Mitch

by Dakota Rebel

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to slow my breathing. I wouldn’t be any help to Jarrod if I didn’t calm down.

  He screamed again, and when I opened my eyes, I wished I could go back to not seeing anything. Skip was on top of him, his mouth pressed into Jarrod’s stomach. I saw blood and other thicker things on Skip’s face when he turned toward me.

  He rose to his feet, stalking toward me. He scraped a hand across his chin, wiping some of the gore off of himself. I glanced at Jarrod on the floor and knew I shouldn’t have. His stomach was ripped open, looking like shredded meat, and he wasn’t moving. The world started spinning again. I fell to my knees and threw up. I couldn’t make my legs work though I heard Skip coming for me. I knew he would do the same, or worse, to me if I didn’t try to fight, but the fight was gone out of me. My sister was safe, and my lover was dead. There was nothing left for me.

  A shot went off. I looked toward Jarrod, but he was still laying on the floor bleeding and not moving. Another shot was fired, and I turned to see Skip still staggering toward me. A third shot went through his chest, spraying blood through the gaping wound the bullet had left there. Still, he stumbled toward me. He stood over me when a fourth shot brought him to his knees. His hand slashed out, claws tearing at my chest just as the final shot sounded and his head exploded in my face.

  We fell to the floor together. I closed my eyes to block the vision of his brain leaking onto the cement next to me, but I knew there was nothing that would ever completely remove that sight from my memory.

  “Mitch?” I tried to open my eyes at the sound of Reagan’s voice, but I was so tired. “Go check Jarrod,” she said, but I didn’t think she was talking to me.

  A hard slap across the face brought my eyelids up. “Answer me!”

  I opened my mouth, or I thought I did.

  Her hand connected with my cheek again. “Talk to me, Soldier!”

  “Yes, Sir,” I croaked. I wasn’t sure if she heard me, but she stopped hitting me, so I figured she must have.

  “I’ll be right back, Mitch. Please keep your eyes open. Please?” She kissed my forehead, then she was gone. I was glad to see someone had moved Skip’s body from in front of me. It was easier to keep my eyes open without having to look at that.

  “How is he?” I heard Reagan ask from a few feet away.

  A woman’s voice answered her, but she spoke too softly for me to hear the response.

  “Jarrod?” I called out. My voice was weak, but I tried as hard as I could.

  “Mitch, just a minute, sweetie.”

  “Mom?” I rolled my eyes up to see my mother standing over me. She crouched and put a hand on my forehead. She clucked her tongue as I’d heard her do a hundred times before. I almost smiled. I might have if I wasn’t convinced Jarrod was dead not ten feet from me.

  I had just been rescued by my mother and my eighteen-year-old sister. If I made it through this, I seriously needed to consider a new career path. I tried to move, but Mom put a hand on my shoulder. She shook her head at me then leaned over to kiss my forehead as Reagan had done.

  “I’ll be right back,” she said. I heard her jog toward where Jarrod had been laying. I tried to roll over again, but both women yelled at me to be still.

  “Fucking tell me what’s going on then.”

  Reagan came back over to me. She knelt in the blood and gore pooled on the cement next to me and took my hand in hers.

  “He’s not dead, but I don’t know what to do for him, Mitch. I think you’re too hurt to try to move you near him. He’s pretty fucked up. I’m trying to get a hold of Dad to find out what to do, but I honestly don’t know if he is going to tell me how to save a vampire.”

  Reagan was crying. My vision had come back enough to see the tears on her cheeks. I was starting to feel better. I couldn’t have run a marathon or anything, but I hoped I could at least crawl to Jarrod.

  “Help me over there. Please, Reagan.”

  She got her arms under me and helped me to my feet. I leaned on her more than I would have liked to, but I had to see him. I had to make sure he wasn’t dead.

  I dropped to my knees next Jarrod and took his hand in mine. He opened his eyes, a smile spreading across his face. I kissed him softly, tasting blood in his mouth.

  “Tell me what to do,” I whispered.

  He started to shake his head but winced at the movement. “You have to let me go. I just needed to know that you were okay. I love you so much. Thank you for loving me back. Thank you for making these last few days the best I’ve ever had.” He coughed, and blood trailed down the corner of his mouth, dripping off of his chin.

  Tears burned my eyes, and I was too tired to fight them. I let them fall and land on Jarrod’s face. He closed his eyes but kept his grip on my hand so I knew I hadn’t lost him yet. I kissed his hand then let him go.

  “How long until dawn?” I asked Reagan who had knelt beside me.

  “About ten minutes.”

  “Reagan, I need to ask you to do something for me. I wouldn’t ask you if I thought I could do it myself.”

  “Anything, Mitch.” She could see I was about to argue so she put a hand over my mouth. “Anything you two need.”

  “He needs blood, and he needs it now. If we can get enough blood into him before dawn, I think he’ll wake up tomorrow night whole again. I hate that I am asking you this, but I don’t know what else to do.”

  Mom had come over to us, too. She sat on the other side of me and kissed my temple. “You really love this man, don’t you?”

  I nodded, gripping her hand tightly. “I really do.”

  “We don’t have much time, Reagan.” Mom pulled a nasty-looking knife from a sheath she had strapped at her back. “I think if we both feed him, it will be better for everyone.”

  I watched in amazement as my mother dragged the knife over her forearm and pressed the wound to Jarrod’s mouth while handing the knife to my sister. Reagan did the same, and they found a way to get the blood draining into his mouth.

  It took a minute before his throat finally started to move, before he actually drank the blood being offered to him by my family. His eyes never opened, but even before the sun rose, I saw the small wounds on his face starting to heal over.

  Dawn broke, and Jarrod’s body went cold. Reagan took off her T-shirt and ripped it into strips, creating makeshift bandages for the cuts she and Mom had made on themselves. I watched them do all of this in amazement. They had not questioned me, had not hesitated. They had opened their veins and done their best to save my lover without a second thought.

  “Sorry, Mitch, you’re going to have to get real bandages. I’m not losing the tank top, too.”

  “I appreciate the jokes, Reagan, but we need to get Jarrod upstairs. I think he’ll be better in his coffin. Can you help me?”

  “You can barely walk. How the hell are you going to carry him through this place?”

  She was right, of course. But we had to get him upstairs. I was terrified the warehouse wouldn’t stay dark enough throughout the day to keep him safe. I wouldn’t risk it, not when it looked as if we were so close to saving him.

  “All right, I’m going upstairs to makes sure all the windows are blocked out so no sunlight hits him on the way to his coffin. I’ll come back, but you and Mom are going to have to carry him for me. Do you mind?” I looked to both of them.

  They shook their heads.

  I started toward the elevator. My legs shook, but I just had to make it a few feet. Then through the apartment. Then back down. No sweat.

  I got into the elevator, pushing the up button. During the elevator’s slow climb, I sat on the floor waiting for the doors to open.

  I woke up on the sofa to see my father looking down at me.

  “You okay, Soldier?”

  I nodded, wondering where he had been that he had gotten to us so fast. I also wondered how I had gotten into the apartment. A wave of fear rushed over me that I had left Jarrod downstairs, and I had no idea what time it was.<
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  “Can you do me a favor, Dad?”

  “What do you need?”

  “Go downstairs, and tell Reagan it’s safe to bring up Jarrod? She could probably use some help.” My voice was hoarse, and it hurt to swallow, but I felt better than I had earlier.

  “Mitch, we already brought Jarrod up. He’s safe and sound in his coffin. We’ll have to see what happens, but I think he’s going to be all right. You did real good tonight, son. I’m…I’m proud of you.”

  I think that was the first time I’d ever heard him say that. And I would probably never hear it again. But it didn’t matter. More than hearing him tell me he was proud of me, I was happy to hear Jarrod was safe. Or as safe as he could get at the moment.

  “What time is it?” I asked.

  “It’s about four in the afternoon.” He pushed me back down when I tried to sit up. “You need more sleep. I dressed your wounds before I got you out of the elevator. That wolf fucked you up pretty bad. I’m going to leave you here on the couch. I don’t want to move you until we’re sure you won’t rupture anything.”

  I glanced down at my body and realized I had been bandaged like a mummy from armpits to waist. I must have still been out of it not to have noticed it when I’d come to.

  “Am I going to…?” I trailed off. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to know what could happen as a result of the wounds Skip had given me. I was so tired, and it had been such a long night. Even though I had apparently slept half the day away, I felt as though I could sleep for another three.

  “Close your eyes, Mitch. We can talk later.”

  I think I nodded before I passed out again.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I opened my eyes to find Jarrod staring at me. He grinned widely, swooping in to kiss me. I reached up, wrapping my arm around his neck to hold him against me. I don’t think I had ever been so happy to see anyone in my life.

  “I was so scared,” Jarrod said softly, whispering against my mouth. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

  I dropped my arm, and he sat on the floor next to the sofa. I laughed, regretting it instantly as sharp pain spread across my abdomen. I touched the bandages, wincing when my fingers found the tender wounds underneath.

  “You were scared? I was so sure you were dead.”

  “No, your family saved me. I’ve thanked them a few thousand times, but I think I need to do it again. They’re great people. You’re really lucky to have them.”

  I smiled, holding my hand out to him. He held it tightly in his own, dropping a quick kiss on my knuckles. I was lucky. For my family, for my life and Jarrod’s. I still wasn’t sure what had happened that night, but there would be plenty of time to find out later.

  “You just missed your dad. He’s been stopping in every few hours to check on you. I think he might be worried I’m going to eat you.”

  “Has he been—”

  “No,” he cut me off. “No, your dad’s been great. I just don’t think he’s overly fond of me. I did drink blood from his daughter and his wife. And I’m fucking his son. I understand his hesitation to want anything to do with me. He’s been polite, which is much more than I could have hoped for. I just try to stay out of his way when he comes in.”

  “It’ll be okay. We’re alive. That’s all that matters. We’ll figure out everything else later. Right?”

  He nodded. I pulled at his hand, smiling when he leaned over me for another kiss. I think he was trying to be chaste, but I didn’t want chaste. If I had felt better, I might have thrown myself on him and taken him right then. Since I was injured, I would have to settle for a kiss, but I wanted, at least, a real one.

  He smiled with his mouth pressed to mine as I tried to force his lips apart with my tongue. He finally loosened up, kissing me back with a need almost equal to my own. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him tighter against me. The pressure against my chest hurt but not enough to let him go.

  “Christ, do you think you could at least wait until you can walk before you two start fucking again?”

  Jarrod pulled back, and we both looked toward the end of the couch where Reagan stood with her hands on her hips. She smiled, and her eyes were bright with unshed tears. I reached out my hand to her, and she walked over to me, placing a kiss on my forehead.

  “I thought Dad was supposed to be here,” she said. She hugged Jarrod and took a seat on the floor next to him.

  “You know, there are chairs you two could sit in,” I said, motioning to the chairs spread throughout the room.

  “I’m fine,” they said together.

  “You’re father left a little while ago,” Jarrod told her. “He doesn’t stay long.”

  “He’ll come around, Jarrod,” Reagan said, patting his hand. “Just give him time to get used to having a vampire in the family.”

  I had a million questions for them, but I didn’t know where to start. I wasn’t sure which were the most important ones to ask. And I was suddenly so tired again. My eyes drooped, and I struggled to keep them open. I wanted to be with my family. I didn’t want to miss even a second with either of them.

  “Mitch, it’s okay,” Jarrod said. He ran a hand down my cheek. “We’ll be here next time you wake up, too.”

  “How long have I been here?” I suddenly realized I had no idea how long I’d been out. That seemed like as good a place as any to start the questioning.

  “You’ve been in and out since the attack,” Reagan said softly, not actually answering me. “We’ve had a nurse up here most of the time taking care of you. It was easier for everyone to leave you out here on the sofa. The Army doctors came and looked at you yesterday, gave you some antibiotic shots and ran some blood tests. We haven’t gotten the results back, but they say that you’re healing normally. That’s a good sign. That means you’re probably not infected.”

  I nodded. It sounded good, but it wasn’t a guarantee. I tried not to focus on it. If I was infected, there wasn’t anything I could do to change it. We would deal with it if it happened.

  There were other questions, of course. Was Jarrod safe now? Was Reagan okay with everything she had been through? Skip was psychotic, but she’d really seemed to care about him. I wanted to know so much more, but Jarrod had started stroking my forehead, and his hand was so warm, so soft. My eyelids grew heavier with every touch he bestowed upon me.

  “I love you,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

  “I love you, too. Go to sleep, baby. I’ll be right here next time you wake up.” He kissed me again, this time the chaste kiss he had tried for earlier. I was too exhausted to fight for more.

  * * * *

  I woke up to extreme pain in my stomach. My eyes flew open to see my father bending over me. My hand was tightly wrapped around his wrist, and he looked surprised.

  “Sorry, Mitch, but I need to change your bandages.”

  I let go of his hand, relaxing back against the cushions. He had scared the hell out of me. I watched him carefully pull the bandages. Some of them had scabbed into the wounds. Fresh blood seeped into them as he got closer to my skin.

  “You’re healing fast, faster than you should be. It’s a good thing, but I’m a little concerned about it. I don’t want your skin to start healing over the bandages. I’m glad you’re awake. The nurse wanted us to leave the bandages off for a while and let air get to them.”

  I nodded, trying to hold still as the pain got worse. Finally, he had all of the bandages removed, and I looked at my chest. Immediately, I wished I hadn’t. It looked as if someone had ripped me apart. The claw marks Skip had left in my chest were mostly scabbed over, and some of the lesser ones had already scarred over completely. I tried to reach out and touch one, but Dad caught my hand.

  “Don’t. I don’t want to risk infection. You can play with your scars later. They’ll be nice and manly. I’m sure Jarrod will love them.” His tone had gone harsh, and I could tell he was still very unhappy with my choice in a lover.

  “Dad, I know how ha
rd this must be for you. It’s not exactly easy for me either, but I love him. I really do. And he is a good guy, even if he is a vampire.”

  “That’s what Reagan keeps telling me. And I keep reminding her that she had to put a bullet in her vampire boyfriend’s head so maybe she’s not the best judge of character.” Dad sighed, sitting on the floor next to the sofa as Jarrod and Reagan had earlier. “I don’t doubt that you love him. I just don’t understand why.”

  I wasn’t sure I could explain it. Everything had happened so fast I wasn’t even entirely sure why. But I loved him, and I was happy. I could only hope that would be enough for my father.

  “Where is he?”

  “He’ll be back soon. He and Reagan had to…do something. Do you want me to have them wake you when they come back?”

  “I don’t think I’m going back to sleep, but thanks. What day is it?” I struggled to sit up and let Dad help me when I found that I couldn’t bend at the waist.

  He eased me up so I was propped on the couch pillows. He checked my wounds again, ignoring the question until I poked his arm.

  “What day is it?”

  “It’s Saturday.”

  It had been less than forty-eight hours since the fight, and I was already scarring. That couldn’t be a good sign, but I wasn’t ready to talk about that yet.

  “Were you able to fix the contract? I mean, Jarrod’s going to be okay now, right? No one is going to come after him?”

  “No, he’s fine. Reagan took the contract on Skip. She called me before everything went down. She told me she’d come here to see Skip and had found him attacking someone. She couldn’t save the victim, so she got away before he saw her and managed to get a hold of me. When I explained to her what you had told me was going on, she asked for the contract.”

  “You gave your eighteen-year-old daughter a half-breed contract? Are you fucking insane?” I winced, wrapping my arm over my chest.

  “Calm the fuck down before you rupture something. She asked for the hit. She’s older than you were the first time you killed a vampire, so don’t get all high and mighty on me, Mitchell Baine. She’s a smart woman and strong. I had no idea if she’d be able to do it. That’s why I sent your mother with her. But Reagan did good. You should be proud of her.”