asked, offering his hand in aid. I smiled impishly at him and place my hand in his, allowing him to pull me to my feet, supporting most of my weight.

"So," he said after helping me back onto the bed in a sitting position, "you made it." His eyes were alight with excitement. He was obviously thrilled.

I looked down at myself. My body was no longer bruised and broken. My skin was pale and perfect. As well as scantily clad. I wore only a pair of shorts and a tank top. Surprisingly, I had no machine attachments against my skin.

Carson caught my gaze. "There was a point where either your heart would start again or it wouldn't," he shrugged as though we were considering lunch.

It made enough sense of course. There was only so much time and effort you would spend waiting on a corpse.

Carson leaned forward, exposing his neck to me again. The other side this time. "You need to feed to solidify the change." One of his arms braced himself against the bed, the other gripped my upper arm tenderly.

I smiled at him. He was so willing to assist me even at his own expense.

I was surprised to find that fangs protruded from my mouth before I even neared him. My stomach twisted with hunger pains. I gasped but pressed onward, leaning over Carson and sinking my teeth through his skin again.

Again, my existence exploded with awareness of him. Even more so now.

You survived. Jesus, you survived.

My body felt exquisite, like I was floating through my own paradise. Carson's warmth enveloped me, cradled me, and filled me with strength.

Eventually, he gripped his hands around both arms and forced me backwards. I wouldn't have realized how hard he'd pushed me away if I hadn't seen the way the muscles in his arms balled in effort.