Lost My Savior, Found His Pain

unique blood was a gift

aw it as

lover, Kim, he believed I was a

eat Kim' s fake pregnancy. Each extraction, which he saw as me f

cent brother, Benny. But how could the man whose li

ed my final sacrifice. I gave Cliffton my entire remainin

peared to reveal every lie, he finally under

pte

e man I loved. Now, Cliffton Faulkner, the man whose life I' d secretly pre

ead whipped to the side, my cheek burning. Dizziness swa

uttural voice, belonging to one of Cliffton

iar companion these days. I tried to push myself up, bu

my flesh. Pain shot up to my shoulder. Not a sharp, piercing

breath caught

e cold, marble floor. The marble was slick, reflecting the dim hal

u!" His voice was a sn

t be seeping from my latest wound onto the pristine floor. My hair tangled, pulling pain

er. All I could focus on was the burning in my arm, the te

scent of disinfectant intensified, mingling with a faint, cloyi

the floor, gasping for air. My chest heaved, each

fft

His eyes, the color of a stormy sea, usually held a cold fire. Now, they were narr

to my skin. Something shifted in his jaw. His lips, usually so firm and

shoulders. He composed himself almost instantly, a

voice flat, devoid of emo

ess, constricted further. Kim

ovement was agony. My eyes found Kim, lying on a plush chaise in the dimly li

was weak, theatrical. "Always so pa

dull thud against my ribs. It wasn't hard enough to break anythin

n't make him wait!

on's gaze. His eyes were cold, u

warned, his voice a low growl. "O

nocent and unaware, sent a fresh wave of fear

on," I whispered, my voice

y legs felt like jelly. I walked towards Kim, e

scraped her knee, a tiny scratch on her perfectly manicured leg. A "high-risk pregnancy" was her latest excuse fo

misplaced blame. For years. How long could I endur

e, her eyes glinting with a malicious sa

liar, agonizing ritual. I reached for the sterile k

t through the air.

the three of us. The heavy door clicked shut. The silence that

ze fixed on me. What was he thinking? Did he ever wonder if I was

eled by Kim's venom, was a festering wound that twisted his perception. He sa

thought. It never did. I opened the kit. The instruments glea

aint silver lines against my pale skin. Each one a test

. This was the hardest part. The beginning of

I bit back a cry. A bead of blood, thick and shimmering, welled u

fton's voice was a low growl. "Y

ive, the only thing keeping Kim's elaborate lie going. My body was a dying vessel, drain

ouldn't. He couldn't. He saw a slow-acting poison, a weakening agent. He s

intly, a soft, ethereal light. The regenerative stem cell

f fear and triumph on her face. She saw the

obbed, a deep, persistent ache. My

g out the vial. My hand trem

d the glowing liquid to her scraped knee. The tiny cut healed instan

lled with a tenderness he never showed me.

lips. Then her eyes met mine. A flash o

oice sweet, but with an edge of steel. "Have

o me. The tenderness was gone, r

don't show your face here

The floor felt cold against my bare feet. My h

my strength, everything was stripped away, piece by painful pie

r me to hear. "Always trying to hurt us, Cliff

ve," Cliffton promised, his voice

Empty. Hollow. The pain was more than physical. It was a crush

med into me. It wasn't just water. It was ice. It shocked

, full of contempt, shrilled behind me. "You

y shift, making me even colder. My body ached, shivered uncontro

mb. The floor was spotless. There was no mess. The maid just

d to. My body screamed for rest, for warmth. But there was no re

and Kim. Then, the sounds grew more intimate. Laughter. S

y warmth I had left. Cliffton's face, his eyes filled with

. My body was failing. I could feel it. The last extraction had taken more t

nner light. The end was near. Perhaps only a few more month

bringing fear, brought