After I lost consciousness, I woke up to darkness. Just neverending pitch blackness that encased me all around.

What happened? I remembered bleeding out in the room and I heard Drakos' distant voice and after that, nothing. I went to feel my stomach but I had no physical form here. Am I dead? Did I and my baby die?

No, it can't be.

"Hello?" My voice echoed around me.

What's going on? Where am I and how did I get here?

"Hello!?" I called out more loudly.

"Welcome." A deep voice rumbled from the darkness and I stiffened.

What the fuck? I looked around, searching for a figure or something to show me where that voice came from.

"I see you are seeking out my face. I have no face for I am the darkness that's lurking inside you. I am you and you are me and where you are right now is between life and death. You're dying, Asche, and it's only a matter of time before you completely slip away."

I took in the information with alarm. "So I'm not dead yet but I'm almost there? How did I get here anyway? I have to get back! Drakos needs me and we have a child together!"

The darkness spoke, "There's a way, but you must sacrifice part of your humanity and fill it with another."

I frowned. "What do you mean and how are we having this conversation? This all doesn't make sense to me."

The darkness chuckled and it probably drew closer because its voice was more profound, "When you gave birth to your child, you opened up a connection between our mate and ourselves. His world and yours."

I scoffed, "My mate. Not yours, not ours."

"I am a part of you."

"I don't know you."

"You will if you choose to live. You're fading away as we speak."

I glanced down at my nonexistent body and my brows drew together. "I can't see myself."

"But I can." It said.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"Accept his bite, take his healing seed and you'll be like a newborn. Young, vital, and powerful."

I felt my essence tingle and I immediately knew something was wrong.

"Please, I need to know more! I don't understand!" I pleaded, feeling my soul drain away.

"You'll find answers if you accept it. The door to life awaits you. If you choose death, I'm already here to devour your soul." It said, its voice more distant, drifting away.

A light suddenly slit open from the darkness like an eyelid opening, and in that light, I saw the doctors desperately trying to stop the flow of blood from my stomach. They injected me, they tried to give me transfusions but nothing worked.

They were losing me. I was going to die. Was I supposed to walk through this portal-like dimension? Or stay in the dark abyss of death?

My answers were beyond the light and I followed it slowly, walking through it, taking a deep, gasping breath into the hospital room.

The medical team all stared at me in shock, pausing for a few seconds.

"Call Dr. Reynolds!" One shouted from the heart monitor which was going haywire.

My body started convulsing and I struggled to breathe now. Everything in me burned. From the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. Froth formed at my lips as my eyes rolled to the back of my head.

I couldn't grab a hold of my body. I was losing myself.

Dr. Reynolds came rushing in, with Drakos on his heels, fright plastered all over his features.

"You're not allowed in here, Mr. Armander." He tried to push him back but Drakos shoved him away.

"He's having a seizure!" He yelled, coming over to me as my body continued to shake with tears streaming down my eyes.

I was in so much pain, it was indescribable. All I craved was for it to stop.

Suddenly my body collapsed and I was left panting. Drakos collected me in his arms, holding me to him as he shed tears, my blood smearing his clothes.

"Oh, mate. I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I'll make it better. Trust me. Now I know what to do. Zyros and I came to an agreement. Forgive me, but I cannot ask for your consent in this. If I wait another moment, you'll die."

I felt his lips on my forehead as my body slipped into numbness. I couldn't move a muscle as I watched through heavy-lidded eyes, him baring his fangs.

What the hell is he doing? Was he going to bite me!?

Accept his bite. The voice whispered and on instinct, my eyes fluttered shut as my body got light and his teeth sank into my flesh.

I heard Dr. Reynold's distinct exclamation, the gasps, and the gurgling of blood in my throat.

At first, it stung as his teeth pierced through my skin but it was instantly replaced by a euphoric feeling. Like I was meant to do this and it flooded my body with a calming warmth. The blood in my veins thrummed, my fingers twitched and I felt my nerves and muscles began to work again.

No longer was I drifting away, my soul was being fulfilled by whatever Drakos was injecting in me. My eyes flew open and my back arched as the incision in my stomach started to heal rapidly. The knitting and tugging of flesh ran cross my stomach, a sensation that had me squirming beneath him.

His lips were still latched on to my throat and I sighed as my body came alive.

He was healing me and it felt so wonderful, I wanted to weep in joy!

A rush of weariness came over me and I slumped into the pillow, my eyes rolling shut. Elation consumed me and I felt complete.

As soon as my eyes closed, a dragon with silver scales and ice-blue eyes stood before me. Its eyes held affection and I gasped at the large creature.

"It is done." It said.

"Are you the voice of the darkness?" I asked, amazed.

"I am you." It said again. "You brought me to the light by bonding with your true soulmate. My name is Altier and I am your other dragon half.

***