I spent the whole day in bed, although Geralt carried me when I needed to go to the bathroom. When I looked out my window I noticed that another dusk was approaching. Jaskier and I were anxious and the witcher remained sitting in a rigid position on the couch. There was no noise coming from outside and Geralt assured me that Roach was safe.
"He's here." I whispered. "I feel it. Although he seems too calm." Geralt stood up. "Please don't leave!" I moved recklessly feeling a strong pain from having moved.
"I told you not to move!" Geralt resigned, approaching me.
"He..." I looked up directly into those yellow eyes. "I have a feeling he's waiting for something. He's confident..." I shuddered.
"I thought Jaskier had already told you that I'm a witcher who kills monsters." He shrugged his shoulders.
"Can't I worry about you?" I questioned, reaching out my hand to touch his arm.
"Didn't you come here to ask me for help?" He watched me with a strange expression."
"She's right." Jaskier interjected. "Didn't you say he fed on her? He's strong right now! Friend, you're thirsty for a good fight, I understand, but that could wait. At least so that force is on our side!"
"Or is all this eagerness to go outside to get away from me?" I continued knowing that the obvious answer to this question would hurt me.
"Alright!" He mumbled without even looking at me.
Jaskier went upstairs in silence and Geralt remained on the couch. I just closed my eyes. I couldn't sleep because I thought the witcher was still able to get out. I heard him move and peeked at him as he lay down and fell asleep. The sound of his steady breathing sent me into a drowsy state.
When my consciousness awakened, I was enveloped in deep agony as if something was burning me inside. I woke up mid-scream as Geralt tried to immobilize me, muttering that it was just a nightmare. Jaskier was terrified at the foot of the bed.
"It was him..." I sighed after catching my breath.
"You were... screaming for... a long time." Jaskier stammered.
"He's gone for now!" Geralt wiped away the tears that had escaped me.
I saw through the glass the light intensify. Yes, he wasn't there. Geralt asked me to rest and I obeyed him because I was extremely exhausted. He adjusted the blanket even more and I wished he would hug me to make me feel protected.
"How long did I sleep?" I questioned when I opened my eyes due to the noise that Jaskier had caused when he dropped something on the floor.
"No more than a day." The inside of the house was dark.
"Where is Geralt?" I shook with despair.
"He's outside..." He pointed. "No. No. No. What are you doing? You need to stay in bed!"
"I feel better, believe me!" I sat on the edge of the bed. "Oh, Geralt changed my bandages again!"
"It's a shame he missed that moment again." He joked, winking at me. "Always chooses the best times."
A Geralt shirt was forgotten there. I grabbed it to cover myself. I had my needs. On the way to the bathroom Jaskier whistled.
"We may be friends, but that won't stop me from enjoying beautiful thighs!" He laughed.
"Jaskier!" I reprimanded him by throwing a spoon at him, not with the intention of hitting him.
"Sorry! I'm still not used to seeing so much skin exposed and keeping my mouth closed." I rolled my eyes at what he said.
I was walking through the door back to the bed to get dressed decently when Geralt walked in. He stopped suddenly.
"What are you doing here?" He examined me from top to bottom and then focused his vision elsewhere.
I had no idea why he avoided looking at me. Geralt didn't seem like a shy man. At least not from Jaskier's words. He had already seen other women and yet he wouldn't look at me. I didn't want to think about it anymore and hurried to put on my own clothes.
"Geralt?" I sat down next to him. "I wanted to tell you that I'm very grateful for curing me. If that's the word I should use. I will always be indebted to you."
"You have managed to settle this! What I do is little..." He rubbed his face with his hand to ward off the tiredness.
"But..." I fell silent when he looked at me with intensity.
"What matters is that you are better and I ask you to stay inside! I'll solve this case."
"With that kind of voice I won't be the one to stop you!" Jaskier backed away.
"I know possible spells that will exterminate him!" He explained it to me. "You can worry about me, but I won't stay inside.
The three of us had dinner together and I waved to the witcher indicating that the kawsuttihn had arrived. I had my heart in my hands as I watched Geralt disappear into the night.
The wind picked up and howled fiercely. Jaskier and I looked at each other with concern with every sound that was made. A bang like an explosion was heard. Jaskier tried to reassure me. He told me it was a familiar noise. It meant Geralt was casting spells. He had witnessed the witcher attack with spells before. Sparks of light reflected off the window. I staggered to the floor with severe headaches. Kawsuttihn was beside himself. I felt his mad rage. A deep scream was heard.
"Geralt?" I screamed running to the door. "Jaskier, quickly, bring those flashlights!"
The kawsuttihn was away, but I knew he was watching me. I recognized his hunger. I almost stopped breathing when I saw Geralt's body motionless on the ground.
"We have to go get him!"
I ran with the flashlight in my hand with Jaskier behind me. I was counting on a kawsuttihn attack and even if it did, I would try to save Geralt. Nothing else mattered. The kawsuttihn was angry and struggling to move directly towards me, but he wouldn't come, as if something was holding him back. I wasn't interested in finding out the source of the problem. The important thing was Geralt. Jaskier and I held the lanterns as tightly as we held Geralt.
"Let's put him to bed!" I indicated.
I removed his boots while Jaskier put away the flashlights.
"Go get something to wipe the mud off his face." Jaskier touched me on the shoulder. "I'll take off his clothes."
My hands were shaking as I went to get the warm water and a towel.
"Is he fine?" I whispered so that my voice wouldn't falter.
"Maybe he just lost a lot of energy. I see no injuries and his heart beats like an ox."
I moved closer to confirm. My legs weakened, but I resisted. I started by cleaning his dirty face. I was very careful not to hurt him and I just hoped he would wake up soon. Or we would have to take him to a hospital. I went down to the neck and shoulders which also had traces of mud. Then I placed the palm of my hand on his chest and he sighed. Which made me withdraw my hand a little startled.
"Let's let him rest." Jaskier advised.
After retiring alone on the couch, I hugged my legs with my chin on my knees. I examined every possible sign of the man, whom I considered my protector. And I didn't intend to sleep because I was on alert for the kawsuttihn. Although it seemed to me that his presence was weakening.
During the early hours of the morning, when it became difficult to keep my eyelids apart, I shivered a little and Geralt pronounced my name in a distressed tone. I ran to his side to keep him calm and he suddenly opened his eyes. In a slow gesture he touched my face and my hands.
"You're freezing!" He censored with furrowed eyebrows. "And you weren't sleeping..."
"I couldn't..." I whispered, dragged by tiredness.
"Lay down with me." He proposed sweetly. I tried to back away. "I'm fine and I just want to keep you warm. Come please?"
"What happened?" I murmured against his chest, shivering at the impact of his body temperature.
"Hmm." He purred. "A discharge of energy."
"How did this happen?" I insisted on staying awake.
"I still don't know exactly how to annihilate the kawsuttihn." He adjusted his position to mine. "So I decided to create a kind of magical shield to protect around the house."
"I was so scared when I saw you..." I yawned, fighting sleep.
"You are extremely tired. Sleep!" He ordered. "We'll talk later."