The Immortal Cure

4. Test Two

After my long earned warm shower, I got dressed and peeled the wet cling wrap off of my neck.
I stood in front of the mirror, and to my horror most of the bandage was now covered in blood. I hissed out when my fingers made light contact.

I left the bathroom and made my way down to find Duke, Seth or Riley, whoever I came across first.

I treaded down the hallway and walked down the long wide stairs lined with red runner carpet that I hadn't noticed before.
The quarters of the entry hall were floored in cold white tiles, so I tried not to slip over in my socks. Wincing in pain, I continued through the large living room, turning to face Duke's study room.

In the middle of the room stood Duke and Seth, deep in conversation as they turned their heads to look at me. I felt awkward and shuffled my feet as they stared at me.

"S-sorry to interrupt, but I'm having a fair amount of blood loss here" I stammered as I pointed to my saturated bandage

Duke immediately walked towards me and lifted a finger under my left jaw line, tilting my head up examining the bandage.
His finger was cold, and as soon as his skin touched mine, my face felt hot and a rush of heat travelled furiously through my body.

He dropped his finger and turned back to Seth.

"We'll finish our conversation later" He nodded at Seth to leave, Seth complying with a nod in response.

"Sit" Duke ordered me, as he moved towards his desk, pulling a draw open and shuffling around inside

I did as he said and sat myself on the white sofa Harriss had earlier been seated on. I kept my eyes away from Duke, looking out a nearby window.
It was dark.

"What time is it?" I asked curiously.

Come to think of it, I was tired, and the last time I'd slept was when I'd woken from this entire ordeal of being attacked by Ryde.

"It's about midnight" He replied, moving back towards me carrying a medium sized soft bag.

I turned my gaze back towards him, but never met his eyes, only watching his hands or my own in my lap

"I'm surprised you aren't asleep yet. I'm also assuming that's why you're bleeding again. You've been running around like a chicken without its head when you should be resting. Your body needs to heal" He lightly told me, his face concentrating but soft

"I had my reasons" I defended as I watched him sit beside me, feeling the sudden closeness of our bodies.

He unzipped the edges of the bag, and lifted the top of its lid to reveal its medical contents.

"Are you part-time doctor full-time vampire?" I asked, worried he had no idea what he was doing

He began pulling things from the bag, such as a small vial of yellow disinfectant, and a roll of stitches, and sticky patches.
He tilted my head again with his finger, once again creating the same reaction as it had before.

"I am" He replied seriously as his face became uncomfortably close, his eyes wondering around my neck. He pulled the sticky tape holding my bandage down from my skin. I winced as he slowly pulled at the tape.

"Sorry" He apologised taking in my reaction

"Doesn't the smell make you want to... you know... chow down?" I asked, trying to break the awkward silence between us

He lightly chuckled, something I'd never heard before from him. It was sincere, and the only time I'd seen his tough angry persona disintegrate.

"No. Although there is a certain appeal to your blood that I have never endured before" He continued, slowly peeling the last of the white medical sticky tape from around my neck.