These Streaks of Blood

20

It's been a week, and they're no closer to finding Natalee than they were when they started.

Nelye hadn't wanted to, but he had insisted on scoping out the situation in Leewood first, before exploring other places. He had been too late to catch her at her house before, but maybe on this second trip he would notice some sort of sign. Nelye had rolled her eyes at him and told him there was nothing more to be found in that town, but had gone along with him nonetheless.

She had been right. The town was still supposedly in lockdown. Nobody in the streets, windows and doors shut tight and locked. No signs of laughter, not even when they strained their ears.

Natalee's house was the same as the last time he entered. The blood stains were less noticeable now, dry and faded, but still there. Nelye had noticed the perturbed expression on his face as he gazed at the spot, and looked confused in return.

"What is it?" she had asked him.

He glanced at her, then back at the blood. "When I came looking for Natalee, she was gone, but this was fresh," he replied, tone disgusted, but Nelye could tell the feeling was directed at himself.

Unconvinced, Nelye had knelt down next to the blood. After staring at it for a few seconds, she licked the tip of her index finger and ran it along the stain. Then, to Ryffin's surprise, she lifted the finger to her mouth and sucked gently.

Ryffin just stared at her, waiting for her to explain. She rose her eyebrows at him.

"This is human blood. Not a trace of vampire in it," she finally said, and Ryffin had felt his eyes widen.

"Not Natalee's?" he murmured, and Nelye shook her head.

He nearly sagged to the ground in relief. From there, he and Nelye had teleported to various places, but not many that Ryffin recognized. Nelye supposedly had a 'plan of attack', and since he had no plan at all, Ryffin decided to go along with it.

Now, here they are, walking along the shore of-- what? A big lake? An ocean? Ryffin doesn't know, and doesn't want to taste the water to find out. Nelye strolls along, her long, red lace gown swaying behind her in the breeze off the water. The dress is entirely unsullied; there is not a single wrinkle, stain, or tear, yet she'd been wearing it since they began their travels, as Ryffin had refused to go back to their homes for fear that Nelye would not leave again in order to continue helping him. Meanwhile, Ryffin's jeans have multiple holes, and his white V-neck is covered with stains. His shoes look as if he trekked through a swamp and simply left the mud to dry. He doesn't know how Nelye has lasted in the tall black heels she's been wearing.

"Nelye," Ryffin finally decides to say, his voice commanding. The Lady turns around, an eyebrow raised expectantly.

"Where are we going?" he demands. He stops in his tracks, making it clear that he refuses to go any farther until she tells him her plans.

She sighs. "Why do you ask?" 

Ryffin feels his face morph into an expression of incredulity. "Are you kidding me? I guess I'm just curious where we're going because we're supposed to be searching for Natalee," he says scathingly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What makes you think that's not what I'm doing?" Nelye wonders, undaunted by his tone.

"You-- We're-- What do you--?" Ryffin stammers, anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach.

"Don't you trust me, Ryffin?" Nelye asks gently, batting her eyelashes at him.

No, he thinks immediately, I absolutely do not.