Bite Me Forever

Chapter 10: In Sickness and in Health

I gasped as I jolted awake, and looked around, having no idea where I was. It was a small bedroom, with enough space for a carpet, bed, and wardrobe. All of the furniture seemed to have been crafted by hand, and it had been well-used over time. My memories flooded back, and my voice immediately called out to Viktor, needing to see if he was okay. It was only a second later before he opened the door to the bedroom, his face still looking as concerned as it was when I blacked out.

He held a wet towel in his hand, and he settled down on the bed, gently laying it over my forehead. The closeness of his perfect face sent chills throughout my body. His piercing blue eyes, normally so distant, were now brimming with compassion.

"I'm glad you're awake." He said, clearly letting out a sigh of relief. The towel was warm, and just as comforting as his presence.

"How long was I out?" I asked, still looking around in confusion.

"A few hours. I didn't want to draw any attention until we met with Baba Anushka, but you needed a place to rest while the fever made its way through your body." He said. It was the most he had spoken in days.

I took this chance to get more out of him. "Why did this happen?" I asked, lying back down on the bed.

It was only then that I noticed I was completely naked. Blushing, I quickly placed my hands over my breasts, hoping to diminish the feeling of embarrassment. Viktor came to my rescue and pulled the sheets over me, covering me up to my neck. It was such a small gesture, but I felt incredibly touched. If I was naked, that meant that Viktor had undressed me while I was unconscious...

"Apologies." He said, guessing my thoughts, "You were burning up."

"Am I sick?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"It happens with every transformation. It's perfectly normal, though it means you'll need to feed soon." He explained.

I nodded, though I still couldn't quite grasp what it all meant. "Thank you... for taking care of me."

"Of course." Was his only response. I thought back to his frantic expression, how worried he was that I was feeling sick. It seemed so genuine, like he really cared for me, and not just my body. He seemed like a man that could eventually fall for me, or was already falling for me.

I shook my head at the thought. It must've been because he felt guilty for doing this to me, and wanted to see it all through properly. It was rare for him to be so caring, and he could've been forcing himself to appear so.

I was shocked when he slid into the bed beside me, pressing his body against mine as his chin rested on my hair. He began running his fingers through my locks, letting me snuggle up against his chest. I could feel myself responding to him, as I had always done in the past, but this time I wanted to just relish being in the same bed. Our breathing intermingled, our chests rising and falling in unison. I wasn't sure if this moment would ever happen again.

"You're still so warm." He said, still sounding worried.

"I already feel better. Don't worry about me," I lied, trying to sound as convincing as possible, masking the pain that still lingered.

He sighed, but continued to stroke my hair. "Tell me about Baba Anushka." I said. I was curious, but also wanted to distract him. Or maybe myself, from doing anything else to him.

"We're old friends." He said with a hint of genuine warmth in his voice. "She's quite the character and owns a series of clubs across Europe. She takes care of the people around her, but many fear the consequences if they dare to cross her. She's a force to be reckoned with." Again, I was getting much more than he had given me in the past, and I was quite enjoying the new talkative Viktor. Was he trying to distract me from the pain?