Let Me Stitch Your Broken Heart

After what seemed like hours of reckless turning, Carly fell into a reckless sleep. The scene with Colton earlier that night left her hopelessly worried and exhausted. Luckily, the exhaustion overpowered the worry to allow her a few restless hours of dreamless sleep. Just as she was delving deeper into the REM cycle, a light knock sounded at her bedroom door. She moaned and rolled over.

“Carly?” The soft whisper reached her ears slowly. “Carly, are you in there?”

She sat up tiredly and lumbered to the door. “What?” She’d meant for her voice to sound grouchy, but it came out weakly instead. Carly tilted her head back and squinted at the figure before her.

“Carly?” She felt a large hand place itself against her arm.

“Colton? You’re…you’re here.”

“Yes. Did you think I wouldn’t be? I mean, I promised I would come back for you.”

“No…I mean yes…I mean... Well, you did make it sound like you would be gone a while.”

“I was. I’ve been gone for—oh, yeah.”

“What?”

“Uh, nothing. Um, I just remembered something. That’s all.”

“Colton, where were you? What happened? And why are you all healed already?”

“I told you. I’m pretty much invincible.” He was obviously avoiding the other questions.

Carly decided to follow along for the moment. “You were screaming.” Her voice cracked with internal agony. Colton’s lips set into a thin line as he glanced to the floor. “They weren’t human, were they?” He looked into her eyes harshly. She understood the answer. Carly grabbed his arm and pulled him into her bedroom. She shut the door and whispered ferociously, “Tell me the truth, Colton.”

“I can’t.”

“You can’t or you won’t?”

“I can’t. You don’t understand.”

“Then explain it to me.” She paused and tears misted her eyes. “I thought I’d lost you again…and so soon. I was already hurt. I am hurt. Don’t make it worse.”

Colton sighed. “I want to tell you, Carly. I really do. You have no idea how great it feels to be able to be the real me in front of someone…to not have to hide the other side of myself. But, I can’t tell you anything. I’m physically unable.”

“I don’t understand. How can someone be physically unable to say something?”

“I think I can explain that.” He exhaled deeply, preparing himself. “You know those things you saw before you ran away that night?”

“That was just a few hours ago, but, yeah.”

“Right. Well, they aren’t human. You were correct in that assumption.”

“What are they?”

“No clue. They’re like aliens or something. They look out of this world—literally.”

“Like total freaks with green slime and antennae and—”

“No!”

Carly looked confused for a short second. “What?” She gasped. “Oh, I’m sorry. Gosh, I didn’t mean…I’m just…I was just… I’m terribly, awfully sorry.” She looked up at him. “I didn’t mean it.”

Colton sucked in a full breath. “It’s alright.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “They have some sort of crazy super strength—even greater than that of a vampire or werewolf—or a combination of the two. Yes, they hurt me. Yes, I felt actual pain. You know, it’s an outrageously odd sensation. I never see it coming. But, I’ve dealt with them before, you see, so it was nothing new.”

“Wait. I have a somewhat unrelated question.” Colton looked up from the hands in his lap. “Right before those things got there, your eyes turned red.” She began ticking off the different colors on her fingers. “Before that, they were gold. And when I met you, they were black. Why? How?”

“They’re black when I’m thirsty and gold when I’m not.” He shrugged it off like it was no big deal.

“And the red?”

He sighed again and shook his head. “That’s part of what I can’t tell you.”

“Oh.” Carly was obviously disappointed. “Well, how did you heal so fast? Can you tell me that?”

“A friend of mine has the power to physically heal mortals. We’d always thought of it as a useless power since all his friends are immortal. Except for me since I'm partially mortal. I mean, why would you want to heal your prey?” He laughed shortly at the absurdity of it. Carly gasped and widened her eyes. “Oh! Oh, gosh. I’m sorry. I just got so caught up and I didn’t even think about your reaction to it. That was stupid. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said all that. I should think before I speak. It’s just that sometimes the filter between my head and my mouth doesn’t work. I should have just left off at--”

Carly put her hand over his mouth. “Hush. You’re rambling. It’s fine. I understand. Don’t worry about it. We’re even now. Okay?” She slid her hand away in slow motion.

“You smell good.”

“What?”

“You smell good.”

“I heard you, but did you just…I mean…are you referring to…my blood?”

He laughed. “You’re appetizing, yes. But, I was referring to your hand soap.”

“I thought you said that was cannibalism.”

“It is, but that doesn’t mean I don’t smell you—or any other human—and feel the least bit tempted.”

“Oh. Hm. Okay.” A confused expression cast itself across her face.

There was a still and silent pause.

“I would never purposely harm you, Carly.”

“I know.”

They stared into each others’ eyes deeply for a few lengthy moments.

“Do you?” His voice was just above a whisper.

They unconsciously leaned closer together.

“Uh-huh,” she answered as the polarized feelings inside them forced their faces closer to each other.

“You’re sure?” His question held double meaning.

“Yeah,” she breathed.

Slowly, their lips came together. The kiss was soft, sweet, and heavenly.

They pulled back after a few seconds, but remained just inches apart.

“Carly.” His cool breath blew across her face and pushed back the stray strands of her frazzled hair. “I think I love you.”

“I think your emotional healing stuff wore off.”

In surprise, Colton pulled away from her. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. That’s not what I meant.” He raised one eyebrow skeptically. “I’m pretty sure I love you, too. But, I know the healing stuff wore off.” She looked up at him from beneath her full-length lashes.

“Carly, are you sure?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

She could tell from his facial expression that he wasn’t convinced. “I want to believe you, but I don’t understand how you could know it wore off.”

“When you made me love you, my whole body—every cell—pulled me toward you. I had no choice and I could feel that, but, at the same time, I wanted you. Because you also healed me, there were no feelings leftover from River to get in the way of what I truly felt for you.”

“And now?”

“Now, every cell of my body still pulls me toward you, but I can feel that I have a choice. I could just up and leave if I really wanted to—not that I do. I want to be with you forever, no matter what it takes.” She looked meaningfully into his eyes before continuing. “It still hurts to think of River and what happened with him and Scott, but I can force it away no problem. What you did to me was just the extra push I needed to get over him.”

“It can’t be that simple, that easy.” He was speaking more to himself than Carly.

“But what if it is?”

“I don’t want to cause you pain.”

“You won’t. Besides, I don’t believe you can.”

“But I could. You don’t seem to understand that. I could kill you, Carly. I almost feel like I’d have to do something ghastly for you to even begin to comprehend what I am. You’re in life-threatening danger every moment you’re with me.”

“You do.”

“Huh?”

“You do have to do something ghastly. I want you to do something ghastly. I dare you to.”

“I wasn’t ser—”

“Do it!” she yelled.

Colton waved his hands in front of her face frantically. “Shh! You’ll wake your parents!”

She whispered fiercely, “Prove to me how ghastly you can be. Try and hurt me.” It was a challenge.

“No.” His voice was calm, but it was clear that he was adamant.

“You can’t do it. Pansy.”

“Don’t say that sort of thing. You know very well the damage I could do.”

“Or the damage you could undo.”

He was vexed. “What?”

“I did my research a long time ago.”

“Carly, what are you talking about?”

“If you bite me, any damage I have—emotionally or physically—will be healed. It would be just like starting over. Sure, I’ll have the memories, but they’ll be like a past life that I’m indifferent to. I’ll unconsciously disregard them for the new things my new life as an immortal will bring.” She looked at him, proud of her knowledge. “I want to be immortal, Colton. I want to spend forever with you.”

“Carly, that’s only if you get bitten by a full vampire. I’m only one-third vampire. There’s no way of knowing if I’m venomous.”

“I’ll be your experiment.”

“No.”

“C’mon, haven’t you ever been curious? Fulfill your curiosity with me!” She threw her arms in the air for dramatic effect.

“Are you out of your mind? Don’t be so masochistic.”

“Have you ever tasted it?”

“Tasted what?” He knew full well what.

“Pure human blood.” Her voice changed tones.

“No. I only drink from forest animals.”

“Have you ever been curious about that at least?”

“No.”

‘Liar.” She leaned closer, hoping her blood would smell more potent now that her heart was racing with anticipation. She knew he could hear it.

“Carly, stop.”

Determined to get her way, she quickly picked a mosquito bite on her arm and squeezed its sides so that the blood bubbled out smoothly. She waved it before his nose. Colton grabbed her wrist and pushed her limb away.

“No, Carly. Don’t be stupid.”

“Stop telling me what to do—or not to do.”

Colton rolled his eyes, which were noticeably darker. Then, before he knew what was happening, Carly had swiped her forefinger above his lip. Blood was smeared just beneath the nose that housed his keen sense of smell. He reached up to wipe it away, but his own tongue instinctively beat him to it. It took a moment for him to realize that he had betrayed himself. His eyes met hers dead-on as the taste registered in his brain.

“C’mon,” she taunted. “Bite me. You know you want to.”

It was obvious that he was still resisting. She sucked her mosquito bite and spit the blood in his face. He shook it off and pounced. Carly fell back onto her bed beneath the weight of him. She felt his teeth graze the skin just above her jugular vein.

“I won’t drain you, Carls.”

No pain came with the nickname. His instincts took over then as his canines sank into her flesh. Carly had been prepared for unbearable pain, but none came. She laughed inside of her mind. Colton Black: the only vampire spawn who couldn’t harm a single soul. She gasped at the pleasure of his bite. She felt better than she ever had in all of her so-few days.

The gasp brought Colton back to the reality of where he was and who he was connected to. He jumped back in shock. Shaking his head furiously, he ran from the room.

“Colton! Come back!” Carly was close to tears. She’d known this would happen. “Don’t you dare leave me again!”

There was no answer. She stood and attempted to run from the room, but the blood loss brought her to her knees. She crawled. I can’t lose him again. Not again.

“Colton! Goddamnit!” She sobbed. “Come back! Please! Col--” The stairs reached her far before she’d expected them to. She tumbled down to the feet of a shadowy figure. “Colton?” she whispered hopefully.

“Over here! Mmmhmmmemmm!” Across the living room Colton was being handled roughly by another figure. He’d just been gagged and roped around the wrists.

Something resembling a hand picked her up by the shoulder and tied her hands behind her back as well. An unearthly substance was rubbed over her lips, sealing them shut. The creature carried her outside and thrust her into the backseat of a car. Her head landed in Colton’s lap. She looked up at him pleadingly.

He spoke sorrowfully through the fabric over his mouth, “I’m so sorry I dragged you into my world, Carly. I’m so sorry.”

The two creatures seated themselves in the front of the car. One pressed a button that brought a sound-proof partition between them and the couple. The car sped from the driveway and turned recklessly down the highway.

Carly felt a trickle on her arm. This caused her to feel the persistent throbbing of her neck as she watched red blood trail down her pure white pajama shirt.