Argent Eye IV

66

We landed on the platform that looked over the computer space.

I suddenly felt super bad, because in the panic-filled moments following Haydn's death and dealing with my parents, I'd forgotten to see whether Tina had made it back as well. I guess I'd just assumed that she'd be fine.

I legged it down the metal stairs and ran at Tina, who was talking to Stark, and hugged her so tight.

"You made it!" I exclaimed.

Tina smiled, and then her cheeks began to blush.

Wait, what? Vampires didn't blush. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that Tina looked... human. Her skin didn't have that usual glow to it.

"Hey, Mills." She said. "Yeah, I woke up in the morgue downstairs feeling a bit confused, and I felt like super weird. It took me a while to realise that I wasn't a vampire anymore."

My mouth hung open. "Wait, what? You're human?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but hopefully not for much longer." She chuckled. "I always wondered whether I'd take the chance to become human again if it was given to me, but then earlier, I tried to run somewhere and I was going so slow. I decided then and there that my human life ended a very long time ago, and I wasn't ready to go back to it."

"Oh." I said. "Fair enough. I'm so glad you're back, though."

She smiled. "Back at ya', Mills." She said. "Congrats on defeating Haydn at long last."

"Thanks." I smiled, and then realised that Stark was looking at me with a rather stern look on his face.

"Um, hey Stark." I said, not sure whether to smile or not.

He let out a small sigh. "You know why I'm not happy, right?"

I pursed my lips. "Yeah, I know." I said. "You told me not to go in, and I did."

He nodded. "Exactly." He said.

I was about to protest, but he held up a finger.

"But." He began. "I am very aware of the fact that if you didn't go in when you did, things would have ended a lot worse. I think we'd have dead bodies on our hands, and many casualties."

He paused.

"So, what I would like to say to you is, congratulations, Millie." Stark had raised his voice a little, and held out his hand. I realised that everyone had stopped whatever they were doing and were watching as I took Stark's hand, and my face began to turn red. "Without your bravery and selflessness, it is likely that Haydn would still be here. Anika and Tina would certainly be dead, along with many others." Stark shook my hand, and then turned to face everyone. "In fact, I'd like to thank you all for your dedication today. Your bravery has not gone unnoticed."

He started clapping, and soon enough, everyone else started clapping as well. Clapping themselves and their team members. Everyone was smiling.

It felt good.

Then, a few moments later, everyone was back to work like nothing had happened.

"Well, I'm gonna go get my veins filled with some venom." Tina suddenly said.

"Right now?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I don't like all this blushing bullshit." She said. "I feel so weak and feeble."

I laughed. "Who's gonna bite you?" I asked.

"Nobody." She said. "We have stores of vampire venom here that I can use."