Devils Roses 01 - Cursed

other. He grabbed my hair at the back of my head and pulled my face from his. His lips were covered in a mixture of his black blood and my red. His mouth had tasted of the rust from my blood and a sweet musk from his.
    I exhaled as he held my face back from his. He was still pulling my hair, which oddly enough, I didn’t mind.
    He raised an eyebrow at me. “You’re a very naughty girl, aren’t you, Aimee. I wish we had a little more time. I think that there is something of yours I would like very much to have. Unfortunately, your dad will be here in about twenty-eight minutes. I will be back and maybe you can give me the other thing I want.”
    I wanted to play dumb and pretend I had no clue what he wanted, but my body was responding to him. I wanted to give him the thing he sought out, and the idea of it made me blush. I imagined the weight of him on top of me, pressing me into the hospital bed. I shook off the thought and frowned at him. He was enjoying the effect he had on me.
    “ Dorian, would I have died by the time my dad got here? Is that why you rushed this?” I asked not sure about anything that had happened.
    He nodded. “You would have, yes, but my blood will heal everything, just as it will take everything. You’ll seem better to your dad and the doctors for a few hours maybe days, long enough to get you out of here in time.”
    I did feel better instantly, I felt strong again. I looked down at my hand where the I.V. was and frowned. It was annoying me, like my skin was trying to heal it over.
    “ When you forgive Aleks, tell him he owes me a LOT—he owes the Roses.” His emphasis on lot scared me, as did the dark, sinister look he got in his eyes.
    Things were different inside of me. I felt a hot wave of healing rush through me. I wasn’t sick. I didn’t hate Aleks as much. I knew I would forgive him. Even more, I hoped he would forgive me for saying the awful things I had said. I wanted to see Shane.
    “ Dorian, I don’t understand Aleks. He has powers, he flies sort of, he’s beautiful, his touch soothes me, he can be invisible, and he will live forever, but he won't tell me how he became this way. He said a werewolf or shape shifter killed him before it was his time. What does that mean?”
    Dorian wiped his mouth and then mine. He was extra careful with my lips as he wiped them.
    “ It means that,” he sighed and continued, "Exactly that. A shape shifter killed him.
    "Why did he have to come to my family?"
    His eyes sparkled like the stars in the night sky, as his lip twitched into a smile. “Well, surely you know the part about his dad? Whenever his father kills someone, Aleks is responsible for the family. Like punishment for his father's sins, he must heal the family. It's a way to ensure he suffers for all of his life. Blah blah blah."
    I was frozen. “My mom? His dad killed my mom?”
    “ Yup, I guess Aleks left that little chestnut out, did he? Well, I’m sure you’ll want to ask him about it, when you next see him.”
    I trembled in disbelief.
    He looked pleased with what he had caused inside of me and clapped his hands together. “On that lovely note, your dad is early and so I will leave you for a while. I will be back, so don’t worry, I won't let you change alone.” He left quickly, before I could ask what he meant by the statement.
    My dad came rushing in seconds later. “Aimee, oh thank God. You’re still awake.”
    I frowned at him. “Yeah, why?” My dad's face made me sad. Had my mom had an affair with Aleks' dad? How had he been involved in her death?
    He shrugged. “Oh, uhm, no reason. We just thought you’d be sleeping.”
    I looked at Shane, who came into the room directly after my father. Shane looked relieved as well. I smiled seeing him. He made me feel happy and safe.
    “ Did the doctors tell you I would be in a coma before you made it here?”
    Shane nodded behind my lying dad's shaking head. “No, kiddo. How are you feeling?”
    I nodded. “Really good.”
    I felt sick as I saw hope in my dad's eyes and then watched as it extinguished. “Well, you’ve had that before. It might be the liver dialysis. Has a doctor been by to see you?”
    I shook my head. “Not recently.” I remembered the attack I had had hours before. Mostly I remembered everything I said to Aleks. I had broken his heart. I wasn’t certain I was sorry for hurting him, with all the truths he’d kept from me.
    “ You look better.” Shane came and sat on my bed and held