Cursed (26 page)

I felt a tug on my shoulder as I was steered to
the bathroom. In the chaos I got away before anyone noticed me
leaving again. Aleks picked me up and ran out the back door as
again I slipped out of consciousness.

Chapter Eleven - ETERNITY
IS A LONG TIME TO BE DEAD

“There is no way we can treat her here, the heli
will be here in about fifteen minutes. She needs to go to
Portland.” A woman spoke softly.

“Okay well I will meet you guys there in the
morning. This is just insanity, she seemed to be getting better.
She was just sleeping a lot. The doctor said she needed a lot of
sleep. What are her odds once you get her to the city?” My dad
sounded stressed.

I opened one of my eyes to see Aleks beside my
bed holding my hand; his eyes seemed haunted as if he were looking
at a ghost. I took that as a bad sign. The pain was gone completely
and I wondered if it was him or drugs preventing me from feeling
the brutal agony.

His hard face was tragically beautiful but like
all great works of art he had a flaw, I could read his face like a
book, he was leaving me or was I leaving him, I just didn’t know
which one it was.

“When?” I whispered softly so my dad wouldn’t
hear.

Aleks closed his eyes for a second, “I don’t
know. I should already be at my next place but I can’t leave you. I
can fight the urge to leave a while longer I think.”

“Will you ever come back?” My whisper cracked
slightly under the emotional strain.

He bit his upper lip; he was hesitating and
finally sighed, “No.”

I felt a tear slip from my tired eyes and I
nodded, “Then just leave now and let me die in peace.”

He gripped my hand harder, “Don’t say that. I
love you more than anything and I cant bear the thought that I will
have to leave you let alone live in a world where you are gone
from. Lets just focus on the most important thing, you getting
better.”

My dad came to my bedside, his eyes were puffy
and distressed, “Aims, hey kiddo you’re awake. You’re leaving for
Portland here in a minute, how ya feeling?”

I nodded licking my lips, “Pretty good dad, just
tired.”

I looked behind my dad to see the older police
officer, “Corporal Williams.” I whispered.

He nodded at me and walked into the room, “I
just want you to know that we have him, its air tight. His house
was full of the stuff to make the drugs. We have everything being
sent to labs to ensure it’s the same but I know it is. We found a
shrine to your friend Giselle, pictures of your sister and Jaime.
His handwriting appears to match the love letters too. So I want
you to be able to go to the city at peace with this.” His eyes
glistened almost for a second as he put a hand on my dads shoulder
and squeezed.

“Thanks.” I nodded.

Aleks stood in the corner of the room watching
me intently, I had a hard time looking at anyone but him. I wanted
him to be mine, I wondered if I died if we could be sort of angels
together. I could live with that option.

I looked at my dad’s sad face and felt guilty
for even feeling okay with dying to be with a boy and leaving him
heart broken.

“Take care and I hope you have a speedy
recovery. See ya Don.” The corporal left.

“Thanks see ya.” My dad smiled at him and turned
back to me, “Well at least that part is over.”

I nodded not sure whether to throw up or go back
to sleep.

The stretcher came as Shane did. He looked so
sexy changed into jeans and t-shirt that stretched across his
chest. He smiled as he ran his hands through his hair, “Aimee you
are by far the worst prom date ever.” He knelt at my bedside and
kissed my hand. I looked to the corner to see Aleks’s jaw clench.
His eyes looked savage as he watched Shane kiss my hand and my
cheek.

“Yeah well it was my pleasure.” I smiled back at
him.

His face was full of tension he was working so
hard to contain.

“They’re taking her now Shane, are you coming
with me to Portland?”

I was stunned my dad asked him that.

Shane nodded, “Yeah. I will drive Mr. James, you
look beat.”

He never took his eyes off of me as he spoke. It
was comforting knowing I was going to have him there for my
dad.

Suddenly the quiet of the hospital broke with
the shrill screams of my sister, “Aimee, Aimee.” She was searching
for me running through the halls of the hospital no doubt still in
full gown as I could hear her heels clicking as she ran around till
she reached us.

Her face was panic stricken as she nearly jumped
on me crushing me a little.

“Aims oh my god. Are you okay?”

I nodded as her skinny arms choked me, “Yeah
just need to go to the city and get checked out.”

She nodded taking a huge gulp, “They took Jaime
too, this afternoon. I think that fucker should get a life
sentence.”

“Alise!” My dad whispered harshly.

Alise frowned at him, “Well I do. His drug is a
poison that’s nearly killed everyone I love. I can say whatever I
want.” Alise started to cry, I wanted to comfort her but she just
did the drama so well I could barely watch. She sat still on my bed
looking at me with tears running down her perfect face onto her
full lips. Her eyes looked like molten silver they were so
shiny.

Blake walked in looking worried but also
confused. He was in shock still that the man he loved so dearly
could have been the rapist. I was having a hard time believing it
myself, I loved him too. I found no comfort in the fact he hadn’t
meant for it to be me. I wasn’t part of his evil plan or his
shrine. I was an accidental victim. It was no consolation to
me.

The men walked into my room after waiting in the
hall to allow my family to say goodbye to me.

“Okay it’s time, we can’t wait any longer sorry
folks.” The man spoke sympathetically.

My dad kissed my cheek, “See you in a few hours
kiddo.”

He stepped back so Alise could have her moment,
“Aimee be strong and get better okay.” She kissed my cheek leaving
sticky lip-gloss all over my face. I rubbed it off frowning at her,
which she ignored and walked into Blake’s arms.

Blake hugged her and then walked to me, “I miss
you in class Aims, you need to get better so we can hang out a
little more.” I nodded feeling a lump in my throat. He kissed me on
the cheek and whispered softly in my ear, “I love you Aims. You’re
my best friend.” He stood wiping his eyes and walked away with
Alise putting an arm around her as she sobbed.

Shane knelt back at my bedside, “I love you
Aimee. I will bring your dad to the hospital, don’t worry about him
okay. I will see you in a few hours.” He kissed me softly on the
lips, just brushing them. My eyes flickered to Aleks who stood in
the corner brooding. His huge Viking presence wasn’t improving. He
looked as angry as he could get. His fists were clenched and his
face was infuriated.

I glanced back at Shane who was standing with
the bleakest look on his face. He walked from the room as the men
came to transfer me. I felt weak as they helped me onto the
stretcher but my eyes never left Aleks’ face. He looked broken but
stayed with me as we wheeled out to the helicopter. He climbed on
board sitting beside me never taking his eyes off of me.

The new hospital room was a lot bigger with
machines everywhere. I was put on dialysis just as Giselle had been
and Jaime was as well. We were all on the same floor but different
rooms. Aleks stayed beside my bed still not speaking which made me
nervous. He seemed to be in a severe struggle to remain with me. I
knew he would leave sooner than later.

“What if I die and become like you?”

He shook his head, “I’m cursed, you can’t become
cursed. Besides I would never want this for you. Eternity is long
time to live alone Aimee.”

He walked toward me now and picked up my frail
little hand.

I moved as well as I could so he could lay
beside me.

“I want you Aleks, I want to be with you no
matter what. If I have to die to do it I will.”

He frowned laying down beside me, “You will
always be my heart Aimee, you are everything I needed to feel again
and I thank god every day we met. I was a shell for hundreds years
and you’ve awakened my soul again. But there is no way I would deny
you the freedom of the afterlife.”

“Are there others like you?” I asked staring up
at the ceiling feeling his warmth beside me.

“Yeah, something close to what I am.” He spoke
quietly and I understood his lack of want to speak of it.

“Have you met them?” I asked treading carefully,
I wanted him to answer.

“Yeah.” He was still so reserved.

“Tell me something Aleks. Something you don’t
want to. Just one thing and I wont ask any more questions.” My
throat was hurting from the amount of tears that had sat in it for
the past few hours.

Aleks hesitated and processed what lame thing he
could tell me to get me off his back when suddenly a dark figure
appeared in the doorway.

Aleks was off the bed within a second and
pinning a laughing man against a wall.

The dark haired man laughed holding his hands in
the air, “So she can see you brother? Did you offer her immortality
to save her life just yet?” He asked in an English accent. His dark
eyes were unbearable to look at. He had the blackest eyes ever,
like his pupils were the only things in his eyes. He was
considerably smaller than Aleks but something about the way he
stood commanded respect. His face was that of an incredibly young
man, I would guess my age at most. His confidence and smile
contradicted his dimples and soft face. He dressed different from
Aleks as well, more JCrew and clean cut. Aleks always looked like
he was going back packing but this guy was wearing khakis with a
white long sleeve dress shirt open casually. He looked like he
should be on a beach somewhere. His dark hair was styled funky; he
clearly cared a lot about how he looked. He winked at me and
suddenly the two men were gone and I was alone with a million more
questions.

Aleks never came back into my room for a long
time, I felt betrayed. He didn’t offer me immortality, he didn’t
even try to save me. He was accepting my illness and possible death
instead of bearing the thought of me with him for the rest of his
life. I didn’t really know what to say. I sat on my bed alone and
frustrated when suddenly Jaime walked in. She looked amazing. Her
face was healthy again not sallow and gaunt like mine was. She
smiled brightly at me.

“Jaime.” I spoke feeling hopeful, if she looked
that good from the dialysis maybe I would be on the mend too.

Her eyes looked a little funny, too sparkly
maybe, “Hey Aimee. How are you feeling?”

I shook my head, “Not so good. You look good
though.”

She nodded sitting on my bed, “Yeah I feel great
finally. I think that last bit of meds really just did me in. I’m
finally better.”

I smiled, “They caught him, it was Mr. Mac.”

She frowned, “No way. Him?”

I nodded, “I know right, he was always so nice
to me.”

She frowned deeper, “Not me. He was a dick to
me. Once he kicked me out of class and when we were in the hall and
he was yelling at me he told me to stop dressing like a slut unless
I wanted to be treated like one.” Her face grew sad for a
moment.

I shook my head, “Don’t believe anything he
said. He’s a criminal and a pervert. Have you seen Giselle?”

She nodded, “Yeah she got her liver transplant
scheduled. Its tomorrow. She’s looking pretty bad though right
now.”

I smiled, “At least she is getting the
transplant. That’s fantastic news.”

She nodded, “Yeah.”

Aleks unexpectedly walked through the doorway
looking nervously at Jaime. Jaime smiled at him, “Are you him?”

My heart skipped a beat as Aleks face stayed
very calm but his eyes were screaming at me, “No. I’m not.”

She sighed, “Okay well I guess I better go back
to my room so he knows where to find me.”

Confusion had me spinning in circles, “You can
see him?” I asked Jaime.

She laughed and nodded, “Yeah Aimee, I’m
surprised you can though.”

I looked at Aleks and waited for some kind of
answer but he offered nothing.

Suddenly the dark haired guy was back in the
doorway, he smiled at Jaime briefly but then focused his eyes on
me. I felt uncomfortable with his eyes on me, like he was
undressing me even in my weak and dying state. He stood behind
Aleks who was also watching me intently. Jaime walked from the room
squeezing past them both, she turned and looked back at me, “I hope
you make it Aims. Say goodbye to your sister for me.” She walked
out of the room leaving me with the two men and no clue what was
going on. I had a guess but it was not realistic, “Is she
dead?”

The words left my lips like emptiness.

Aleks nodded not saying anything.

I started to cry, “She died.” My statement made
me feel worse, “If she died then I-“ I stopped myself before I
could say it.

Aleks was across the room in one long step, “No,
you won’t die like her. The dialysis is already helping and there
is hope of a liver. Giselle is getting hers tomorrow.” His eyes
were trying to hypnotize me but I was too scared to buy into
it.

I shook my head, “The odds of two livers showing
up are slim to none, who are you?” I asked the guy standing in the
doorway still watching me intently.

He grinned at me, “I am Aleks’s brother.”

“You’re a cursed to help people too?” I
whispered.

He laughed, “Not so much love. I am sort of the
opposite of that.”

I frowned at Aleks who sighed, “He is like a
dark angel.”

“Like a demon?”

He nodded and Aleks looked back at him.

“Is everything true? Is there a tooth fairy and
goblins as well?” I felt over whelmed as tears were still streaming
down my cheeks.