18. Recovery
"Why did you not take her when I told you to ?" Nicholas questioned his brother as he stood, his voice laced with regret and wary, few feet away from the bed on which Immery was laying. His eyes were fixed at her, focusing on her heartbeat which was getting steadier as the blood made its way into her blood stream from the blood bag. Christian hadn't moved much since the time he laid Immery down on the bed, hours passed by, Riley left after a while, but Christian still did not move an inch.
Nicholas could tell that the entire situation was affecting his brother more than he was showing, or more than he wanted to. Werewolves were known for having a high temper, yet Christian was always a pro in controlling himself. But this time it wasn't about others but his mate, someone who he so deeply wanted to protect.
The smell of the blood from the blood bag tempted him but he paid no attention to it, he still had no idea how did he not end up sucking Immery dry, any vampire deprived of human blood for so long would do it. Their feral side practically forces it upon them, unless his feral side did not want that to happen. That it knew who this girl was.
"Because that was her choice to make Nick, not mine," Christian answered while rubbing small circles on Immery's arm with his thumb. His voice was calm but had a distant anger to it. Christian was elated with the fact that his brother was fine but another part of him was angered that Immery got hurt in the process. And the fact that it was his idea wasn't helping.
"I could have killed her dude!" Nicholas exclaimed, his voice rising a little to make the guilt that was building in his chest somehow disappear.
"And I would have killed you by now, but you didn't, so I will just punch your face for hurting her," Christian spoke in a calm voice, before he landed a punch on Nicholas's face, catching him off guard as he hit the wall behind him, knocking it off to ground, a puff of dust flying in the air as Christian landed on Nicholas's torso.
Nicholas did not fight him rather used Christian's rage to lower his own guilt that was brewing in his chest down. It was easier to concentrate on the pain from the punches than the scared face and scream of Immery that was playing in his mind over and over again. Christian kept landing punches without control, his breath coming heavy and the anger finally taking him over.
"I didn't let him bite me, only to have you kill him. Could have done earlier, at least I wouldn't have to be bit," the brothers heard a low voice, hoarse and laced with weakness. Christian abruptly stopped, as they turned to see her trying to get up and sit, before she could lose balance and fall, Christian was by her side helping her sit.
Nicholas got up as his wounds quickly healed, now faster than before due to the fresh human blood in his system. He looked over to the girl in front of him, who was giving his brother a little faint shy smile while he helped her.
He wanted to go up to to her, to comfort her, mostly thank and apologise to her. He remembered how terrified she was of getting bit that day in the forest, yet yesterday she had nothing of that look on her face. She was scared, yes but also determined to help out him.
The only question in his mind was, why ?
He had so many questions in his mind but none of those found voice. All he could do was stare and watch at his brother and Immery. It felt like they already had a connection brewing between them. As much as he did not want to feel jealous of seeing his brother happy, he did. There was this burning tingle in his chest, partly from the guilt and partly from the fact that his brother was already forming a bond with her. And she was reciprocating.
He suddenly stormed out of the room, he had the answers to his previous question.
She did it all for his brother. She was ready to sacrifice herself to him because Christian gave her the idea. She did it all for his brother.
It was not for him.
It was never him.
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"Do we like...hold hands now ?" Immery whispered with a little giggle to bring down the awkwardness that was building up in the room. She did remember telling Christian that if she survived this she would want to be his and Nicholas's mate, and she meant it completely yet the entire the situation was awkward for her.
She had no idea how a relationship between two brothers and a girl works, and to ask them about it directly made her want to face palm herself. She did feel this need to make it work, an unknown energy charged up her body at the thought of them.
"If my memory serves right, we have hold hands already," Christian replied, as he placed his hand over her's before leaning in, making her tense up a little before she relaxed as he moved to place the cushion behind her so that she could sit in a more comfortable position.
Immery looked over at where Nicholas was, a small frown appearing on her face as she realised that he had already left.
"Is...he fine?" Immery questioned softly, she did want to know if her little act was successful. She never knew that she had that courage in her.
"He is, all thanks to you," Christian told, his voice grateful while Immery smiled back. Immery's had subconsciously found her neck, going over to the spot that he had bit. The skin over there had healed and what was only left was a scarred tissue.
"Yeah..that will be back to nothing by tomorrow morning," Christian told as he watched what she was doing.
"Never do that again.." Christian spoke again, this time his voice was no longer playful, but had fear laced with it. The sudden thought of losing her to his brother coming in his mind.
"Do what ?" Immery asked, she was strangely feeling better with every passing second, the pain was almost gone and the signs of blood loss was the only thing she felt.
"Jump in front of a hungry vampire without a backup plan," he answered, his voice holding the seriousness of the situation.
"You were my backup plan Chris," Immery replied biting her lip a little as she stared into those icy blue eyes, eyes that suddenly lit up hearing her words.
They were inching close to each other, Christian's eyes alternated between her lips and her eyes, he leans in, carefully. Hearts beating between them, her honeyed eyes drowning in his as her lips ever so slowly parted.
Their eyes close as their lips meet, a brief touch of lips before they pull away, their entire body freezing for a second with the spark from the kiss. They open their eyes, a small smile on both their lips as he gingerly puts his hand under her chin and rubbed his thumb over her lips, blood rushing to her cheeks before he slammed his lips back together.
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"So all's forgiven ?" Nicholas asked Christian as he felt his presence beside him. Christian hadn't expected Nicholas to still remain here, it had been over an hour since Nicholas had exited the room. He had heard them, both their talks and intimacy.
"Well that depends on what are you planning to do now," Christian spoke casually as he toyed with the chain around his neck, careful to not touch the locket. His mind was constantly going back to Immery's lips, her smile after they broke the kiss before they kissed each other again, over and over till they were a laughing mess with swollen lips.
"Does that ever stop bothering you?" Nicholas asked pointing at his locket, the deep redness underneath it peeking out. Nicholas wanted to talk about anything other than what he had heard, it was torture yet he couldn't get himself to leave.
"No, you just learn to live with it," Christian answered with a sigh. It was a painful reminder of who he was, and how his past life had been.
"You shouldn't have walked out without speaking to her. That's the least she deserved," Christian spoke. When it came to emotions and words Nicholas would always walk away. He wasn't always like this, once he was the sweetest man on the earth, having his poetic way through women but that was all gone. Gone with Riley.
Christian never thought it was Riley's fault though, he knew she was destined to leave but he missed the way his brother was back then.
"I knew you could handle it better Chris, emotions are not my thing. They are messy," Nicholas answered as he went over to take retrieve his coat from the hanger. It was late and he had to present himself in front of his father tomorrow as promised along with Riley.
The blood moon was over and and now came the responsibilities.
"I think you're mistaking feelings for paints Nick,"Christian spoke as he looked at his brother who walked for the door with a poker face.
"She did it all for you brother, not me. So thank you for saving me from my bullshit but I don't owe her anything," Nicholas looked back, holding the back of the door as he spoke before slamming it shut, his face devoid of any emotions while his eyes reflected the insecurities in them.
Jealously had now creeped in between the brothers for that one girl, their mate.