Wolf's Bane

Recovery

Desiree stood by while Andrew gently laid a hand on Sebastian's shoulder to wake him up. It took a minute for Sebastian's eyes to open. When they did, he tried to sit up, but collapsed back onto the bed.

"My lord," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't try to move," Andrew told him. "You've been poisoned."

"Poisoned?"

"Someone slipped werewolf's blood into your supply."

Sebastian looked up at him. "I'm sorry. This must be inconvenient for you."

"Don't apologize," Andrew said. "This is my household and my responsibility. We'll figure out who did it, but we need you to get better in the meantime."

"I will do my best," he promised. "I'm sure I can recover soon."

"You need blood," Andrew pointed out. "Unfortunately, your whole supply is tainted."

"All of it?"

"Yes, but..." Andrew looked back at Desiree.

She knelt beside the bed. "I want to help you."

"Help me?" It took a moment for him to understand and he closed his eyes. "No."

"It's not ideal," Andrew admitted. "We don't have much of a choice, though. We don't have any other human blood available. I can't trust the rest of the staff right now and I won't be able to buy more blood for a few days."

"I don't bite people. I haven't in years."

"I understand that," Andrew assured him. "We have to do this, though. It's a favor for me. There's a traitor in my house and I need you to help me root them out. I won't order you to do this, but I'm requesting it."

After a few seconds, Sebastian opened his eyes and looked at Desiree. "He convinced you to help with this request, I take it."

"I didn't need to be convinced," she replied. "You're in pain and I want to help."

"I haven't bitten someone in years, so I have no idea if I can control myself," he warned. "It isn't worth risking your life to help me."

"It's my life," she said. "I decide its value and I decided I'm willing to take this risk."

"I'll be here if anything happens," Andrew added. "I won't let things go too far."

Sebastian looked from one to the other. "Why are you so determined to help me? I'll be fine in a few days. I know my inability to work is a problem, but it's not serious enough to go to these lengths."

"I promised to protect you," Andrew explained. "Nothing like this was supposed to happen to you while you were here. I consider this a failure on my part and would like to rectify it. Unfortunately, I can't take care of it myself, so I am agreeing to Desiree helping. I don't like it, but she was kind enough to offer. If it will help remedy the situation you've been placed in, I won't argue."

"I will never understand how you can think like that," Sebastian told him. "You owe me nothing."

"Let me do this for my piece of mind," Desiree said. "If I'm able to help you, that will make me feel better."

He looked at her for a moment before closing his eyes again. "Okay, but make sure to stop me before I go too far."

Desiree looked at Andrew. "How do I..."

"Your wrist should do." He stood and took a step back to watch over them.

"Right." She held her arm out to Sebastian.