Sapphyre: Rise of an Angel (Sapphyre Saga Book 3)

by Felicia Leibenguth

  Another male takes his place, standing by my bed. His skin is pale and his short dark hair is contrasted nicely with his skin. But that is not what has me gawking. He is muscular and handsome. His eyes sparkle like emeralds.

  He doesn’t touch me at all, but looks into my eyes, as if willing me to remember. He acts as though he doesn’t want to say anything. He has a hard exterior and I can tell he doesn’t share his feelings very well, and most likely isn’t going to. Something tells me we will butt heads.

  “I’m Donavon. Just… get your memory back,” he grumbled as he walked away.

  The youngest of the group comes over. He walks more maturely than a child his age.

  “Hi Lexi,” he smiles adorably. “I’m Thomas. I’m Katrina’s little brother and your friend. I guess you could say you’re like another sister to me.” He has me smiling. He is sweet. “Oh, and Katrina is your best friend,” he said before stepping away.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t remember any of you. But thank you for being here and staying by my side.”

  “Don’t forget me,” the beautiful man said stepping forward. “I’m Zach. You and I have quite a bit of history. We love each other and have both sacrificed a lot to keep each other safe.” He picks up my hand and kisses it. “You are my world and without you in it, I won’t be able to live my lovely Lexi.”

  He causes me to blush.

  He leans into my face and moves his lips to my ear. “Please, come back to me. I love you more than life itself,” he whispered.

  Those words send a jolt through my body.

  Alive

  “She’s seizing!” Someone yells close by. I can’t tell who it is at this point.

  My body is jerking all over, and I feel hands holding on to me from my head to my feet.

  I don’t lose consciousness, but my mind is not in the room with the people around me. My mind is on over load, as images flash through my mind on fast forward. It all starts from the day Bree and I started school, to my and Zach’s first date, to finding out the truth about Zach and his family, about Katrina, Donavon, Thomas and finding my true self.

  I relive it all. Being captured and held prisoner with Kasey, training for the war, losing Bree, making new friends and allies, the day I fought Malvent, the day I died…

  It all comes back, and much of it, I wish I had never remembered. When the images fade away, my body stops jerking.

  I’m breathing hard, and my lungs hurt as though they are not used to stretching out that far.

  “Lexi! Lexi can you hear me?” Dad says with intensity.

  Still breathing hard, I look toward him. That is answer enough for him.

  My entire body aches and the pain in my chest, that was once tolerable, has now intensified. I try to raise my hand to my chest as I’m unable to speak. Dad notices what I’m trying to do.

  He quickly reacts and pulls the blanket back. I am unable to see, but Dad’s eyes widen in horror.

  “Her wound re-opened, get me Orson now!” he commands someone. He turns toward me in a calm voice, “It will be okay. Don’t’ worry sweetheart.”

  I nod. As badly as I want to scream, I hold it in grinding my teeth.

  A man runs in the room, dressed in a white jacket. He helps dad take off the bandages on my chest, careful not to move the drainage tubes.

  As they peel it off, I can’t help but scream out.

  Zach flashes to my other side and takes my hand. He keeps my eyes locked on his the best he can. I scream several more times and I hear Orson talking to my dad.

  “We need to get to surgery now!” Orson said with a sense of urgency.

  Dad calls my attention. “Sweetheart, I’m not going to lie but we need to close this now, before you bleed out. You need emergency surgery. I promise everything will be fine.”

  As he finishes, a group of people rush in with a ton of equipment. They quickly place a mask over my face and I’m panicking. Zach pops into my field of vision and I reach out for his hand. He grabs it quickly, remaining as calm as he can.

  “Lex, it will be okay,” he said calmly as he runs alongside the bed as they rush me out of the room.

  I’m getting groggy, but keep my eyes on Zach. Before I lose complete consciousness, I say, “More than… life itself.”

  His eyes widen in surprise and he smiles, “More than life itself.”

  I smile one last time before everything goes black.

  I don’t know how long I’ve been out this time. But I wake up to find Zach sitting beside me, just as always. Through thick and thin, he is always by my side.

  His head is laying on the bed. He looks like he’s sleeping, but I know his breathing is too off for that.

  I squeeze his hand and he looks up. His eyes are red like he’s been crying.

  “Zach…” I whispered.

  “You’re awake.” He smiles wide.

  I smirk back. “Yeah, but I feel like I’ve been run over by a few semi-trucks.”

  He laughs, “I can imagine. You have literally been through hell and back… a few times.”

  “Yeah, that needs to change…” I roll my eyes.

  He looks serious now. “Do you really know who I am?” he asked.

  I nod, “I do. I remember everything thanks to you.”

  He stands up and doesn’t even pause as his lips flatten mine.

  He pulls back after a moment and we are both breathing a little bit heavier.

  “Where is everyone?” I ask.

  He sighs slightly and rubs his face. “They are with Katrina.”

  “Why, is she okay!?” I quickly become upset.

  “She will be fine. She is just having a hard time recovering.” He notices my concerned face. “The day we brought you to the hospital, she gave you five pints of blood to help you survive, to at least give you a chance. Thomas has to keep giving her some of his blood to help her recover. She keeps coming in and out of it. But she seems stronger.”

  Tears stream down my face. “Why would she do that!? I would never want her to do that!”

  “She loves you as her sister Lexi. Any of us would have done the same, but her blood, it saved your life.”

  “I wanna see her,” I said pulling the sheet back.

  He shakes his head no. “Lexi, you are still too fragile to move around. You reopened your wound and just went through emergency surgery. You can’t keep opening it up.”

  I sigh. “I still want to see her,” I said stubbornly.

  “You will, I promise.”

  We sit quietly for a moment until I think of a question.

  “Does dad know?”

  He smiles, “Yeah he does. He knows everything. Adjusted quite well actually.”

  I smile, then frown. “Mom?”

  He shakes his head. “Your dad is waiting until you are fully healed and can help him explain all this,” he laughed lightly.

  “Does she know I’m here?”

  “No, not yet. You and your dad have the same view on things.” He smiled solemnly.

  I sigh. “How long have I been here exactly?”

  He looks over at the calendar on the wall. “Three weeks and four days.”

  I look at him in shock.

  “Yeah, I know. Malvent did a good job on you.” He shakes his head sadly.

  “Is he…”

  He looks at me and cracks a smile. “You obliterated him.”

  I smile, “Good!”

  Zach turns solemn. “Lexi, I’m sorry I wasn’t there in time to save you. I should have been there.”

  “Zach, don’t you dare blame yourself for anything that has happened! Nothing is your fault. Things happened for a reason. I died and was able to bring you back with me. That is something I will never want to take back, and I am glad it happened. So do not feel like you failed me. Had you saved me, you wouldn’t be here in your human form. I will never regret that. So don’t you either. You died for me once, remember? Just look at it as pay back.” I smile.

  He laughs, “You truly amaze me.
”

  “You amaze me more.”

  Zach leans in and kisses me as if I’m the most breakable crystal in the world. I place my hand behind his head and crush him closer to me. The passion flows between us with such power it’s like jumping off the top of the highest waterfall in the world.

  When we break apart, we are breathing heavy and my chest is hurting.

  Someone coughs gently by the door and we turn to look.

  I grin. “Dad!”

  “Glad to see you are doing better.” He grins as he comes closer and kisses me on the forehead. “I love you so much!”

  “I love you too dad. And thank you… for everything!” I hug him with my good arm.

  “You are my daughter. You don’t have to thank me for anything.” He pulls back and looks at my face.

  “Yeah I do. I realize how much I took for granted, and how much you, mom, and Bree sacrificed for me. You even know the truth about me, and you act like it doesn’t even bother you.” A tear escapes my eye.

  He wipes it away. “Sweetheart, I love you no matter what. You are my daughter whether you’re human, octopus or Vampire. You are my daughter, and that will never change my love for you. We are in this together! Of course… when you’re healed… you have a lot of explaining to do to your mom.” He grinned.

  I laugh lightly. “Thanks…” I roll my eyes. “I really don’t deserve you or mom.”

  “We are the ones who don’t deserve you.” He smiled.

  A small wave of pain crosses over my chest, and dad sees me cringe.

  “Are you in pain sweetheart?” he asked as he looks over the bandages.

  “Nothing I can’t handle.” I take a shallow breath. It feels like my chest is tightening up, but I want to keep the focus off me. “How is Katarina doing?”

  Dad sighs a little. “She’s doing much better than she was. At least she wakes up for a longer period of time now. We are not sure why she is having such a hard time coming out of this.” He shakes his head in confusion. “Donavon is quite frankly a mess… he’s blaming himself for this.”

  I shake my head sadly. “I don’t know why she’s not coming out of it either. She would recover faster in the past. Zach said Thomas is giving her blood?”

  Dad nods, “Some everyday, but it doesn’t seem to do much for her.”

  I think for a moment. “Has Donavon given her any of his?”

  “Initially, but it seemed to have an adverse reaction.”

  “Okay… Now I am going to say something, and neither of you are allowed to yell at me, or refuse.” I pause and look both of them in the eyes. “Give her some of my blood.”

  “No,” they both said in unison.

  “You have lost too much yourself and you’re not even healed yet.” Dad said with a bite of anger in his voice.

  “Dad, you need to understand that her blood heals me, and her blood still runs in my veins. At least what is left of it. She needs some back to recover. At least half a pint. I will be fine. She needs it. I am not going to make her suffer any longer than she has too. She has saved me using her blood more than once now. It’s time I at least pay a little of it back.”

  He and Zach sigh. They know I’m right.

  Dad looks at me sternly, “Only half.”

  “That’s all I ask for.” I smile as dad gets up to leave the room.

  “You’re killing me Lex,” Zach gripes.

  I smile at him.

  Dad comes back in quickly with a new bag and needle. “The two of you girls are going to be the death of me,” he said shaking his head.

  I laugh.

  I watch as he inserts the needle into my good arm and watches as the blood drips into the bag.

  I hear Zach mumble beside me.

  “What?”

  “Just surprised you didn’t freak out is all.” He smiled slyly.

  I laugh, “With all I have been through, a little needle doesn’t seem so bad anymore.”

  Dad and Zach laughed.

  Healing

  A week passes and I’m glad to hear that the blood I had given Katrina has helped to turn her around. I can’t lose my best friend because she couldn’t bear to lose me. It wouldn’t be fair. I have yet to see her. No one will let me because I’m too fragile. That word is getting on my nerves, but I know I have a long way to go to be fully recovered. I know I’m very thankful for that morphine button. I always know when it’s time to press it because the pain that stayed in the background, and that was tolerable, will come in like a pouncing tiger that hasn’t eaten in a week. It cripples me for a few moments before the morphine takes effect.

  Zach has yet to leave my side, just like always. Everything is like it used to be between us. The connection is back and my soul feels whole again. I feel whole and the world is right. He will lay in bed with me on my good side and fall asleep. I know he is exhausted. I’d stay awake for a little longer to watch him sleep. His face looked so peaceful and tranquil. No words could ever express the love I hold for him in my heart. Nothing can ever separate us again.

  Thomas… I notice a change in him since I’ve been awake. He seems more mature and less child-like. But he also seems a little dark, like something deep down is bothering him. I have yet to have a moment to talk with him. After all, he is like my little brother and I love him dearly.

  I hate sitting around. It gives me too much time to think, and thinking for me is not always a good thing. I’d reflect back on losing Bree and how I could have prevented it. How I could have saved Harmony. I thought of many ways I could have fixed all that so they would still be here. The could of, should of, would of… I go through them all. Sometimes Zach catches a tear stream down my face and asks what’s wrong. But I lie and tell him the pain in my chest and arm were acting up. Of course, that would get me an extra dose of morphine from the nurse, and would basically knock me out. But I welcome the peace. It kept my mind from wondering.

  “Lexi,” Dad’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “Sorry, but time to change the bandages…”

  He trails off when he sees my face. I absolutely hate this. It hurts like hell, to be honest.

  “I’m sorry,” Dad frowned. “But we have to see how it’s healing.”

  “Still doesn’t change the fact that it hurts,” I mumbled. Zach squeezes my hand.

  Orson walks in the room. I have gotten to know him better since I’ve woken up. He was in the clearing during the war that I would much rather forget about. He has worked with my dad since we moved to NY and they became friends. Their relationship hasn’t changed since dad found out that Orson’s a Werewolf.

  I grumble while they walk over to change the bandages.

  “Sorry Lexi, but it has to be done. You know that,” Orson said. He is usually just straight to the point. No beating around the bush.

  “Yeah, well get this over with…” I huffed.

  Zach sits on my good side, holding my hand. I’m sure I’m going to break his hand… again.

  I’m glad he heals fast. I’m surprised after the last time, that he actually wants to still hold my hand.

  “Ready?” Dad asked.

  “No,” I said flatly.

  They start peeling the bandage off my arm first. This one didn’t hurt as bad as my chest, but gah! It feels like a flame thrower, and I would know!

  I grit my teeth and squish my eyes shut with the pain that flows through my arm.

  “It’s off,” Orson announced.

  I take in a breath and look down to my arm. I don’t have too much use of it yet as a lot of muscle was removed, but it’s getting better.

  “The muscle is re-growing much faster now, and her skin is starting to close over. No sign of the poison,” Orson noted as if I’m not here. That’s one thing that annoys me about him. I roll my eyes as I inspect it for myself.

  It still covers most of my forearm, but it looks healthy, pink and closing. It has the shape of a cats’ eye, pointed on both ends and wide in the middle. I can see a bit of muscle exposed, but my skin is
quickly recovering and almost encasing it. There definitely is a lot of red and pink coloring, but I’m glad no black.

  Dad told me that they got all of the black poison out of my arm, but my chest was a different story. They couldn’t do anything for my heart other than pray Katrina’s blood healed it.

  “Looks good Lexi,” Dad smiled in approval. “I don’t think I will ever get over how quickly you can heal though. Wish everyone could heal this quickly after such damage.”

  They cover it back up, which doesn’t hurt hardly at all. But now for the part I really dread.

  Dad pushes the button to lay me flat on my back. I start taking slow deep breaths, preparing myself for the wave that’s about to wash through me.

  I can hear dad and Zach take deep breaths. Zach holds my hand tighter as Dad and Orson start removing the bandages on my chest. They have to be careful of the drainage tubes that are still in my chest, which by the way, grosses me out!

  I grind my teeth together once again and squeeze Zach’s hand, trying to be careful enough not to break it. I allow myself to let out small screams through my teeth as I breath shallowly. That doesn’t help with the pain, but I have to do something.

  Even the slightest touch of my chest is enough to make me cry it’s so sensitive. The bandages being removed is like being thrown into another world.

  One of the drainage tubes move and I yell out. And I know at that moment, Zach’s hand snapped. I feel it in my grip.

  Zach must have made a small sound, because Orson looked at him and said, “Sorry Zach.”

  The last of the bandage comes off and the agony radiates through to my back and up my neck.

  There is a thin film over my gaping wound, acting like a second skin, protecting my most important areas. The drainage tubes are just under that film and makes sure nothing builds up and causes problems.

  I can’t look at my chest. I refuse.

  Dad and Orson talk to one another as I tune everything and everyone out. I have to deal with the pain still radiating through my body. I hope it will dissipate soon.