The Night Rider

Chapter 61

'Noa, are you out of your mind?'. I have never heard Novak scream, or seen him angry at all. The aggression and disbelief splashes from his pale face. Noa, still lying on the ground, seems bewildered by the man's reaction. Novak's whole attitude tells me that what just happened was not a good action. I do not yet realise what I have experienced or felt.

My fingers are in my throbbing neck, in a wet liquid. As soon as I look at my fingers I see my black blood hanging from them. I look back at Noa and see my blood hanging from his lips. Then I realise that Noa has bitten me on my neck. The conversation I had with him earlier, about his failed vampire spell, turns out to be a lie. The lie that he had no bloodlust, that he barely felt anything from that spell.

'I-I..Uuhm'. Noa does seem as overwhelmed as I am. Novak standing bent over the young one in full aggression won't help. 'Do you have any idea what you have just done? Because of you, you are bound to each other for the rest of your lives, human life or not' my thoughts race through the hundreds of books I have read, searching for an explanation of Novak's aggression.

Fear grows up in my body, a feeling I don't really know anymore. A feeling of discomfort and regret. I did not know that regret was another emotion I could feel. 'Rafiki, how do you feel?'. I jolt up from my stare as soon as Novak turns to me. I swallow audibly as I look into the red eyes full of aggression. 'Strange', is my only answer. Novak's hands disappear into his hair. 'Do you have any idea what Noa just did?'.

I shake my head in ignorance, or rather confusion. Novak fires an angry look at Noa before turning to me. 'When a vampire bites his or her lover, whose feeling is mutual, you enter into a blood bond. You feel each other's emotions and presence for the rest of your lives'. Thousands of emotions spin through my head, this means I will be dependent on him.

The thought of being dependent on someone drives Yin to its peak. A pure form of aggression blossoms in me, so much so that I cannot keep it inside. I seem to come out of my petrification and walk towards Noa in quick steps. Before I realise it, I grab him by his shirt and pull him up. I ignore the feeling of fear and regret that is going on somewhere far inside my body. Blinded by aggression, I look at Noa in his blue eyes.

I raise my hand in the air, which then hits Noa's cheek at full speed. An echoing sound rushes through the room. The skin of his cheek turns red within a short time. My insides tell me to put a knife between Noa's ribs but there is something in me that stops it. Again and again I raise my hand and slap Noa's already red cheek. His blue eyes stare at me in amazement, but otherwise I get no reaction.

I want to grab him by his throat but am stopped by someone who pulls me away from Noa. Judging by the blonde hairs on that person's arm, it is my father. I try to wrestle myself out of my father's arms but the man turns out to be stronger than I thought. Noa stares at me in bewilderment. 'I'm sorry,' he mumbles softly. Novak is the one who pulls Noa by the arm and takes him out of my sight.

Once again, I try to free myself from my father's arms and run after Noa in blind rage. Yin has taken over my weakened body. A few months ago I was stronger than my father and Noa would have been dead already. 'Rafiki', my father tries. I don't wake up from my blind rage, I kick and punch as hard as I can. It's a miracle that Jamie doesn't let go of me.

Suddenly I feel a slap in my face. Bewildered I look at Celeste, not realising that she just hit me. 'Sorry, it was the only way I could think of,' she apologises. I'm so stunned that Yin disappears from my body and my muscles slack off. Slowly my father lets go of me. I look around the room but don't see Noa anywhere, Novak has taken him.

Only then do I feel again how tired and weak my body really is. As if a fit of fatigue takes over my body I stand in the room like a heap of misery. Celeste slowly takes my hand and looks at me compassionately, I hate that look. 'Let's get you something else to wear,' she says in a soft tone. In the single dressing gown the morning has gone by hectically. Celeste pulls me out of the infirmary.

I'm speechless and feel strange. The eternal feeling of emptiness seems to have been filled, a strange sensation that I can't explain. Now that I think about it a bit longer I realise that I do know what a blood tie means. 'We're leaving for the lake in two hours', Celeste tries to remind me. All I can do is nod. 'It's not that bad, a blood tie'.

I look at Celeste with raised eyebrows as she opens the door to my bedroom. She walks in, her tapping heels clearly showing. 'Novak and I have such a bond'. She opens my wardrobe as I take a seat on my bed. 'You're not together?', is the first thing out of my mouth. Celeste shakes her head 'not for a long time, it can and was a conscious choice'.

I don't realise that Celeste seems to be looking for something deep in my closet. Before I even think about it my black rider clothes are in that closet, it's already too late. Celeste pulls the clothes out of the closet and holds them in front of her face in surprise. I don't even bother to get up, to pull it out of her hands. The black long trousers, the shirt, the cloth for my head, she has it all in her hands.