Essence (Nectar 3)

Kyla’s arms broke out in goosebumps. After going against her urges of sinking her teeth into Kyle for so long, Sasha got to do what vampires naturally did and the room went electric with Sasha’s hunger. Kyla could actually feel it, probably through Tristan’s emotions. She looked back at Tristan and cocked her head.

No, that wasn’t through Tristan.

Her gaze moved to Kyle and felt her knees go weak. She had a strong sense of déjà vu, looking at him. Was this emotion, the feeling of hunger, was it coming from him?

A few seconds ticked by and then Sasha let go. Kyla saw her lick the wound. And then Sasha straightened her back and took a step back, pulled her fangs back in, put her eyeglasses back on, and composed herself, straightening her pale pink hooded cardigan. She stood and gazed down at Kyle lovingly. And then Sasha’s head rolled back in a way that seemed like ecstasy. It must’ve felt very poignant to her to do what she was driven, innately, to do, but had been fighting against for so long now.

Sasha re-gained composure and put her arms around herself and shivered. Sam moved to her and put his arm around his sister. Sasha leaned into him.

The room went quiet as everyone looked at the hospital bed. Kyla felt like she was willing his eyes to open. They all stood, quietly, and for what felt like the longest time.

Kyla felt her shoulders slumping as she felt defeat start to penetrate. Sasha looked like she had mixed emotions. Kyla was sure it was mixed emotions because Sasha had a conscience, a maternal connection with Kyle, but yet had no choice but to use his blood.

Sasha needed Kyle’s blood. And Kyle needed Sasha to feed. And several other women on the island were being fed some, too, in order to keep them from being psycho bitches from hell.

Things started to change on the screen beside Kyle’s bed.

“His pain. It’s gone,” Sasha breathed.

Kyla’s knees suddenly went weak again. Kyle bolted upright into a sitting position, with a gasp, his eyes wide open. He looked bewildered. His eyes moved first to Kyla, then to Sasha, and then through the room’s occupants and then straight back to Kyla. He gave his head a shake.

Kyla stared directly at him and their eyes met. A flood of memories hit her like a harsh slap.

Childhood memories, foggy ones, but small snippets sailed quickly through her consciousness. Playing, reading, building Legos, playing Lite Brite together.

Lite Brite!?!

Grid pictures of blue eyes, green eyes. Running around a park. She flew down the slide into her father’s arms with a squeal and then her father plucked her up in the air, tossed her up, and caught her and they watched Kyle slide down the same slide.

“I’ll catch him, Daddy!” Kyla heard her little girl self say as she struggled to get out of Lyle’s arms so she could catch Kyle.

Then she saw the woman on the park bench in that same park telling her that her parents were gone, that there was an accident, and that it’d be better if she didn’t remember her brother, only that her parents were dead.

“If you remember your brother, you’ll try to find him. And finding him would be finding big trouble, sweetie… So it’s better if you forget. But if you do happen to meet again, as soon as you lay eyes on one another, you’ll remember.”

Kyla felt sick. Bile rose in her throat. Kyle’s blue eyes were still on her.

“Clear the room,” Tristan said.

Tristan, Sam, Sergey, and Sasha moved out.

“I’m just outside the door, princess,” Tristan said, “But be careful.”

Kyla nodded, not taking her eyes off her brother. Tristan kissed her temple and she heard the door shut.

“It’s you,” Kyle said.

“I don’t know about any of that medical stuff you got goin’ on there so careful, kay?”

He looked down at his hands, looked down to a tube hanging out of the blanket, made a face, looked to the medical monitors beside his bed, and gazed around.

“Do you want something to drink? Maybe something small?”

Kyla moved to the refrigerator in the corner and got a bottle of water and walked over and passed it to him. Her heart was racing.

He grabbed the water bottle but dropped it on the bed and grabbed for her hand.

“It’s you. How? Who were those people?”

“You know who I am?” Kyla asked.

“Of course I do.”

“How?”

“He showed me pictures of you after they found you. And I know you. Are you okay? What’s going on? Where are we?”

“He?”

“Adrian.”

“I uh, I have a letter for you from Sasha,” Kyla reached into her jeans pocket and passed the envelope to him. He let go of her hand to accept it.

“Who’s Sasha?”

“Um, the doctor. If you read that, I’m sure it’ll help. It explains everything. I’ll just go tell them you’re okay while you read that. I’ll be right back.”