Blacken by Alandra Rankin (i love reading books txt) 📕

The nurse shouted back, over the cacophony in the room, “They’re working on it!”

“What do we do, Fidler?”

The doctor in question hesitated above her, holding medical sponges tight on her bleeding body as he hurriedly ran through the options.

“Get her into the O.R, number one priority is to conserve blood and we gotta stop the bleed. Hook her up with the cell saver while we wait for word back. Let’s move!”

A petite doctor stayed atop her as they moved, a beautiful young blonde girl, possibly her own age. She could feel her hands pressed into her stomach, no doubt trying to keep pressure on the wound to keep from bleeding as she was transported.

Avie kept watching her face, clear blue eyes the same colour as the springs of a mountain periodically locked with hers. They were so clear… She felt as though she could see right through them. They looked like…

“Aubree.”

It was a breath of air that passed through shaped lips, hardly a word whispered at all. Perhaps only a jumble of vowels and consonants that escaped, mixed through a sob with no proper function to be called a word at all.

However, the name drew the blonde woman’s attention as she smiled down at her, Avie would have given anything to be able to smile back at her. In a way, it may have been a gift she passed on, because in the moment Avie was able to register it, she passed out, finally away from the pain.

“So, you’ve known this girl since she came into town, is that right?” Owen sat across from the officer, watching the gruff man take a drag of a cigarette, staring at it while it created wispy patterns from across the metal table.

“Yes. Her first few days into town we had met. She came to me in the library. She was still a bit beat up from her accident.”

The officer leaned forward, the dark suspenders stretching, “Is that also when you decided you were going to kill her? Liked the vision of a battered beauty so much you wanted to recreate it?”

He finally looked at the detective, “She and I were best friends, you can ask anyone. I never did anything to hurt her.”

“Really?” the detective chuckled lowly, “That’s why it was your gun at the scene of the crime, and why multiple witnesses saw you fleeing the scene?”

Owen looked down. He wasn’t looking at anything really. The disheveled man just stared off into an empty space, “I would never hurt her…”

“Right,” the man chuckled again, “it was someone else that attempted murder, not you. Don’t ‘cha have difficulty making friends? You’ve been a social outcast by choice—or was it by chance? And then comes this young woman, occupying all of your fancy, but she didn’t return the same feelings; making you mad. You couldn’t have her so no one could. Am I getting close?”

“She was in trouble. I had to help her; it had gone too far.”

“And what exactly do you mean by that, Mr. Zagorski?”

“Damn it, I can’t clip the vessel, that bullet is still blocking the way!”

The line rang across him, his pastel brown eyes flicking up just as the attending nurse answered. “Fidler, the bank found a cross compatible match, they say it’s still risky with the overall difference.”

He grunted with sheer frustration, could the patient last long enough for a closer match…?

“We’re talking about using several bags here! Can she handle that?” Miller exclaimed, her blonde eyebrows disappearing into her cap.

“We try anyway, she can’t wait for something else. Get it here, now. I need another approach. I’m going to make another incision.”

“Doctor, BP is dropping, whatever you’re planning, it better happen quickly.”

“It’s her only shot. We’re doing this fast once the blood is here. Dr. Zhang, get the bullet as soon as I cut, and then I’ll follow to get the artery. We’re gonna get this thing.”

The surgeon nodded; determination set in the crease of their brow.

A nurse ran in, gasping heavy breaths within precious minutes, bags clenched in each hand. Wasting no time, the new blood was hooked up intravenously.

“Ready? Scalpel.”

The instrument was placed in gloved hands, skillful fingers adding another element of difficulty to the situation. This was it, the make or break moment.

The cut was made, the surgeons held their breath.

It was not just the article of clothing that gave him the scent trail; there was blood present on the garment, it was the prominent trace that led him here to lay in wait.

Rhulle knew now because he could smell her blood taking up rooms before him. It hurt so much knowing that his love was in pain, hurt somewhere inside of there, currently bleeding or her blood pouring some time recently.

There was so much of it, everywhere, drowning out his senses. He couldn’t even have the knowledge of what was going on, if Avie was okay, if she was even alive. He could only sit and stare at the building, out of the light and away from any onlookers.

He was at a loss.

Rhulle questioned if Owen knew anything about what was going on.

“Dear Avie… please… please be alright. I will be back as soon as I can for you.”

The truxen searched, returning to the quiet house, finding no sign of the man. Grunting in hindrance, he too broke a window to gain entrance, needing to find something to get answers. He found a trail, leading him back to Avie’s apartment, only to see officials poking around, taking photographs and collecting items, him watching from afar as they passed by windows. No doubt about it; Owen was involved somehow.

The trail faded fast after her home, Rhulle was unable to go back inside to look for clues to further investigate.

He was shaking, feeling true fear for the first time since coming to the planet, being left in the dark about the woman he loved. His hands came up to clutch at his head, his mind swimming with endless possibilities and