Bonded With Love by Tiffany Heiser (the giving tree read aloud .txt) 📕

my fingertips up and down his arms, but I held back. He had a broad chest as well, and again I had to fight the urge to touch. Loose fitted khaki hugged tightly by a belt exhibited his small waist.
I sat there staring at his body, and when I realized it I snapped my head up to his face. He was enchanting. Everything about him caused a yearning I had never felt before, and it made me blush. His big blue eyes had beautiful long eyelashes. Each time he blinked they seemed to flap like dark wings. I could see golden flecks in them shining with the light. They glowed even brighter than a star in the night sky.
Taking another step closer, this time to the side of the bed, he stood next to me. The craving to touch him caused my fingers to ache, and I forced my self-control do its job with his eyes a few inches from mine.
Instead of being the crystal blues, they flamed a cherry red. Trying to look away, my eyes ended up on his lips, and I saw fangs again- long and deadly.
I blinked rapidly, yet the image stayed. “What...are you?”
A look of fear swam through his eyes, there for a split second then gone just as quickly.
“What do you mean?” He asked, and the terrifying image erased itself from his facial features.
“The red eyes, and fangs. I saw them. Just tell me, please. What are you?” The pleading in my voice surprised even me. A fear had risen deeper in me, deeper than I had ever felt, and yet I longed to be held by his arms.
His eyes darted to the door, back to me. “I don't know what you are talking about. I will leave you to your rest.” With those words, he fled.
Shortly after Cecile and Drake came walking into my room. Drake's mouth held a smug grin, showing he knew my secrets.
 
Chapter 4

A nurse stormed into the room while Cecile slowly crept in on her tip toes and sat in the chair next to my bed.
Out of breath the nurse asked, "is everything okay in here? Was that guy bothering you?"
“Uh, no, it's fine. Just a disagreement. I'm alright now.” I shrugged and offered an apologetic grin. How was I suppose to explain what I just saw? Especially, how could I describe it and not be sent to the looney bin?
She eyed me suspiciously. “Alright, as long as everything is fine.” The nurse walked from the room, casting one final glance at us before she closed the door behind her.
I tried to sit up, but faltered and fell back to the mattress. Startled, Cecile jumped up and stood beside the bed while I tried again. I started to fall, but two strong hands held me in place. Initially I wanted to jerk my arm away. Seeing Cryder's face change made me jumpy. Instead of screaming, like I wanted to, I twisted my head to the side and found Drake standing beside me.
I took a deep breath. “Let me...try myself.” I mumbled. Drake let go and I immediately fell back to the bed.
Cecile's eyes shimmered with frustration. “Don't be stubborn, Ren. He's only trying to help.” She moved to stand at Drake's side.
I had the urge to say, 'good robot', but I held it in. “I'm sorry, I just want outta this hospital. I sorta hate them, ya know?” I responded sarcastically.
Cecile's eyebrows creased. “Oh, right, sorry.” Seriously? How could she not remember? She whispered to Drake, “sweetie, can you bring me my drink?”
“Did either one of you see Cryder?” I asked.
Drake walked around to the foot of my bed. “Yes. He ran out of here without one word to us. Why? He made his way to the small table near my bed, and picked up a clear plastic cup filled with a slushy red liquid- the only color I ever saw anymore.
“Well did you see his eyes? His teeth?” I asked.
Drake stopped dead in his tracks, but within seconds continued walking toward Cecile. “No. I didn't pay any attention to his teeth or his eyes. He did look very upset. Did you go and break my poor overly-sensitive cousin's heart?”
“How could I have done that? We just met. And it's been weird since the beginning.” I kept my eyes focused on Drake.
He went to his bag from the corner of the room and pulled out a water bottle. The same red juice sloshed around in the bottle, and the same exact scent floated through the room as he filled the cup for Cecile. “It's been weird?” He chuckled and then continued. “You probably looked at him wrong. Who knows?”
I stared directly at Cecile. “Did you see anything different about Cryder?”
She gulped loudly, and pulled the cup from her lips. Silence dominated the room. A droplet rolled from her chin to the ground, and reverberated like surround sound in my ears. A vibrant red stain formed along the cream colored tile, and a strong strawberry smell drifted through the air. The scent enticed my senses. My mouth watered with the aroma, and my stomach rumbled with want. I balled the bed sheets up into my hands trying to hide the craving growing deep inside me.
“No, I didn't see a thing.” Her gaze traveled between Drake and me.
“Well, maybe it was my imagination playing tricks on me?” I asked.
“That could be it, Ren.” She said as her eyes darted everywhere around the room except at me.
I shook my head slowly, and realized what I had just said. “No. I've seen this before. On him. I know I have. In my dreams. When he was carrying me, and after I passed out. I remember these things. It was him.”
“Well, what...what have you seen?” Cecile's voice shook.
I tried to concentrate on her questions, but my thoughts continued to be sucked in by the sweet succulent smell of strawberries. “What is that stuff?” I pointed to the cup in Drake's hands.
Drake stood next to Cecile now, and offered her the juice filled cup. He turned away from her in a swift motion to face me. “It is a family recipe, so to speak.” He grinned. “And what's in your family recipe?” I asked.
“Well, it's strawberries, which I'm sure you have noticed by now, mixed with a secret ingredient.” He winked at me.
“A secret ingredient?” Drake nodded. “Well, what is it?” I questioned.
“Oh, deary, it's a secret for a reason.” He smirked.
His words left an icky feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew Cecile didn't see it, but he definitely had a hand in Cryder's weirdness. What was the secret ingredient, and why couldn't he say anything? My mind ran wild with thoughts of what the secret ingredient could be. Could it be some kind of drug to make us fall for them? It was working on Cecile already.
“So, anyway,” Drake broke through my thoughts. “What is it that you see in these visions?”
I stared directly at him. “His eyes went all red, and he had fangs. I've seen this once before. Even in my dreams. Does that make sense?”
“So, you are saying Cryder is the man of your dreams?” Drake laughed hard.
Anger clenched the blood in my veins. “It's not funny. I'm scared. Ugh, I knew I shouldn't have said anything about my dreams. Whatever. Since that's out, might as well mention I've been hearing a voice too.”
Drake's head snapped into attention and focused his eyes solely on me. “Who's voice are you hearing? Are you sure you're not just going crazy?”
My hands shook from frustration. “No, I'm not going crazy. I know now. It all has something to do with you and Cryder. There is something wrong with the two of you.” In a blink of an eye Drake stood beside me. With his hands on my shoulders, he pushed me down onto the bed.
“Let me go!” I struggled against his hold, thrashing about like a tree in a tornado.
His grip tightened on my shoulders, pinning me. “Answer my questions,” he snarled. “And I will let you go.”
Cecile stepped forward and pull him off of me. “Back off! Let her go. You're letting this go too far.”
He spun his head around to look at her, and a growl escaped his lips. “Step back now. This is all wrong. I need answers.”
With eyes like saucers, Cecile stepped back, helpless.
Drake turned back to me and his eyes burned red.
“You're the same! Just like him. What type of freaks are you?” I screamed, as I tried to maneuver from his grasp, but it was no use.
His hold on me tightened. “Give me answers, and I will release you.” Drake's normal sarcastic tone had dried up and his voice became monotonous.
Realizing he wouldn't let go of me until I told him what he needed to know, I sucked in a deep breath and described my images of Cryder. Within seconds of describing every detail I could remember, someone attempted to open the door to my room, but it had been locked.
“Hello? Miss Vesten, are you alright? Why is the door locked?”
“Tell them you're fine, and I'll tell you the truth about your dreams and what's going on around you.” Drake said as he slowly released his