Exhale

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

Leslie hissed as Jesse showed a light into her eyes, examining her condition. Her eyes didn't dilate. She was sitting on a long table in the training center.

"Yup, vampire it is," he put the flashlight down on his counter.

"There's a cure for her though, right?" Every spell had to have a loophole to it.

He pressed his lips. "Hard to say. There might be. I've never dealt with something like this before so I don't know. I'll have to do some studying and research to see if there's a way to undo the damage."
Leslie moaned and keeled over to her side. "This can't be happening. This is ridiculous. I don't believe in the supernatural world!"

"Well, start believing," I muttered under my breath. "Because if you don't, you will go crazy."

She shook her head. "How long have you known?" she turned her head to me. "How long have you known about this world, about what you are?"

I grimaced. "A little over a month." But with everything I'd gone through, it felt like it had been so much longer.

Leslie snorted. "Well, at least we know why there have been weird disturbances in this area." She moaned. "But man, I am so hungry. I need blood." She shuddered at this. "I can't believe I just said that. How am I ever going to survive this? It'll be an eternity of suffering. Of some sort of damnation."

"Now hold up," Jesse outstretched his hand at her. "That may not be. There may be some way to undo it, like I just said. You can't give up yet."

I didn't say anything as I clutched my hand to my chest. I took a shaky breath, trying to ease my broken heart. At least she'd have that long. Unlike some people. Some specific people.

Leslie stretched out her cold hand and placed it on my shoulder. "Hey, Babe. I'm right here for you. I guess, if things don't work out for me, it really will be forever." She smiled. I didn't smile back. I just wanted to go home and go to sleep. I was drained. I was sore. I was broken beyond repair. I hadn't felt this much sorrow since my father passed away. Everything was becoming more than I could bear.

"I just can't believe it," I whispered. I walked over to the wall before sliding my back down it. I drew my legs into my chest as I buried my face into my knees. I think what had hurt the most was that I waited too long before telling him I loved him. I couldn't imagine living most of my life with people loathing me and dispising me. Always on the run, always fighting for my humanity. Feeling like I had no hope and having absolutely no way to end the torment.

He deserved to know how important he truly was. He deserved to have one person remind him of his worth. To remind him of the human side he still had to him. When I said it, it had been too late. He didn't live long enough to fully appreciate knowing that someone cared for him in that way.

Tears burned my eyes. I felt my body shaking as my sorrow consumed me.

I felt someone sit beside me. Then a strong arm wrapped around my shoulders, and Jesse pulled me to his chest. "I miss him too, Britt. But I'm proud of you for fighting so dauntlessly. Your training is paying off. I know that Adrian was proud of you too. He still is."

I sat and sobbed harder into Jesse. I heard him sniffle at one point too, and I knew that his pain was strong. They were close. Although he had felt the need to warn me about him, he'd still meant something to him.

"Oh, you guys..." Leslie's voice broke and she settled on the other side of me before wrapping her arms around me. She rested her face into the crook of my neck.