Chapter 23 - A strange night

MAXINE

Every muscle in my body aches by the time we finish. The last patient was a boy not older than ten years old that luckily had only some bruises when his mother pulled him under a table to protect him before they flee.

Lila dismisses me earlier despite my persistence to stay and help her clean the place. I feel terrible when she does that, but the truth is that my ribs are screaming in pain- which I suppress the whole day- and the scratches on my arms are still uncleaned with drops of dried blood on them.

I didn't even have the time to change so I'm still in Rey's borrowed clothes that are full of blood and dirt stains.

I arrive at the house, which is strangely silent. The once vivid recreation area now is a place of a night that we'll remember for a long time. Repairs have already started. I feel their eyes on me the moment I step in but I'm too tired to bother.

I'm awake for more than twenty-four hours and my eyelids are so heavy. I'm barely able to keep them open until I get into my room. I go up the stairs, follow the long corridor and turn at the end of it.

I open the door and my eyes widen in surprise. It's the wrong room. All I have to do is take one step back and close the door as if nothing happened, but the intense gaze of Rey burns through me and the loud growl of Julia makes my feet unable to obey my command.

He's sitting at the edge of the bed and Julia is on top of it from behind, attending to the wounds on his back. His shirt is lying beside him. My eyes fall momentarily to his bare torso and land on his broad shoulders. My cheeks flush red.

"I'm so sorry," I say drifting my gaze to the floor.

Julia's growl gets louder but Rey lifts his hand mid-air and she instantly stops. But her eyes… I can see myself already killed in them by the way she's looking at me. I should leave immediately, and that's what I'm doing.

"Maxine, stay." His voice booms from behind me before I catch the doorknob. "I want to talk to you. Julia, you can go. I'm almost healed, there's no reason to stay." He sternly says.

Julia's eyes are still on me as I turn again to face them. I can only imagine some of the threats she's telling through that silence. Then she shallows and gets off the bed. She marches until she's between Rey and me, her eyes still on her target.

Then she straightens her skirt, which was so raised that her private area was almost visible when she slightly bends in front of Rey to fix it. I bet she had other plans in mind apart from healing.

Suddenly I feel an urge to rip off her head. My heartbeat races fast and I look at her straight in the eyes without the smallest hint of fear. I won't permit anyone to treat me like shit.

She pushes my shoulder hard as she gets past me, but I don't make the slightest movement and try to hold my ground. Our fight is not today.

Rey had a deadpan expression as he watches the scene, however, his jaw looks hard. As soon as the door behind us closes he stands up and takes a few steps toward me. The sight of him brought me back memories of last night at the lake, and a strange feeling of excitement ignites in the pit of my stomach.

The way moonlight was showering him with silver light, defining his sharp features and his statue body that only marble gods have. His blue eyes were reflecting the raging sea inside him. The warmth emanated from his body as he stepped closer. His rough but at the same time gentle touch as he took me off the ground and carried me in his arms.

He is fire and water.

"How can I help you?" I say, my voice slightly trembling from the tension earlier.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did today. You have earned my respect and plenty of others among us." He replies still holding that stern tone. "But they're some things I want to discuss with you. Some things you need to know."

I swallow hard as he motions me to sit on a chair, while he sits on the corner of the bed. I walk slowly, my legs feeling like jelly. We spent a few moments in silence, but it was enough to make my heart go overdrive. The waiting is killing me.

"First of all, I want you to relax. Your heartbeat is so loud I can't concentrate. Do you need something to drink perhaps?" he offers.

"Wait, you can hear my heartbeat?" I ask in shock.

"Yes, our senses are much more enhanced than humans." He says calmly.

He gets up and goes to a small minibar on the far side of his room. He returns a couple of moments later with a bottle of red wine in one hand and two glasses in the other. He offers me a glass and our fingers slightly brush when I take it. He pours one for himself too and places the bottle on the floor.

I look at the glass and the memory of my Aunt Nichole resurfaces. My heart tugs in grief and I stare at the glass lost in thoughts.

"Is there any problem with the wine? Do you want something else?" he gently asks and bring me back to reality.

"No, I'm fine." I try to lie but the look he gives me is like he knows something else is the matter. "It's that… my aunt was an alcoholic… and I promised myself I'll never drink alcohol…"

His head slightly drops, and concern crosses his features. "It's ok if you don't want. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"I suppose a glass won't hurt." I turn to him faintly smiling.

I bring the glass to my lips and taste the dark liquid. A fruity aroma hits my nose and a similar taste on my tongue as the wine slips down my throat. It leaves a pleasant aftertaste. My pulse returns slowly to its normal rhythm, and I feel calmer.

"So, what do you want to tell me about?" I ask but some part of me is afraid of the answer that will follow.

His face darkens and that makes my back straighten, ready to accept the hit.

"The vampires want you." He gets straight into the subject.