Page 25
Story: Seth
Chapter Fifteen
Aubrey
Aubrey glanced at her cell phone charging on the nightstand for the twelfth time in the past hour, and wondered whether she should just call Liv and Kai for moral support.It had been thirty-two hours since she introduced her venom and blood into his system.In that time, he showed no signs of pain or discomfort, managing to sleep peacefully during the transition.
She could feel his confusion when she had delivered the venom to his system, not drinking from him, as he expected.But she didn’t know whether the blood loss would affect his transition by weakening his body, and she couldn’t chance his transition on her thirst.
She had gone without blood for two days, and knowing how Seth tasted, she wasn’t willing to take a chance being alone with him and not feeding.Without leaving Seth’s side, she had called Cole earlier that evening and asked him whether he could drop off several days’ worth of blood.Of course, her friend had agreed immediately.
She had told Cole that she had turned the perimeter alarms off and where she hid the key to Seth’s house, and it wasn’t long before she could sense Cole’s presence close to her.
He sat the insulated pack near her chair, and she blew out a relieved breath.Soon, she would eat.But something about Cole pulled her from thoughts on her thirst.Before she could look over at him, she could feel his happiness, and without turning her eyes from Seth, she smiled.
“Is Simon the real deal?”
“Yes.I’m in love with him.Simon is the most caring man I’ve ever met, and we’ve been spending all of our free time together.He’s decided to move his charity to Snowfall to be with me.He told me this morning that he loves me and can’t live without me.”Cole’s last few words came out choked with emotion.
Aubrey pulled her friend into a hug, her hands rubbing up and down his back as he relaxed into her hold.He had always taken care of her and all she wanted was for him to be happy.This time, he had a shot at that happiness and she would be supportive while keeping her skeptical thoughts to herself.She would have to meet Simon soon.
“I hope that we can get together soon.I would love to meet him.”
“We will.How’s he doing?”Cole glanced at Seth, lying still in bed.
She blew out a worried breath and glanced up at Cole.“Liv gave me some morphine in case he’s in pain, but he hasn’t shown any signs over the last day and a half.And since the transition varies from person to person, and circumstance to circumstance, I have no idea how long he will be in this state.”
Cole pressed his fingers against Seth’s neck, silently counting each pulse for a minute.Nodding at the results, he pressed his head against Seth’s chest and listened to his breathing.When he turned back to her, his smile reassured her.
“He’ll pull through just fine, sunshine.He has everything to live for.”
Cole pulled her into a long hug.His scent and warm embrace comforted her and she let her shoulders relax as he continued his embrace.
“I love you, Cole.I’m so grateful that you are in my life.”
“Love you, too, sunshine.”With one last squeeze, Cole walked toward the bedroom door.“See you soon, and try not to worry too much.”
After listening to Cole drive away from the house, she settled back into the chair next to the bed and reached for Seth’s hand, linking their fingers together.She pulled out a blood bag, carefully closing the pack that held her next few meals, and sunk her fangs through the plastic.The taste revolted her, but she needed the sustenance.So she continued drinking, shutting off her mind as she traced Seth’s face with her eyes, seeking any signs of discomfort.With the last pull from the bag, she wiped the blood that dribbled down her chin and tossed the emptied bag in the trash and turned back to scanning Seth’s vitals.
Two hours after she fed, a movement from Seth had her at full attention.It had been subtle, so at first she thought that she’d imagined it.But when she looked closer at his face, she noticed that his brows drew down a second before his face relaxed.She searched for a long few minutes, but couldn’t see any other displays of change.She debated with herself whether his move had been because of a dream or whether he felt pain for the first time.
Her eyes perused the rest of his body.When she noticed his fists clenched at his side, a spear of pain pierced her chest and she felt the tears in her eyes.She placed her hand on his forehead and spoke quietly, waiting to see whether he would relax at her words.When she moved back to survey him, his hands hadn’t loosened and he gritted his teeth as his back arched slightly off the bed.With jerky movements, she retrieved the vial and needle from the bedside table and drew the amount Liv had told her to use, making sure no bubbles were visible in the syringe.Her fingers sought the vein in his right arm and with sure movements, she injected the morphine into his system.
Seth settled back onto the bed and his muscles relaxed, but Aubrey reached for her phone and called Kai.
“Aubrey?”
“I’ve given him a dose of the morphine, just now.”
Something in her voice must’ve alerted him to her distress.“Do you want Liv and me to—”
“Yes, please.”
Unable to leave Seth for a shower to look presentable to Kai and Liv, she changed into some clean clothes, never wandering far from Seth.
Not for the first time since they had talked about Seth’s transition, she wondered whether Seth would believe that she was worth all the pain that the transition brought.But in the end, she realized that she couldn’t live without Seth and his transition would’ve happened anyway.He wouldn’t have it any other way.
For the first time since Seth had slipped into a deep sleep, Aubrey exited the bedroom when she heard the crunch of car tires outside.The moment she opened the door, Aubrey launched herself at Liv and shook with worry, grateful that they were here.
“It will be okay.He’s strong and he wants to be with you.He’ll pull through.”
Aubrey
Aubrey glanced at her cell phone charging on the nightstand for the twelfth time in the past hour, and wondered whether she should just call Liv and Kai for moral support.It had been thirty-two hours since she introduced her venom and blood into his system.In that time, he showed no signs of pain or discomfort, managing to sleep peacefully during the transition.
She could feel his confusion when she had delivered the venom to his system, not drinking from him, as he expected.But she didn’t know whether the blood loss would affect his transition by weakening his body, and she couldn’t chance his transition on her thirst.
She had gone without blood for two days, and knowing how Seth tasted, she wasn’t willing to take a chance being alone with him and not feeding.Without leaving Seth’s side, she had called Cole earlier that evening and asked him whether he could drop off several days’ worth of blood.Of course, her friend had agreed immediately.
She had told Cole that she had turned the perimeter alarms off and where she hid the key to Seth’s house, and it wasn’t long before she could sense Cole’s presence close to her.
He sat the insulated pack near her chair, and she blew out a relieved breath.Soon, she would eat.But something about Cole pulled her from thoughts on her thirst.Before she could look over at him, she could feel his happiness, and without turning her eyes from Seth, she smiled.
“Is Simon the real deal?”
“Yes.I’m in love with him.Simon is the most caring man I’ve ever met, and we’ve been spending all of our free time together.He’s decided to move his charity to Snowfall to be with me.He told me this morning that he loves me and can’t live without me.”Cole’s last few words came out choked with emotion.
Aubrey pulled her friend into a hug, her hands rubbing up and down his back as he relaxed into her hold.He had always taken care of her and all she wanted was for him to be happy.This time, he had a shot at that happiness and she would be supportive while keeping her skeptical thoughts to herself.She would have to meet Simon soon.
“I hope that we can get together soon.I would love to meet him.”
“We will.How’s he doing?”Cole glanced at Seth, lying still in bed.
She blew out a worried breath and glanced up at Cole.“Liv gave me some morphine in case he’s in pain, but he hasn’t shown any signs over the last day and a half.And since the transition varies from person to person, and circumstance to circumstance, I have no idea how long he will be in this state.”
Cole pressed his fingers against Seth’s neck, silently counting each pulse for a minute.Nodding at the results, he pressed his head against Seth’s chest and listened to his breathing.When he turned back to her, his smile reassured her.
“He’ll pull through just fine, sunshine.He has everything to live for.”
Cole pulled her into a long hug.His scent and warm embrace comforted her and she let her shoulders relax as he continued his embrace.
“I love you, Cole.I’m so grateful that you are in my life.”
“Love you, too, sunshine.”With one last squeeze, Cole walked toward the bedroom door.“See you soon, and try not to worry too much.”
After listening to Cole drive away from the house, she settled back into the chair next to the bed and reached for Seth’s hand, linking their fingers together.She pulled out a blood bag, carefully closing the pack that held her next few meals, and sunk her fangs through the plastic.The taste revolted her, but she needed the sustenance.So she continued drinking, shutting off her mind as she traced Seth’s face with her eyes, seeking any signs of discomfort.With the last pull from the bag, she wiped the blood that dribbled down her chin and tossed the emptied bag in the trash and turned back to scanning Seth’s vitals.
Two hours after she fed, a movement from Seth had her at full attention.It had been subtle, so at first she thought that she’d imagined it.But when she looked closer at his face, she noticed that his brows drew down a second before his face relaxed.She searched for a long few minutes, but couldn’t see any other displays of change.She debated with herself whether his move had been because of a dream or whether he felt pain for the first time.
Her eyes perused the rest of his body.When she noticed his fists clenched at his side, a spear of pain pierced her chest and she felt the tears in her eyes.She placed her hand on his forehead and spoke quietly, waiting to see whether he would relax at her words.When she moved back to survey him, his hands hadn’t loosened and he gritted his teeth as his back arched slightly off the bed.With jerky movements, she retrieved the vial and needle from the bedside table and drew the amount Liv had told her to use, making sure no bubbles were visible in the syringe.Her fingers sought the vein in his right arm and with sure movements, she injected the morphine into his system.
Seth settled back onto the bed and his muscles relaxed, but Aubrey reached for her phone and called Kai.
“Aubrey?”
“I’ve given him a dose of the morphine, just now.”
Something in her voice must’ve alerted him to her distress.“Do you want Liv and me to—”
“Yes, please.”
Unable to leave Seth for a shower to look presentable to Kai and Liv, she changed into some clean clothes, never wandering far from Seth.
Not for the first time since they had talked about Seth’s transition, she wondered whether Seth would believe that she was worth all the pain that the transition brought.But in the end, she realized that she couldn’t live without Seth and his transition would’ve happened anyway.He wouldn’t have it any other way.
For the first time since Seth had slipped into a deep sleep, Aubrey exited the bedroom when she heard the crunch of car tires outside.The moment she opened the door, Aubrey launched herself at Liv and shook with worry, grateful that they were here.
“It will be okay.He’s strong and he wants to be with you.He’ll pull through.”