Angel Blood

44- Date With a Demon

"Hey," fingers brush across my shoulder softly. "You should eat."

I don't open my eyes, tugging the blanket further up my shoulder.

"Calli," Theo's voice prods through the thick fleece I pull over my ears. "Please."

I shake my head. Even if I wanted to, my throat is far too shredded from the past two weeks to speak comfortably.

Theo somehow manages to pry the blanket loose around my head and lean down so his soft whisper fills the soft fabric cocooning my body. "What if I told you that I have a little surprise in store?"

I guess maybe I should feel something akin to excitement. Maybe he's finally going to show me it—the thing that I've been tearing my vocal cords apart for by screaming and begging despite the way they refuse me.

The body. The closure. Maybe when I see him lifeless, I'll finally be able to function as somewhat of a normal person again instead of this...numbness.

I expected to be sad. I guess I didn't expect it to be this vast, like a yawning chasm has torn open in my chest with a constant yearning to be filled.

But the only person that can fill it is gone. So now, I'm stuck in this half-alive state. Feeling so empty that my soul screams. Full of such excruciating longing that sometimes I'm tempted to rip my own heart from my chest just to ease the sensation.

I can't believe he's gone. Not truly. No matter how many times they tell me, I can't seem to wrap my head around it.

Theo sighs at the silence. He withdraws himself from the heap of blankets, and for a moment I think he's going to grant me the bliss of sweet solitude, but then his strong hands are scooping over the blankets and grasping my sides so suddenly that I let loose a squeak of surprise.

"Sorry," he says. He hauls me into his arms, pulling the blanket back so he can look into my face.

He blinks at the sight of me. It's been a minute since I've crawled out of bed so I know I must look rough.

"Jesus," he mutters.

I roll my eyes, leaning my head on his shoulder. I don't think I care enough to struggle anymore and his body is lean and warm. Despite the urge to crawl back onto the mattress and never leave, it feels comforting to be held by a friend.

"When's the last time you brushed your hair?" Theo eyes the knotted strands.

I shrug.

"Lucky for you, I'm great at this stuff." He wiggles his eyebrows. "Alyse lets me help with hers sometimes. Yours can't be much different."

A scowl nearly flashes over my features at the mention of their relationship but I stop myself. My tragedy doesn't warrant hate at the sight of their happiness.

Theo is entranced by Alyse, despite her ignorance and fragile genes. It's hard not to like her, to be honest. She's let me stay here with her over the past few weeks, helping me tend to my wounds. When I start to cry, she sits with me. I think she realizes I don't favor talking much these days, so she only offers me the comfort of her presence.

I'm grateful for her and all that she's done for me. Someday, when I'm able to again, I plan on expressing that to her.

Theo strides out of the bedroom and past the living room to reach the kitchen. There's an empty chair pulled out at the table, and in the spot in front of it, a plate of grilled cheese.

My mouth waters despite the way I turn my face away. Food sits strangely in my stomach these days.

"Just try a few bites, okay?" He deposits me in the seat gently and heads back over to the bedroom.