Secret Fire

~Chapter 5~

About a week later...

"So I'm joining the tournament." Ingressus tells me as he puts his earrings in and looks in the mirror to make sure it looks ok.

"Really?" I ask, slightly shocked. "That's great!"

I finish putting on my pearl necklace and walk over to Ingressus, looking in the mirror with him.

"How do I look?" He asks and looks over at me as I elbow him.

"You like fine, silly. You always looks handsome, you don't need to worry." I say and wonder along the walls over to the door and look out to see Achillean kissing his girlfriend.

"Oop. Guess I looked out at the wrong time." I say and get down walking back over to Ingressus in the darkened room.

"Really? What were they doing?" Ingressus asks and looks back at me.

"Kissing." I say and shake my head. "I just had to look out at that moment--wait isn't the tournament like tomorrow?" 

"Yes, are you coming?" He asks and looks back at me.

"I wasn't going to, but if you're entering, I'm going." I say and walk over and hug his arm as he smiles.

"Sounds good." He says and looks back towards me, kissing me as I kiss him back for a moment before stopping.

"Is Brayden going?" Ingressus asks glancing back.

"No, Achillean doesn't want LB to get hurt." I say and sigh. "I don't understand how he would get hurt though."

Brayden, is me and Achillean's little brother. I call him LB for short as in 'little brother' Achillean is always so worried about him even though he can defend himself. Achillean doesn't understand. 

"I don't either, the tournament is safe." He says and glances back at me,

"Exactly!" I say then I feel him grab my arm and pull me towards him in front of him. I raise my eyebrows in confusion as he looks down. He looks back up and I see his eyes flash red for a moment.

"I'm sorry I have to go for a minute." He says quickly then runs out of the cave faster than I could imagine.

Ingressus Pov.

I can't bite her! I have to find Master Aegus or she will be my only option left and I don't want my pre-mate dying because I was drinking too much of her blood. I run through Nestoria towards Master Aegus's room and run in to find the other Masters in the room as well. They all turn towards me but surprisingly I feel no embarrassment to be there.

"Master Aegus I need--" I start before he seems to get it and tugs me into another room after apologizing to the other Masters.

"I-I-I-I-I'm sorry I just had to come to you before I bit Addy--" I say.

"I completely understand Ingressus, you can bite me and take as much as you need, take no less." He orders and I widen my eyes.

"But it might kill you--" 

"Take. No. Less." He says again and gives me a look. I gulp but feel my throat start burning, I shake my head, refusing slightly. I see him grab a small knife before running it along the side of his neck, cutting himself and allowing blood to leak out of the open wound. I stare at it for a moment before sighing then leaning forward and licking it off of his neck then starting to suck on the wound, trying to get the blood out from that wound rather than delivering another wound. I open my eyes slightly and watch his arm.

"Do not look at me Ingressus just focus on your hunger." Aegus orders and I do so, looking away back towards his neck and focusing on drinking the blood, tilting my head slightly more as I close my eyes and keep focusing. I start to feel full and stop drinking blood from him, standing up and finding him passed out. 

"Oh no oh no oh no... this is why I didn't want to take as much as I needed!" I yelp and look around, pinning my ears, unsure of what to do. I grab Aegus's arm and start dragging him towards a bed, throwing him onto it and pulling the covers over his neck. I dart out of the room quickly and see the Masters watching me.

"Where is Master Aegus?" A female voice asks, I turn knowing it's the Sendaris Master.

"He's asleep." I say then run out of the room back towards the caves that me and Addy and Achillean and sometimes Brayden stay in.

"Hey Ingressus!" I hear a male voice call and look up to see Brayden walking towards me. His face tired, golden eyes dull and his entire face sweaty, he looks a lot like Addy with freckles, brown hair and a lot like both of his siblings with the golden markings and same marking pattern. "Can you toss me that ball?"

I look down to see a ball at my feet and look back up towards him before tossing it to him. He catches it then turns to walk away.

"Thanks Ingressus--"

"Wait can I ask you something real fast?" I ask.

"Sure what is it?" He asks and turns around again, watching me.

"Do you know why Achillean won't let you go to the tournament?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Nope. I wish he would though, I don't want to sit here while everyone else is there! Especially if you're entering, Achillean should at least let me go for that!"

"I agree, I wish he would let you." I sigh and he sighs as well.

"That's older brothers for you." He says. "Although he's more protective of Addy."

"How so?" I ask and step closer to him with a smirk as he gives me a look.

"You think he knows you and Addy are in a relationship?" He asks slyly.

"Nope, because he's overly protective of someone who can defend herself." I say and walk around him for a moment. 

"Yep, weird and random question, do you ever wonder what it would be like to have to drink blood as your main meal?" He asks and I freeze. "Like being a vampire."

"No..." I manage. I don't have to. I already am a vampire. 

"Really? I thought everyone did, Because I've asked people and they all said yes." He says and ponders this for a moment. "Weird. Welp, have a great time kissing my sister."

I feel my entire face flush red before I realize I still had blood on my lips. I quickly lick it off licking the top of my mouth and savoring the taste of Aegus's blood. I never remembered drinking blood from a Master, it was always from champions that were sent to try and kill us and failed. I let my tongue fall out of my mouth for a moment, I see golden saliva drip from my tongue the sign of blood being mixed with the saliva. I pull my tongue back in my mouth and turn towards the caves, walking towards them again and looking in to find Addy asleep on her bed. I grin then walk quietly over to her bed and lay down next to her, pulling her close to me and smiling. It's only the tournament... after all... what's the worst that could happen?