Aislin had fainted; from shock, from immense pain, from sickenss she had no idea. But now as she opened her eyes, panic gripped her. She was in hospital, that means her mother had found her in this state. It felt like she was dying not because she saw Ayduin melt into darkness but because she was really loosing all energy and felt like death was the next best thing.

She had proven to be a complete psycho and now she with be given some extreme treatment. But she had to know how was Ayduin. She knew that Folred would have panicked and King of elm Lenora would be furious and worried then but no one was connected to Ayduin like she was.

But all these were just thoughts going through her head. She could feel buzzing in her ear and unable to open her eyes completely. They were led heavy and her whole body was aching and dull. She tried to think something hard, to talk to Ayduin but her mind was also dulled and in a trance state.

Then it hit her, reason for the numbness coursing through her, she had been heavily sedated. It had happened before when she used to dream about probably Elm Lenora and Ayduin but all she could hear was dull noises in the background. She was back to from where she started.

She had to get off the sedatives, needed to get off the sedatives. But more she thought, more her head ached and more nauseous she felt. And soon she lost her consciousness again.

*****

Dark, completely dark, so dark that even after a while your eyes couldn't adjust to it. Ayduin heightened his already sharp senses to hear some noise, some movement, anything at all but without any success. His weapons were gone, even the ones he kept hidden.

He moved ahead counting the steps but after walking for too long nothing came, no bars, no wall, no gate. He knew he was walking on a path made with stones, multicolored stones probably but nothing was visible so he was not sure.

And though he was not scared he was feeling hopelessness creeping in.

He tried the most natural thing, talk to Aislin but there was no response. But it was a strange feeling like she was there and yet no reply came as if she was sleeping. Something like that has never happened so Ayduin thought maybe this was a trick of this place he was in.

He was thankful that Dullahans had not killed anyone and simply targeted him. It almost made him smile when he thought how hyper and miserable Folred would be now that his beloved master was taken away.

But the question still lurked in his mind; why him? It was amazing though how Aislin dreamt about or did she? He shook his head in an attempt to shake away any distrusting thoughts regarding Aislin. He cannot stay away from the girl so he had no choice but to trust her.

And for now she was his only hope. So with an idea in mind, he carefully lied down on the path he was walking. It can't get any worse than him being held captive by some darkness pawns. So he decided to get some sleep because when nothing worked they had connected through actual dreams, when their senses were shut off of to outside world, when they almost dead except for each other.

****

"Lina, how are you feeling?" Her mother whispered at her side.

She was still half conscious but her mother didn't know that. She talked as if talking to a dead person. She was crying and her shoulders sagged as if she had to carry all the burden in this world.

Aislin tried to respond but no voice came out, her mind was still hazy.

"I am sorry, I am sorry that you had to go through all this pain at such a young age." She sobbed lightly holding her really pale hands.

There was something really wrong with her besides the induced sedatives, before all this she was really sick. Right now she needed hermit to help her out of this situation or Darkmir to answer her question as to why was she dying after the feverish kiss or maybe get reconnected to Ayduin who she had no idea about.

There was strong gut feeling that told her he was still fine. What had she done wrong, she even left Ayduin, created necessary sacrifice and maintained her distance and yet he was the one in danger. Her cursed self has managed to put an almost unbeatable being captured.

Maybe, maybe, she realized she can't trick fate. Because deep down in her heart she knew she had fallen for the guy. Why? She had no reason behind it. She hadn't seen the guy, not met him in person to see what he feels by looking at his eyes or know what kind of person he is in nature. He just clicked, in her mind, it felt they were deeply connected. She had begun to feel for him, understand him and the pain, his thoughts, and the loneliness.

It was her responsibility now to save him and she mentally promised herself to do anything it takes to save his life. He will ask hermit for a solution even Darkmir that could save Ayduin. But once she needed to talk to him.

From her half-closed eyes she saw her mother get up as Dr. Andrew walked in with a genuinely concerned and saddened face. He took some notes and checked the drip and other things around her. She tried to move her mouth, her hand just in case Dr. Andrew could see or catch any movement but nothing happened.

As the time went by, day, two days, three days she started becoming hopeless. She knew she was crying because warm water trickled down her cold pale face but besides that, she cannot do anything. Now was the first time she actually wanted to die.

And then exactly seven days later Darkmir visited her. She saw him telling her mother that he was her boyfriend from school. But her grief-stricken mother paid the least attention. She left the room for him to talk to his alleged girlfriend.

"Even the dead look better than you lovely." He commented and placed a hand on her hands from where the drip was connected.

Warm gushed through that hand and her mind that was all hazy realized that she could move that particular hand. It was stiff but movable.

"You see my touch works wonders on you, doesn't it?" He asked giving his evil crooked grin.

She felt like spitting on his grinning face but in her condition that was impossible.

"So how is the talking coming along, the thought chatter I meant?" He asked wide-eyed, pretending to be all innocent.

Now Aislin understood what had happened. Why it was getting so difficult to near impossible to make any connections with Ayduin. His kiss really had been toxic, the poison had now spread in her body not only making her useless physically but also putting a block, some kind of barrier in her mind.

It was all Darkmir's doing. Anger seethed her brain and body and if she had been in right condition then, she would have at least kicked the darkness in his shins.

"I see you have come to a conclusion, a right one I hope. Now don't be angry lovely. I am just a careful and jealous boyfriend here. You noticed I didn't even order my men, I mean my Dullahans to hurt other guardians or even the Flames just kidnap Ayduin. And I had to make sure you didn't o around chatting even after my major scheming I had to block your mind.

Now Aislin I request of you to look at me, listen to me, talk to me and try liking me which I think might not be that difficult given my devastatingly handsome looks." Darkmir said caressing her one functional hand all the while.

She tried to glare at his words but she was not sure what look came out of her painful attempt.

"Now rest love, I can't yet allow you to talk to the prince. So the poison remains inside you. By the way, I could have injected the poison through any possible means but I did it with a kiss. Isn't it kind of romantic and erotic?" He laughed lightly.

She sighed dejectedly in her head.

"Once I have taken care of that stubbornly powerful prince , I will return to you and then we can talk about our relationship. And don't exert yourself since nothing and no one can break that poison spell." He said bending down to plant a light peck on her forehead.

The gesture had been gentle, sweet and romantic if a real boyfriend had come to visit her in hospital but this was Darkmir, the darkness himself who had a real lethal way of showing jealousy.

One more death Aislin and you will be sealed into the darkness envelope. His words rang in her head. One more death, because of her, one more death, of Ayduin the person now she knew she loved.

She gathered all her mental strength to form a coherent thought but the numbness inside her was painful and stiff. It was not going anywhere. And though she was half conscious and half in a paralytic state, she decided to sleep. And this time she didn't pray for dream free or nightmare-free sleep because when nothing worked they had connected through actual dreams when their senses were shut off of to outside world when they are almost dead except for each other.

***

So this is so..helpless and worrisome.

Don't worry my lovelies, next chapter is going to be fun! Filled with action.

Go ahead and share your hate for Darkmir, because I am ;)

Those who have, go check out my new book DNA  on my profile.

Happy weekend!