Chapter 5: Death Kiss

Marco

My phone rings again. Then it dawns on me. Father must have sent them to capture me, judging by their outfits.

I maneuver my way out in fear,setting my car engine back to life.

Now two vehicles are closing up on me from behind, with three bikes behind. There could be more.

I increase my speed. But they seem to be catching up too quick.

There's a traffic light ahead, signaling me to pause. I match on the brakes but it isn't responding.

Horror struck, I attempt to drift toward a covet but it's too late.

A moving truck is coming the opposite direction. I struggle with the breaks in panic until my car collides with the truck.

Glasses shattering around me, as my whole face pulse with stiff limbs.

Relocating to Ukraine doesn’t seem like a good choice after-all as I feel the life draining out of me.

My sight is blurry but there’s a siren blaring in my ears, assuring me that I’m still alive, yet too weak to move.

I hear the voices of strange people with no faces, until I black out.

The throbbing pain in my head heightens as I open my eyes to the four walls of a clinic. 

I sight a nurse fixing another infusion.

“How long have I been here?” I ask, forcing myself to a sitting position. She doesn’t respond, then I remembered most of them don’t speak english around here.

I swing both my feet to the sides of the bed, not until then did she notice me. Immediately she rushed out of the room. As I attempt to take out the needle inside of me, a voice stops me,

“Doing that will make the pain worse.” It's another nurse. She walks in with a smile that makes me forget my pain for a moment.

She helps me back on the bed, but I can’t get my eyes off her.

“You lost a lot of blood during the accident. It’s a miracle you’re alive.”

She helps with the bandage around my head. Her chest is so close to me, that I'm tempted to lay on them as I drawn in her scent.

“one more week and you should be fine.” She gets up, moving toward a side table,

“Do you have any family around?”

“No.”

I watch her for a while longer before asking, “How long have I been here?”

“Two weeks, roughly.”

Maybe it's the fact that she's the only English-speaking person I've met since I arrived this town, but there is certainly something about her.

“We couldn't get through to any of your relatives.”

“Some good news, finally,” I say under my breath but she heard and turns around immediately with raised eyebrows.

“How long do I have to keep the bandage?”

“It would be taken off today and you would be free by tomorrow,” she replies happily.

"By the way, seems you had a visit earlier this morning..."

“A visit?”

I jerk up from bed at her words.

“Who was it? What were their names?“ I ask, massaging the pain around my head as i try to balance my feet.

“Can't remember but he sounded Russian, no doubts.”

I stroll to the window to take a peep.

“Your infusions,” she says as I take off all the needles passed into my veins.

"Find out who it was as soon as you can.I need tk know."

She looks confused, backing away from me and heading for the door. She turns around to face me,

“They are already here. Ask politely next time,” she sneers as I sight Andrea holding the door handle.

"Little brother. I've searched everywhere for you. What a delight that I found you alive."

“What do you want?” I ask with a threatening voice.

I pull off the bandage regardless of the blinding pain.

"Can we have some privacy, nurse? I would like to have a word with my brother."

"He's still healing. Make it brief," the nurse says to Andrey and leaves hurriedly.

"Very fitting scar, I must say," Andrea taunts, taking a seat on the only armrest in the room.

“Father tried to kill me. Let me guess? You came to confirm if his mission was successful…”

Andrey cuts in,

 "Relax, little brother. It wasn't father. He has enough on his plate to worry about your refusal. Besides, it's to my advantage."

"Who did it then?" I ask, a pinch of unease engulfs me.

“Big Tom is in town. They know you're here.”

“What has that got to do with me?”

“Being the only loose member of the Snakes, he targets you first. He's ready to kill us all. But we can't defend you if you stay far away from our reach. Come back home…”

"Enough!"

I yell back, but the ache in my head forces me back to the bed,

"I don't care who or what is after you. I'm not a part of this game. I owe no one. Not you. Not father. Stay away from me."

I reach for my shirt in the corner,and wear it, staggering out. I pause at the entrance, “Tell father his cheap tricks can't work on me.” I leave Andrea behind, taking support from the walls of the clinic until I find my way out.

Now that my enemies are unknown, I've to stay low and protect myself.

Anyone of these people on the sidewalk could be plotting to kill me. They could be working for Big Tom or my father. 

Going back home sounds like the wisest thing to do, but the last thing I want is to break my mother's dying wish.

“You seem to be lost,” a voice startles me as I wandered aimlessly around. I spent the whole day in fear of my shadows.

"You again?" I reply, as I recognize the nurse. The same nurse. Again, her eyes enchants me as she smiles back.

“The last person I expect to see. Your scar is bleeding again. You shouldn't have left that way, ” she says as she observes my face.

I step back, but right now there's no one to trust.

All I have right now is the nurse and I could use some help from her.

"Hey! I've been talking. You seem bothered. Wanna stop by at my place?" She asks, distracting me from my mind.

I hesitate at first then give a nod.

“How long have you lived around here?” she ask unlocks a door to a small bungalow, offering a seat in the tiny living room. 

I say nothing, watching her every move. It might take a while for me to trust anyone, especially a random stranger I met at the hospital, who seems to be unusually nice.

“I understand you're not a chatty kind but to survive around here, you need friends at least. Mind telling your name…"

“Marco...” I cut her off, as she places a cup of coffee in front of me along with a first-aid kit.

"Ohh…right. Marco. I'm Sarah Mayhill."

There's silence. I sip the tea in front of me, trying to take my mind off something.

Something that captured my heart back at the hospital.

Lust or love, I can't tell. 

But every moment around her only wakes up a beast that has once been my downfall.

“Marco,” she snaps me out of my thoughts again. I didn't realize she was done tending to my scar.

"Are you okay?" she asks, cupping her hands on my neck, as though checking to see if i have a fever.

My nerves crave for more. More than just her palms on my skin. 

Our eyes lurk and an unseen bond forms between us, like we've known for ages. She gulps down, and I find her staring at my lips.

Surprisingly, she makes the first move, smudging her red lips all over mine.

Why? Why did she do it? 

Does she feel the same too? Stupid question. Who cares?

Delighted, I repay the gesture by resuming full height, groping her waist and sucking her lips.

She tries to control my body, but I take her hands off, my tongue lurked with hers as I pin her hands on the small dining table.

The coffee cup shatter as I lift her over the table. I always like to be in charge. 

She moans as I slip my hands into her blouse, trailing my fingers up her spines until I reach for her bra hook.

 Pulling my head into her blouse, I kiss her stomach until i arrive at the tips of her ripe nipples.

She doesn't stop me. 

“Marco…” she moans, brushing her fingers into my hair.

I pin her hands back to the table, kissing her from her navel down to the parting of her long legs. She smells so good. Her skin, so soft and tender, as I knead her chest with both hands while searching for the opening with my lips. A loud knock distracts me.