CONTAINS SPOILERS KAY! :D
We finally found Jill and I hadn't left her bedside, not for one moment, never again. Her skin was so deathly pale and lifeless. She was skinnier than any Moroi I had ever seen. The various monitors attached to her beeped steadily, just another reminder of what the Alchemist had put her through. She didn't deserve this. She was the last person to have to face something as terrible as that. When I found her I couldn't believe my eyes, she was severely hydrated and malnourished. I did what any guardian would do, hopefully. I let her feed off me, even though I hated people going my near neck, especially fangs after Spokane but she didn't know that which was good because that way she wouldn't feel bad.
I touched the white bandage on my neck subconsciously which covered the wounds.
Her fangs grazed my neck gently and a moan of ecstasy and pleasure escaped past my lips and the pain turned into utter bliss, my arms gently securing her in place as she fed.
"Hey," I spoke softly. "Not too much, okay?" my fingers wrapping around her wrist and gently pulling her away.
I was snapped out of thoughts as Jill whimpered in her sleep. My head and my heart felt heavy. She was having a nightmare. I reached out and lightly threaded my fingers through her fingers, they felt like ice.
"I'm so sorry." I spoke quietly to no one. The only occupants were Jill and I or so I thought.
"You know it wasn't your fault, right Eddie?"
My head twisted so fast it was a surprise I didn't get whiplash. My whole body was tensed and ready to spring into action before my mind comprehends the voice. Rose Hathaway leaned against the door frame, her arms folded across her chest, her clothes black and white with the queens' crest on it. She must have just gotten off work. A deep sigh elongates from the deepest pits of my body and I sag like a paper bag when all contents have been emptied out. My eyes once again travel back to Jill's fragile body.
"She was my responsibility Rose, how is this not my fault?" I shake my head before my gaze dropped back to the floor. I removed my hand from Jill's grasp and rest them on my knees.
"Eddie…I-"
I put my hand up to interrupt her.
"No, don't. Think about it this way, what if you lost Lissa under your watch, huh? How would that make you feel?" All argument she was about to make sudden deflated from her and I ran my hand through my already dishevelled hair.
"Exactly." I nodded, my eyes just watching the drip flow water into her system. I focused on it like my life depended on it because looking at Jill hurt too much, looking at Rose reminded me of my Mason failure as well as the time she had saved me from the caves just outside St Vlads. Everywhere I went failure followed.
I heard her footsteps before I felt her hand on my shoulder.
"Stop that." She said, sitting next to me and my face contorted in confusion.
"Stop what?"
"Beating yourself up about everything, you can't see the future, Eddie. You couldn't have possibly seen this coming." My hands clench and unclench on my lap.
"I should have seen this coming Rose! It's my job to see danger coming and stopping it before it happens. I should have been more prepared…" The last part of my sentence came out in a soft, sad whisper. She gave my hand a squeeze.
"For what it's worth, I think you are an amazing and capable guardian and I know she thinks so too." Her head motioning towards Jill but I could hardly bare to look at her broken body these last few days, it was agony.
"I'm gonna' go get some coffee. Do you want some too?" I gave a quick nod in reply and my eyes followed her out of the room. Her words rang in my mind and I slouched in the hospital chair. I'd been sitting on this chair for so long I swear it had my body's indentation on it.
I scratched my chin in thought, my hand brushing the bristly 5'oclock shadow I had developed. I really needed to shave.
I stretched my long legs out in front of me, trying to get rid of the cramped feeling as I closed my eyes shut, trying to catch up on some much needed sleep, they had been closed for only two minutes before I heard the loud cries and thrashing. My eyes flew right back open again and I was on my feet before I had even assessed the situation.
Jill had finally awoken after three days and was panicking, her jade eyes wild and frantic. I was by her side in a flash.
"No, don't hurt me anymore, please!" She whimpered and lashed out, trying to disconnect the I.V attached to her. I desperately tried to pin her down without hurting her.
"HEY, hey! Sssh….it's okay, it's okay. You are safe now. I've got you, they can't hurt you anymore. I swear." I cradled her to my chest and
rocked her back and forth. It finally registered to her that I wasn't going to hurt her and that she was home. She clung onto me as if she was drowning and I was the only thing that could keep her afloat. Her hands had balled the back of my shirt and her tears stained my chest.
"Eddie.." She said in a strangled voice.
"Sssh." I said, smoothing her hair back and kissing the top of her, desperately trying to get rid of the tension in her body.
Slowly but gradually I felt her loosen up against me and her loud sobs dulled into a muffled cry. Her vice like grip on my shirt loosened and her arms unwound themselves from behind my back, only to rest on my chest. My muscles coiled under her light touch. I'm certain she could feel the erratic and unsteady drum of my heart beat. She removed her head from my chest and moved back a millimeter but it felt like a bloody mile to me. Her fingers gently grazed the padding on my neck and I flinched.
"Sorry." She croaked, looking ashamed. So she did remember drinking from me.
"It's okay."I said, with double meaning. I realized she must be so thirsty. Even though I didn't ever want leave her side for a second I reluctantly moved her off my lap for her health. She looked disappointed at the loss of contact. I picked up the pitcher from the bedside table and poured her a generous amount of water and held the glass out to her. She smiled up at me.
"Thanks." She rasped and nearly downed the whole glass in one go.
"Hey, slow down. You'll throw it back at that rate. Your body still has to get use to the change." She nodded and slowed down considerably after that.
"I should probably call your sister or Adrian and the others, they'd all want to see you. They've all really been wo-."
"Eddie?" She interrupted in her soft, sweet angelic voice. I looked at her.
"Yes?"
"Can we just be alone for a little while longer?" She asked, chewing her lip nervously. My eyes darkened at the action. As if I could say no. My face softened and I could feel my cheeks blazing a cherry red.
"S-sure." She motioned for me to come sit next to her so I did. To say I was nervous was an understatement.
"I like the new look you got going on." She teased and I frowned, wondering what she was talking about before I realised the facial hair.
"Oh," I laughed, uneasily "that,yeah I didn't have time to shave."
"Did you stay here the whole time?" She asked with a frown on her beautiful face. I looked away, feeling embarrassed and like a creep.
"Maybe…I owed it to you to do that much." The words escaped softly from my mouth and I fiddled with my fingers. Her gentle fingers touched my face and she scowled.
"You don't owe me anything, Eddie. You aren't in debt with me." Her thumb lightly ran over my bottom lip and my eyes turned dark with want.
"But it was sweet." She whispered. My nose gently bumped against hers. I had wasted too much time with avoiding Jill and I wasn't about to waste it any longer. Having her disappear like that made me realise I had to enjoy life to it's fullest because we only had a limited time on this earth.
"I love you." I blurted out before my mind could tell me to stop. Every part of me tensed as I waited for her response to my confession.
"I love you too." She reiterated a smile blooming her face and I felt my own mouth quirked up too. I slowly closed the distance between us and swooped her mouth into a gentle kiss. It wasn't as fiery and lust driven as our first kiss but more tender and passionate. She let out a soft moan and my heart jumped a little at the sound, it was amazing. Her fingers worked it's way into my sandy brown hair and my hand snaked it's way around her waist, pulling her into me once more. Our mouths moved in sync and I regretted not doing this earlier.
She laid back on the bed and I hovered over her, making sure not to crush her. Her lips were so delicate, everything about her was but she was also incredibly strong and wise. I could hear the heart monitor starting to beep erratically and I smiled against her mouth. It was good to know I had the same effect on her that she had on me. Her fingers creeped up the edge of my shirt and it was my turn to groan. My muscle bunched and contracted under her touch. She pushed the fabric up and over my head, tossing the article somewhere and then came a wolf whistle. Wait what?
I pulled back breathlessly and my eyes met with several other gazes. One half of the group were smirking knowingly while the other half was dumbstruck and shocked and then there was Adrian with a thunderous expression on his face. I blushed and retracted myself from Jill with a churning feeling in my stomach. Oh shit
"Castile!" Adrian yelled. "You're a dead man! You can't kiss like that! You are forbidden to! DO YOU HEAR ME?! CASTILE?!"
I didn't care that Adrian was going to beat me up or that Rose, Lissa, Christian, Dimitri and Sonya had just seen Jill and I in most our intimate moment and that's how I knew I was a goner for sure because the Dragomir Princess had stolen my heart.
Hey! :D Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed the Jeddiness in here! May the force be with you. Okay that was lame and I'm ashamed -_-
Lemme know what you think xxx