Blood Ties (NaNoWriMo 2015)

Thirty-Four

"I-I don't know," I managed, pulling on the winter coat, for that was what Damon had pulled over me, over my arms so I could stay close to him.

"Neither do I," he answered cheerfully, fingers still toying with a lock of my hair. "So of course that means I can't go back on my promise can I?"

"You're twisting a fact to suit your needs," I muttered but despite myself I smiled. I guess getting kissed did bring your mood up just a little.

"Details," Damon said dismissively. "Just try and get some sleep Ember, I'll watch over you."

I smiled again as I truly did believe that. "You've been watching over me for a long time," I yawned and rested my head over his silent heart and then drifted off into a surprisingly restful sleep.

***

It was a few hours later that I was woken up by multiple voices. At first fear gripped me, but when I felt Damon's arm around my shoulders, I relaxed because I noticed he was. If this was not a friendly, he'd have already moved.

Keith, Caiyun and Doc were all standing in my bedroom, carefully avoiding the shards of glass. Caiyun, who was usually so poised and clean cut was not that today. Her black hair hung in a frizzy mess about her face and she had crusty streaks on her face, if I hadn't known better I'd have sworn she'd been crying tears of blood. Wait, had she? I wasn't aware but I decided right now would not be the best time to ask.

"Damon!" she ran into the closet and embraced her son who'd just barely gotten to his feet. I followed suit, glad to discover my earlier lightheadedness was gone. Excellent.

"Hi Mom," Damon said, bending down to hug her as well. I found the sight a little comical, considering how much height he had on his mother .

"Damon are you alright?" she demanded, eyes searching him for any injuries and she spotted some of the remaining burns on his arms and face. "Zalam!" she exclaimed. "Doc!"

"Easy, I'm fine," said Damon instantly. "Doc, look after Ember first, the assailant threw her around quite  a bit." I looked over and saw Caiyun's eyes flash from me to Damon before her mouth set into a thin line. I recalled what Damon said earlier, that she didn't like me so much. I wondered if part of the reason not only stemmed from my being human and a stranger  in her world, but how her son treated me. Putting me before himself, could that be part in it?

"Yes sir," and the short, portly man hurried over to me, black briefcase in hand and stethoscope askew around his neck.

"Miss Hawthorn," he said with a pleasant bob on his head. "Please tell me of any  pain you're experiencing."

"My back's a bit sore," I said and it wasn't a lie. "But I think it's just from sleeping on the closet floor."

"Ahm," Doc grabbed his little flashlight and shined it in each of my eyes. "Dilation is normal," he muttered. "Did you hit your head at all during the attack?"

"I did," I admitted, partial truth and then tacked a lie onto the end. "But it was on the couch, soft landing. I'm okay."

Doc didn't looked convinced but bless his soul-assuming he had one, left the matter alone and question on whether or not I'd gone into shock after this attack as well. I honestly told him no. "Two attacks," Doc whistled. "And not a scratch on you. He shut his little briefcase and shook his head. "You, Miss Hawthorn have a guardian angel."

Guardian angel? I didn't buy that, but a guardian vampire? I stole a glance at Damon and my lips tingled with the memory of our kiss. That I could believe. I shrugged and replied, "If you say so."

Doc regarded me curiously. "You don't have any faith do you?"

"No," I admitted. "I just believe in things that I can prove."

"A little faith doesn't hurt," he told me. "Take it from a very old man, faith is like butter. Just a little bit can do wondrous things."

"Butter has high fat and salt," I replied. "Excessive use can contribute to heart problems."

Doc soured. "You are just a ray of sunshine aren't you?"

"That's me," I teased and he gave me a wry grin. "Thank  you Doc, you're a good man, you're good at your job."

"I should be," he replied without missing a beat. "It involves lots of blood work!"

Once his vampire jokes unnerved me, now I laughed. "And you're funny." I added, and I was rewarded with a smile that once again showed off his lone gold tooth.

"Well laughter is the best medicine."

I laughed again and was about to reply when I had was knocked into by  something very cool solid and panicked. "Thank Zalam you're okay!" Ife shouted, crushing me in a hug. "I just found out," she drew back and began examining me, prodding my face with her fingers like she was checking for cuts or swelling. "What happened? Were you injured? Did you get a look at them?"

"Ife calm down!" Doc demanded, pulling her away. "Too much excitement is not good for her, and what in the hell were you thinking running into her like that? You might have knocked the air right out of her!"

"I'm fine," I assured them, looking from my friend to the doctor. "No, I am not hurt, nor did I just have the wind knocked out of me, though any harder and I probably would have. What happened was someone got into the manor or was already here, came to my room in the middle of the day with a knife intending to stab me, Damon was here last night and fell asleep, he threw the attacker out the window. Sunlight got into the room and to avoid it we hid in the closet. It just got dark enough to leave. And sadly, no," I shook my head. "I did not get a good look at their face."

"Well that sucks," Ife frowned, shoulders slumping and I noticed she'd removed the braids from her hair. Her hair was falling in waves around her face, though as of now they looked a little mussed. "But I am so happy you're okay." She wrapped me in a hug once again and when she let go she kept a firm grip on my hands. "Come, you must want to get cleaned up."

"That would be really nice," I admitted. "Mind if I use your bathroom though? Mine just became part of a crime scene."

Ife smiled. "Of course," I made a move forward but she held my arm tightly, though not painfully so, to stop me. "Here," and she lifted me up bridal style into her arms. "There's glass everywhere," she explained at my questioning look. "And you don't have shoes on, I don't want you to get all cut up."

"Oh," I'd forgotten all about the glass. "Thank you," starting to bleed in a room full of vampires, even ones that were supposed to co-exist peacefully with humans, seemed very dangerous. Speaking of that, what was I supposed to do when I hit my period? That was going to be problematic... Ife turned towards the door and began to walk but Damon called to her.

"Hold up," he said. Ife turned again and we faced him, his thin lips were set into a ridged line and instantly my blood turned cold. "Ife, please get Ember out of the glass and bring her to my father's office, we'll meet you there in ten minutes, we all have a lot to discuss."

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