"I’m right here, Keelie, please wake up."

Keelie’s eyes shot open as she thrashed her arms and legs about on the bed until she finally pulled herself up into a sitting position, gripping the blanket. She scanned the unfamiliar surroundings, her body shaking just as it had in her dream. Finally, her eyes fell upon Roger. A frown was settled upon his lips, his eyes filled with worry.

"Roger? Wh-what happened?"

He leaned closer and placed his hands upon her shoulders, pushing her back down gently. He brought his lips down and softly kissed her forehead before returning to his seat, his elbows resting on his knees as he folded his hands.

"It was just a dream, Keelie, a nightmare is all."

Keelie let out a long sigh and frowned, "Where am I?"

"You were shot in your apartment. They were finally able to get hold of me early this morning. I was worried to death, Keelie. The doctors told me you were so close to death from all the blood you lost. He said that if that bullet went a little more to the right, you would have been dead for sure."

Keelie lifted a shaky hand, placing it on her chest over the wound. She closed her eyes, the past events flashing through her mind.

Stan arriving at her apartment, the deafening sound of the gun going off, and the darkness. She hated the darkness most of all, she feared it. Never had she felt so alone in her life. Her mind shut off any communication to the world around her. She could hear voices talking to her, but she could not speak. She remembered only a blur of what she might have seen that moment before everything went black.

Something brushed her cheek, bringing her attention back to Roger. Her brother, the only family she had left. Her parents passed away years ago. Her mother had cancer but it was to late bye the time the doctors found it. There was just nothing they could do. Her father died shortly after, from what her and Roger believed was a broken heart. Their parents were so very much in love, they never dreamed of living life without each other. It was a hard time for both of them, but Roger was there to soothe her no matter how pained he was himself.

"Oh, she’s awake."

Both Keelie and Roger turned to face toward the door as the nurse stepped in, making her way towards the bed holding some gauze and a small tube.

"I just need to check your wound, Miss. Mathews."

Without a word from Keelie, she went straight to work, helping Keelie back up into a sitting position and slipping off the sleeve of Keelie’s hospital robe. She peeled off the bandage gently and gasped, her eyes growing wide. "Oh my."

Roger drew his eyebrows together as he stepped to the nurse’s side, "What is it? Is there an infection?"

"Oh, no no. It’s healing, very quickly might I add," she said with wonder.

Keelie tilted her chin down to look at the wound herself. Just as the nurse had said, the wound had already closed leaving new tender skin. How could this be?

"But from what the doctor told me, the wound had been deep. She lost so much blood. How could it have healed so fast?"

"I really do not know, Mr. Mathews." The nurse gently rubbed a foul smelling ointment onto Keelie’s skin after squeezing it from the tube onto her finger. It felt cool to the touch causing a shiver to run up Keelie’s back, but soon, it began to itch and then burn. She pulled up Keelie’s sleeve and wiped her hands against her white skirt. "I will leave now to give you two your privacy, but do not stay long, Mr. Mathews, your sister needs her rest."

Roger nodded in understanding. "Of course."

The nurse offered a smile then left the room, closing the door behind her. Roger waited until the door had shut before turning his head back to Keelie. She sat in silence, staring at the place above the wound, her dark eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

"Keelie?"

"I don’t understand. How did it heal so fast?"

Roger sighed and shook his head, "I don’t know, I really don’t know. All I know is that it’s a miracle you are still alive and well."

Keelie lifted her gaze to her brother’s face, a small smile touching her lips. "Thank you for being here, Roger."

"I’ll always be there for you."

He rose to his feet and leaned down, embracing her gently. "Get some rest. At the rate you are going, you’ll be out of here by tomorrow morning."

"I really hope so. I hate hospitals."

After Roger’s departure, Keelie stared at the ceiling, afraid of going back to sleep. Who was it that had grabbed her from behind? She sighed and placed her hand over the wound, frowning deeply. It was a miracle as Roger said. It was the only way to explain how fast she had healed.

Feeling her eyelids droop, she tried to force them open again. A rush of fatigue swept over her and in moments, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

*****

When she awoke, panic gripped her from all around. The room was dark but the only thing that seemed to calm her was the gentle gleam of the moon pouring through the hospital blinds. For a moment as she inhaled deeply, but something didn’t feel right. Someone was near, she could feel them. Slowly she let her eyes them roam around the room, but stopped as she saw a movement in the far corner. Squinting against the dark, she tried to focus on the corner, but when she could make nothing of it, she sat up.

"Who’s there?" she asked softly, her voice a little airy from grogginess.

There was no answer but she could see the shadow move as it stepped from the corner, making it’s way toward her. As it drew near, Keelie’s eyes widened in surprise.

"Alex!" she exclaimed, a smile touching her lips. She never knew how much she missed him until now.

"Hello Keelie." His voice was gentle, wrapping around her like a warm blanket

He stopped a couple feet from the bed, his arms crossed over his shoulders. Again, his attire was black, making it a little harder for her to see him as he blended so well in the shadows.

"How are you feeling?"

"I’m very well, actually. You heard then?"

He nodded as he stepped closer. "I am glad you are well."

A long stretch of silence passed between them, as they did nothing but stare at each other. It was Keelie who turned away, looking down at her lap. She bit the inside of her keep nervously then smiled up to him, patting her hand on the edge of the bed. "Would you sit down?"

He stepped forward once more, but this time, into the light of the moon. Keelie’s eyes widened as they took him in while he sat. He was like no other man she had seen in her life. He moved with such grace; it was as if he was walked on air, and his physique made her speechless. When she finally brought her gaze to his face, her cheeks went aflame seeing a smug smile across his lips. She tried to search for something to say, but nothing came to her.

Alex watched her silently, raising a hand and brushing his fingers through her tangled hair gently. He cupped the side of her head; his eyes slowly trailing to her neck where he could hear the blood he so longed to taste pumping through her veins. He placed his thumb on the pulse of her neck, feeling it throb as he raised his eyes to her. He could see the trust in her eyes. Her lips parted silently as if to say something, but no words came. Slowly, he leaned forward, his eyes holding hers. He could feel her tremble as his lips tenderly brushed hers.

Finally, she summoned the will power to pull back as she averted her eyes. "How did you get in here? I thought they didn’t allow visitors after eight."

"I spoke with the doctor and we had an agreement." He hated lying to her, but he had no choice. He had to keep his secret from her. It would drive him made to have her turn on him knowing what he was. Lying was his only way of protecting her.

She seemed to accept that answer. Again, they sat in silence but Alex couldn’t tear his gaze from her. Her eyes were downcast, staring at her hands as she laced her fingers together, her thumb rubbing against her hand.

"Where have you been, Alex?"

The question caught him off guard. Every night he felt the guilt gnaw at his insides after leaving her alone in the bar two weeks ago. He was frightened, confused. She looked at him, awaiting his answer. What could he tell her?

"I…haven’t been well."

"Are you better now?" He could detect the concern in her voice.

He tore his gaze from her and rose to his feet. "I must go."

A frown settled upon her lips, "Please don’t go, not just yet. Stay with me?"

He stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes. To taste her was far beyond tempting, but he didn’t want to hurt her. If he stayed, he didn’t know what would happen if she pushed him over his limits.

"Please stay," her voice was barely above a whisper, cutting through his still heart. Slowly, he turned to face her. She offered him a weak smile and moved over in the bed. On impulse, he returned to her, lying on his side. She snuggled against him, resting her head beneath his chin. She breathed in the scent of him, the one she could distinguish from any other. His earthy scent relaxed her as she slipped her arm around him.

Alex stiffened as he stared at the wall across the room, letting out a shaky sigh. Hesitating, he placed his arm around her, pulling her close, savoring her warmth, the warmth he himself didn’t have. He could feel his teeth extend as he listened to the beating of her heart, imagining the blood pumping through it. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. A soft sigh escaped Keelie’s lips, the warmth breath touching his neck. Opening his eyes, he pulled back slightly and gazed upon her. The hunger in his eyes vanished seeing Keelie’s features relaxed in sleep.

He rested his head against the pillow, his gaze never leaving Keelie’s face. He knew the sun would be up in a few hours, and then it would be time to leave her.