Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 6

*Aaliyah's P.O.V*

I stared at the letter that had been left on my bar door, a frown on my lips. It had been a barely veiled threat to tell my parents where I was unless I agreed to meet with her. I had woken up magically exhausted after the confrontation with my sister the day before. Etol had been grumpy because I had thrown off her feeding schedule.

Now, I had received a letter from my sister on the doors of my business. That told me two things, one was that she was really bad at listening to boundaries and two, I needed to strengthen the wards on my business. I sighed as I got out of my seat, turning to face the portrait of my soulmate.

"My family needs therapy," I muttered as I moved over to the portrait, running my hand down the side and hitting a button which allowed me to swing it open. I climbed up on the desk underneath it, stepping into the passageway. I followed the familiar path to the wardstone, watching as the magic pulsed from it weakly.

I turned my palm over, casting a silent spell on my other hand to sharpen my fingernails. Once my fingernails were sharp, I ran my nails down the palm of my first hand, turning it back over as I allowed the blood to drip onto the wardstone. The wardstone pulsed with magic as it absorbed my blood.

It pulled on my already weak magical reserves and I collapsed on the ground, feeling it start to drain my core. I whimpered as I heard footsteps around me, a silent scream of agony escaping me. What was left of my magic lashed out against the intruder and I heard a thud as they hit against the wall.

As soon as the last of my magic was drained, I turned around to face the person that had intruded. Miachel lay against the wall, his head bleeding lightly.

"Fuck," I hissed as I pulled myself up, limping over to him. "Miachel, I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry," I whispered as I wiped the blood off of his forehead. He grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently as the wound started to heal itself.

"I'm fine Aaliyah, I'm more worried about you," Miachel said as he reached out, touching underneath my eye. He pulled his hand back and red blood covered it. I gasped, raising my hand to touch my face. I felt the slick hot blood that was trailing down my face.

"My magical reserves are so low, the blood magic is taking its toll on me," I said softly as I stared at the blood. "I'm about to faint," I warned him as I felt my legs go shaky. He barely managed to get his arm around me before I collapsed, my head hitting his shoulder as my world went dark.

I woke up to water being splashed on my face, the worried face of Zero right over mine. I spluttered as some water went up my nose, sitting up quickly. Zero patted my back as I continued to cough.

"Is Miachel okay?" I asked as I looked around for him. I knew that he could heal himself almost instantaneously, perks of being a vampire, but that still didn't mean that I didn't feel bad for accidentally hurting him.

"He's fine sweetheart, he's fine," Zero assured me as she continued to pat my back. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine, just tired," I answered as I waved off her concern. "Are you sure he's fine, I know my magic can be quite painful when it lashes out," I stated.

"He's fine," Zero repeated as she frowned at me. "You're not though, you haven't been for a long time," she whispered as wiped just below my nose. Blood was on her thumb when she pulled it back.

"I need help, my magic needs to be apprenticed, it's only going to get worse," I muttered softly. "I need to get home," I muttered.

"We're already at your house," Zero said, concern in her voice. I looked around before nodding, forcing myself off the couch.

"I have to go talk to someone," I whispered as I walked to the summoning room. I could feel Zero's concern stare as I walked so I shut the door behind me. I walked to the summoning circle, touching it. It started to glow and I sat back.

A few moments later Keturah appeared. A frown was on her lips which quickly when she saw me sitting there. She crouched down next to me, gently wiping the blood off of my face.

"It's bad isn't it?" I questioned as I leaned into her hand.

"You're exhausted, magically and psychically," Keturah said softly. "How did this happen?" she asked.

"Magic was low after yesterday, Rana left a letter on my business door so I had to put more magic into the wardstone," I stated softly.

"Foolish girl," Keturah said as she seemed to be lost in her thoughts for a moment. "I must tell someone, I need to bring you a healer," she stated.

"Keturah, no," I said as I grabbed her arm when she went to stand up. "Any healer you brought would be honor bound to tell where I am," I stated softly.

"Not the one I know, seeing as she put you in this position," Keturah said simply as she walked back into the summoning circle. She disappeared and I sat there, laying back. It took a moment for what she said to set in and I sat back up, my eyes wide.

Keturah returned moments later when I was still in shock, dragging Rana with her. My sister had clearly just finished brewing potions and she looked concerned.

"Why would you bring her here?" I hissed as I tried to push myself up. My hands slipped out from underneath me but a moment before my head hit the ground, I felt a foot resting underneath it.

"Are you okay Aaliyah?" Rana asked. I glared up at her even as she kneeled next to me. I glared at her as my magic fizzled, trying to protect me. "I never meant for this to happen, I just wanted you and mom and dad to talk," she said.

"You've never meant for bad things to happen, you just are very pushy," I retorted breathlessly before she held a potion to my lips. My lips parted slightly and the sludge of a potion slid down my throat effortlessly. The taste was vaguely familiar and I cursed when I realized that she had given me a sleeping potion. My vision went black only seconds later.