Ancient Darkness (On HOLD)

Chapter Thirty Two - Renfield Is Not My Style

A cold weight pushing against her cheek had Sang startling awake, her eyes barely open before she heard Sean crooning, "Easy, little bird."

Her lashes lifted as she felt strong male fingers curl around her own, "Wha..."

"You're fine. I know that you must be feeling slightly disoriented at the moment but you need to lie still for a few moments more."

She searched his face, reassured when she saw nothing but his usual calm expression. "I don't remember what happened."

Another touch from that coldness against her face had her eyes jerking to the other side of the bed where she realised that Filos had settled, his snout slowly creeping back onto her pillow as she smiled, "Hi."

He chuffed and she had the vague feeling that he was relieved by her awakening although she couldn't be totally sure of his mood. Animals were more difficult to read than humans because of their sensory-dominated thinking patterns.

"Sang," Sean murmured, ensuring that she was looking back at him before he continued, "How do you feel at the moment?"

"Fine." She frowned, "Why do I feel fine?"

She raised her injured arm off the bed, gasping as she saw nothing but smooth skin. There were no jagged teeth marks, no blood and no pain.

"Sean?" Her eyes were wild with confusion and a tinge of panic. "Sean?"

His palm settled over her forehead, "Calm yourself, little bird. Everything is fine."

"Why do I not look like a chew toy still?" She shot up to look around, "Where is Silas? Is he ok?"

He huffed and pushed her back down, "Silas is completely fine, as are you. North was able to assist him just as Owen and I assisted you."

"Assisted me?" She breathed, her eyes going back to that unblemished skin.

"I know that you are still coming to accept the fact that we are of another race and I have no wish to distress you further but the only way to explain this," His fingers ran down her arm, "Is to be honest. Along with our physical attributes, Immortals are blessed with the ability to heal others."

"Heal...how?"

"Perhaps you would allow me?" A new voice interrupted, the silence of his entrance making both Sang and Filos startle.

"Silas!" She cried, trying to sit up once more despite Sean's strong hands pushing against her.

The large man stopped behind his brother, his dark eyes gentle as they watched her settle in his presence. "Good eve, mikró fántasma."

She bit her lip, "I am so sorry about earlier. I know that I shouldn't have gone outside but I realised that I would run out of clean clothes if I didn't find some way to clean them. And Filos was really sweet, he didn't hurt me. I mean, yeah, he scared the absolute shit out of me when I turned around and saw him in the doorway but then he just followed me around while I had something to eat. I only went back outside because I thought, well, he's a wild animal and wouldn't want to stay locked in the house," She sucked in a desperate breath, "And I'm just really sorry."

After the two Immortals had shared a silent glance, Sean shook his and walked out of the room without another word as Silas took his seat beside the bed.

"Immortal or not, I am not quite sure that I followed that explanation, mikró fántasma."

"What does that mean?" She asked, her body leaking of tension as his accented voice floated through her.

Looking weirdly like Filos, he tilted his head, "I do not follow."

"The meekro thing."

"Ah," He smiled carefully, "It is not an insult. It simply means 'little ghost'."

"Your accent is different to the others."

"Yes, I grew up in Greece with my parents."

Sang tilted her head, "North's is slightly different as well." She pushed herself up with her back leaning against the bedhead. "The stories all of you could tell me..." She shook her head, still amazed by the fact that these men had lived for centuries.

"A topic for another time," He assured her, his body relaxing even further into the large chair. "I said that I would explain how it is we are both healed."

"I would think that your ability to heal is largely because of the fact that you are immortal."

"That is true. Many of the races which exist are born with the ability to heal exponential amounts of physical trauma because of their DNA but unlike them, we are able to heal others."

"With..." Sang's face suddenly drained of colour as she began to really consider the possibilities. She didn't think that there were many.

"Blood."

The word was so heavily dropped that Sang felt as though a vast weight had suddenly settled on her chest, "Blood. So someone gave you their blood and you healed," She thrust her fingers through Filos' fur, trying not to hurt him as she struggled to battle down the rise of hysteria. "And I'm ok because..."

His eyes watched her with wariness and no small amount of concern, "Owen gave you a transfusion using his own blood."

"Did he use a needle or..."

Silas leaned forward to settle his fingers over her arm – the arm she had willingly used as a shield against Filos' attack on the Immortal. "You must understand, Sang. Sean and Owen discussed seeking medical treatment from humans but it was discarded because you were losing too much blood." His eyes turned completely serious, "I wish that this was not another thing on your mind but there wasn't time for alternatives. You were at risk of dying."

"But," Her breath trembled. "Did he use a needle or did he make me..."

"It was given orally."

"I drank it?" She paused, "I drank blood. I drank blood and now I'm healed."

Silas looked as though he wanted to call Sean back as she began to rise from the bed, her movements jerky as a dull redness swept across her face.

"Sang?"

She stomped past him towards the door, Filos trailing close behind her, "He fed me blood." Her voice raised to a slightly higher level, "In what universe is force feeding me blood ok?"

Between one blink and the next, Silas was standing behind her, a careful hand holding her in place, "It saved your life."

"I know that and I'm really grateful but I'm not an Immortal. Humans do not drink blood!"

"You are correct but as it is, you have no memory of the event and there have been no adverse effects. Are you going to confront him over something which was done in protection of your life?"

She tipped her head back and let out a deep breath, "I guess not." She pointed a finger at his freakishly wide chest, "But I'm still freaking the fuck out right now."

"What have I said about your language?" Owen's stern voice came from the top of the stairs, his expression relaxed as he watched her stomp towards him. "A woman as lovely as you should not use such words."

"And a man as old as you should not go around giving out blood samples!" She raised to her toes, her nose nearly touching his, "Are you sure that I'm not going to turn into a Renfield or end up with some funky disease?"