A Stranger in the Night
Chapter 37

"Put pressure on it! Hurry up! She's bleeding out!". I couldn't make out who was talking as I faded in and out of consciousness. All I know is that we were moving fast and I was laying down somewhere. It was bumpy, so I assumed we were in a car or van, but I couldn't focus on anything. It was all blurry and each time we hit a bump, my body, it felt like I was about to shatter into a million pieces. My body and energy felt weaker and weaker. "How far till we get to the house? She needs help and fast! I don't know how much longer she will last!". A woman's voice that I couldn't recognise was shouting above me. I could feel their hands holding my neck and putting pressure on it. I tried to push myself up but I was too weak. "Lay down Luna. We will be there soon!". I heard her say. "Can't you do a healing spell or something on her! What the hell was the point of us bringing you!". Ouch! Another bump lifted me off the floor. "I can't heal her. She's too far gone and too weak for anything I can do to help. And can you be careful! Your driving is going to kill her and us!". The other female voice snapped back. "Shut up! I'm trying to keep up with the others! I can barely see them in the distance!". I knew that voice. It was Lucas. "Lu...lucas....". I tried to call for him but it was all I could muster. "Don't talk Luna. Just rest.". That was all I heard before I passed out again.

I woke in a dark room, somewhere I had never been before. I had IV drips, a heart monitor and ventilator all hooked up to me. My vision hadn't fully come back yet, everything was very blurry still, my head was very heavy and hazey, but my hearing had returned fine. "I'm sorry your Highness, but if we don't do something soon, we risk losing her.". The man spoke softly from the end of my bed. At first I wasn't sure who they were talking to till I heard her speak. "We can not do anything until I speak to the King and to Alessandro. The King is with The Council now, discussing what has happened and Alessandro is still recovering.". I could hear someone pacing back and forth before the loud bang of a door caused me to jump. "Where is she? What's happening! Is she going to be ok?". Lucas was here. "What are you doing in here Lycan!". The Queen snapped. "I need to know she's ok!". I could hear his heavy steps pacing towards me. "Step back Lycan or I will call my guards to remove you! She needs to rest and recuperate so she can heal!".

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I felt myself slipping away again but this time, I drifted into the darkness. The same one I sought Alex from when we were on the rescue mission. "Luna! Is that you?". I could hear Alex through the darkness and I tried to find him. "Alex! I'm here!". I heard his footsteps coming towards me quickly. I felt him grab onto me but I couldn't see him through the darkness. "Alex! What is going on? Why can't I see you?". My whole body ached again and I felt weaker. I felt him pull me into his chest, and my natural reaction was to wrap my arms around him and hold him tight. "I'm sorry...I've done this to you.". He rested his head on mine and held me a bit tighter. Confused by what he said, I enquired as to what he meant. "Because I attacked you...I drained you to the point that you are now here....neither in the mortal world nor on the other side. I am sorry Luna...I never wanted to hurt you and I never wanted to bring you here....I only hope it's not too late...".

His hold on me slowly began to disappear as I felt myself beginning to wake again. I was back...back in the same dark room. It was cold, damp and the air was stale. There was no one around that I could see. I panicked at the realisation, but only for a second, before a reassuring hand was laid on my arm. I turned my head towards the hand and followed it up, only to be greeted by Nerine's welcoming face. "Ssshh dear. You are ok.". She said as she stroked my arm back and forth. "Master Alex sent me down here to watch over you, whilst things are sorted.". I tried to sit up a little, to which Nerine helped me. "What....what things...are being sorted....". I struggled again to get my words out. "The King, Queen and Master Alex are meeting now. The King returned from his meeting with the Council. I wouldn't be surprised if you are called on soon. Which is why Master Alex asked me to stay with you. To make sure you can rest and recover as much as possible and that no one bothers you.". She stood and began fixing the sheets that covered me. "I....want to....see...Alex.". I managed to mumble out to her. She nodded. "I will go call for him. I can't promise he will come but I will try.". As she walked away, I had to close my eyes again. They were so heavy and I was exhausted. The loud beeping on one of the machines beside me kept me connected to the world and would not let me drift off to sleep or into the darkness again. I laid there, hoping for some relief from the pain and weakness I felt but the sudden crash of doors opening, stirred me again. I wanted to look however I was too exhausted to open my eyes.

"I can not sire her! I know the Council has approved it but I won't do that to her!". I was trying hard to focus on who was talking but with the room spinning, and how exhausted and ill I felt, it was too much for me. The man started talking again. "You can't force me to do this! She would not want this.". It was then that I was able to recognise the Queen's voice. "You must Son! If she is not turned soon, she will die. The Doctor has given her a day or two before she could pass. She is too far gone now. Is that what you want? For her to die?". I could hear the anger in her tone. Although there were 3 people in the room, only 2 were speaking, the Queen and someone else. "I love her Mother and I will not turn her against her will!". A loud thud slammed into something nearby. It scared me so much that my eyes shot open. After a few moments, I saw Alex, the Queen and the King standing just inside the door way. The King was storming towards Alex, pointing at him. "This is your fault Alessandro! You mishandled the whole situation and now look where we are! Both your brothers are in recovery and the woman you claim to love is on Death's doorstep. If you won't sire her, then I will get another too." Alex flew into a fit of rage, grabbing the King by his collar and slamming him back into the wall on the otherside of the room. "No! I won't let you! She deserves better than that and I won't let you ruin her life! Surely there is more we can do to save her life without turning her!".

"At this stage, she will have no life.... Fine then, you have left me no choice. I will give her to the wolf pack. They can try and save her by turning her into one of them if they can. I know Lucas is up to the challenge.". Alex's facial expression shifted from frustration to pure anger. "No you will not! I will not give her to him! She is mine! Mother, surely you can sire her!". The Queen lowered her head and slowly began shaking it from side to side. A look of disappointment drenched her face and she could not bring herself to look up at the two of them. " If she is yours, then sire her! You two need to stop fighting and need to work together on this. You both know that I can not sire this girl. It either has to be one of you or your brothers, or.....as your Father said....we give her to the Wolf Pack.". Alex began storming around the room. "We will do nothing of the sort. I will not let Father sire her and be in control of her forever, leaving me to bend and bow at his every whim to protect her from harm. I will not hand her over to the wolf pack to become one of them. She is above that. And I won't ruin her life by siring her.". The Queen's face showed pain and heartache as she began to speak. "Then you would leave her to die...".

It was at this point that I had enough of all the talking about me and forced myself up to a seated position, which scared the hell out of the three of them. Alex rushed over to me before I even got a word out and was trying to usher me back down but I brushed him off. "Do I get a say in my future? You are all talking about this as if I wasn't even here.". Alex knelt down beside me, grabbing my hand and kissing it gently. I snatched it away from him and continued to speak. "How can you make this decision without getting my input. After all, it is my life! I may not want to be sired! Or maybe I do. I may not want to be put through the challenge of turning into a wolf, or maybe I would love to run wild and free. Surely I have a say in this.". The Queen moved around to the other side of my bed and rested her hand on mine. "Of course you do dear. I am sorry about these two. So head strong. What is it that you want?". Now that I had actually calmed down instead of being pissed off that people were trying to decide whether I live or die...I honestly had no idea. Alex was still sitting by my side. His face said it all. He was heartbroken, but I didn't care. I wanted to know why...why didn't he want to sire me? How was it going to ruin my life?

"I need to know....why don't you want to sire me? Has it been that bad being around me?". Alex's head hung low. He stayed silent for some time before answering me. "I couldn't lose you again. I've almost lost you once and even just the thought of losing you, has me all perplexed. Once you have sired someone, your connection is a million times stronger than ever before. If anything was to ever happen to you, I would....I wouldn't be able to go on without you...". My heart skipped a beat or two at the sentiment. The Queen interjected though, "What is it you want dear? We need to know...we don't have much time to waste."

I stayed silent for some time, considering all my options. I definitely don't want to die, and this agony I'm in will literally be the death of me if I don't do something soon. Do I want to be a Lycan? It would have it's perks. I mean I think I would be a very bloody cute wolf, if I do say so myself. I could be with Lucas too, and my friends in the wolf pack. Or would I rather be with Alex. The vampire who takes my breath away without doing a single thing. The man I almost threw my own life away to save...twice... I had to ask him. I couldn't stop myself..."Alex....if I was to say that I wanted you to sire me....would you?". His face contorted suddenly. "You want to be a vampire? But why? Surely not...You know what I am, you've seen my darkness, my demon, yet you are willing to give up the light in you to come into the darkness.". I managed to raise a small smirk on my face before the weakness in my body started to set in. "I want a life where you are by my side. I want to be with you....with the man I love. I wouldn't have risked my life to come and rescue you if I didn't want to be with you. No matter what you are, or what I am, that won't change, but at least as a vampire, I could be with you...forever... but if you still don't want to, I understand. I love you Al....". I collapsed back on the bed. This had taken alot of energy from me and I was feeling weaker by the minute. Alex jumped up onto the bed beside me. He grabbed me, pulling me into his chest and held me tight as I laid on the bed. "I love you too Luna! If this is what you want, and you are 100% sure that this is what your heart truly desires....I will do it...for you....".

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