Wake of the Dead | Two

Chapter Thirty-Four | Killian

When Killian woke up the next morning, the first thing he did was stretch. He was suddenly reminded that sleeping without a pillow tended to result in strained muscles. As he sat up, he frowned. Jasper was sitting in the recliner at the corner of the room, reading. But his eyes weren't moving across the pages like they normally did, they were only staring. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept all night. 

With a large yawn, Killian forced himself out of the bed and padded over to Jasper, clumsily dragging his now-sore leg along. Even if he was able to take a stroll with Jasper the previous day, walking on it continuously would take some getting used to. When he reached Jasper's side, the man glanced at him, unfocused and hazy. "Killian," He mumbled, "Oh christ, is the sun up already?" 

"Don't tell me you were reading all night," Killian snapped. "I know that would be a lie and you've never lied to me before, so don't start now." He narrowed his eyes. "Spill." 

Jasper looked taken aback by Killian's aggressive demands for what was going on with him. Killian's annoyance soon turned to horror though, as the man rolled up his sleeve and showed off...a bite. Before he could any sort of noise, Jasper covered his mouth hastily. Confusion and fear immediately clouded Killian's thoughts and he broke away from the other man, taking a few steps back. Due to his bad leg he stumbled and fell, backpedaling until he hit a wall. "Jasper, what-don't come near me!" He said as the other man stood up. 

"Killian please just listen-"

"No, you can't--how--why?" Killian could barely contain the sudden storm of emotions flooding through his chest. It was a current of tossing and turning waves, tugging his heart in so many different directions at once it could rip him apart. Jasper was bitten. How long, when, Killian didn't know. Why hadn't he told him? What was going to happen? Was he going to be like Jackson, or turn into one of the biters? Killian's insides felt sick, his stomach twisting and lurching, threatening to throw up any of the contents left over from the night previous. 

"No, listen. I'm not infected, Killian. It wasn't a biter that did this, I promise." Jasper insisted, his blue eyes blinking away whatever grogginess had been there before. As usual, his voice was calm and soothing. Killian wasn't sure if he was being deceived by the man he loved or not. The world seemed to tilt all of a sudden, making him dizzy and sick all over again. 

Not wanting to take Jasper for granted--refusing to believe the man was lying--Killian swallowed back the anxious bile that raised to the back of his throat. His lips parted to speak, but he couldn't utter a sound. Hot tears formed behind his eyes and the only thing he could do was nod until he found the courage, "W-what is it, then?" He stammered. "If it's not from a monster, then what is it?" With his heart racing and chest squeezing so tight he couldn't breathe, Killian forced himself to listen. 

Jasper was silent for a while, Killian presumed to think about how to explain the situation at hand. He felt a small bit of relief as Jasper sat on the ground to get down to his level and make things less intimidating. Killian didn't like when people loomed over him, especially in potentially dangerous situations. "I can't tell you everything," Jasper said carefully, "Because it could put you in danger. But everything I'm going to tell you now is the truth." 

Swallowing back a mutter of disbelief, Killian suddenly felt cold. If he couldn't trust Jasper anymore then who could he trust? Surely his lover was still honest? But it was hard to deny the glaringly obvious bite on Jasper's arm, it stuck out like a clown at a funeral. "I got into a fight with one of the group yesterday. They took a big chomp out of my arm here, but that's all it is. I promise you." 

That was the explanation? Killian couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could Jasper even think that was an acceptable response? His mind was tearing itself apart, trying to piece together the reality of the situation. The person he loved more than anything in the world could possibly be infected. He couldn't accept it, no, he wouldn't accept it. "Jasper," Killian said shakily, going against every single thing his heart was telling him, "You know I can't believe that with nothing else."