Frightful Reunion

Ch9

Flashes ghost along your eyelids, making things seem blurry even when you try to blink it away. Whether you're dreaming or not, you can't be completely sure.

Everything feels .... different.

Not bad. Just ... new.

You try to concentrate on clearing your vision, but something shifts around you. A hand reaches around your waist, causing you to jump slightly and bringing your senses back to reality.

"Hey, it's okay." Jerry runs a soothing hand through your hair, then gently feels your forehead and purses his lips.

In one swift movement he's standing at your edge of the bed, scooping you up into his arms to carry you to the bathroom. Setting you gently on the large counter between the 2 sinks, he places a thumb under your chin to tilt your head back, seeming to inspect your neck. Then he feels along your jaw curiously, his brows knitting together when you flinch slightly as he hits a strangely tender spot.

He spins to turn on the shower, his hand feeling the water to get it at the right temperature.

Your hair drifts up to your jaw, immediately finding that same tender spot. A mix of curiosity and concern bubbling in your stomach as you realize the likely reason for your teeth hurting. Before you can open your mouth to ask Jerry anything, a wave of nausea rakes through you, causing you to double over.

Jerry turns back to check on you, apparently having gotten the water to the perfect temp, and sees you clutching at your stomach, your jaw clamped shut both in pain and an attempt to keep the contents of your stomach from coming up. He brushes the hair out of your face, rubbing soothing circles on your back and along the base of your skull, somehow relieving some of the strain and allowing you to sit upright.

You open your mouth again, trying once more to ask the question, but he seems to already know what's on your mind.

"I've never been through this." His eyes are wide with worry and you can sense the sincerity in his voice, which somewhat confirms your fear. This wasn't the normal way someone turned, and there was no telling whether it would stop any time soon. "I'm so sorry..." He caresses your cheek, pressing small, gentle kissing along your temple.

Pulling back slightly, he feels your forehead again and inspects your eyes. Something about him seems crisper, almost like you're truly seeing him for the first time. Even his smell is different, but you aren't quite sure how to explain it, even to yourself. You reach out to grip his arm, both for support and in an attempt to ground yourself in reality.

What you weren't expecting is how he would even feel so much different. It takes every ounce of control not to flinch away as you feel a jolt of electricity run through you. You can feel the throbbing of his pulse, and... are you hearing it too?? What's going on?...

He seems to notice you trying to work through the feeling of being in a new world, everything around you feels so different. It's like all of your senses have been kicked into overdrive. You can even smell a distinct metallic scent in the air, which causes you to furrow your brows.

Jerry places a hand at either side of your face along your jaw, bringing your gaze up to meet his. "You'll get used to it, I promise. I'm here for your, I'm right here."

Nodding softly, you finally notice the strange feeling along your neck and chest. The sudden realization the you're somewhat covered in blood hit you like a truck, but the sinking feeling washes away almost immediately when you see the way Jerry is looking at you. He had been looking so concerned this entire time, so worried and helpless to the situation, that you had completely overlooked the fact that he too was covered in blood.

With a deep breath to steady yourself, you realize the metallic smell was from the drying mix of blood on both of your skin. Tilting your head, you take another deep inhale and close your eyes. You remember exchanging blood to start the change and initiate the bond between the two of you, but you also remember how close it made you feel. It was like you could feel how much Jerry loved you, and that he would do anything to protect you; almost as if you were flooded with the warmth of all his affection for you.

You had never felt so close to someone in your entire life.

Something about the way he's holding you, tells you that he felt exactly the same way. There was a pull toward him before, but now, it's like you need to be near him.

Is this what he meant? Is this what he tried to explain before? Could this be the pull between soulmates that only vampires can truly feel?

It has to be...

There's no other explanation. This man standing before you, clutching to you as though you're the key to his life, as if you're more critical than the air around him for his survival... this is your soulmate.

A warm feeling, like a sense of relief, slowly trails throughout your body, taking away all the pain and uncertainty. Everything seems clear and bright, and you wonder how you ever lived your life without this level of clarity. Colors seem more vivid, smells all bring images to your mind, and you swear if you tilt your head just right you can hear a fly buzzing in a spider web in the downstairs front window.

With a soft laugh, you smile up at Jerry, who returns with a wide grin of relief. "Well, looks like the worst of it's over?" He kisses your forehead again, obviously hopeful that your pain had passed.

Before he can wrap his arms around you again, you move to slide off the counter and motion at the blood covering the both of you. "I think we need to shower."

Chuckling, he nods in agreement, checking the water again before you help each other out of the somewhat sticky and definitely ruined clothes.

He steps into the shower first, then offers you his hand, clearly insisting on babying you for a while longer until he was sure you weren't going to double over again anytime soon.

Once the water begins to run clear again, a good sign that the blood had been washed away, you find yourself simply wrapped in each other's arms. The hot water feels so good on your skin, and his embrace makes you wonder how you were ever able to live without him.

With a soft sigh, you lean back enough to look him in the eye.

His features twitch up in that sweet, sly grin of his as he presses a slow, loving kiss to your lips. Then, he seems to notice the slight knit in your brows, "What's wrong, love?"

Pursing your lips, you press a quick kiss in return to his lips, then nuzzle into his neck and squeeze him closer. "How are we going to tell my dad?..."