The Daylighter Apprentice

Chapter 14 - We've Got A Problem

Athene helps carry Matt back to the lab and lays him down on the sofa. The puncture wounds have stopped bleeding but Matt's still moaning softly in pain and paler than usual.

"Matthew will be fine in about an hour; The puncture wounds aren't deep enough to have done any proper damage. He just needs rest." Athene says, smiling at me.
"Matthew told me that if he was bitten, he would only be annoyed... He never told me that he'd go weak and be like this." I say, glancing over at him.
"He probably thought that but he's never been bitten so he quite clearly had no idea what to expect. But, like I said, he will be fine. Just stay with him and make sure he's comfortable. These wounds will take a while to heal as they're inflicted by another vampire, so when he's recovered, clean them up and make sure they aren't infected."
"Thank you so much. I had no idea what to do." I say meekly, smiling weakly at the vampire in front of me.
"No worries. Take care of him; I better be getting back to see what mess needs to be cleared up." And with that, she's gone.

Sure enough, it only takes a little while more before Matt groans and sits up next to me.
"How long was I out for?" He asks groggily.
"About an hour and a half. You OK?" I look over to him. His hair is sticking up at all odd angles from his restlessness.
"Better than I was. Not as painful as it was." He reaches a hand up to the bite tentatively and winces.
"Hey, let me clean that up for you. Just to make sure they're not infected." I say softly, leaning over to steal a quick kiss.
"It's honestly fine." Matt protests but I get up and leave for the bathroom before he can say anything else. I return with some antiseptic cream and sit beside him.
"Chin up." I command quietly and he obeys. I squirt a bit of the cream onto my finger and gently dab it onto the wounds. Matt hisses and I shush him, being more careful as I apply the cream.
"Done. Wasn't that bad." I declare, putting the lid back on the tube and putting it on the arm of the sofa. I turn back to Matt to be instantly pulled in for a kiss. My eyes flutter close and I reciprocate the kiss. It's a relaxed, sweet kiss that lasts for a while before Matt pulls away.
"Thank you." He murmurs, caressing my face.
"What for?"
"Taking care of me."
"I didn't really... You kinda looked after yourself." I say, feeling a flush creeping up my neck.
"Yes, maybe, but you just made sure the wounds weren't infected. You didn't have to." He kisses me again with the same tenderness as before but this time moves us so we have our shoulders against the sofa and ultimately are more comfortable. One of his hands moves slowly up my thigh until it's resting just below my hip and I grin against his soft lips.
"Ooh, suggestive." I tease breathlessly.
"I can if you want." He murmurs, fingers ghosting the growing bulge in my trousers. I hiss softly as he gently gropes me, giggling at my response. His fingers prove to be incredibly skilled as he caresses me through the fabric, eliciting soft moans from deep inside of me. I want to let him do whatever he was planning but I'm conscious of the time and Tom's likely reaction, so I reach down for his groping hand and lace my fingers in his, earning myself a puzzled look and a killer pout.
"I should be going. Last time I checked, it was coming up for 5 and Tom is going to slaughter me as it is." I pull his hand up and kiss the back of it, his cold skin a shock against my warm lips.
"Tom can go fuck himself. He doesn't own you." Matt scowls but softens when I lean across to kiss him.
"No, but he does keep me in a house. But I'll see you tomorrow. And I'm only a phone call away if you need me." I promise and reluctantly get up, not wanting to leave him.
"Fine, but take care. I'll take you back through the tunnels if you want?" Matt offers, standing with me. I nod and in one quick sweeping motion, he scoops me up in his arms much like he did on the first night he kissed me and carries me through the dimly lit tunnels. The walls pass by in a blur and in mere seconds, we're stood at the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the kitchen of Tom's place.

"Have a nice evening, my dear little Daylighter." Matt murmurs close to my ear, setting me down on the floor and embracing me.
"You too, my sexy blood sucker." I reply, feigning a husky voice and Matt snorts, the sound resonating in the cavernous space.
"I won't suck your blood but I may suck something else one day." He winks. I chuckle and lean in to capture his lips in a searing, passionate kiss. We kiss until I lack oxygen and pull away, grinning like kids at Christmas.
"Goodnight. I love you." I whisper, making for the stairs.
"Sleep well, my love. I love you too." He blows a kiss and watches me ascend the stairs before disappearing back to his lab.

I walk into the kitchen to find Chris pacing and Tom and Morgan sat at the table, muttering about something. Chris is the only one who even vaguely acknowledges my arrival.
"What's up?" I ask, looking between the 3 men. Chris stops pacing and all 3 exchange glances of a nature I can't work out.
"It's probably best you don't know for a while." Chris starts and both Morgan and Tom nod, Morgan opening his mouth to say something but deciding otherwise.
"I'm easy. What's happened?" I persist, kind of confused as to why I couldn't know.
"Look, Dom, it's best you don't know as it's a really fucked up situation and you should stay right out of it to stay safe. In fact, it would probably be wise to stay with your mum for a while until it blows over." Tom begins to say more but in a sudden wave of pure, white hot anger, I slam my hand down on the table. All 3 of them look shocked and I close my eyes, counting to five before I carry on.
"I am 20 years old. I can look after myself. I am not a fucking child that needs 24/7 looking after. I work for this hugely feared vampire that everyone thinks is a psychopath and I'm not dead yet. I can handle whatever this shit is." I say through gritted teeth. Chris sighs and pulls out a chair.
"Sit. We'll explain the best we can." He says and I sit, staring expectantly at the other 2.
"Well?" I prompt.
"What's the best way to put this..." Morgan starts, scratching his chin. "We have a problem. A big one at that."