Stanislav studied me for a moment before he answered. “Our race is small in numbers as it is, and to lose a vampire as strong and vibrant as your Aurora would be a shame. Our kind must stick together. Help one another. It is the only way we’ve survived through the ages.” Stanislav got to his feet again as he spoke. “To ask another vampire to give of his blood is no small favor. To ask an Elder of the Synod to do so is unheard of, but something tells me you’re not interested in playing by the rules.”
“The only thing I care about is saving the woman I love. It’s my fault she can’t heal. It weakened her to change me. She’s done everything possible to protect me, and I’ll do the same for her.”
“I admire your loyalty and your nerve, Mr. Decker,” he said. “The other Elders of the Synod are going to think I’ve finally lost my mind, but I’m going to help you.” I let out a sigh of relief, which seemed to amuse him. I opened my mouth to thank him, but he kept on talking, this time addressing Mark. “Do you have the necessary equipment for the blood exchange?”
“Everything is in my car.”
“Very well. My assistants will help you bring it inside. I presume this room will do for my part?” Mark nodded and Stanislav dismissed us with a wave of his hand. I followed Mark back out of the office and down toward the back door, feeling the hum of power dissipate slightly with the distance.
“Equipment for what?” I asked.
“A transfusion, sort of. I’ll put Stanislav’s blood in Aurora’s IV.
“Will it work?”
“I hope so,” he said. “Vampires don’t usually give blood to other vampires, except for the whole maker/fledgling thing, but it’s our only shot.”
“Do you need my help?”
“No,” he said as we reached the doors. “Go sit with Aurora. I’ll meet you there as soon as I have Stanislav’s blood.”
We parted ways, and I heard Mark giving orders to one of Stanislav’s assistants as I made my way back down the long hallways to the guest suite. He seemed more and more like a doctor with every minute I spent around him. Aurora hadn’t budged since I’d left her, not that I’d expected her to. Hoped, maybe, but not expected. Beck was sitting in the bay window, and his head jerked up when I walked in.
“What did Stanislav say?” he asked. “Is he going to help her?”
“Yeah. Let’s just hope we’re not too late.” I got comfortable on the edge of the bed, taking Aurora’s hand in mine.
“We’re getting you some help,” I said to her, trusting that she knew I was there. “You won’t believe it when you wake up, but we’re inside Stanislav Vidic’s house in Vidic Vineyards. This place makes ours look like a cottage. It’s pretty bizarre.” I watched her face for any sign of life, but she was deathly still. Her heart beat erratically, like a watch whose battery was on its last leg. The bluish veins around her eyes were darker now, a sign of just how bad things had gotten. She wouldn’t be able to keep this up much longer. I hoped Mark was fast in getting back with the blood she needed.
For a regrettable moment, I got careless and let my imagination run wild, picturing what my life would be like if this didn’t work. My heart was racing by the time I realized what I was doing and forced myself to stop. It had to work. She had to wake up, and she had to be herself when she did.
Beck and I heard footsteps coming down the hallway twenty minutes later. Mark entered the room with an IV stand on wheels that held a bag of blood and bag of some clear solution. He also carried something that resembled a medium-sized tackle box. I got to my feet, wanting to make myself useful.
“Set this up at the head of the bed here,” Mark said, sliding the IV stand in my direction. I did as I was told and then stood with Beck, watching as Mark set to work preparing everything. He worked with focused precision as he slid a needle into a vein in Aurora’s arm and then attached it to the tubing that ran from the blood bag that hung on the rack. He let the clear solution enter her arm first, and then after a moment he released a valve of some sort and the Synod Elder’s blood began flowing through the tubing.
“What now?” I asked.
“Now we wait.”
Chapter 45
Aurora
THE FOG, WHICH HAD become so dense that I couldn't see through it, suddenly started to withdraw and fade. The change was subtle at first, but then it became evident that it was dispersing, pulling away from me slowly but surely. My nerves were raw in anticipation of another flash. My time here had been like a rollercoaster. I went from being isolated and numb, to feeling faint rays of hope every time the blackness dissolved into a moment from my life. But even those moments that had started out happy hadn't ended well. Not in the twisted versions I was forced to witness.
I sat there in the blackness, watching as the fog moved further from me. I had no idea what would make it retreat like that, or if it was even a good sign, but I preferred the empty blackness to the feeling of suffocation the fog brought on. The fact that something was happening, something was changing, was good enough for now.
I wondered if there was anything I could do to bring about another flash. As terrible as they seemed as they were coming to an end, the last one had helped me connect with Trey on some level. I didn't know much about the place I was in, but I was certain about that. Had I been thinking about Trey before the flash had been triggered? The answer to that was a big, fat, resounding yes. But I was always thinking about Trey. I still had no idea what had happened to him when I wound up in this place. For all I knew, Malena was holding him. She could even be torturing him, if that suited her plans. I shuddered at the thought and pushed away the mental image that came with it.
Malena and I had never gotten along well, but I never would have dreamed she was capable of some of the things she'd done lately. I didn't want to think about what else she might be willing to do to make me pay for Antonio's affection, Damir's obsession, or whatever else it might be that she hated me for.
I could only hope Trey was alive and that I could find my way back to him somehow. I closed my eyes, which wasn't really a change of scenery considering the endless black that surrounded me. I focused solely on Trey. I thought about the crystal, clear blue of his eyes, and the way they smiled right along with his lips when he was happy. I thought about the smell of his cologne, and how I liked to rest my head in the crook of his neck, breathing it in. I thought about his voice, and not just his voice when he was singing, but the way his voice sounded when he laughed or whispered my name. I thought about being wrapped up in his arms and how crazy it was that I'd always felt so safe when he was holding me, even when he was human. I thought about what it tasted like to kiss him, and the way I always let myself get caught up in the whirlwind of his emotions, reveling in the pure honesty of them. I thought about my favorite song, and how even as a vampire, his heartbeat was the most comforting sound I’d ever known.
Trey was alive. I just knew it.
I opened my eyes again and looked out at the retreating fog, surprised to find that it had slinked even farther away from me now. It wasn't until then that I realized I felt different. My body, if that's still what you would call it in this drifting state of being, was different somehow. Had it been this way since I'd come to the blackness? I thought about that for a minute but decided with certainly that it hadn't. Something was changing, and it was changing at that exact moment. I sat quietly, paying attention to the changes, trying to identify them, but it was like trying to pick out individual grains of sand as they fell from an hourglass. I couldn't distinguish any specific thing, but I was aware the changes were happening.
I began to feel stronger, more substantial, like I might be able to affect my surroundings for the first time. I got to my feet and found that I was more or less standing now instead of floating. I no longer drifted about the darkness, but instead remained where I stood, watching as the fog continued to ebb away from me. Maybe I was the one forcing the fog back, keeping it at bay. I couldn't be sure, but that wasn't going to stop me from tryi
ng. If I were to have any chance at finding Trey again, at getting out of this place, I needed to be able to navigate through it all. I still had the blackness to deal with, but that seemed more manageable without the task of eliminating the fog as well.
“One thing at a time,” I told myself. First, get rid of the fog completely. Then, I'd find a way to shed some light on my situation. Literally.
Chapter 46
Trey
“SIT DOWN, TREY. IT could take a while,” Mark said from where he was sitting in the bay window. The storm was over, and the sun was coming over the horizon now, its rays pouring in through the slats in the blinds.
“You said that.” I continued pacing back and force, casting hopeful glances at Aurora. It had been an hour since the last drop of Stanislav Vidic’s blood had entered her veins. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I hadn’t thought it would take this long. Beck sat on the floor, leaning against the wall across the room, playing with his cell phone.
“Maybe you should get some air,” Mark told me.
“You know, your ability to stay calm and collected is really pissing me off,” I said half-heartedly.
He smiled, and we both looked up when a knock sounded on the door. One of Stanislav’s assistant’s came inside carrying a tray with a bottle of Vidic wine/blood and two wine glasses.
“Mr. Vidic thought you could use some nourishment,” he said as he set the tray down.
“Please let him know we appreciate his hospitality,” Mark said.
“Mr. Vidic was also hoping for a report on her condition,” the vampire added, glancing at Aurora.
“There’s been no change, yet.”
The vampire nodded. Then he left us alone again. Mark got to his feet and opened the wine bottle, pouring each of us a glass.
I raised mine, saying, “To Aurora.”
“To Aurora,” they echoed.
I took a sip and was caught off guard by the explosive combination of tastes on my tongue. Beck must have read the surprise in my face, because he raised his eyebrows at me.
“Be careful. This stuff will turn you off of any other blood-laced wine.”
“I can see that,” I admitted, taking a second sip.
We stood in silence for a moment as we drank and then a knowing smile stretched across Mark’s face.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Listen.”
I did as he asked, and focused on the only sounds in the room. It took a moment before I realized what was different. Aurora’s heartbeat was growing stronger and steadier. It was starting to sound more normal. Well, normal for a vampire, anyway.
“It’s working,” I said, unable to hide the relief in my voice.
“It’s a start.” Mark looked more than a little relieved, himself.
Another hour and a half passed, and while Aurora’s heartbeat sounded like it should, she still hadn’t opened her eyes. Beck had gone to the next bedroom to sleep as soon as the first rays of sunlight had shown through the blinds. My phone buzzed in my pocket but I didn’t reach for it. Apparently, the cell towers were back online. Eventually, I was going to have to call O’Shea back. We were supposed to start rehearsing for the tour again today, but that wasn’t going to happen now.
“Go,” Mark said to me. “Take a walk. Clear your head. Call whoever you need to call. She’s going to need you when she wakes up, whenever that is.” I hesitated, wrapping my fingers around my phone in my pocket. “I’ll stay with her and send for you if there’s any change,” he added. I decided he was probably right. A little fresh air would do me good.
“I won’t be long,” I said. Then I went to the bed and bent low, kissing Aurora’s cheek. “I’ll be right back,” I whispered to her. I made my way down the long, marble hall and out the back doors. The storm had completely moved out, and the sun’s rays felt warm on my face, despite the cool morning air. I looked out at the maze of rows that held grapes earlier in the season and just started walking. I pulled my phone from my pocket and called my best friend.
“So have you just fallen off the planet or what?” O’Shea said when he picked up. “Rehearsal started five minutes ago.”
“I’m really sorry,” I said. “I meant to call you. I’m not going to make rehearsal.”
“Why not?” O’Shea asked matter-of-factly. “You know we’re playing at the album release party. We’re nowhere near ready.”
“It’s a long story.” I hated lying to him, but this was just the beginning of all the lies I would have to tell O’Shea and the other guys in order to protect them.
“Is it the storm?” O’Shea asked. “I just assumed you’d hole up in that giant house of yours and ride it out. That’s what the rest of us did.”
“It’s not the storm,” I said. “Although that definitely didn’t help the situation.”
“Okay.… You could start by telling me where you are.” he said. I sighed, not sure what I could say. I hadn’t seen any of the guys since we’d our swim with the sharks. Before I’d become a vampire. “I know you’ve been on your honeymoon and all, but-”
“I think the honeymoon is officially over,” I said, stuffing a hand in my pocket as I walked along the maze of dying vines.
“You and Aurora aren’t having problems, are you?”
“No. It’s nothing like that.”
“What’s going on?”
I stopped walking and dug the toe of my shoe into the dirt. “Aurora’s sick,” I said at last. I didn’t see the harm in telling him that much.
“Sick like the flu?”
“No. It’s a little more serious than that.... She’s in pretty bad shape.” O’Shea was quiet for a second, probably trying to process what I was saying. “She has a friend who is a doctor, and he got a hold of someone who is helping her. He’s ... a specialist.” It was the best way I could explain things without raising suspicion.
“I’m really sorry to hear that, man. She’ll be okay, right?”
“I hope so,” I said. “You know Aurora. She’s tough.”
“Tell her to get feeling better soon.”
“I will.”
“I’ll let the guys know what’s going on. We’ll postpone rehearsals until you’re ready.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
“Keep me posted,” he added.
“I will.” I put my phone in my pocket and headed back for the mansion. Mark looked up when I walked in. A glance at Aurora told me she hadn’t moved since I’d left.
“I’m going to make some phone calls,” Mark said as he got to his feet. Of course, Antonio would be expecting Mark to call with an update on Aurora’s condition. So would Hana. We left her at the beach house, after all. “Send for me, if you need. I won’t go far.”
I nodded and watched Mark leave the room before I pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat in it. Either the blue-tinged veins around Aurora’s eyes were fading slightly, or I was so blinded by wishful thinking that I couldn’t see the truth. I reached out, taking her hand in mine.
“I’ve never told you what it was like for me after we met that first night at Carlie’s,” I said, the memory of it bringing a smile to my face. “I had to resist the urge to go over to your house just to see you again. Obviously, my self-control isn’t terrific, because I ended up chasing you down at The Waking Moon, but I couldn’t stand the thought of never seeing you again. I wasn’t about to leave it up to fate. O’Shea thought I had lost my mind, but I would have given anything just to hear you laugh again.” I brought her hand to my mouth and kissed it softly, sighing when she didn’t respond.
I sat there for a while, listening to her heartbeat grow stronger. I was grateful the moon wasn't out, so I didn't have to debate about whether or not to try and reach into her thoughts again. Then I heard an intake of breath that wasn't my own. Before I could process what was going on, Aurora stirred slightly, a soft moan escaping her lips. I almost fell out of the chair as I scrambled to get closer to her on the bed. Her piercing green eyes fluttered
open as I grabbed her hand and leaned over her.
“Hey,” I said softly, grinning at the first sign of life in her. She blinked a few times and her gaze fell on me. She'd only taken the one breath and then stopped again, which meant talking wasn’t an option. “It’s okay,” I reassured her, touching her face softly. “You got hurt," I said. "But Mark’s here, and we’re taking care of you.” My chest swelled with emotion as she looked up at me. “I love you. More than anything. That’s why you have to hold on. Everything’s going to be okay.” I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw the smallest hint of a smile tug at the corners of her perfect lips before her eyes slowly closed again. “Aurora?” I squeezed her hand but there was no response. She’d already slipped back into oblivion.
I sat there, reassuring myself that she'd actually just come to, even if it had only been for a brief moment. I was torn between the need to stay with her and the desire to tell Mark what had just happened. Eventually, I bent down and left a soft kiss on her lips before I forced myself to leave the room in search of Mark. He'd want to know. Fortunately, I found him sitting on the large stone steps just outside the mansion's back doors. He was on the phone with Hana, but he promised to call her back and hung up after seeing what must have been an all too obvious look on my face.
"She woke up," I explained. "It was only for a minute, but still...."
"Did she say anything?" Mark asked, getting to his feet.
"No." I shook my head. "But she looked right at me. She recognized me, Mark. I know she did. That's a good sign, right?"
Immortals And Melodies (Blood And Guitars #2) Page 23
