Vampire King Chapter 29

Thank Yous
+25 BONUS
Thank Yous
Emory
Lex looks different when he comes in. It’s not just that he’s got smudges of dirt all over him and his clothing is torn, something I can’t imagine from the polished Lex I saw at dinner the other night and in the library earlier, but his countenance has changed.
“Hello,” he says as he walks to the foot of my bed. He doesn’t sit in the chair his brother vacated about ten minutes ago, nor does he find another one. He just stands there, with his hands folded in front of him. “How are you?”
ability
I’m starting to get my ability to feel my body back now. I am still a bit tingly in the extremities, and my shoulder is starting to hurt a little, but I don’t want more medicine because I don’t want to lose to feel, so I haven’t told the doctors.
In response to Lex’s question, I say, “I’m better, thank you.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” he says politely. “Dr. Martin is very good.”
my
I nod. I haven’t had a chance to meet the man yet, not that I remember anyway, but I am looking forward to thanking him and his staff for saving my life. But right now, I’m more concerned with the man in front. of me. “You helped me.” It’s not a question, but he reacts like it is.
“I tried to reach Kane, but he was asleep, Nellie and Helga were nearby, in the hallway. They said they knew something was wrong, so they’d followed you to the library. I honestly didn’t know what the plan was when Jacob and Opal told me they had invited you there. I knew they weren’t up to any good, but I went with them, hoping I could make them stop. They just told me about it a few minutes before they left the room where we were all hanging out.”
It sounds to me like he’s trying to apologize for the role he played in all of this, but that’s not why I asked him here. He could’ve done a lot of things differently, and I would be dead right now, so I don’t feel like he owes me an explanation.
“I just wanted to thank you,” I say, my voice just above a whisper. “I wanted to thank you for helping me.”
He shrugs before he shakes his head. “You shouldn’t be thanking me, girl.” I’m not sure if he doesn’t know my name or if he just doesn’t want to use it. “1 helped you because my brother expects it. That’s all.”
He suddenly seems cold, as if he’s aware that I almost caught him having feelings, and that’s too human
for him.
“I guess I don’t really care why you helped me,” I say, though that’s not quite true. I just don’t want him to feel uncomfortable. “I’m just glad that you did. So. for whatever reason. Thanks. And if there’s ever anything I can do for you….”
He scoffs, a bleat of a laugh exiting his mouth. He really is nothing like his brother, I note. “You help me?” The asks. Again, he’s shaking his head at me. “I highly doubt we will ever be in a situation where you can help me.”
“You’re probably right.” I give that to him. He may well be right, and I might never be in a situation where I can repay him for what he’s done. But a person never knows. “Well, I won’t keep you. I just wanted to thank you.”
Thank Yous
“Yeah, sure,” he says, and then, he heads for the door, but a few steps away from the exr te tum and looks at me again, and for a moment I think he’s going to say more, but he doesn’t, and then ‘s gone
I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly, thinking I should ask for some medicine to help the sleep now. I’ve been so tired the last few days, it should be easy enough even without the medione but my shoulder is aching a little, and I feel drained, but my mind is blasting off at a million cities minde
So when Rainer sticks his head in, I am both thrilled to see him and also a bit disapported that it’s not the doctor. I was hoping to ask for sleeping medicine
“Hey, there she is!” he says, still just leaning in. “Got a minute?
“Well, I am very busy right now,” I say, making a joke. He chuckles as he approaches the bed and sti the same chair that Kane had occupied not long ago. I have a full schedule of meetings and other important events.”
“I bet someday you do,” he says, “but I think I’ll have your secretary go ahead and clear out the rest your day so you can get some rest-just this once.”
I love that we can joke around like we’ve known each other for years, rather than just a couple of days
You know, you look pretty good for someone who was basically dead a little while ago,” he tells me patting me gently on the leg through the pile of blankets.
“Thanks,” I tell him, meaning it. “I feel okay for someone who was basically dead a little while ago. “How’s your shoulder?” he asks. “Last time I saw it, it looked like it was on backward.”
That makes me cringe a little. “It didn’t feel very good last I recall either,” I admit to him. Burt’s fine now thanks to the doctor and his staff.”
“Good, good,” he says. I notice his hair is damp and figure he’s gotten himself cleaned up after the they’d have left it to me, I would’ve probably managed to get it stuck behind your back or something”
I laugh because I know he’s just being silly. “Thank goodness you’re not the doctor then.” Ichide.
“No s**!” he claps his hands down on his muscular thighs. “Other than that, you’re okay, kiddo?”
It’s an odd nickname for him to use for me, but then, he is a lot older than me I suppose, even though he doesn’t look it. That’s one thing it’s easy for me to forget about here. Especially with Kane
“I’m fine.” I tell him. “I hear you got Jacob. Thanks for that.”
He makes a face, his nose and upper lip scrunched together, as he shakes his head. “That f**king as**le,” he mutters. “I wish I would’ve killed him when I had the chance. I did rip his arm off, though. That was payback for what he did to you.” He points at me for emphasis
“That’s amazing.” I tell him, wishing I could clap for it. I’m sure he’ll be wishing he were dead soon enough.” I recall the murderous look Kane had on his face when he left here
But Rainer doesn’t seem that sure. He shrugs. “Yeah, we’ll see.” I recall what Kane said about Opal, and I want to ask Rainer if he thinks he may actually marry her even after all of this, but I say nothing about it because I don’t want to know the answer, not right now when I feel like s**ly, and I can tell *
+25 BONUS
Thank Yous
he really means it. I bet he would’ve destroyed her, given the chance. Her brother might’ve been the brawn behind what happened to me, but she was definitely the brains.
“It’s okay,” I say. “I think… she’ll get what’s coming to her. One way or another.*
“I like your optimism,” he says. “But… unfortunately, in my experience, b**es like
with this kind of **t.”
“Maybe you’re right,” I tell him. “Only time will tell.”
Opal tend to get away
“Well, listen,” he says, clapping my leg again, though not hard. “I know you’re tired. I’m gonna get out of your hair. I know Nellie and Helga want to say hi, but they are back in their room for now. They said they wanna make sure you get plenty of rest before you spend any time speaking to them.”
I can’t help but feel warmth spread throughout my chest at the thought of my two maids, my friends.” That’s so kind of them. They really are lovely.” There are so many people here that are kind, it turns out, and I’m slowly beginning to realize that having my father sell me isn’t the worst thing in the world that could’ve happened to me.
I do wonder what would’ve happened if Kane would’ve taken Lola instead of me, though. I’m sure he would’ve been kind to her, but he would still be in a situation where he was tied to Opal and had no choice but to go through with the wedding
Now, I have to imagine he has some pretty strong reasons to tell King Peter that he’s not going to go through with it after all.
But with the way he left here, there’s really no way for me to say.
there anything I can do for you while you’re napping, Emers?” he asks me. This nickname makes me
chuckle a bit.
“Uh, not that I can think of,” I say at first, but then something does come to mind, and he can see it on my
face
“What is it? Anything you want, you name it!” He winks at me, and I tend to believe there’s not too much he wouldn’t be able to do for me.
“Well,” I begin, “I don’t want to upset the delicate balance between pack and clan politics, but would it be possible for you to call the Beta’s house in my pack and ask his wife, Margaret, if Lola is okay?” I hear the pleading in my voice, and I see him soften.
“Of course,” Rainer says. “I’m sure she’s fine. Probably misses you, no doubt about that, but she’s probably doing all right. I’ll check and let you know.”
“Thank you.” I smile warmly at him, so glad he’s in my life. He’s a great guy. I hope one day he meets the right girl, and they fall madly in love and live forever happily together.
of him
“See you later, Princess,” he says, and I wave goodbye, smiling at the thought of
It’s not long after he leaves that I begin to doze off again, but after a few moments, a nurse comes in to check on me. “Do you need anything?” she asks.
1 am not rude enough to say I wish to be left alone so I can sleep. Instead, I say, “Thank you, all of you, for taking such good care of me. Is there anything that might help me sleep better?”
Thank You
“You’re quite welcome, dear,” she says. “Yes, I have so
“Thank you,” I say, noting I have a tube coming out of
She returns and puts the medicine in the bag along wi hydrated so my or**ns can keep functioning, and with effect, and I am drifting away again.
I hope this time I have happy dreams, dreams of me a importantly, dreams of me and Kane.
Thank Yous
“You’re quite welcome, dear,” she says. “Yes, I have something I can put it in your V
I
“Thank you,” I say, noting I have a tube coming out of my left arm still. My right arm is the one in a cast
She returns and puts the medicine in the bag along with the clear fluid I suppose is meant to keep me hydrated so my o**ns can keep functioning, and within a few moments, I feel the medicine begin to take effect, and I am drifting away again.
I hope this time I have happy dreams, dreams of me and Lola, dreams of me and Rainer, and most importantly, dreams of me and Kane.