“Love is perhaps the only glimpse we are permitted of eternity.” — Helen Hayes

  Jane

  My eyelids fluttered open, heavy and slow. A dull ache throbbed behind my eyes, and my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Disorientation washed over me as I tried to focus on my surroundings. I blinked a few times to try and clear them, but the room was still dark, illuminated only by the soft glow of a bedside lamp. The room swam when I tried to sit up, and I quickly sank back into the pillow, a moan leaving my lips. Antonio appeared so suddenly I was startled, his figure looming over me.

  “You’re awake,” he said, his voice filled with relief.

  I tried to speak, but my throat was dry and scratchy. I managed a weak nod instead.

  “Don’t try to talk yet,” he said gently. “You’ve been through a lot.”

  As he spoke, I tried to piece together what had happened. The car crash, the pain, the darkness… It all felt like a distant memory, a dream from which I couldn’t quite wake up.

  My eyelids fluttered open, heavy and slow. A dull ache throbbed behind my eyes, and my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Disorientation washed over me as I tried to focus on my surroundings. I blinked a few times to try and clear them, but the room was still dark, illuminated only by the soft glow of a bedside lamp. The room swam when I tried to sit up, and I quickly sank back into the pillow, a moan leaving my lips. Antonio appeared so suddenly I was startled, his figure looming over me.

  As he spoke, I tried to piece together what had happened. The car crash, the pain, the darkness… It all felt like a distant memory, a dream from which I couldn’t quite wake up.

  “What happened?” I croaked out, my voice barely a whisper. He helped me sit up to take a sip of water. I moaned it was so good and cold I took another sip before laying back down, and that little bit of effort exhausted me.

  Antonio hesitated, his expression turning somber. “We were in a car accident. We were hit by a drunk driver.”

  My heart pounded in my chest. A car accident? How could that be? The last thing I remembered was…

  “I don’t remember anything,” I said, my voice trembling. It was a swirling dark blank of nothing.

  Antonio nodded understandingly. “That’s normal. You’ve suffered a head injury, and it’s going to take some time for your memory to come back.”

  I closed my eyes, trying to absorb the information. A car accident. A head injury. It all seemed so surreal. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I began to cry, my shoulders shaking with sobs. Antonio, sensing my distress, climbed into the bed and gently pulled me into his arms. He cradled me, murmuring soothing words, his strong embrace offering a sense of comfort and security. As I cried, the tension in my body began to ease, and I slowly started to calm down.

  I felt a sense of peace wash over me as I lay in his arms, the world fading away. Antonio’s presence was a constant, a steady rock in the storm of my thoughts. I clung to him, finding solace in his warmth and strength.

  Eventually, my sobs subsided, and I fell silent, my body limp in his embrace,Antonio continued to hold me, his touch gentle and reassuring. As I drifted back to sleep, the accident brought up painful memories of losing my mother. The fear, the pain, the loss—it all came flooding back, threatening to consume me. But in that moment, with Antonio’s arms wrapped around me, I drifted back to sleep.

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  The movie theater lights flickered on, casting a warm glow over the faces of the exiting crowd. Jane and her mother, arms linked, emerged into the cool night air, the distant hum of traffic a stark contrast to the quiet intimacy of the film they’d just watched.

  “That was so good, wasn’t it, Mom?” I asked, my voice filled with excitement.

  Her mother smiled, her eyes twinkling. “One of the best, sweetie. One of the best.”

  We climbed into our car, the soft hum of the engine, and the sweet melody of jazz from the radio. I turned to my mother, a question forming on my lips. But before I could speak, a blinding light filled the car, followed by a deafening crash.

  The world seemed to slow down, time stretching into an eternity of terror. My vision blurred, and a sharp pain shot through my head. I turned to look at my mother, my heart pounding in my chest. But it wasn’t my mother’s face that met my gaze. It was my own, pale and lifeless, staring back at me from the shattered windshield.

  A scream tore through my throat, a sound of pure, unadulterated horror. But no sound escaped my lips. I was trapped in a silent nightmare, a prisoner of my own terror. The image lingered, a haunting reminder of the fragility of life. As I awoke, the fear still clung to me, a cold, clammy hand gripping my heart. I was safe, but the memory of the horrific vision continued to haunt me, a chilling reminder of the night that changed everything.

  Then I felt his arms around me, warm and comforting. Antonio’s voice, soft and reassuring, whispered in my ear, “It’s okay, love. You’re safe now.” His presence was a balm to my soul, chasing away my lingering nightmare. With him by my side, the fear began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of peace and security. Antonio held me close, his warmth seeping into my soul. I clung to him desperately, seeking solace in his embrace. The darkness outside mirrored the fear within me, but in his arms, I found a sense of contentment.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

  He smiled, his eyes filled with tenderness. “Always, my love. Always. But you should try to get some more rest. It’s only been a few hours. Your body needs more time to heal completely.”

  He was right. My body felt sore, and my head felt heavy and sluggish. I asked him to hold me. He laid in bed behind me and gently pulled me back against his chest before clicking the lamp off. As I drifted off to sleep, I knew that I was safe, loved, and protected, I was blessed, and not many were fortunate to say this and I was blessed to be alive I snuggled in deeper to Antonio and prayed for a peaceful rest.

  “True love believes everything, and bears everything, and trusts everything.” — Charles Dickens

  Antonio

  I was in the living room with Aiden he heard what happened and came by to check on Jane and myself. Honestly he company was most welcome at the moment it had been six hours since the accident, I spoke with her father he was away at the moment on a business trip but would be back first thing tomorrow morning to see Jane, I hated to hear the fear and panic in his voice it matched my to closely.

  “ Are you okay, you seem very” Aiden paused and took a sip of his wine. “ honestly besides intense I’m not sure how to describe you at the moment” he leaned back in his seat as he gazed upon me.

  “ I’m just worried aviator Jane” I finally said “This accident hit close to home, she lost her mom to a drunk driver” I paused shaking my head “ She was in the car when it happened, I’m worried this will do a number on her” from the way she woke up earlier damn near hysterical he was sure it was between her pain and pains of the past how much could a person take?

  “Wow shit I didn’t know” Aiden sat his glass down and rested his elbows in his knees and clasped his hands in front of him.

  “it’s not something she talks about they were very close” it had torn her apart when she lost her mom he remembered holding her as she cried, the nightmares the insomnia when she couldn’t rest and the chaos of her powers on top of it all.

  “I understand” Aiden said a faraway look in his eyes, I understand that look of old memories of old pains and wounds. With a deep sigh Aiden sat back in his chair.

  “How are you though?” he asked he started to pick his drink up sighed then left it alone, I suppose tonight and hearing about Jane’s mom put him off it.

  “ Honestly I’m nor great all I see is her broken and bloody” they both sat up when they heard Jane moving around in the bed but her breathing didn’t change she was still asleep.

  “All I can think about” he paused and looked away.

  “Turning her into a vampire?” Aiden finished for him, I tapped my finger against my chair.

  “Yes, right now I want to change her it’s taking everything in me not to, I was so afraid I still am she’s so fragile” so precious to him he couldn’t loose her he absolutely fucking couldn’t but he also couldn’t change her out of fear.