The stress of the moment was more than I could bear, and I felt myself shiver with the cold burning skin again. I was slipping away.

I dialed my cell phone. “Dad, meet me at the hospital. I’m going there now. I’m fine, but I think my liver is still sick.” I hung up before he could ask questions I didn’t want to answer.

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 helicopter will be here in about fifteen minutes. She needs to go to Portland,” a woman spoke.

“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.” 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. 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. It didn’t matter.

“When?” I whispered, 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 under the emotional strain.

He bit his upper lip. He was hesitating and finally sighed. “I don’t know. I shouldn’t.”

I felt a tear slip from my tired eyes and I whispered, “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. I can't bear the thought that I will have to leave you, let alone live in a world where you don’t exist."

"Just leave. I want to die in peace." He took a step away from me and was across the room in an instant.

My dad came to my bedside, his eyes puffy and distressed. “Aimes. Hey kiddo, you’re awake. You’re leaving for Portland here in a minute. How are you 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, and it's 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 as he put a hand on my dad's 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.

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

“Thanks.” 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 sexy. He was changed into jeans and a 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. Shane's face was a mess.

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

His face was full of tension he was working 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'll 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.

The quiet of the hospital broke with the shrill screams of my sister. “Aimee, Aimee!” She was searching for me. No doubt running through the halls of the hospital in her full gown. I could swear I heard her heels clicking.

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

“Aimes, 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. Or a death sentence.”

“Alise!” my dad whispered harshly.

Alise frowned at him. “Well, I do. His drug's 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 still in shock. He obviously couldn't believe that the man he had loved so dearly could have been the rapist. I was having a hard time believing it myself. I had adored him as a teacher too. I found no comfort in the fact that 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 ambulance and helicopter people walked into my room, after waiting in the hall to allow my family time to say goodbye. “We can’t wait any longer. Sorry, folks,” one of them said 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. I rubbed it off, frowning at her, which she ignored, walking into Blake’s arms.

Blake hugged her and then walked to me. “I miss you in class, Aimes. You need to get better so we can hang out a little more.” I nodded, and tried to ignore the lump in my throat. He kissed me on the cheek and whispered in my ear, “I love you, Aimes. You’re my best friend.” He stood wiping his eyes and walked away with Alise. He put 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. I will see you in a few hours.” He kissed me 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 furious.

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' s 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 on currently. 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. Besides, I would never want this for you. Eternity is a long time.”

He walked toward me and picked up my frail hand.

I moved as well as I could, so he could lie beside me.

“I want you," I whispered.

He frowned, laying down beside me. “You will always have my heart, Aimee. You are everything I needed to feel again, and I thank God every day that we met. I was a shell for hundreds of years, and you’ve awakened my soul again. But there is no way that 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, some things 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 won't ask any more questions.” My throat was hurting from the amount of tears that had sat in it for hours.

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

Aleks was off the bed within a second and pinning a dark-haired man against a wall.

He 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 there. He was considerably shorter than Aleks, but something about the way he stood commanded respect. His face was that of an incredibly young man. I would guess twenty-five at most. His confidence and smile contradicted his dimples and soft face. He dressed different from Aleks as well, more J.Crew and clean cut. Aleks always looked like he was going backpacking. The dark-haired man 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 the two men were gone. I was alone with a million more questions.