18 Chapter 17: Chapter 17

INT: INN – DAY.

Ethan's POV.

Drifting into consciousness, he realizes the much pain he is; His body aches, his muscles contracting and expanding simultaneously, his veins felt like they had larva flowing in them instead of blood.

He winced in pain.

He remembered he left Olivia alone last night; he had involuntary let his werewolf control him. He remembered saving Olivia from a vampire, he told her something but he couldn't remember what he said.

His memory seem blur. He could only hope he didn't hurt her or do anything stupid.

He could sense the presence of someone, but the poison made him unable to detect who it was.

He opened his eyes slowly to see Olivia, her eyes teary. "Hi!" He muttered.

Olivia's POV.

I couldn't believe I was going to loose him; Irene had said there was nothing we could do to save him, that he would probably die

I allowed the tears in my eyes to flow peacefully; I was completely useless. Ethan had saved my life so many times but I couldn't save him, not even once.

I stared at him, his beautifully tan skin now pale, he seem to have difficulty in breathing.

He twitched his finger, he was awake now. He winced out of pain.

"Ethan!" I called more in a whisper.

He opened his eyes slowly. "Hi!" He muttered.

"Hey!" I managed to respond my voice cracked.

He tries to sit up but he winced in pain, I had to help him up making it easier for him.

He stared at me checkly. "Are you okay?" He asked.

I scowled at him; He was the one in pains and he was asking if I was okay. It should have gone the other way round.

"I'm fine, you should worry more about yourself now." I snapped.

He grinned. "I'm fine only if you are." He said.

I gulped down. "No, you are not." I said sobbingly.

He bit his lower lip contemplatively. "It's just a poison Olivia." He said calmly.

"But it would kill you. I—." I breathe heavily. "I can't let you die." I said.

He seemed indifferent about it. Using his thumb, he cleaned the tear in my eyes. "If it was protecting you? It is worth it."

I held his hand against my cheek. "Please don't die. I promise, I would do anything to save you." I wept.

"It's impossible Olivia. He used wolf's ivy. I have barely three days left." He said inaudibly.

"We have to be optimistic Ethan, we have to." I said, tears flowing freely.

For a moment I thought I have gotten over my grandfather's death, but now that Ethan was about to die. I felt like a bigger hole was dug in my heart. A hole nothing could fill.

"It's okay Olivia. My greatest regret is —" I interrupted him by placing my finger on his lips.

"Shh Ethan, you should save your strength." I said.

I stared at him, his eyes so dim. "You should rest now." I carefully lied him on the bed.

He succumbed.

I touched his cheek, I could feel the burning sensation of the poison beneath his skin making more tears pour from my eyes. He was going through so much pain.

Ethan's POV.

He never thought dying would have so much effect on Olivia; As much as he wanted to be there for her, he couldn't.

He was going through hell; Although seriously ill, Olivia's touch still sent warm shivers down his spine making his werewolf groan at him angrily.

He remembered he had told Olivia something in the forest, but he didn't know what he said. He couldn't even remember, morelike his werewolf spoke through him.

"Let me go get Irene." I said.

I was about to leave but he held my hand weakly.

I stared at him startled.

"Did I hurt you in the forest?" He asked softly.

I glanced at him, obviously he wasn't himself then. "No." I snapped.

He sighed. "I said something, didn't I?" He asked.

"Ethan you need to rest, this isn't time for that." I said.

I tried to leave again but he made his grip firm.

"Please tell me." He pleaded; I could see the pleading look in his dim eyes, he wasn't going to leave me least I told him.

I gulped hardly. "Yes." I said.

"What was it?" He asked.

I remembered what he said, and it made my heart melt because he might not get his wish.

I know, he wasn't himself when he spoke but I know it was the truth. His werewolf obviously would have no reason to lie, it was the part of him that desires much more even when he denies himself.

"You said—" I gulped down, a few tears dropping. "You said you wanted me, that you will always want me everytime."

He sighed regretfully, then turned away from me.

"Ethan." I tried to touch him.

"Don't Olivia." He gulped. "Please don't."

I stared at him, his eyes had started glowing once again (but not as bright as before) morelike what I said turned him on.

"Ok." I said more in a whisper.

I left the room to meet Irene.

Ethan's POV.

It was obvious that he had hurt Olivia's feelings but letting her touch him wasn't helping him at all. Now he was dealing with the poison killing him from inside and the urges he had for her.

INT: LOBBY – DAY.

Olivia's POV.

Ethan's reaction was understandable, but would it continue like this? He's a werewolf and in love with me. He is hyper sensitive towards me including my touch and it turned out that I was a Xphynx which made the effects I had on him doubled or maybe tripled.

I met Irene at the lobby, the books scattered on the ground, she was searching for something.

"What are you doing Irene?" I called.

"I have searched every books and not a single book with a spell to heal him." She informed.

I sighed. "We have to try something else." I said.

"There is nothing I can do to save him." She lamented.

"If magic can't help there could be something else." I said confused. "Anything. Please don't let him die."

She nodded negatively. "I'm sorry Olivia."

"I don't want to be sorry, I want him alive." I yelled.

"Olivia calm down." She persuaded.

"I can't calm down. Don't you understand? I love him, and watching him suffer hurts me more than dying." I blurted out startling the both of us.

She gulped, seeming indifferent. "I will try my best. But for now, you can help me sort this things." She said referring to the untidyed books and other magical tools.

"What is this." I spotted an amulet.

She turned to me. "It's a jade amulet, it can reverse the effects of anything including spells." She said.

"Like?" I asked.

"If a spell is to make someone beautiful, or ugly. Once placed in between the sorcerer and it's object of focus, it would reverse the effect." She explained.

"You're saying if the spell is made to make someone ugly this amulet would reverse it and make the person beautiful." I stated.

She nodded.

I thought for a while

"What if I touch someone with it?' I asked eagerly.

She frowned. "If your touch heals someone, what do you think the amulet would do?"

"It— it would hurt the person." I replied.

"So be careful with it." She warned.

After a moment.

"Irene did you choose to practice magic?" I asked.

She smiled. "No, only a few of us has magic. It is a gift." She said.

"Ow..ok" I stuttered.

"Take this." She gave me a book.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It is a book of spells." She said.

I frowned. "I don't have magic." I snorted.

She grins. "Your existence itself is magic Olivia. All Xphynx are born with it." She explained.

"Wait a minute. I don't get this. You are saying; I have magic." I asked.

She nodded.

I sighed frustratedly. When I thought things couldn't get worst, it just did.

I collected the book, I glanced through some page reading some spells. I scoffed.

"You can use this to learn if you want. For we humans, magic is not a choice, you must be chosen by nature. But for all Xphynx; they have magic in them, so it is a choice." She explained.

I sighed. "Thanks." I said. I wasn't going to learn magic anyway, that was hilarious.

If magic couldn't save Ethan it was worthless learning it.