they do to you?” I ask, furrowing my brow.
“I gave myself up to find you...which worked, but they wanted to make sure I couldn’t use magic or fight. They force-fed me something, which is why I can hardly stand up straight,” he says with a shrug. “But it worked, and I’m with you. That is all that matters.”
“You gave yourself up for me?” I question, and he nods. I stroke my hand through his dark smoky hair and rest my forehead next to his. “I love you, but don’t ever do that again. You are the future of the vampire race, and they need you.”
“As much as they need you. Without you, I can’t do it. I need my mate at my side, or what is the point?” he asks me. “I’d turn into the monster I was becoming before you snapped me out of it.”
“I feel like we both could argue for a century and never come to an agreement on this,” I say, and his deep laugh fills the room.
“A century, and many more, is exactly what I want with you. Arguing or not,” he tenderly tells me.
“Hello?” A little girl’s voice trembles behind me, and I turn around to see the red-haired vampire I remember from yesterday, and she is holding a tiny little teddy bear this time. She blushes and tucks the teddy in her pocket, like she is embarrassed she brought it with her.
“Hi,” I say, placing my legs on the edge of the bed.
“My aunt said I should leave you both alone, but I want to help you heal so you can get better and then save us. We need your help,” she says, and I look to Ren in confusion. He looks just as baffled, and I wonder if the girl is just trying to help however she can. The little girl offers me her hand, and I notice the bruises on her wrists. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the angel guards aren’t as nice to kids any more than they are good to me.
“What’s your name?” I ask her as I accept her hand in mine.
“Aala. My aunt said my mum named me it because it means ‘to heal.’ It’s a special gift I have, but my aunt says I shouldn’t show it to anyone.”
“You can heal other vampires?” Ren asks, leaning closer with a bemused expression just as a woman with milky blonde hair runs into the room, coming to a halt and looking sheepish.
“I just knew you wouldn’t listen, Aala,” the woman scolds, but Aala doesn’t seem remotely frightened of her. “I’m so sorry she interrupted you both.”
“No, it’s okay,” I say. “I’m Kaitlyn...I think I remember Aala from the academy, but we never got to talk.”
“I’m Masita, and yes, she constantly talks about you. The vampire with wings,” she says, and her cheeks go bright red. “Oh I’m so sorry; I’m always putting my foot in my mouth.”
“It’s okay,” I say with a forgiving smile.
“Can Aala really heal other vampires?” Ren asks, and Masita nods once.
“Yes, sir. Since she was a baby, she could heal anyone, but we kept it quiet for obvious reasons. A powerful ability like that is a gift from the gods,” she says quietly, like she has given up on the fight to keep Aala a secret from everyone. I wish she knew we meant her no harm and that telling us isn’t going to cause Aala any trouble. I know what it’s like to be a girl with a secret power and having to hide it from the world. Mine is ghosts, hers is healing. She definitely got the cooler gift. “And I try to make Aala keep her powers secret, but considering she has healed a lot of the vampires here, that hasn’t worked all too well.”
“How is it possible?” I ask Ren. “I know you have magic, but I didn’t think it could heal like that.”
“All vampires are more talented at certain things, but healing is never one of them, unless our blood is healing a human. Healing our own kind is the problem. The most I could heal is a small cut, but we have always been able to mix our blood with certain magical herbs to make pastes that heal extreme cuts,” he explains to me, just like he did when I was stabbed. “Healing another vampire is an extremely rare and powerful gift.”
Aala grins with bright red cheeks, glancing between us.
“Where are her parents?” I ask