Control

Chapter 18

I showered off before getting in bed with Sophia. I still felt drained from what had happened. My mind was still trying to recount it all. How could I have missed that thing coming at me? How could it harm me the way it did? I might as well have been a mortal. That is what it felt like I was reduced to. I have been this monster for more years than I care to think about, and in all those years, I have never faced anything like this that has left me feeling as helpless as I had felt when I was a human. I was helpless to save my sister and the woman I loved back then. It was no different this time. Only now, I had more to lose. More people I loved and cared for were in danger.

I pulled Sophia into my arms and kissed the top of her head. "I promise I won't let them hurt you," I whispered. She clung to me while she slept, wrapped in my arms. The sound of her steady breathing and heartbeat calmed my nerves for a moment. She was safe for now. I swore on my life I would not let her die. I would protect her with everything I have in me. "I love you, Sophia." I closed my eyes and let myself fall into our version of sleeping.

The sound of thunder rolled overhead, causing the windows to rattle. 

"Alec," Sophia whispered my name.

"Hmm?" I rolled over and pulled her back in my arms.

I heard her laugh a soft laugh and kiss my lips gently. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was hit by a train." I opened my eyes and looked into her blue optics.

She looked at me with worry and placed a gentle hand on the place I had been stabbed last night. I took her hand and brought it to my lips and kissed it. "I can't help but worry."

"I will be okay. I'm healing up just fine." 

"I got up early and went down to the basement. Here." She rolled over and grabbed something off the nightstand next to the side of the bed she slept on and passed me a blood bag. "I thought this would help."

I pulled slightly away from her taking the bag from her. "Thank you. Does it not ever upset you that I need something like this?"

She shook her head. "No. I would even let you feed on me if it came down to it."

I frowned. "I would never put you through that pain. It isn't like in the films or shows... or recently that game that everyone has been playing. I think it won Game of the Year from what I saw."

"I know which one you are talking about. Andy and me play it."

"The vampire in it has attracted quite a great deal of attention."

"I have to admit he does have a certain appeal to him. He's quite charming." A playful smile played on her lips. "I have romanced him a time or two in my play-throughs."

"Is that so? Do I have competition with a PC character?"

"Maybe." I could tell she was restraining a laugh.

I chuckled. "Ouch. Being outdone by a fictional character. I never thought I would see the day a fake vampire elf would outdo me."

"To be fair you both have tragic backstories and a bad boy reputation. Your master is just nicer to you... I think."

I rolled my eyes. "Really?"

"Yes." She leaned in and kissed my cheek. "You are more attractive though."

"How kind of you." 

She got up off the bed and pulled off her night clothes to get dressed for the day. "Mamie wants to see you. Drink that bag and get dressed."

"Yes ma'am." I teased.

She stuck her tongue out at me and went back to shift through her closet for something to wear. She paused to look out the window at the downpour. "It's really coming down. I need to make sure we have the emergency candles out for when the power goes out."

"You think it will get that bad?" I took a sip of the blood as I watched her.

Sophia nods without looking back at me. "We always lose power when the weather gets this way. I guess it is the perks of living in an old home." She went back to looking for something to wear.

I glanced out the window from where I was sitting up on the bed drinking from the blood bag like it was a child's juice box.

Time ticked on and we finally joined the others on the main level of the home. Andy had already prepared the home for when it would lose power. "There you two are. How are you feeling, Alec?"

"Better than I was," I replied. "Do you need help with anything?"

"No. Dad and I got it handled this morning when we saw the news about how bad the storm was going to be for the next few days. He and Jasper went to his shop to get it sealed up. He's locking it down. The last time he forgot to do that the windows got busted and the flooding was horrible... though the flooding still might be bad if it happens."

"Is a hurricane warning out?" I asked.

"No, but we like to be prepared. You never know sometimes and it is just better to be safe than sorry."

"That is understandable. Let me know if you need me to do anything."

"Not with that wound. Now get over here so I can change the dressing and put more salve on it." Mamie chimed in.

"Yes ma'am," I replied and walked over to her in the living room.

"Sit."

I sat on the small armchair and partly unbuttoned my shirt. She sat to work removing the old dressing and cleaning the wound. I winced from it still being tinder as she gently tended to it. I could see her frowning while she looked it over. It looked blistered and the outer parts of it were black. They looked to be branching out like limbs on a tree.

"It doesn't look good," I said to her softly.

"I will make sure it doesn't get any worse." She spread the salve over the wound and dressed it back up. "You can fix your shirt back. I will take a look at it again tonight."

"Thank you, Mamie." 

Mamie gently patted my shoulder and walked away from me.

I got up and fixed my button-down back. Walking back into the kitchen I leaned back on the counter. "What is the plan now?"

"We can't do anything right now. If we do we will get washed away by the storm. We wouldn't have to worry about the enemy killing us." Andy replied. "Any clues that could have been outside would be washed away by now."

"So what? We just wait?" Demetri questioned. "They won't stop or rest. They will still attack and kill innocent people."

The kitchen went silent. I knew Demetri was right. Just because the weather wasn't in our favour did not mean it would stop the enemy.