The Bell of Freedom (King and human romance)✔

Chapter Fourteen

The fever is broken when I next wake up. My sheets are swamped with sweat from my temperature changes and it clings to the blanket, almost sticking it down. Cain is still here, laying next to me, asleep again. His hand is still in mine and I stare down at them curiously. I still don't feel well but I feel better than yesterday. I've had a few of these twenty-four viruses before, I had to take care of a room full of sick children while I had it. This is the first time I've been taken care of.

I snap my eyes to the door as Christian enters without knocking. It wakes Cain up and he shoots up the bed suddenly, he relaxes when he sees who it is. Christian stares down at our hands for a moment and then Cain retracts his touch from mine, his shoulders twitching from the sudden taste of my wellness.

"Forgive the intrusion," Christian says quietly. "I thought Aurora was alone."

"How are you feeling?" I ask him.

He casts a caution glance to Cain who is watching him closely from the bed. "You can answer her," Cain says.

"I felt well enough to make you some soup and toast," he says. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it here yesterday."

"I wouldn't have been able to eat anything yesterday," I say, laughing a little. "My appetite hasn't returned but leave it on the table, I might be strong enough to eat later. I'm glad you're alright."

He nods, backing away towards the door. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"That'll be all, Christian," Cain says, answering for me. "Go back to your room and rest."

Christian meets my gaze sadly before leaving. I know what he's thinking. He's thinking that Cain has been feeding from me while I've been sick. The truth is much more confusing.

"He must care for you deeply," Cain says. "He was one of the sickest that I saw yesterday."

"We've formed a friendship," I say. "Looking after each other is in our instincts."

"I will run you a bath," he declares, rising from the bed. "I've heard they are helpful."

"That's okay, I'm too still weak to bathe."

"I will assist."

I stare at him, a lump forming in my throat that I swallow down nervously. He notices my sudden panic and smiles. "Humans bathe naked," I inform him.

"I am aware of that," he says. "I can assure you that your physical bodies are not appealing to us. Plus, I've already seen you naked."

I bite down on my teeth. Of course he has. He's looked into my mind, he's seen multiple memories of mine, memories that are private and embarrassing. I fold my arms as I feel violated.

"You never have to feel nervous around me," he says, as he walks around to my side of the bed. "I will be honest with you about when I am going to feed, anything else is just to help you."

I take his hand and he pulls me to my feet, supporting my back as my face crushes against his chest. He guides me over to the bathroom, and I sit down on the toilet seat as he fills the bathtub with a green liquid. I watch as the water begins to fill, as the bubbles begin to blossom, he is completely silent as he focuses, making me some kind of bath cocktail.

"Take your clothes off," he says.

I pull up the seam of my bathrobe and I drag it over my head, dropping it to the floor. He doesn't even glance in my direction, he moves around the bathroom and studies some bottles on a shelf. I unhook my bra and slide down my underwear, watching him carefully before I try and pull myself over the edge of the tub. He hears my struggle and I tense as his hands fall around my stomach, lifting me into the water. I just decide that I don't care that he's watching me, I grip his hand to keep myself from slipping and he holds me as I lower myself into the water, becoming swarmed with delicious smelling bubbles. He chose apple.