My Precious Nightmare

26: Cure'n Love

"You're okay. Good. We're leaving."

Sky took Lea's wrist in a vice-like grip and started pulling her towards the door.

Lea dug her heels into the carpet, alarmed.

"If we just wait a moment, they'll be gone!"

"You're right. We're going to need to ask Lane if we can borrow Nick, or at least some change for a taxi."

"Will you let go of my wrist already? I'm a perfectly sane human being and can walk on my own."

"Then get walking. I think I hear Aster's stupid growling getting quieter. Freaks."

But Lea didn't move. She couldn't. She knew she should, but...

And the guilt came back doubled. She had done something wrong. She shouldn't be helping these people. But if Husani was right about her blood—if this old vampire was as bad as they said they were...

"I can't," she said.

Sky frowned and folded her arms. "What, you feel'n sick or something?"

"No, I," Lea looked down to her hands. Past them she could see the fine, soft blue carpet that looked like it hadn't held a stain in its life.

"Aw, hell, don't tell me you've fallen in love with him."

Lea flinched and threw her hands up in alarm. "No! No, nothing like that! I'm not that stupid. No, it's just...I think my blood may be curing him."

Sky looked almost insulted. "I did not just hear that come out of your mouth. Out the door, march. You know what, screw that, stay here. I'll find Lane and come back for you."

Lea hadn't even decided if she wanted to say anything more before she didn't have a chance. Sky was out the door and gone.

She put a hand to her face as the ache in her chest crawled up into the back of her mouth.

Sky was right. Saying her blood could cure a vampire of vampirism was like saying one last hit of cocaine could cure the coke addict. But even as she curled up into the corner of the window seat and pulled the curtains about her like a veil, the shock of warm sunlight on her skin made her remember Husani's words. That vampirism was a just a disease that hurt people, nothing else. And hadn't she seen him try so hard to help others? Hadn't she seen the horror on his face when he pulled away from her neck? He hadn't had a choice in the matter...had he?

Lea tried to imagine what she would do in his situation, and the heavy dread just grew greater. Because if she had woken up and found herself a vampire like that, she would have killed herself. She wondered if he had tried, and already knew he had. Hadn't his voice said as much? Perhaps the same beast inside that took over whenever he was low on blood also came out whenever he tried to destroy himself.

She didn't know how long she sat in the warm sun, waiting for the chill of night to fall away. But it was nice, letting her mind wander. Her stomach cramped for food, but she didn't want to leave this safe little haven and go back into the world where truth was convoluted and she couldn't tell if Husani was what he seemed. Yes, he had been so kind. But he still had kept her against her will. But he had said he would let her go. But that could have been a lie. But had she even given him the chance to prove himself?

She lifted her sore finger to her lips from where she had twisted it up in her shirt. It had stopped bleeding, but the cut was open and raw.

The door clicked open. "Lea?"

For some reason, her heart stumbled at that low voice.

"I'm here."

She heard his footsteps. When he opened the curtains he didn't hiss with pain at the sun, but his eyes squinted tight.