Virus

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

214 Days

12th December 2021

The days go by faster now; everyday disappears within a blink of an eye, each symptom seems to come and go, each one worst than the last and the date that use to be imprinted on my arm draws closer and closer. The past month has been filled with different motels and hotels, tense car journeys and a fair amount of frustration. Alex had been contacting all of his and Xavier’s ‘friends’ but so far we’ve come up dry, no one knows anything about a second source for the cure, most of them were surprised to hear there was a first.

I looked out of the hotel window that overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge, trying to ignore the constant nausea that slivered at the pit of my stomach. Most of the time I tried not to think, I didn’t want to think about where Lisa was, how my sister was or if we were going to find the second source in time, because when I did allow myself to think, I would find myself in a very dark place wondering if this second source even existed. Maybe I’m just not meant to survive. As if reading my thoughts Alex entwined his fingers with mine.

“We’ll find it, don’t worry. I’m not going to let you die.” I smiled half-heartedly at him but his words didn’t bring me any reassurance.

“What if we don’t?” I whispered, Alex frowned and wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed me tightly against his chest, I buried my face in his neck and sighed, relishing in the simple comfort of being held. Alex rubbed my back while I remained silent in deep thought. "You worked out what the cure was, why can't you just make it yourself?"

"Well first I need a lab and I'm not a pharmacologist, I don't know the correct dosage, or the formula to make it." I sighed in defeat and went back to my thoughts. Alex took my face in his hands and brought it up so that is was inches from his, his intense green eyes boring into mine. “Natalie Taylor, I give you my word, if it is the last thing I do, if I have to break into every high-security building in the country, if I have to break into the president’s bedroom in the White House, I will cure you.” The love I had for the damaged man sitting before me was overwhelming; I pressed my lips against his lovingly and we stayed like that for a while, our lips locked and our hands gripping each other’s as if our lives depended on it.

The kiss transitioned from gentleness to raging passion. I tangled my fingers in his soft hair and wrapped my legs around his waist as Alex carried me to the large plush bed, laying me down gently and touched his lips to mine again, I kissed him back eager for the intoxicating taste of his lips. I moaned as his lips roamed from my jaw to graze my throat, I tightened my grip on his hair and tensed my legs around his waist, revelling in the passionate fire burning within me. Somewhere in the back of my mind something seemed missing and when the realisation hit me I laughed out loud, receiving strange looks from Alex; he raised an eyebrow questioningly at me while I laughed.

“It feels wrong without Lisa interrupting.” I snorted. Alex laughed and caressed my cheek.

“I miss them too.” He whispered before kissing me again, while his other hand travelled down the length of my abdomen, leaving a tingling sensation where his fingers touched my skin. I slowly unbutton his shirt trying to hide the trembling in my fingers but Alex’s sharp eyes didn’t miss a thing. He covered my hands with his large ones and whispered, “Don’t be nervous, just relax.” I took a deep breath and looked up at his eyes, “I love you Natalie Taylor.” Once the words were spoken all the worry and stress evaporated and I lost myself in Alexander Knight’s emerald green eyes.

*  *  *

I lay in the warm soft bed with a massive grin spread across my face as Alex traced random patterns on my back. I turned on my side to see him watching me, his enticing eyes watching my every movement. We stayed in a blissful silence, carefully studying each other. When I had every plane of his face memorised, my eyes roamed lower and my breath caught in my throat; lying so close to him under the bright hotel lights I could see small white scars etched into his chest, almost invisible against his pale skin.