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[ Content Warning: Blood ]
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" You sound distressed... Do you need help? "
It really was David...
A soft breeze pushed the maroon-coloured drapes aside, revealing David's tall frame as well as a small portion of his face as he stood there quiescent yet graceful much like a statue, steely eyes piercing me from a distance.
I wasn't even sure if he could actually see me from his current position yet I made sure that the blanket was in place before I attempted to glide across the sheets towards the gap between the drapes, moving as little as somehow possible.
" It's nothing... Nothing serious. But thank you for the concern... "
" I believe it is. "
" Why would you believe that? You haven't even seen anything yet. "
" I do not need to see. I can smell the blood from here. "
I froze when I sat inches away from the drapes, with my brows furrowed.
" I'm not bleeding, David. "
" Are you sure about that? "
His inquiry sounded like a rhetorical question more than anything which so happened to throw me off.
" ... Yeah? "
" You hesitated ~ "
Ungloved fingers entered the gap between the drapes to slowly push them apart until David & I could see each other more clearly, although he was polite enough to wait until I had fully adjusted my blanket.
He was handsome as always, with the typical mystifying spark in his eyes & unearthly grace in each of his movements, now more than ever since he was not wearing his coat which allowed me to once again see his appealing frame, the flames in the nearby fire bowls doing anything in their power to highlight & flatter whatever their feeble light could reach.
However it wasn't until the drapes were fully out of the way that I noticed his pale ivory skin & all the shadows & contours it defined, unapologetically offering itself to my eyes for a view that had me trapped from the first second as David stood there right in front of the bed, shirtless & smiling down at me in an almost affectionate manner.
" ~ which indicates that you aren't. "
I hated myself for looking at him so intensely.
I hated myself for liking what I was seeing.
But above all, I hated myself for feeling drawn towards what I was seeing...
" Well, I am. " I forced out of me after a way too long moment of mesmerized silence.
" Whatever blood you're smelling, it can't be mine. "
" Lily, I have smelled your blood before. I would recognize its unique scent among millions of others.
Please understand this... I'm not here to pester you. I'm merely asking you to take a closer look at yourself. It's fairly easy to tell that you are in pain, & it worries me. "
" It... worries you? "
" Your surprise surprises me, " David replied after a brief pause which he had used to gaze around the bed, most likely in search for bloodstains,
" for I assumed you long knew how much I care about you. "
His voice dropped by an entire tone, only further softening its already velvety sound. I was so lulled in by it that the pigeon startled the hell out of me when it finally flew off, past the drapes & back towards the fountain.
" You were right about that. I did know. I just... never truly believed it.
Not until you saved my life back at my own pla--- "
Once again I froze in response to a wave of pain that struck the whole area around my lower abdomen upon merely attempting to turn my body, my features visibly contorting & not relaxing until I sat completely still again.
" What... what is this pain..?? "
" May I? "
A hand was extended in my direction, or rather in the direction of the blanket that I had wrapped around my body, & I lifted my head to find him looking at me with such deepening concern within in his eyes, my heart actually skipped a beat.
Was he truly that worried about me? Or was he just an unbelievably good actor after all?
" What are you going to do? "
" Nothing... Until you let me.
I just want to see where exactly you are injured &, ideally, take care of the pain. "
" David, I'm not injured..."
" Yes. You are, Lily," the vampire leader declared strictly yet still in the most soothing voice as he leaned forward to take a seat on the bed, " and you know it. "
I would neither protest nor agree, only nod. At this point it was pretty much useless to argue anyway. Something was obviously wrong with me, & I for one had no clue what to do...
" Where is Dwayne? ", I asked carefully.
" As far as I know he's gone to take a shower," David replied, eyes fixated on my still covered legs,
" Knowing him, this could take a while. "
" It's just... I'm scared he might get the wrong idea should he come back & see the two of us like... Well, like this... "
David shook his head.
" He knows your thoughts, my dear Lily. Your innermost ones. And he knows your intentions, long before you set them.
As long as they remain pure in my presence, there is nothing to be afraid of ~ "
With a last look in my direction to get every ounce of my approval & the reassurance that was needed David inched closer to me, one hand already hovering over my legs when he received the nod he had been waiting for,
" ~ besides... This is just a matter of one friend helping the other.
There is nothing to condemn about wishing the best for someone. Especially not in times of struggle... & great pain. "
" No. There is not...", I whispered in agreement, all the while following his hand with my eyes as he took the corner of the large blanket & tossed it aside, revealing my left leg. I reached out to help him take care of the other half when the same pain from earlier shot a warning through my system, & as David completely removed the blanket from my limbs I could see what was without a doubt part of the reason:
What I saw were bruises & scratches in various sizes scattered all around my inner thighs, & the closer to my womb, the larger they were. Near my womanhood the skin was so severely bruised that dragging the blanket out of the way was already enough to make me wince, & whatever lay underneath the rest of the blanket one could only assume, however in spite of my nagging curiosity I refused to remove it any further to take a closer look since I was not wearing underwear.
I eyed the bloodstained mess up & down over & over again, my jaw dropping to my chest.
" ... how on earth could this even happen?? "
" Seems like you & Dwayne loved each other a little too much ~ "
He looked at me with a glimmer of a smile on his face & I could tell that he was amused by his own comment, " unless you already had these bruises before the two of you had your way with each other. "
" I didn't, " I replied quietly, literally feeling the red tinge of embarrassment as it rolled across my cheeks, " and the pain wasn't there before either... "
" Did he hurt you? "
" I'm sorry? "
" I said, did he hurt you? "
" Of course not! ", I spat out, my overall reaction to his question far more impulsive than intended, " Dwayne would never hurt me! "
" I didn't mean intentionally. " said David upon realizing that he had struck a nerve.
" However you may be well aware that self-control isn't always an option for a vampire. "
" Yes, I noticed..."
Adjusting myself on the bed I tried to grab the blanket & cover my legs again, however each movement, no matter how small, was followed by a pain far too excruciating for any ordinary bruise or scratch.
I let out a loud gasp & my eyes filled with tears.
" That pain though... It must be coming from inside me. There is no way it's just the bruises on my thighs..."
" No doubt, Lily. And I suggest until we know the cause, you move as little as possible. Preferably not at all ."
" I can't do that, David. I may have to return to work tomorrow! Besides... I promised to go back to the Emerson's house & check on Michael later in the day!"
David paused briefly, & on his lips I thought I saw what looked like a subtle smirk, but it faded just as quickly as it had appeared.
" Later in the day? My dearest Lily, it is already dark outside..."
" What?? What time is it?"
" Almost ten in the evening."
" Oh....... no. No, no. Please don't tell me I slept that long..."
The blond vampire gave me a throaty chuckle.
" I would love to grant you that wish... But unfortunately that's exactly what you did, my dear.
You have been fast asleep ever since Dwayne carried you to bed sometime around late afternoon."
Heaving a weighty sigh I started rubbing & massaging my temples with my thumbs.
" Sounds like you too have been up early today..."
" Close. Actually I haven't slept a single minute. "
" ... how come? "
Another pause ensued, David's cold blue eyes locking with mine for a look that caused my stomach to quiver; yet another response from my body that I did not appreciate at all.
Or did I...?
" Thoughts, Lily. Nothing but thoughts.
They can be loud.... & quite wearing at times. "
" Is it... something you would like to talk about? " , I asked carefully, even though I failed to wrap my head around my own motivations.
This was the man whose deepest wish was to drive Dwayne & me apart & - unless he had experienced a sudden change of heart over the past few hours - turn me into one of theirs as soon as somehow possible: into a creature of the night. He had made no secret about his intentions upon confrontation, & after having acted all cloak-and-dagger towards the two of us for the longest time the kind of behaviour he was offering me right now, all too accommodating & almost empathetic, felt anything but sincere to me.
Yes, David had been a snake from the very start, but he had been an honest snake. That aside, I could not ignore the fact that he had also saved my life, & not only once but twice.
On top of it all he was the leader of their group, this cave was his property, & whether I liked it or not - for the time being I was completely dependent on him & the other three, on their protection as well as their strength.
I was so lost strolling around the labyrinth of my memories that I startled when he suddenly started talking.
" Dig deep in that little treasure chest on top of your shoulders, Lily. Given how much time you spend in the presence of your own thoughts I'm fairly certain you will find the answer to that question all by yourself soon ~"
" Or... you could simply answer me & save me the trouble. "
" I could," he breathed out as he drew away from me to - so I presumed - get up from the bed," yet there is no need to. You already have all the answers. "
I said nothing but watched him push the drapes out of the way, once more catching my own eyes as they grazed up & down the vampire's bare upper body, along the outlines of his quite prominent spine, the slender arms with their lightly flexing muscles underneath the fair sallow skin. The tattoo on the inside of his left wrist could not hide from me this time; a small black cobra with some illegible & rather amateurish writing right next to it carved into the flesh, a five or six letter word at best.
The urge to ask him about both meaning & backstory of his tattoo was already nagging its way through my brain, however my curiosity was instantly silenced by the fact that I most assuredly wouldn't receive an answer from him anytime soon. Not a straight one anyway.
" Where are you going? "
" To get something to treat your bruises. "
David vanished for a total of 30 seconds at best before he returned with what looked like a large washcloth & a small vessel that contained a dark crimson liquid, almost blood-like in its texture as it was sloshing around the vitreous bottle.
He crawled onto the bed to kneel by my side, this time close enough for me to smell his alluring odour; a magical blend of patchouli & dry smoke, quickly surrounding me like an invisible cloud.
Circumstances that only made it twice as challenging to keep my thoughts under control...
" What is this? ", I asked as I eyed the strange liquid inside the bottle.
" Exactly what you think it is, Lily. "
" You mean... Blood? "
" That is what you're thinking, isn't it. "
" Whose blood? "
At last he looked up again, an oddly calm expression embedded in his features.
" Mine, Lily. "
" Are you implying that you want to treat my wounds with your blood?? "
" Catching on quick, my dear. "
David remarked & proceeded to get everything prepared for the treatment when I backed away from him so briskly, it actually took my brain a moment to notice the rush of pain that followed my frantic action.
" No, David! Not this!
I... I KNOW what will happen with me once your blood is in my system & I'm telling you, I refuse to go there! I do not want to turn! "
The look he gave me in response was so content & peaceful that I was convinced he had been expecting that kind of reaction from me all along.
" I know, Lily," he spoke calmly, his silken voice lulling my agitated self little by little,
" & I respect your wishes. "
" Good," I replied under a pained expression, " Then... put away the bottle. "
" I see no reason to, Lily. This is just to take care of your outer injuries. "
" But... if you apply it to my wounds it will be absorbed by my body & I--- "
" You are not going to become one of us if I use this on you. You have my word, Lily."
In spite of my abdomen screeching in agony I forced myself into an upright position to be at eye level with David, & I most certainly would've dropped right back into the pile of pillows after a short yet demanding battle with my own body if it hadn't been for David's arm that shot around my waist in order to support me in my endeavour. Slowly but surely he helped pull me up, not even removing his arm when I was already seated.
" Easy there. Easy ~"
Feeling his smooth skin against mine & the heat from his body had me so on edge that my heart jumped straight into my throat.
" ... I got this, David. "
" Clearly, you do, ", whispered the vampire whose face was now so close to mine that his breath slid across the bridge of my nose & tickled my upper lip, & with it that tempting smell of the sweetest wine ever created.
My favourite wine.
" I... "
" Listen, Lily. I can easily sense all of the distrust you are holding towards me, also that you are unwilling to free yourself of it anytime soon, & just like every other decision of yours I shall respect that.
All that matters to me right now is taking away from your pain as much as I possibly can in this very moment... Not to become a hero in your eyes or to earn your trust that way, but to prove to you that you are already a full member of our family, vampire or not.
... & in this little family of ours, we look after one another & share our burdens.
My blood does not have to run through your veins in order for me to view you as one of us, Lilyora. "
I stared at David like he had just proclaimed his love to me, unable to blink as the sight bestowed held me captive & in a state of both surprise & awe, once again reminding me that he had far more power over me by simply being in my presence than I was ready to admit.
Inside of me I could feel an unwanted desire in the making, gradually building up & gaining intensity, profoundness, by feeding upon my admiration for David... which I undeniably had. It was much like a seed, carefully planted on our very first encounter at the Boardwalk that I had never really taken care of nor looked after, & yet it had sprouted, its young roots already reaching deep into my core as to ensure I could not pull it out should I ever truly realize what it had done to me.
The want to reach out & let my trembling fingertips dance across the pale ivory stage that was his skin; to taste the depth & mystery sealed away by those flawlessly shaped lips, & be it only for the duration of a single heartbeat...
To breathe life into sin & live that one dream of mine.
" Will you trust me, Lily? "
His voice rang out smooth & tender, still I flinched as I was dragged out of the grasp of my clingy thoughts & tossed right back into the here & now.
It took me a while, but eventually I nodded.
" I will. "
Once again the reason for my decision remained in unfathomable darkness. Perhaps I wasn't meant to understand why he continued to win me over with nothing but a few reassuring words...
" It won't hurt. I promise. "
David & I were still holding eye contact when he pushed the blanket out of the way & a draft grazed my bruised inner thighs, easing some of the pain.
" At least not for long... "
Within seconds David had brought his hand up to his mouth & before I could even process the events that followed his razor-sharp fangs were already buried deep in his palm, ferociously tearing through various layers of skin & ripping flesh apart like it was not his own limb but that of his prey.
Blood started spraying & dripping almost instantly, generously staining the blanket that I wore wrapped around my body.
My eyes went wide, my mouth fell open, however no sound would come out at first... Not until David was done mutilating his own hand with his large vampire fangs, his dilated pupils bathing in a gradually softening shade of ember as his eyes returned back to normal mere seconds after his transformation had taken place.
" Why... why did you do this?? "
Lips tainted with darkest blood curved into a soft smile.
" Time is precious. "
And so his hand vanished from my sight, aiming for my legs where - after a brief moment dripping with anticipation - his bleeding palm would touch my inner thigh for a tender kiss of the flesh.
His touch felt like a burning cigarette on already damaged skin, his fingers like needles wrapped in poison as they journeyed along the claw marks & bruises. I flinched & gasped at once, all the nerves in my body began screaming as if the souls of a dozen banshees were trapped in it, begging me to pull away from the pain, & just when I decided to give in & listen to its cries I felt David's arm grow tight around me, his chest melting deeper into mine as he pulled me closer. At first I thought he was only doing it to prevent me from immediate withdrawal, but the longer I looked into his eyes the more I realized that such was not his only motivation...
" Stay with me. "
" It... it hurts so much, David..!"
The more effort I put into wriggling my way out of his arms, the firmer & tighter his hold on me grew, & soon I was fully embedded in his strong chest, the calm & content in his cold blue eyes meeting the unconcealed horror in mine.
" ... please, make it stop!! "
" It will stop all by itself. Soon... ", he whispered as he leaned over me, his bleeding palm now slowly wandering across every available inch of my broken skin; across every scratch & scrape, pausing here & there so that enough of his blood would coat my injuries. For some bizarre reason that blood of his felt like salt in my wounds, burning its way into my flesh to curse me with a kind of pain that was entirely new to me. My front teeth pierced my bottom lip as I bit down to hold back a choked scream that threatened to jump out of my throat, the metallic taste of my own blood quickly spreading into every corner of my mouth. What followed was an agonizingly long moment filled with that all too familiar feeling of nausea, paired with a fit of dizziness that had me convinced I would pass out any second, right here in David's naked arms, however fate seemed to have different plans for me.
Right in the midst of my daze, when I feared I could no longer handle the pain caused by David's blood, it finally began to cease. Only little by little, subtly; if it hadn't been for my slowly relaxing muscles & unclenching jaw I probably wouldn't even have noticed much of an improvement at all. Yet it was definitely there, the nearly paralyzing pain more & more fading from existence with each tender stroke of the vampire's palm. Soon another sensation would take its place instead; a comforting warmth that rolled across every inch of my sore flesh & became like the ointment I had been in dire anticipation of the whole time, erasing my injuries one by one & all the agony they came with.
Once the pain had fully faded David paused for a moment, deepening the eye contact the two of us shared before his hand floated over to my other thigh in order to repeat the procedure.
His voice was numbing as morphine.
" Relax ~ "
With each new breath, each new stroke, my body relaxed a little more since I was now aware that the pain, although still perceived as pure torment by all my senses, was only temporary.
Meanwhile the gap between our faces had shrunk to a bare minium, a small hand's width at best, David's breath so tightly intertwined with mine that I could taste him in my lungs.
The realization that the fingernails of my right hand were buried in his naked back while those of my left hand had pierced the pale flesh on his other shoulder was just now settling in, & I had to swallow down a thick lump in my throat before I could use my voice again.
" I'm sorry... "
" About what? ", he asked softly, on his lips an attentive smile.
" About... using you as a scratching post, " I uttered as I removed one hand from his shoulder to look at the shreds of David's skin under my nails as well as the blood that stained my fingers.
" ... I was just so overwhelmed... that I lost control. "
" Don't worry about me, Lily. You already know that my body will heal itself faster than you can imagine ~ "
" I do... & yet it didn't feel right.
Losing control is a horrifying experience. "
" A horrifying experience indeed..., " David responded in a hushed voice, " one that I'm all too familiar with. "
" You speak of your hunger for blood..? "
" Not this time, Lily. "
Silence befell the scene. Since the pain had ceased to exist I was now able to feel the full weight of his hand against the inside of my thigh, & where once bruises & lesions had graced my leg his fingertips were now performing subtle dances on the surface of my healed skin, seemingly eager to wander wherever they desired.
The voice of reason continued to slip into the back of my mind, nowhere near as willing to talk me out of making a terrible mistake as I had hoped.
" David... That one dream I had... "
" What about it? "
" ... That was your doing, wasn't it? All of it.
You... you posses the power to get into people's heads... To dive into their minds in a way no other vampire here can, & you used that ability to make me see all the things you wanted me to see. The things that you desire most.
You... wanted to bring me closer to you, slowly but surely, without me being aware of it.
Isn't that so, David..? "
My voice threatened to die near the end when I noticed an ominous glow in David's eyes, the telling & quite familiar shade of amber flashing up for the split of a second as though my words had triggered his inner vampire & along with it his appetite. However, much to my relief, no transformation would take place. For now...
" Answer me. "
" You are mistaken, Lily, " ensued the unexpected response, my name yet again rolling off his tongue in a manner that caused my body to tremble in his arms & made me realize just how obsessed he was with saying it,
" for those dreams you're having do not depict my desires. And they never have.
No, dearest Lily...
They are but a reflection of yours. "
" ... No. ",
it was but a breath that fled my mouth, a single word weighed down by disbelief,
" That's a lie... They have nothing to do with what I want! "
" Denial is futile. You long know the truth, as do I. There is no more meaning in fighting it. "
David's fingers had successfully reached their aim, his warm fingertips tenderly brushing over the bare mound between my open legs & sending a shock wave throughout my body that was so intense, it slung me right into yet another daze, one that harboured each & every image of that dream in question.
They were all coming back to me now, in all their vividness & colour, & I could do nothing to stop them...
" This is a battle you are meant to lose. "
" For the last time... Stay out of my head, David.. "
I meant to pull away from him, & be it only to escape those stone-cold blue eyes of his that held me hostage, my hand already sliding down his naked back when I felt something slip between my fingers, like it had just fallen out of the vampire's spine; it felt oddly soft on the surface & pliant in spite of a thin branch-like shaft running along its core, with fringed ends that tickled the surface of my skin. I recognized the strange object right away, however it were denial's clutches that kept me in a paralyzed state.
It just couldn't be...
" Look at me, Lily. "
The skin still radiating the warmth from his & my blood, he cupped my cheek to ensure I would not avert my eyes again.
" See me. "
But my gaze drifted elsewhere instead, past his face & over the bridge of his pale shoulder where I finally saw the mysterious object that David's back had given birth to...
A magnificent & large snow-white feather.
A feather whose mere existence now served as an ugly reminder that I never should have trusted my eyes in the first place.
" ... You are also a shape-shifter, David. Someone capable of transforming into a different being at will, at the mere snap of a finger. And that is not your only ability... Once you change your appearance, the sunlight is no longer a threat to you. As long as you are not in your human body, you can face the day.
This has been your secret all along. No one else knows of it. Not even your very own brothers... But I know now, David. I know it all.
I know that you can turn into a raven... ",
I paused to do as he wished & meet his eyes in this moment of silence that felt unswervingly tender, yet was without a doubt fraught with a choking tension,
" ...a white raven. "
" Another mystery solved it seems, no? ", he whispered under a gloomy smile as he let his fingers slip past my cheek & in front of my face, the darkest shade of red drifting into view when he raised his blood-covered palm for me to see.
" I assume your heart spoke those wise words of warning this whole time? "
" So you could say," I replied & my eyes narrowed.
" But to be fair, you put little to no effort into preserving that precious little mystery... "
" Who said preserving it was my intention? "
" No one. I for one was only foolish enough to think so..."
David chuckled.
" Believe me, Lily. Had keeping that ability a secret been my wish, you would have never found out about it. You would not have found any feathers, neither in here nor in the forest, & your little pretty head would not have been filled with so many doubts & concerns from the very start.
No, Lily... I would have done everything in my power to conceal the traces caused by my own actions. I would have handled matters differently, & I never would have revealed such a fair share of my feelings for you.
It has been within my realm of possibilities all along, & yet, as you can see... I did not care for it. Not even in the slightest. "
" But why..? ", I asked with widened eyes,
" Why would you reveal yourself to me but continue to wear a mask in front of your own family??
Why do you play these games with us?! With them??
What is it that you're trying to achieve?? "
The only response I received was a single finger lowered onto my lips & David said no more, releasing me from our embrace as he slowly pulled away & I - unprepared & still kind of immobilized by the pain in my womb - fell back into the pillows.
" David! Don't you dare leave m-- ",
but he was already gone, or at least David as I knew him, his humanoid shadow vanishing so suddenly from my vision that all my eyes managed to capture were two large wings of such a mesmerizing shade of white, the fresh fallen snow in my beloved Norwegian mountains would have wept with envy at the sight.
Three strong flaps of those white wings & David was nowhere to be seen; the violently swaying drapes of the bed remained the only witnesses of his departure.
" Damn you...", I uttered under my breath & skittered across the bed to jump to my feet, much to my weakened body's dismay. That nasty stabbing pain forced me right back to my knees before I could even stand upright, although not without headbutting Paul's chest as he emerged from behind the fountain & ran into me.
Luckily he managed to grab me by my arm & spare me the fall just in time.
"Wowowow! Watch it, lady, don't run over the delivery boy, yeah?? Dude's already poor enough as he is, barely gettin' minimum wage n' stuff... "
" Paul?! What are you doing here? "
He arched a brow at me, " I live here, mademoiselle. In case ya forgot. "
" That's not what I meant. I simply thought you were... You know... "
" Can't say I do, nope. But if ya care for details: Marko & I went to the Boardwalk to get us some munch-munch for the night like David asked us to, & now we're back with more super healthy fatty Chinese noodles... So in case ya hungry, here's where to bite ~ ", he whistled & showed me the half-open plastic bag from which an awfully familiar obtrusive smell arose, " ~ with lots n' lots of vegetables just for you! Better hurry before they're all cold again, little flower. "
" That's... very sweet of you, thanks. But I don't think I can..."
Pulling my head out of that invisible aromatic cloud of spice & fat to prevent my stomach from turning upside down again I drew back & quickly settled onto the edge of the bed, scared he could notice that I was still very much in pain.
" I'm too tired to eat right now... "
" No shit. You don't look all too good either," he said, with curiosity widened eyes scanning my frame up & down.
" Don't get me wrong, you're still pretty! Just no longer pretty-pretty, if that makes sense...
Geez. You look like you've seen a ghost... "
" Paul. Where is David? "
" Uh... Before we went to get food he was up there at the cliff, smokin' & standin' guard. Pretty sure he still is. Why? "
" Not... not important. "
Seeming rather confused Paul placed the bag of food next to the bed before crouching down right in front of me, his arms crossed over my knees.
" Okay, that's enough secrecy for a lifetime, little flower. What is it that's troubling my dear human friend? "
" Nothing is troubling me, Paul. I swear. "
" Lies, all lies. You think I won't recognize worry when it clouds that beautiful young face of yours? " The vampire's slender digits pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, accidentally uncovering my bloodstained cheek in the process.
I watched as a silent frown took over his up to this point untroubled face.
" ...What the heck has little flower been up to while we were gone?! "
" This... is impossible to explain, Paul. "
" Is it really? Or do ya just not want to explain? "
I could not help but lower my gaze at that inquiry. Lying to him was just not an option for me at this point, all circumstances aside.
" Both... "
" And how am I supposed to help if I don't know what's going on with ya?? "
" I don't expect you to help me, Paul... "
" But I want to! "
One gut-wrenching look later tears began to distort my vision, the image of a genuinely concerned Paul turning into a dark smudge forcing me to wipe my eyes with the back of my hand.
The opportunity to get this newly gained burden in form of an undesired secret off my chest was just within my reach, yet oddly enough I could not bring up the the courage to share it with him. Even worse, I didn't seem to want to let him know about David the shape-shifter; the liar, the deceiver...
The future traitor.
" Oh Paul, it's... It's because of--- "
" Bud! Lily! You two gotta come outside right now ! "
It was Marko's voice that shook the walls of the cave & pulled Paul's & mine attention towards the young curly head in his colourful patched jacket by the poorly lit entrance, standing there with one hand against the wall & the other in his hips like he needed to hold on to something solid to keep himself on his feet.
I soon noticed that he was indeed out of breath & seemingly on edge, his with agitation widened eyes clinging onto us as he stood there gasping for air.
" Something ain't right here! "
" Bud, what the hell is goin' on?? ", asked Paul who had gotten up just as fast upon seeing the sheer terror on his brother's face.
" It's Dwayne," Marko replied with an even louder voice, " He... he's acting weird. Really weird! And that's coming from me..! "
The mentioning of my beloved vampire's name was already enough to elevate my heart rate; in combination with Marko's panicked tone it would've easily turned a switch in my brain & set my feet in motion all by itself, if it hadn't been for that awful pain that was still raging inside my abdomen.
" Where is he?! What happened to him?? "
" He's outside, in front of the cave. Completely unresponsive to everything, won't even budge an inch no matter how often I call for him! And then there's all those feathers... They're everywhere, all around him! And blood. So much blood...
He's literally covered in it! "
" Is that why you're outta breath? Did you smell the blood..?? "
" No, " said the half-vampire, well aware of what Paul was implying with that question,
" There was absolutely nothing tempting about that blood...
It smelled terrible. Polluted... & rotten.
I've never smelled such disgusting blood before, dude...
What I'm saying is... It can't be his own! "
By the time he had finished that sentence I was already standing on both my trembling legs, fingers tightly wrapped around the bedpost in order to keep myself up & not drop back onto the bed again. There were no words known to me to even remotely describe the pain I was in in this very moment, & it could undoubtedly be considered a miracle that I wasn't screaming my lungs out because of it, yet my desire to look after Dwayne was in fact far far greater...
" ... What are we even waiting for??
Bring us to him, Marko. Now! "
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