Auras-Book One

Chapter 13

"Her eyes are opening," I heard muffled voices.

I felt strong arms around me.  "Katie, can you hear me?"

My eyes fluttered open.  "Dustin?"  My foggy head began to clear.  "What happened?"  I tried to sit up.

"Careful," his voice warned.

I let him ease me back down.  "Are you okay?"  I searched his eyes, fear pulling at my heart.

"Of course," he pressed his lips to my head.  "It's you I was worried about."

"But I saw you passed out next to me.  I thought you had died, and it was my fault," I choked, between sobs.

"Shhhhh, there was a problem with the Link.  Brian saved us."

I gave Brian a questioning look. 

He stepped forward with his trusty blood pressure cuff.  "Katie, I'll explain everything while I check your vitals."  He wrapped the cuff around my arm.  "Your Link with Dustin began to fracture.  That can happen with new Links, especially if the healed injury was severe.  In your case, Dustin essentially brought you back to life, which required a lot of blood.  Because the Link is so new, he is tightly bound to you, and when you began to fracture, he did too.  Although we're immortal, if we are strongly Linked to someone who dies, we can die too."

I swallowed, thickly.  "I almost killed you?"  I reached for Dustin's hand.

Brian caught my hand.  "I need you not to touch Dustin while I take your vitals.  The Link can mess up the readings."

I frowned and put my hand in my lap.  "Are we okay, now?"

Brian put a thermometer in my ear.  "From everything I know about Linking, fractures are very rare, and usually stabilize afterwards, as long as the blood was given in time.  How do you feel?"

I took silent stock of myself.  I had no pain and my head felt clear.  "I feel fine.  Except that I'm hungry."

Everyone laughed.  "I'll bring you something."  Dani hugged me before heading downstairs.

Shawn was hovering by the door.  "This has got to be one of the craziest things I have ever seen.  And I've seen some crazy stuff in my time."  He shook his head.

Brian nodded.  "That's why we aren't supposed to do it.  The risks are too high.  We could have lost them both."  He shot me a look of frustration.  I was getting really sick of his accusatory tone.

"Okay, everybody out.  I want to talk to Katie alone."  Dustin looked straight at Brian.

The guys headed for the door, closing it behind them.

He turned and looked at me.  "Are you really okay?"  His eyes were full of fear.  He took my hand and I felt his energy spike up my arm.

"I'm fine," I assured him.  "I promise.  I don't feel any pain." But I wasn't okay.  I was freaking out inside, and I could feel my fragile grasp on reality falter a little more each minute.

He pulled me into his arms.  "God, Katie.  I thought I lost you.  Again."  He smoothed my hair down. 

"I thought I lost you," I countered.  "Dustin, I'm so sorry.  All of this is my fault.  You should have let me die."

His eyes flashed.  "There's no way I could have done that.  And even if I had it to do all over again, I'd do the same thing.  I don't ever want to lose you."

I wrapped my arms tight around him.  "Um, Katie, you're hurting me," he squeaked.

I pulled away.  "How can I hurt you?  You're a vampire." Weren't vampires usually super strong?