Veins of Magic - Bloodbound Sorcery

Still Fighting Shadows

Zed had removed all the bodies, what he did to remove them Olive didn't know, but they were gone. Olive didn't feel any pain anymore, and they were ready to head back to the house. It was a long silent walk, though the thoughts of everyone were extremely loud. What now?

They arrived back at the house, as the sun was about to rise. Olive had packed a bag of her stuff so she could stay there for a while without going back to her apartment. She put all the stuff in the same room she had originally slept in. Ava said this was her room for as long as she wanted it. After putting all her clothes in the closet Olive walked back into the large living room. Here Ava and Zed were standing, talking about something they referred to as "the ball of darkness". Olive interrupted their conversation to ask.

"Where is Eli?"

"He said he was gonna go for a walk, but knowing him there is more to it," Ava said, with a sorrowful smile.

"Okay, do you guys have any food?" Olive asked, to draw attention away from her original question.

Zed and Ava looked at each other. Then back at Olive.

"We have deer blood?" Zed said, questioning whether this would fulfill Olive's hunger. Ava quickly gave him an unharmful slap on the arm.

"We don't have any food no... but I could go get you some. Unless of course, you feel like eating frozen deer meat. But I'm assuming you do not" Ava said.

"I would prefer not to eat frozen deer," Olive said, with a small laugh.

Right as she said that the front door opened. It was Eli, he was covered in blood and looked even more pale than he usually did.

"Don't ask" he said, and began walking down the stairs at the front door. But he only took a couple of steps before collapsing on the floor. Ava, Zed, and Olive all rushed over to him. He was half-conscious, mumbling stuff about the old vampire Cao.

"Zed go get some blood. Now!" Ava commanded, and Zed went off to the kitchen

"Olive, help me carry him to the couch" She then said. Olive looked at Eli, there was no way she could even help lift him, she thought. So she looked back at Ava and said.

"I can't carry him"

"No, I know, but I can. I just need you to hold his head up, and direct the body so he doesn't hit anything."

As Olive assisted Ava in carefully maneuvering Eli's semi-conscious body onto the couch, she couldn't help but notice the vulnerability in his pale features. His usually composed demeanor was replaced by a weariness that tugged at her empathy. She supported his head gently, ensuring he wouldn't collide with anything during the process.

As Ava hurriedly tended to Eli, Olive's gaze lingered on the intricate details of Eli's face. The subtle creases of concern etched onto his forehead, the way his dark hair fell slightly disheveled – these nuances seemed to amplify his human side, momentarily setting aside the supernatural façade.

Zed returned with the blood from the kitchen, and Ava swiftly opened the back and fed it to Eli. It was clear that this was helping him a lot as he to a degree returned to consciousness.

Ava turned her attention to Olive, who remained by Eli's side. Ava observed the unspoken connection between them, a hint of something more lingering beneath the surface. After a moment of contemplation, Ava spoke,

"Olive, can you stay with Eli for a bit? I need to check if the house is secured in case whoever did this to him, followed him here. Just make sure he's okay, alright?"

Olive nodded, her eyes still fixed on Eli. Ava left the room, leaving them in a silence punctuated only by Eli's occasional deep breaths. The air between them held a strange tension, a mixture of vulnerability and unspoken emotions.

As Eli's strength returned, he attempted to sit up. Olive instinctively offered her support, steadying him as he adjusted to an upright position.

"What happened?" Olive asked.

"I was dumb and angry. That's all you need to know" He answered

"Okay, you don't need to tell me. But if this had something to do with the people who want to hurt me. I want you to know that I'm more than happy with you protecting me. You don't need to seek out battle. I don't want you to get hurt... I can't bear to see you suffer for me"

Their eyes met again, and for a brief moment, time seemed to stand still. The room around them faded into the background, leaving only the shared gaze between the two.

The atmosphere shifted, and as if propelled by an unseen force, they found themselves leaning closer. The room seemed to shrink, and their proximity became charged with an unspoken tension. In that fleeting moment, their lips met in a gentle, tentative kiss.

However, as quickly as it happened, Eli pulled away with a sudden intensity. His expression shifted from vulnerability to a stern resolve, and a flash of frustration passed over his face. Without a word, he rose from the couch, leaving Olive bewildered and searching for an explanation.

In the aftermath of the unexpected kiss, Eli retreated to the shadows, his departure leaving Olive in a confusing mix of emotions. Unbeknownst to her, the reasons behind Eli's reaction were deeply rooted in a painful past that he had yet to share.