His Mortal Bride

♱Chapter 20♱

Alec's P•O•V

She held to me tightly. At first I held her hesitantly, not wanting to hurt her in her weak state. I wrapped my arms around her more firmly and held close to her. I was surprised by her touch that sent warmth through my veins. I don't think I'd ever get used to the way it felt.

I buried my head in her shoulder and could hear her pulse in her neck. The want to taste her was something I couldn't disregard but the necessity to protect her from harm overpowered the instinct.

Raven pulled away and I saw by her uneasy expression that she must have been getting another headache. She held her temples and shut her eyes as she groaned.

I helped her lie back and propped her up against my pillows. She was sat up against the head board and I watched her with a concerned expression. Seeing her in pain because of my twin brother made me infuriated with him. I never wanted to see him anywhere near her again.

She opened her eyes and her expression relaxed. She noticed my pitiful gaze and gave a small smile.

"I'm fine. It'll be better in a week." Raven tried to convince me, but I wasn't buying it.

"You shouldn't have to deal with this." I said with a guilted tone. "It'll take weeks for it to go away. With no pain meds, it'll be worse." I informed her. She reached out and rubbed my bicep reassuringly.

"I'm not dying, Alec. It's just a concussion." Raven said with a soft tone, the same tone a mother would use to ease their child. But I wasn't at ease. I wasn't fine with this. I wasn't okay with her being in pain. Seeing her in the slightest bit of pain hit me deep.

She flinched again, but played it off, and tried hard for me not to notice that she was getting another headache. I could sense it in the way she slightly tensed up.

I brushed the hair away from her face and trailed the tips of my fingers down her face until I pulled my hand away.

"Do you trust me?" I asked. Raven studied my eyes and was quiet.

Finally, she nodded gently and I helped her sit up. I could hear her heart racing as she focused on me. I nodded reassuringly to her, not wanting her to be scared. I knew she trusted me, but the fear of the unknown would always be there.

I raised my palm up to my mouth and bit into it, my canines slicing into my chilled skin. The bitter metallic taste of my blood filled my mouth. I pulled away from my hand and watched the blood pool into my palm. I looked up to her and she looked up from my bleeding palm and into my eyes. Her heart pulsed rapidly as she swallowed hard and looked back down to the black blood.

Raven's lips parted slightly and she gently reached out for my hand. She held on to it unsurely and placed it to her lips. Her eyes closed tightly as she tasted my blood on her tongue. She tensed at first then I could feel her expression relax. She gradually took more and more, looking surprised. She furrowed her brow and gripped my hand tighter, as if she liked the taste. I swallowed hard, trying not to get sucked in to the feeling of her lips on my skin.

With her eyes still closed, Raven pulled away when my bite mark healed and cut off the blood flow. She licked her lip, almost giving me the idea that she liked it.

She opened her eyes and stared into mine.

"Better?" I murmured, my voice gruff from having her drink from me.